EddScott

I'm looking to fit either a dedicated HTPC into our bedroom or maybe use an Xbox 1 with XMBC installed.

It won't be used that much other than as a TV but DVD playback, movie playback transfered wireless from PC in living room and some internet access.

I don't really want to spend 500 bucks on a PC that won't be used as a PC that much so considering the Xbox route for alot less and a decent HD ready LCD TV (only got space for 22" TV)

Guess Xbox 1 won't have HD ability but at least if the TV can do its future proofed.

Ta

NWMark

Ive used both first the xbox 1, used to copy all the xvid and divx across and watch through xbmc. Worked extremely well and quality was very good.

Now i use the xbox 360 using transcode360, works extremely well, only downside is that my pc has to be on as it re-encodes any divx/xvid on the fly into wmv, but the sound and quality are superb.

Depends what you your going to watch really but theres only 1 or 2 things ive watched on the 360 that i couldnt have done on the xbox 1. All movies and series that ive downloaded work fine on both. Its just the new HD stuff that requires a hefty CPU to process that the xbox will struggle with.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

will any old PC do for transcode 360?

TopBanana

I used my xbox for this in the lounge. Just plugged into a wireless bridge and I was away.

EddScott

See this is what I was thinking.

As for running the PC all the time with 360, I've made my PC as quiet as possible so it barely audible in the living room (even with a 7800GT). Download quite alot of torrent content so needs to be quiet as its on for long periods at a time.

I can sneak a bunch of stuff through this years PC purchase for the company - easier to sneak in the odd upgrade for my gaming rig rather than a complete new system!

StickyMicky

i have my own "Sticky-on-demand" service running with all my episodes of lost saved on the pc hard drive


convert them to WMVs and simply stream them to the xbox360 in the living room, saved me a fortune burning DVD`s

intrested in this "encode on the fly malarky"!!

i batch convert my files while i sleep with winavi

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

I use Transcode360 on Vista streaming to Media Centre on the 360, works a treat now its all hardwired.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

Key word I'm guessing?! Over Wifi this would all be a no no?

Not even sure my PC could do all this on the fly stuff. P4 3.2, 1Gb RAM, average GFX card and linked to 360 via 54mbs wifi.

boxst

Hello

I use Xbox (original) to play movies and TV shows. It has a chip that allows me to do this and it is great.

For the 360, I have tried Transcode and it appears to be hit and miss and takes up way too much CPU whilst converting the video. It also doesn't like my 64 bit Vista very much.

Steve

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

I had problems over wireless and struggled to get it set up, but wired it was simple & is totally reliable.

EddScott

Your spec would be a good media PC. Video streaming is CPU hungry not graphics and 1GB ram would be fine.

Markus

I very recently got my xbox chipped and now I happily run XBMC on it (T3CH version). It's connected via cat 5 to a 4 port hub, which in turn plugs into an Apple Airport Express, though it could and has gone direct to the Airport Express in the past. I use XBMC to play the music/video files stored on my iMac's hard drive. Obviously if I was downloading a torrent at the same time as trying to view a file from the iMac then I'd expect a bit of lag, but I hardly do that so it's not an issue.

The other thing I like is that I have a few R2 dvd's and XBMC quite happily plays these with far better quality than the Phillips DVD play I'd got for the pure purpose of region free as my other DVD player wasn't handset hackable for region free.

The XBOX is wired up to my AV amp so I get full Dolby Digital or DTS sound from media where supported, which is nice.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

good stuff. I'm going to try get it set up then this weekend.

RB5-Black

I'm same as above really,

original Xbox v1 in my living room used as an all-round music/video streamer to my TV and stereo aux input. I run it via wireless and have never had a problem. Streaming 700meg versions of lost (40 mins when adverts cut) I never have a problem so IMHO wireless isn't an issue.

My 360 gets used from time to time for the same purpose but I'm using Transcode 360 for that because it won't do divx as has been said already. I have a small cheap end dell dual core intel running the transcode software and it doesn't task that machine hard in any way. Only problem with transcode is volume level but all it needs is turn it up a bit more.

Tuts

Streamed video on demand to my old xbox running xbmc. Worked like a charm.

Do the same now with my 360 and transcode 360. Both on xp media centre and now on vista. Running 32bit vista at the moment because there are no 64bit drivers for my hauppauge digital tv card yet.

Transcode works perfectly and will stream all formats including hd and dolby 5.1 stuff. No problems with encoding on the fly and it will even do it while the pc is being used for gaming. The later versions of it do not hog resources.

James Neill

iTrader: (1)

I use XBMC on an Xbox. Only got it this week in fact. Works very well and am just waiting for an audio cable to plug the xbox in to my amp. Streams fine via a wireless router from my main PC.

Mac7611

I am very interested in this. I want to connect my PC to my TV to watch films on a bigger screen.

Being a bit of thicko when is comes to computers, can any one enlighten me as to what I need (and a rough idea on costs) to connect them.

I have a totally standard Xbox 1 as some of you guys are using. The wireless option sound good, but dont mind running cables across the living room if need be. Only thing there though is that the PC and TV/Xbox are about 8 -10 feet apart.

I asume it is fairly easy to set up. (Plug and play?). Also what is XBMC? Do I need that to make it work?


Any help greatly appreciated.


James

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

search XBMC on here is your best bet for info or visit xbox scene. I'm using my 360 now and it's pretty good but not as good as the original xbox for films. Saying that I'm now sat watching live prem football and got soccer saturday on the same screen using PIP.

James Neill

iTrader: (1)

- You need an Xbox
- You need to get the Xbox soft-modded or have a mod chip installed. This then lets you run "unsighned" software than has not been approved by Microsoft. XBMC is such a thing because it's homebrew software.
- You then need to load an alternative bios that lets you FTP to the Xbox and also boot into an alternative dashboard (eg, XBMC itself or one on many others)
- You then need XBMC. Binary distributions are not legal - but can be found
- You then upload XBMC to the Xbox (assuming its networked to your PC).

Basically, the above sounds complicated. But a couple of hours research and it's very easy. I went straight to eBay and got mine with a modchip already installed.

It's superb software and I use to it stream programmes off the PC, look at the family photos and play music. Absolutely brilliant and all for less that £100 normally.