Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[X-Dog]

Well, I have my XBox 360 now, and started to search for Media Servers to provide some music content. 

The JRiver Media Center is the best I have found by miles and miles ... it's just yummy!!, but it does not work with my XBox 360.

The only thing I have found so far that does work (other than buying WMCE), is TwonkyMedia.  While it does work, it is horrid, and has some serious pathname issues that I cannot live with.  The fact that TwonkyMedia is operational with my 360 shows that it can be done.

Am I missing something with JRiver MC that would make it work in harmony with my XBox 360, or does it just not work?  If it sadly does not work, are there plans to make it work? 

So far I have purchased neither product.  TwonkyMedia does work, sort of, but I just do not like it.  I want to buy JRiver MC, but if it will not support the 360 then there is little point at that accounts for about 75% of my need.

PLEASE, somebody tell me how to make it work, or at least give me some assurance that it soon will.

360 aside, the JRiver software looks lovely, is great to use.  Well done to all involved.

[sonicbox]

XBox 360's UI requires UPnP AV search.  J River seems to be working on it, based on their reply here:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=33836.0  But you'll only get the functions that XBox 360 exposes... no direct container browsing.

Until then, try WMC 2.0 (the "supported" method from Microsoft -- MP3, WMA and WMAL only, of course) or maybe Yahoo! Music Engine.  TwonkyMedia is marginal at best, especially their implementation of the search function...

[X-Dog]

The 'supported' method from Microsoft, (WMC 2.0) does not run on the Microsoft 2003 server that host my music, video, and image files.  I could set it up on my desktop PC (XP), but then I need to leave two PCs running, one to host and one to 'media serve'. 

I could copy it all to a USB external drive connected directly to the 360, but that sucks, and is no longer shareable with others on the network.  I want to USE the technology.

I have not heard of the Yahoo! Music Engine before.  I shall go and find it.

Thanks.
:-)

[sonicbox]

Yep, WMC 2.0 calls the UPnP API available in the desktop OS... which doesn't exist in the server OS, for "security" and other reasons.

Good luck.

[John Gateley]

Last time I looked at this, a month or two ago, I found that it wasn't the search functionality, it was that the XBox uses a protocol layered on top of UPnP. We have to license that protocol from Microsoft.

j

[X-Dog]

Oh well, I looked up the Yahoo! Music Engine, but can nothing to suggest that it goes any way towards solving my problem.

And the XBox 360 is not using regular UPnP compatability, wow, there's a surprise!!! (not)

I guess the Twonky people must have licensed whatever it is that is needed.  Now, if I had to purchase BOTH JRiver AND Twonky, and JRiver could use the bit of Twonky that matters, that would be good too.  I am not a programmer though, so I have no idea if this kind of interoperability is possible. 

Maybe ... Just Maybe .. the Twonky people could write an add on for JRiver. and market that independently.  I would buy it, even if the price were the same as the awful Full Twonky product, after all, it IS cheap.

So, I am happy to buy both.  It's still less than the price of a single new XBox 360 game.

Surely somebody can work something out ??

[sonicbox]

I'm 99% sure there isn't anything special about XBox 360's UPnP AV other than requiring search.  It's the same bloated XML based standard nightmare we all, uh, love.     Versions of Twonkyvision that shipped well before XBox 360, and had search enabled, worked... well, worked as well as it can.  Twonky didn't license anything... they are the last company I'd expect to license something from Microsoft.

X-Dog, Yahoo! Music Engine has a UPnP AV server.  Turn it on: Preferences...Network Music.  Or are you having another problem?

There will be other UPnP AV servers reaching market that support search (& Xbox 360)... it'll just take a little time.

[John Gateley]

Take a look at post # 3 here:
http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/forums/showthread.php?s=1aea8371bea87afc06efa1580e5f72cb&p=5171#post5171

I took a look at the beginning of the protocol exchange, and the XBox was definitely looking for a Media Extender or a Media Connect device, not a Media Server device. I assumed Twonky licensed the additional software, but could be wrong.

j

[sonicbox]

Some confusion is related to the MCE stuff.  For full video functionality, only Windows Media Center Edition is supported with XBox 360 (as a Windows Media Center Extender, which uses a very robust -- but proprietary -- protocol).

For basic music and pictures, "standard" UPnP AV w/ search should work.  WMC 2.0, Yahoo! Music Engine, etc.  The only thing that might be really "weird" is that it requires search and can't browse generic UPnP containers... and very few servers support search currently.

[X-Dog]

Oh well ...

Thanks everybody for your help and advice.

It really looks like I need Windows MCE to get the best from my XBox 360.  Microsoft have us by the short and curlies it would seem.

Well, people are selling OEM licences on eBay for about £70 (I know they should not, but the licence is at least legit even if the seller does not properly check that I am a system builder), so I bit the bullet and bought one.

Good luck with JRiver MC.  It looks great and deserves to thrive.  It's a shame that such good software is not allowed to compete even handedly.  I do believe that while MS say they innovate, they kill more innovations than they create.

 

[hit_ny]

I never did get the attraction of the xbox360 for music.

Why use one at all ?

[X-Dog]

Because it's there!

[SuperRabbit0]

I never did get the attraction of the xbox360 for music.

Why use one at all ?

Because you can use it to select your in-game music.

While I agree the music player for that purpose alone is silly (who wants a loud XBox 360 for that), the ability to play whatever music you want in game is very very cool....

[sonicbox]

For the same reasons I use a Roku SoundBridge to play all my digital audio and no longer use a CD player or PC on my main stereo system.  All wirelessly. 

Yep, why not.   As SuperRabbit0 says, you can even play music that is served from your UPnP AV server.

X-Dog, not sure why you don't think JRiver & MC can compete even handedly.  J River is free to support UPnP AV Search.  And at the pace Microsoft updates their software, they have plenty of time to innovate... 

[hit_ny]

While I agree the music player for that purpose alone is silly (who wants a loud XBox 360 for that), the ability to play whatever music you want in game is very very cool....

Heh, you mean thats like the only major reason..

[X-Dog]

X-Dog, not sure why you don't think JRiver & MC can compete even handedly.  J River is free to support UPnP AV Search.  And at the pace Microsoft updates their software, they have plenty of time to innovate... 

Maybe I misunderstood.  I read it that the licensing of the MS protocols was likely to be an insurmountable sticking point.  I will keep watching this space hopefully.  Who knows, I may even buy it anyway ;-)