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[theolodian]

I have decided to trade in my Xbox for an Xbox 360 with a 20GB HDD.

What are the options for working with MCE?  I have a spare license for MCE, so I would consider setting up an old desktop with MCE and storing my media files there instead of getting an external HDD.  I would set it up to wake on LAN so it wouldn't be on all the time, and share files between my Mac and PVR (linux toy).

Any comments TB?

[TheBoy]

I have decided to trade in my Xbox for an Xbox 360 with a 20GB HDD.

What are the options for working with MCE?  I have a spare license for MCE, so I would consider setting up an old desktop with MCE and storing my media files there instead of getting an external HDD.  I would set it up to wake on LAN so it wouldn't be on all the time, and share files between my Mac and PVR (linux toy).

Any comments TB?

XB360 works fine as extender.  If waking up MCE, takes around 10 - 15s to wake up and connect on mine.

Can't stream non-MS formats without additional software (inc xvids etc). See transcode 360 for this sort of functionailty.

Files need to be accessible by the user account that the extender uses - mcx1 iirc.

[theolodian]

Thanks TB.  What are the advantages of using the Xbox this way?  HDMI output?  Don't you need to buy the remote?  20GB isn't enough to really help.  I am mainly thinking of MP4 and maybe MP3/AAC files.  

The PVR can record to and play from a network drive (everyone must have full access).  The PVR can also support a USB HDD and share it over the network.  That was plan A for sharing my media files, but may require Samba on Windows PC's.

[TheBoy]

If you use it as a MS Extender, nothing at all is stored on local HDD.

Not tried without remote, but its a std mce remote (cheap off ebay - i paid £4 delivered)

MCE itself can play most things with right codec (generally, for xp mce, an mpeg2 decoder, and ffdshow).

Extenders can only stream MS video formats from MCE without additional software. I need to double check the MP3 streaming (it can, but need to check if it streams via MCE or direct from source).

[theolodian]

If you use it as a MS Extender, nothing at all is stored on local HDD.

Not tried without remote, but its a std mce remote (cheap off ebay - i paid £4 delivered)

MCE itself can play most things with right codec (generally, for xp mce, an mpeg2 decoder, and ffdshow).

Extenders can only stream MS video formats from MCE without additional software. I need to double check the MP3 streaming (it can, but need to check if it streams via MCE or direct from source).

I was thinking about the Xbox remote, haven't heard of an MCE remote before.

I can run VGA from MCE to the TV, but then we can't use MCE as a desktop.

I take it the 360 has optical out sound?  I think that I may need to start looking for an HDMI/optical switchbox.  :-/

[TheBoy]

If you use it as a MS Extender, nothing at all is stored on local HDD.

Not tried without remote, but its a std mce remote (cheap off ebay - i paid £4 delivered)

MCE itself can play most things with right codec (generally, for xp mce, an mpeg2 decoder, and ffdshow).

Extenders can only stream MS video formats from MCE without additional software. I need to double check the MP3 streaming (it can, but need to check if it streams via MCE or direct from source).

I was thinking about the Xbox remote, haven't heard of an MCE remote before.

I can run VGA from MCE to the TV, but then we can't use MCE as a desktop.

I take it the 360 has optical out sound?  I think that I may need to start looking for an HDMI/optical switchbox.  :-/

Standard MCE remote is what I use on mine, but I don't use my xbox as anythign other than an extender.

One of the xbox leads i have has some kind of digital out for audio, think it may be vga lead.  Newer XBOX 360s have HDMI as well.

Sorry, don't know too much about XBOX's.  Mine is simply connected to cat5, and to LCD in bedroom via VGA and analogue audio.