Watching .avi on 360 requires update?

Keltik THC · 23 Apr 2009 at 21:55

every time you try and watch a film from an external HDD on the 360 it needs to be connected online to 'download a codec'.

Now aside from being uber annoying (and unfortunate if youre not online) do you think this is legit, that it it just downloading the codec each time and the muppets at MS didnt think to let the 360 save the codec for future use?? or do you think its a way for MS to keep an eye on what external content you are watching? i suppose its an improvement from not being able to watch it at all.

i have no idea, just seems a bit pointless and annoying to me.... i love the 360 for gaming but from my experiences, as a media hub, the PS3 wins hands down.

rp2000 · 23 Apr 2009 at 22:00

Keltik THC said:
every time you try and watch a film from an external HDD on the 360 it needs to be connected online to 'download a codec'.

Now aside from being uber annoying (and unfortunate if youre not online) do you think this is legit, that it it just downloading the codec each time and the muppets at MS didnt think to let the 360 save the codec for future use?? or do you think its a way for MS to keep an eye on what external content you are watching? i suppose its an improvement from not being able to watch it at all.

i have no idea, just seems a bit pointless and annoying to me.... i love the 360 for gaming but from my experiences, as a media hub, the PS3 wins hands down.

I know you said AVI but which codec is this? divx? x264? etc. I was under the impression it only needed the codec the 1st time. (I have watched multiple files on my 360 and don't recall re-downloading the codec, although I have not used this for a while...)

rp2000

Dannyb01y · 23 Apr 2009 at 22:10

Ive only had to download a codec once to watch avi files the other day sounds strange it asks you every time..

wannabedamned · 23 Apr 2009 at 22:26

It asks you once generally, And then works.

If a movie file isnt going to play the message says:

Can't play this content because it contains audio or video with an unsupported codec. For more info, go to www.xbox.com/support

Those files will never play, not until theres a new update alteast

Shamikebab · 23 Apr 2009 at 22:50

I've only had to download it once but I do have to be connected to live every time after that or i get the unsupported codec message.

ic1male · 23 Apr 2009 at 22:56

The problem is that the codec is embedded with the DRM that Arcade titles have. So if you download it on your first Xbox, then it will work seamlessly. Download it again on another console and you have to be logged in to Live unless you use the licence transfer tool.

Shamikebab · 23 Apr 2009 at 23:09

ic1male said:
The problem is that the codec is embedded with the DRM that Arcade titles have. So if you download it on your first Xbox, then it will work seamlessly. Download it again on another console and you have to be logged in to Live unless you use the licence transfer tool.

Ah I never knew that! I used the license transfer tool recently after putting it off for months. Will have to try watching something again.

HTMLHugo · 24 Apr 2009 at 08:02

licence transfer tool ?

Kreeeee · 24 Apr 2009 at 10:13

ic1male said:
The problem is that the codec is embedded with the DRM that Arcade titles have. So if you download it on your first Xbox, then it will work seamlessly. Download it again on another console and you have to be logged in to Live unless you use the licence transfer tool.

No, that's wrong.

You have to be online every time you use the codec regardless of the console the original download was on.

ic1male · 24 Apr 2009 at 10:31

Kreeeee said:
No, that's wrong.

You have to be online every time you use the codec regardless of the console the original download was on.

No you don't! Trust me, I know. I've had about four different Xbox 360s in my time and know first hand that the licence transfer tool fixes it.

Gentwee · 24 Apr 2009 at 10:33

Kreeeee said:
No, that's wrong.

You have to be online every time you use the codec regardless of the console the original download was on.

Nope, what ic1male said is correct. I had the same problem when I changed my xbox. The licence transfer tool will fix it for him.

ic1male · 24 Apr 2009 at 10:41

It might be that you need to also download the codec via your Account Management / Download History area rather than letting the 360 download it when you first play an AVI.

Nismo · 24 Apr 2009 at 10:55

Kreeeee said:
No, that's wrong.

You have to be online every time you use the codec regardless of the console the original download was on.

I always thought this was the case as well until I saw that you could get around it.

Tobes · 24 Apr 2009 at 11:00

Kreeeee said:
No, that's wrong.

You have to be online every time you use the codec regardless of the console the original download was on.

Nope again lol.

Also if you use the licence transfer tool make sure you redownload the codec.

wannabedamned · 24 Apr 2009 at 12:38

Kreeeee said:
No, that's wrong.

You have to be online every time you use the codec regardless of the console the original download was on.

When I moved into my new place, i had no internet, and all my movies worked fine without a download or live connection

Dreadi · 24 Apr 2009 at 12:55

I downloaded the codec the other day then took the xbox to the womens house and it worked fine being offline playing avi's...

Trixter · 24 Apr 2009 at 13:54

Kreeeee · 24 Apr 2009 at 14:07

Nismo said:
I always thought this was the case as well until I saw that you could get around it.

I didn't know there was a work around!

Thanks for the correction guys

Tobes · 24 Apr 2009 at 14:08

What's the work around? You only need to download it once and you don't need to be online :s

[SKR]Phoenix · 24 Apr 2009 at 16:03

Had this problem before..... I had the update but it required me to be online every time I wanted to play an AVI. Looked round on the net and found a fix.

Delete the update in the memory manager thing.

Then create a new silver account.

Now play the AVI, it will ask if you want to download the codec. Do this.

Play AVI to confirm it works.

Disconnect from live, play AVI again. Should work.

Now use your original account to play the AVI in offline mode. You'll find it now works.