As promised, Microsoft have delivered the new Xbox 360 dashboard update today. I turned on my console first thing this morning, and after signing in to Xbox Live, was prompted to update. Like previous updates, this was extremely quick and painless.
So far, I'm digging the new streamlined interface of the dashboard, although the changes (after playing with it for five minutes) don't seem that drastic. Of course, there's the new stalker functionality, which I have to admit, I used once just to see how it worked. Today also marks the launch of the "Xbox Originals" collection, which will let you download classics such as Halo, Crimson Skies, Fable, and Psychonauts for 1200 MS points. There's also a free Psychonauts theme and gamer pictures, so don't miss out on that ... I certainly didn't.
The last thing I noticed was the new "Games Library," which only lists games on your hard drive (arcade titles, "Xbox Originals," and demos). Aside from listing the demos (and the Xbox Originals, which didn't exist prior to the update), I'm not quite seeing how this is a huge change. You can filter the games ("All games," "Arcade," "Recently played," etc.), but all of the lists look nearly identical, since the bulk are Xbox Live Arcade titles. Not listing retail disc-based games seems odd, and a bit silly.
I haven't had a chance to mess around with anything else (new codec support, eh?), since I've got the work of the Lord to do this morning (read: I have to write about videogames). So go on, guys -- fire it up, and let us know what you find lurking between the folds of the new Xbox 360 dashboard.
Contest:
8:02 AM on 12.04.2007
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Also, first?
Also also, cocks.
I'm just looking forward to upgrading my "child" account >.>
Could happen....
I just tested a video file using DivX 5 encoding. It works.
Looks like XBLA demos won't be removed from our gamertags. They will no longer be put onto our gamertags though, at least. Too bad they weren't grandfather'd in, but that's fine regardless.
Looks like XBLA demos won't be removed from our gamertags. They will no longer be put onto our gamertags though, at least. Too bad they weren't grandfather'd in, but that's fine regardless.
yes the menu does move faster. Which is fine. I always thought something was wrong with the old slow moving dashboard.
update's pretty though.
Yup, I agree that the menus move faster, too. That's good news. I was about to come into the comments and mention that! Glad to hear the video encoding works, too.
Another problem is it still won't pick up my iPod Mini as a storage device for videos. It picks it up for pictures and music but not video, what's that all about?
Do you feel that in this age where every nation is connected, corperations still want to separate us into territories? Not just with region coding for profit and such but even information comes out late on european official websites yet you can just easily type a few extra letters and go to the US site and get the news months in advance.
You need to make sure your video files are loaded in your Media Player 11's library for them to show up on your 360.
ah I see now. media player had the sharing files off. now I can be one happy fool watching stuff on the tv over the pc.
"Supposedly there's a hell of a glitch that comes with the update."
I don't really think loosing your XBOX.com forum posts from switching your live I.D. is really a big deal. There's no real damage other than you may not have full XBOX.com functionality for a while. Stop being so over dramatic.
I would assume part of that has to do with international copyright issues.
But still, with other games you don't get to talk about the games with the rest of the world because they're already bored or lost the passion you have when you first play. Sure, you can import and chip and whatnot but you're not supposed to do it and it's kind of frustrating. Then some of the companies [Read: Nintendo] get pissy that so many people use modchips. I wonder why? This will now be referred to as the "Animal Crossing Equation."
So the video plays and its all good right? Unfortunately as soon as you disconnect from Live the video becomes unplayable again and the same prompt appears. So you have to be connected to Live to watch DivX. What the hell is that about?