Microsoft's Media Center Extender idea wasn't the most well-received. The extender devices (mostly from third parties like D-Link and Cisco) were supposed to connect to Windows PCs to pipe the Windows Media experience to your home entertainment system, but they never got past the clunky stage, and they really didn't sell that well.
Well, there was one Media Center Extender that sold rather well. You know it as the Xbox 360, and much like these other devices, Microsoft's console could be used to stream videos and music. The only problem is that the types of media that can be streamed are somewhat limited, which really limited usage.
There's now a glimmer of hope for those who use Extender devices, as Microsoft announces a sort of relaunch of the technology, now calling it Extenders for Windows Media Center. A new range of devices launching soon will support this new technology, which is said to support the DivX and XviD codecs, as well as streaming high-definition video. Exciting news, isn't it?
Well, don't get too excited yet. While these third-party devices are launching soon, no announcement has been made for the Xbox 360. Also, these new features require a Windows Vista PC in your home network.
Don't get too discouraged, though. Our bet is that this will be coming to the Xbox 360. There's about 10 million Xbox 360s out there, which would probably make that the largest group of Extender users, so Microsoft would be crazy not to work that function in. Our guess? Look for this to be one of the new features to be added in the fall update.
Until then, you'll have to continue transcoding.
[Via engadget]
Contest:
11:40 AM on 09.06.2007
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bhive01: To be fair, both ps3 and 360 have limited format support currently (though this might fix that). The PS3 will play media off any connected device if it's in the right format.
The divx/xvid support would be a welcome addition though.
Um, you don't need Media Center Edition, guy. All you need is the latest Windows Media player or the Zune program. Just have it installed and there. You don't ever have to turn WMP ever again. Simple, guy.
So, yeah. Guy.
Anywho. On to the thing. Uh, good idea. I have a few videos that I'd not like to waste hours on trying to encode. This would be nice. I'm suprised they don't support AVI either. I have a few videos in that format too (I don't know why). Why don't they just search every format and do it in one update? Instead of trickling that shit down like they're doing now. If you're going to do Divx and Xvid, why not?
@vexed alex. I'm gonna sound like a total A/V douche, but AVI is only a wrapper and in no way indicates the type of video codec it uses. If you want to know what codec the AVI file is encoded as try using Gspot it will tell you what the codec is and if your computer has the files to play it. It's a great program when you wind up with a video that doesn't want to play and your trying to figure out if it was just a bad download or some weird video format that is only used during leap years in the Ukrane.
I use TVersity to stream to my 360 downstairs and it does work well. It took a bit of fiddling to set it up right, and it is still beta, so does crash every so often which is a bit of an arse, but overall it's pretty awesome.
I really wish I could stream to the xbox w/o a recode session and w/o buying vista.
Keep trying to create that need to *cough* upgrade MS