Xbox 360 file streaming

Aeleys · 31 Mar 2012 at 16:43

Does it have to stream via pc, or can you just load the files into a USB stick and play them.

i'm guessing the 360 can't play files on the fly but figured i would ask anyway.

Also anyone know anything that can allow me to play MKV's (with subs) and HD content without conversions. cheers.

Katoom · 31 Mar 2012 at 17:06

It'll play files of a stick, usb HDD or you can stream, not all video formats though.

If you install a program like Media Browser on your PC, it'll also then play most MKV files.

Aeleys · 31 Mar 2012 at 19:11

Ah it will?! cool

And i never thought it would run mkv's i need to look into this more lol...

cheers

Doctor McNinja · 31 Mar 2012 at 19:15

I recommend this - http://www.ps3mediaserver.org/

It's designed for the PS3 (where you can navigate your file system almost as you would on a pc) but it works great on the 360. Best thing about it in my opinion... it'll stream HD .mkv files without a hiccup and it uses codecs from the various media players you already have installed to stream videos that are in formats that the consoles don't support.

Aeleys · 31 Mar 2012 at 19:21

Doctor McNinja said:
I recommend this - http://www.ps3mediaserver.org/

It's designed for the PS3 (where you can navigate your file system almost as you would on a pc) but it works great on the 360. Best thing about it in my opinion... it'll stream HD .mkv files without a hiccup and it uses codecs from the various media players you already have installed to stream videos that are in formats that the consoles don't support.

cheers.

Aeleys · 31 Mar 2012 at 21:20

just tried PS3mediaserver, but doesn't seem to want to play anything via 360.

even things i know that work 100% stand alone. any ideas?

Katoom · 31 Mar 2012 at 22:18

Try Media Browser. http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...qPTBDQ&usg=AFQjCNFMrds_NUil1snqN7W4rloD9H5fZQ

It'll automatically download the info and cover art for your TV progs and films too. (if named correctly)

Also, if your streaming, your best off using a wired connection.

RoachycaL · 31 Mar 2012 at 22:45

I followed a guide to get Windows Media Connect (originally made for Windows XP) running on Windows 7. It's really easy to do and it's always been the best way of streaming content to my 360. The problem with PS3 Media Server I found was that I could not fast forward or skip through video as it converts it on the fly. Windows Media Player was also rubbish for streaming stuff as it seemed I had to re-open the program every time I added a new file to the library.

For mkv files, I use GOTSent to convert them. It converts files really quickly. Less than 5 minutes for a TV episode that is 45 minutes long - and it's great quality too.

Aeleys · 1 Apr 2012 at 10:57

Katoom said:
Try Media Browser. http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rc...qPTBDQ&usg=AFQjCNFMrds_NUil1snqN7W4rloD9H5fZQ

It'll automatically download the info and cover art for your TV progs and films too. (if named correctly)

Also, if your streaming, your best off using a wired connection.

I tried media browser, but it wouldn't play anything at all and didn't recognize any of my titles, so dumped it straight away lol. (all spelled correctly too) and yes i always use a wired connection.

RoachycaL said:
I followed a guide to get Windows Media Connect (originally made for Windows XP) running on Windows 7. It's really easy to do and it's always been the best way of streaming content to my 360. The problem with PS3 Media Server I found was that I could not fast forward or skip through video as it converts it on the fly. Windows Media Player was also rubbish for streaming stuff as it seemed I had to re-open the program every time I added a new file to the library.

For mkv files, I use GOTSent to convert them. It converts files really quickly. Less than 5 minutes for a TV episode that is 45 minutes long - and it's great quality too.

I can stream files easily enough to the xbox, i just wanted somthing that would play everything i already use converters but that takes up a lot of time, Does GOTsent convert mkv's with there subtitles?

PS3mediaserver refuses to play anything other than AVI's which is what the xbox already plays so it's pretty much useless lol.

arknor · 1 Apr 2012 at 15:42

xbox generally wont play anything with more than stereo audio..
will play .mp4 containers with aac (fraac stereo) and AVC1 (x264) codec fine

i use avidemux to convert everything

TVERSITY is good for streaming from your pc

Aeleys · 1 Apr 2012 at 16:09

arknor said:
xbox generally wont play anything with more than stereo audio..
will play .mp4 containers with aac (fraac stereo) and AVC1 (x264) codec fine

i use avidemux to convert everything

TVERSITY is good for streaming from your pc

Yeah, i thought as much just annoying having to convert hundreds of MKV's just to watch them on the xbox lol, easier to wait and throw a few quid on somthing that can do it on the fly

I just tried TVersity, and that doesn't want to play HD (mkv) content either and i don't have any normal MKV's at hand to test, but im guessing it wont play those either

*sad panda*

arknor · 1 Apr 2012 at 17:26

it only takes a few minutes to convert them for xbox playback with AVIDEMUX as you dont need to conver the video only the audio.

1, click file > open select the source
2, click yes to the h264 warning popup
3, change video to copy and audio to AAC FRAAC with stereo mixing

4,make sure the container is MP4 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 save the video to your tversity folder

then just click refresh in tversity and happy streaming or just stick the video on a usb stick and plug it into your xbox

its retarded that the only thing stopping the xbox playing most videos is because the audio is usually ac3 with more than 2 channels.........

Aeleys · 1 Apr 2012 at 17:51

arknor said:
it only takes a few minutes to convert them for xbox playback with AVIDEMUX as you dont need to conver the video only the audio.

then just click refresh in tversity and happy streaming or just stick the video on a usb stick and plug it into your xbox

its retarded that the only thing stopping the xbox playing most videos is because the audio is usually ac3 with more than 2 channels.........

Thanks for the guide, but most of the time i need to convert the actual video too cause of the hardsubs. but thanks, i'll try it with my non-sub title stuff and give it a go. cheers.

and yes, its really retarded and very annoying that the 360 fails at playback options.

Doctor McNinja · 1 Apr 2012 at 19:33

Aeleys said:
just tried PS3mediaserver, but doesn't seem to want to play anything via 360.

even things i know that work 100% stand alone. any ideas?

I had the same problem initially... I got round it but I can remember how, I'll see if I can figure it out and I'll get back to you (I seem to remember it being something to do with the VLC, which PS3ms was using to transcode, not having the right codec).

Aeleys · 1 Apr 2012 at 20:18

Doctor McNinja said:
I had the same problem initially... I got round it but I can remember how, I'll see if I can figure it out and I'll get back to you (I seem to remember it being something to do with the VLC, which PS3ms was using to transcode, not having the right codec).

Yeah i have looked around for ages, seems that before one of the xbox updates it used to play quite a few things it doesn't now.

someone said that uninstalling all codecs/players, and just reinstalling divX works, but it's far too much hassle especially if it doesn't work lol.

cheers.

utajoker · 1 Apr 2012 at 20:22

i just use WMC, add the folders i want to stream and put all my stuff on them and it works.

use wired tho if your playing hd stuff.

Aeleys · 1 Apr 2012 at 20:38

utajoker said:
i just use WMC, add the folders i want to stream and put all my stuff on them and it works.

use wired tho if your playing hd stuff.

Yep most stuff does work with WMC, but it hates mkv's and even more hates things with hard subs.

most of the stuff i want to stream is hard sub'd lol!

i think i will just wait, get a cheap HD build and connect it to the tv, saves all this converting and finding ways around it all!

i swear, the new "next gen" consoles better have some decent playback options

utajoker · 2 Apr 2012 at 18:51

All of my hd stuff is .mkv and it plays fine. I also play hard sub stuff because it can't use the sub file with no problem.

Aeleys · 2 Apr 2012 at 22:22

utajoker said:
All of my hd stuff is .mkv and it plays fine. I also play hard sub stuff because it can't use the sub file with no problem.

Really? WTF lol.

i have tried everything, i always give up and give it another go a few months down the line but i have never had any luck other than converting, and even then HD's don't work.

Seem's as though my xbox will only play AVI's :confused:

Doctor McNinja · 3 Apr 2012 at 04:01

I've found out what the issue is with PS3 Media Server streaming .mkv files to the xbox. Apparently the newer versions PS3 Med.... you know what, the refer to it as PMS on the official forum so that's what I'm calling it from now on, even if it is kind of funny. Anyway, the newer versions of PMS won't stream .mkv files to a 360. From what I gather, there's two ways around this 1) install and older version of PMS and 2) update MEncoder/MPlayer. I haven't tried either as I don't stream video to the 360 but I would be interested to know if updating MEncoder fixes the problem.