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Xbox 360 Media Server Setup

Nick Mokey By

Xbox 360

We show you how to pump music, movies and photos from your PC to your Xbox 360.

Got an Xbox 360? You’re probably already using it to frag friends in Halo 3, take down Big Daddies in BioShock, and skulk around in the dark in Call of Duty 4, but if you’re not also using it as a home media server, you’re missing out. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to set up a UPnP sever on any Windows or Mac computer so the Xbox can access it, and then how to connect and browse your media. That way, when friends come over with their laptops, they can connect to your network and play their digital media too.

To prepare, make sure your Xbox 360 is connected to your network either by Ethernet cable or by using the Xbox 360 Wireless Networking Adapter. From the Xbox’s main menu, go to the Media tab and sign into your user account by selecting the Sign In button at the top.


WINDOWS XP/VISTA

1) Fire up Windows Media Player 11 on your PC, which we’ll use to serve media from your PC to the Xbox 360. You can also use the popular free software TVersity to do the same job, and allow you to watch streaming video from the Web like Hulu. TVersity offers its own support page explaining how to configure it for Xbox 360. Make sure your computer is connected to your home network and that you know your network’s name and password (unless it’s an open network).

2) Set up Media Sharing for Xbox by clicking on the arrow below the Library tab and choosing “Media Sharing…” from the dropdown menu.

Screenshot 1

3) In the window that comes up, check the “Share my media to:” box and highlight the Xbox 360 icon in the pane below. Click Allow, and then OK.

Screenshot 2

4) On the Xbox 360, go to the Media tab and select Music, Pictures, or Videos. Then press the X button on the controller to change the source. Choose your computer from the list on the left — chances are it’ll be the only other option besides “Console” that’s not grayed out.

Screenshot 3

5) Once the Xbox 360 connects to your computer’s UPnP server, you can browse and play all the media in your Windows Media Player library on your PC.

Screenshot 4

 

You can also use the Xbox 360 as a Windows Media Center Extender, which essentially mirrors your computer’s Windows Media Center interface on your TV screen. From the Media tab, select Media Center and follow the onscreen instructions. It requires a software install on your PC and takes just a couple minutes.

Screenshot 5

 

Read on to figure learn how to use your Apple Mac with the Xbox 360.

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Showing 19 comments

  1. How to get the most out of your new Xbox 360 | Gadget and Gadgets Reviews. at 6:46am 1st January 2012 [...] For tips on how to set up the Xbox as a media center check out our set-up guide. [...]
  2. How to get the most out of your new Xbox 360 | Xbox 360 News | Game Central | Game, New and updates at 11:19am 30th December 2011 [...] For tips on how to set up the Xbox as a media center check out our set-up guide. [...]
  3. How to get the most out of your new Xbox 360 | ediscountelectronics.com at 7:00am 30th December 2011 [...] For tips on how to set up the Xbox as a media center check out our set-up guide. [...]
  4. How to get the most out of your new Xbox 360 | 360 Games at 4:59am 30th December 2011 [...] For tips on how to set up the Xbox as a media center check out our set-up guide. [...]
  5. How to get the most out of your new Xbox 360 | at 3:30am 30th December 2011 [...] For tips on how to set up the Xbox as a media center check out our set-up guide. [...]
  6. How to get the most out of your new Xbox 360 | Softmodding.com at 4:53pm 29th December 2011 [...] For tips on how to set up the Xbox as a media center check out our set-up guide. [...]
  7. How to get the most out of your new Xbox 360 | Wholesale Directory at 4:18pm 29th December 2011 [...] For tips on how to set up the Xbox as a media center check out our set-up guide. [...]
  8. How to get the most out of your new Xbox 360 at 4:16pm 29th December 2011 [...] For tips on how to set up the Xbox as a media center check out our set-up guide. [...]
  9. How to get the most out of your new Xbox 360 (Digital Trends) | Breaking News Today at 3:57pm 29th December 2011 [...] For tips on how to set up the Xbox as a media center check out our set-up guide. [...]
  10. How to get the most out of your new Xbox 360 - Your daily infusion of technology, smartphone, gadgets and gaming news! - I Bleed Bits at 3:46pm 29th December 2011 [...] how to set up the Xbox as a media center check out our set-up guide.KinectTo add some motion gaming fun to your system you [...]
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  12. matt at 2:23am 22nd July 2010 most of the comments are right the ps3 media server program is FREE much easier to use/find.
  13. Rick at 4:09pm 10th April 2010 I know this is old but maybe someone will answer. When you stream a video that is on the computer to your tv through xbox 360 where is the video processing done (xbox or computer)? Can you play HD content when you have an older computer in this setup? (p4 2.0 onboard video)

    Thanks
  14. Rick at 4:08pm 10th April 2010 I know this is old but maybe someone will answer. When you stream a video that is on the computer to your tv through xbox 360 where is the video processing done (xbox or computer)? Can you play HD content when you have an older computer in this setup? (p4 2.0 onboard video)

    Thanks
  15. rickermortis at 8:44pm 27th December 2009 wmp 11 cause a BSOD when i try to enable media sharing. so does nero mediahome. I'm using xp and the error message says BAD_POOL_HEADER. Anyone know what may be causing this?
  16. Steve at 11:25pm 30th September 2009 I'm with Ian and Andrew, after reading the PS3 article, i would much rather have a PS3 for media streaming. Another benefit is that games developed for the PS3 are much smoother and in my opinion of a higher quality quality.
  17. Greg Mombert at 8:09am 18th September 2009 The one plus on the side of the 360 is the ability to stream Netflix, which for some people is pretty big.
  18. andrew at 9:07pm 17th September 2009 I'm definitely sold on using the PS3 as a media server too!
  19. Ian Bell at 5:36pm 17th September 2009 I have found the Xbox 360 more difficult to use as a media server over the PS3. The PS3 will play DivX and Xvid movies by default and stream them from the PC. The Xbox 360 won't as far as I can tell (at least I cannot get it to work). A good software program to download, and which is free which will let you stream music, movies, Hulu/YouTube etc is Tversity.
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