Apps for streaming DivX on 360
by Ken Weeks 
{ Mar 23rd 2006 at 8:30AM }
As you may know, the Xbox 360's streaming capabilities do not support DivX / Xvid out of the box, to the severe annoyance of many people (Actually to the annoyance of 2195 people). Fortunately, there are a couple apps out there that solve the problem by converting DivX to WMV on the fly. Of course, you still need Windows Media Center.
MCE Video Encoder has the following features:
Transcode 360 (also supports Quicktime and Real Media Video) has been around since early February and is getting great reviews. If you try either one, report back with your experience / comparison.Start and Stop Streaming from Windows Client and MCE Add-in, Pause and Unpause Streaming from Windows Client and MCE Add-in, Rewind and Fast Forward the Streaming (by configurable amount) from Windows Client and MCE Add-in, Play the stream from MCE Add-in, View Progress of video encoding in Windows Client, and Remote control MCE Video Encoder through Windows Messages and/or Command Files.
Still seems like a hassle to me. This is one of those non-piracy related areas where a modded Xbox w/XBMC truly pwns the 360. Question for those with WMC: Are you using the Xbox 360's limited streaming capabilities regularly, or are you too busy playing GRAW like the rest of us?
[Thanks Jake]
See also:
XBMC hacker introduces Transcode 360
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jake (another one) @ Mar 23rd 2006 8:59AM
Transcode works nicely. Well integrated. However, it has frozen on me a couple of times, and if that happens, you're out of luck! There doesn't seem to be any fast-forwarding capabilities, so you need to start whatever you were watching from scratch...
Sense @ Mar 23rd 2006 9:22AM
Before my laptop asploded, I used the 360 to stream my music collection all the time. As you can imagine, it's sounds a lot better coming from my surround sound than my crappy, tinny VAIO speakers.
Stupid laptop just up and died on me though. It should represent the last SONY product I ever buy.
...unless the PS3 is amazing.
Taoski @ Mar 23rd 2006 9:51AM
My Modded box' still wins hands down.
I have a Media Center PC but have only really used it to stream out photos to the 360 so far.
I have also used Videora to convert my DivX files to the right format with worked perfectly too!
http://www.videora.com/en-us/Converter/Xbox360/
Joel @ Mar 23rd 2006 9:55AM
I use the streaming features allot. Right now I use Transcode360, which is a great program. Only caveats are you can't pause (well, you can, but when you unpause, it skips forward the amount of time it was paused), and you can't fast forward or rewind. It's really easy to use though. Select vid, press info, pick more, and select Transcode.
It is irritating, and downright stupid that MS opted against supporting divx/xvid, but it's good to see more work arounds showing up.
Joxer @ Mar 23rd 2006 9:58AM
Transcode 360 has played back many hours of divx - I just can't wait for Battlestar Galactica to hit Canuck TV. It can consume some memory, but that may be related to some early bugs - I tend to not even pause it too much and just watch straight through. Never a hitch otherwise and good video quality, piping hot to my 50" HDTV. Everything just appears in your regular folders, hit info and transcode instead of play.
Netcruzer @ Mar 23rd 2006 10:11AM
I also use Transcode360. I have not experienced any PAUSE issues like Joel mentioned. My pause works correctly, however not having fast forward or rewind capabilitys is a real PAIN. If I'm transcoding a movie I have to make sure to turn off all unneeded services on my PC, cuz one glitch and your screwed for picking up where you left off. For the question proposed, I still have my old XBOX connected, but havn't used XBMC in a long time. I'm waiting for the new 360 interface, then it will likely become my bedroom media machine. I use my 360 for vid streaming/transcoding a lot, but would use it WAY MORE if someone fixes the fast forward/rewind issues.
Darcy @ Mar 23rd 2006 11:17AM
I used transcode, but not very much. I'll use dvdsanta and a rw...doesn't take very long.
Something that makes be go hmm....why does everything from marketplace like videos only show in trailers via the dash, but not under the Videos section in the media blade. Why is "Artist of the month" a trailer???
SlyEcho @ Mar 23rd 2006 3:01PM
I found this program a few minutes ago: http://sourceforge.net/projects/x360mediaserve
It serves music only and it has a very crude interface but it can convert music from other formats like ogg and flac.
I only tried it because I couldn't get Windows Media Connect working.
Raymond "Rayeh" Dubisky @ Mar 23rd 2006 6:23PM
I use x360mediaserv for streaming about 50GB of music from my linux box, works great except the current beta release has to re-index on start. I need to brush up my java and submit some patches, like submitting what I listen to to last.fm
Logan T. @ Mar 23rd 2006 11:31PM
All of the video I would be interested in streaming to my Xbox 360 is in DivX, so I'm not too happy I have to convert it all. I don't actually have to worry about it now (seeing as I don't have a media center PC), but I'm sure in the months preceding the launch of Vista I'll be constantly converting my videos. I am really looking forward to being able to stream my videos (even if it does involve a lot of converting), because my computer has lots of TV series and movies, and watching them on a TV is much more desirable than my computer monitor.
nizzy1115 @ Mar 24th 2006 12:40PM
I use a DVI cable to stream video to my TV because i only have windows xp pro. :( And i have a 80gb external hard drive with a mirrored copy of my music from my pc on it to listen to in games (i found that there was too much lag scrolling through massive playlists with my wireless setup).
So i use none of these streaming features on my 360 because they are yet up to par with what i would want.
Raymond "Rayeh" Dubisky @ Mar 24th 2006 6:02PM
I don't have any real problem with lag when accessing the music network wise, but I really really wish there was a way to disable the smooth, yet painfully slow sliding transition when switching panels and pages. Without that I could navigate menus much much faster. As it is now, if I want to find a specific song or invite someone in the middle of a game I stand a strong chance of being killed during the middle of it.
cheesebuster @ Apr 26th 2006 3:54PM
transcode360 does forward , rewind , and pause with no issues there are new releases for this program i think you need to update!!
i use this program daily for all my divx stuff not burned a dvdcd in months