Stream DivX to the 360 without re-encoding

Filed in archive Hacks , Xbox 360 on January 17, 2006

The type of files you can stream to the 360 has been the achillies heel of the 360's media center experience. Well, it turns out that it is possible to do, but it requires a bit of computer knowledge.





Credit goes out to brains-N-brawns on this one.





Playing DivX on media center:

• Download Windows Media Encoder 9 from here and then Install.


• Put your divx video in "My Videos" and then open up notepad, in the document write mms://*INSERT PC IP ADDRESS*:8080 and then save your notepad file as *name of video*.asx screen shot of what your notepad document should look like. (note ip address replaced with X's)


• save the file to the directory of the video your wanting to watch.


• Open up Windows Media Encoder


• In the wizard dialogue popup box click "Custom Session" screen shot


• In the sources tab change "Source From" to File and then browse and open up the video you want. screen shot


• Use the other tabs to change the quality of the output. In this case we have set it as "DVD quality video" screen shot


• When you're happy with your settings click "apply" and then start encoding.


• Open up media center on your 360 and locate the .asx file and play it, you should now be able to watch it on your Xbox 360 -**for example if your video is called perfectdarktrailer.avi the notepad file would be saved as perfectdarktrailer.asx**

Do you think this is getting us any closer to an Xbox 360 Media Center? Probably not, its going to take a lot of work before the 360 reaches the functionality of the XBMC.