INTERACT FORUM
More => Old Versions => Media Center 11 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: Valisystem on October 23, 2005, 11:04:23 pm
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Microsoft just released Media Connect 2.0. Although the new version continues to be a thoroughly inadequate UPNP server, at least it now supports files on a network path (the previous version would not look beyond the local hard drive).
But the reason it exists appears to be the added support for XBox 360, and that suggests that XBox 360 will be a UPNP device.
If XBox 360 is a UPNP device, is the MC team hoping to support it? Can we get any assurances yet one way or the other? XBox 360 has some pretty sweet features; if MC connected to it, that would be a darned tempting combination.
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Whether we'll easily be able to support the 360 depends on how closely Microsoft follows the UPnP standard.
If they adhere to the standard, it should work out of the box with Media Center.
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Ah, well, if it's just a question of Microsoft adhering to industry standards, then it's a slam dunk, right? <grin>
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Yep, that's correct. It means we will get some sort of wonky MS uPNP pseudo-standard that only works with MS products, and then they will claim that their standard is superior and fight the dirty fight trying to make it so, all in the while insisting on following some half-baked approach which only works when Bill wants it to. All in a day's work.........
Still, the XBOX 360 is definitely on my Christmas wishlist.
R.
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FWIW, MS VP J.Allard has an interview out today promising that XBox 360 will be wide open for others to plug into, as un-proprietary as possible. He doesn't mention UPNP servers, but he emphasizes the intent to be open to iPods, Sony devices, anything the consumer already owns. So we can hope, anyway . . .
http://hardware.slashdot.org/hardware/05/10/24/1824244.shtml?tid=109&tid=211&tid=137
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FWIW, MS VP J.Allard has an interview out today promising that XBox 360 will be wide open for others to plug into, as un-proprietary as possible.
ROTFL. Thanks!
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I work at MS in the Xbox division and have a beta 360 on my desk now, but I've never used a UPnP device. What should I do to test MC with it?
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I work at MS in the Xbox division and have a beta 360 on my desk now, but I've never used a UPnP device. What should I do to test MC with it?
You just need to start MC's UPnP server and see if the Xbox will find it. It's in the tree on the left, under "Plug-ins". Also check the latest UPnP thread here for instructions.
I don't think MS's Media Extender protocol is standard UPnP (whatever standard means). I doubt that it will work.
Thanks for trying it.
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I don't think MS's Media Extender protocol is standard UPnP (whatever standard means). I doubt that it will work.
I've been trying to sort out the MS media offerings. As near as I can tell, there's two different technologies. Naturally the names are overlapping and confusing.
Media Extenders hook into the feed from a WinXP Media Center PC. That seems to be a highly customized terminal services/remote desktop session that carries audio/video and menus. XBox 360 will be a Media Extender.
Media Connect is UPNP software running on a conventional WinXP computer. It's standard enough that it can be picked up by a Roku Soundbridge or a Streamium. XBox 360 will also talk to Media Connect. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/devices/wmconnect/default.aspx
My Streamium saw the Media Connect software. That makes it look like standard UPNP.
It's at least possible that XBox 360 will immediately see JRiver Media Center.
Qythyx, inquiring minds want to know . . .
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Ok, it doesn't work out of the box. :'(
The first time I did it MC's UPnP log said:
Cannot autodetect device, User-Agent: Xbox/2.0.<build#>.0 UPnP/1.0 Xbox/2.0.<build#>.0
Sorry, I filtered the build number, it could be a secret.
I then went to the MC UPnP Options and set the Receiver to Advanced. When I rescanned I got this in the log:
Received request for device description.
So it appears the 360 is looking for a specific UPnP server and won't accept anything else. I don't know how easy it would be to spoof the Media Extender.
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Instead of choosing Autodetect, choose advanced, and try the different options.
I've sent e-mail to the address you used to register for the forum, let me know if you got it.
j
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bump . anymore news on xbox 360 connectivity??? ;D
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I just tried this with my 360. It says it doesn't see any computers running media connect.
I have UPnP running for my MP-101
-Smurdy
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Could you do a network sniff (www.ethereal.com) and send the results to me (gateley @ jriver.com)?
Thanks,
j
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I sent you a couple of sniffs.
FYI-- I plan to get a Media Center PC to use with a series of Xbox 360's for media playback, but the customization of the MS Media Center software is not nearly as good as MC, so I'd like to get access to teh MC server from within the Xbox 360. The UPnP server seemed like the easiest way to do that. But if for some reason this doesn't work, I suspect that a MC plugin for MS Media Center can be created (much like one was created for Meedio).
Anyone else have anythoughs about the latter idea?
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Any word on this? Do you still need me to do a network sniff? Or is one enough?
Thanks!
Smurdy
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Hi Smurdy,
It's not going to work out of the box. The XBox doesn't support straight UPnP. I'm looking into other options.
Thanks, and I'll post when I know more...
j
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A Microsoft device is non-standard? That's shocking. ;D
I've seen projections that as many as half of the Windows computers sold into homes in the next year will be Windows XP Media Center Edition. (I'm surprised how many of the computers at Costco are Windows MCE already.)
Maybe it's worth looking into the requirements for MC to integrate with Windows MCE - not UPNP but the support that streams the program to a Media Center Extender. That's the other way to reach an XBox 360.
I have no idea whatsoever what that involves. But I see it in Adobe Photoshop Elements 4, which claims to allow access to photos thru Windows MCE to a Media Center Extender. I can imagine MC on that list on the XBox, listed under "More Programs," ready to present its theater view onscreen in the living room.
The last time this came up, you mentioned NetRemote, which certainly works with the right mix of hardware but is nothing like the kind of mass market that might develop for Windows MCE and XBox.
For what it's worth. It's kind of a moot point for the next few months, until XBoxes are on the shelves. . .
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Maybe it's worth looking into the requirements for MC to integrate with Windows MCE - not UPNP but the support that streams the program to a Media Center Extender. That's the other way to reach an XBox 360.
I have no idea whatsoever what that involves. But I see it in Adobe Photoshop Elements 4, which claims to allow access to photos thru Windows MCE to a Media Center Extender. I can imagine MC on that list on the XBox, listed under "More Programs," ready to present its theater view onscreen in the living room.
The last time this came up, you mentioned NetRemote, which certainly works with the right mix of hardware but is nothing like the kind of mass market that might develop for Windows MCE and XBox.
I agree and would like to see something like this as well. I'd much rather have access to my media with MC's customizable viewschemes than MCE's very limited ones!
I've looked into what it involves which appears to be the following: writing an HTML application that makes calls to MC for various types of functionality (something like Don Hill's MC plugins for Meedio). Because the Xbox 360 will only play WMA and MPEG video files that sort of functionality is inherently limited, not so with music and photos.
I intend to take up this project at some point if no one else does, but because I haven't done any programming in years, and now have many more family commitments, I would expect it to be pretty slow going.
Anyone else feel like taking this up? :)
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I noticed today that Twonkyvision just released a version with XBox 360 support.
I've been resisting setting up Windows Media Connect even though I am anxious to listen to my music in game on my XBox 360.
Can you comment if support for the XBox 360 is likely to be coming or should us who need look into Media Connect or Twonky to support the XBox?? Or is this top secret information?
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Is there any news on this?
I am dying to get something to work properly. Media Center 11 rules the world ;D and if the xbox would plug into it it would rule the universe.
Thanx!
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Jim mentioned the XBOX 360 uses a custom version of UPNP for media.
I am not surprised, but this has become available for the Twonky server as you mentioned.
Would it be possible to license the twonky server or can you add the tag extensions.
I imagine people would even consider a small fee for this extension.
Thanks