DailyTech - Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard Update Due October 31

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Gadgets Xbox 360 Fall Dashboard Update Due October 31
Brandon Hill (Blog) - October 30, 2006 12:57 PM

26 comment(s) - last by dijuremo.. on Oct 31 at 10:11 AM

Xbox users to get a host of new goodies for Halloween

Microsoft's Fall Dashboard Update for the Xbox 360 is going to be released tomorrow according to Engadget. Microsoft posted a complete list on its Xbox website today outlining 84 updates/fixes to be addressed with the update.

Some noteworthy additions with the Fall Dashboard Update include:

HD 1080p video mode support over VGA and component cables.
Xbox 360 HD DVD Player support.
Stream WMV video from a Windows PC running Windows Media Player 11, Zune software, or Windows Media Connect.
Play video from storage devices such as USB flash drives, Xbox 360 Memory Units, etc.
Play video from CD or DVD data discs.
Set up automatic downloads of newly released Xbox Live Arcade trial games.
Support for upcoming release of XNA Game Studio Express (separate download and subscription required.)
Stream music, pictures and video from a Zune device.
Optionally disable notifications from Xbox Live while watching DVD movies.

It looks as though Microsoft wants to make sure that its heavyweight is fighting form when the PlayStation 3 and Wii drop next month. This dashboard update along with the upcoming HD DVD player, Wireless Racing Wheel, Wireless Headset and Gears of War should make the holiday season quite merry for Xbox 360 gamers.

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Video from data disk?

By Zapp Brannigan on 10/30/2006 2:24:54 PM , Rating: 2

What video is it gonna allow you to play? Is it just gonna be WMV or will it allow you to play Divx/Xvid files as well?
Does anyone know?

RE: Video from data disk?

By sscilli on 10/30/2006 2:43:22 PM , Rating: 3

I wouldn't get my hopes up about anything other than wmv, which sucks because wmv is a crap codec. If it can play xvid/divx that would be great, but what would be really great is AVC/H.264 support. Though I doubt that since Microsoft is backing VC-1.

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RE: Video from data disk?

By glennpratt on 10/30/2006 3:36:38 PM , Rating: 2

VC-1 and H.264/MPEG-4 AVC are both mandatory for hd-dvd (or so I hear...). Hopefully come november will have those two, which would darn near make the lack of divx/xvid a moot point.

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RE: Video from data disk?

By BigLan on 10/30/2006 2:47:33 PM , Rating: 2

I'd be astounded if it lets you play xvids. I'm betting mpeg1/2 and wmv files. Maybe it'll handle vobs (dvd rips) also.

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RE: Video from data disk?

By therealnickdanger on 10/30/2006 3:04:49 PM , Rating: 2

In case none of you have tried it yet, Transcode360 is an AWESOME program if you have your Xbox360 on the same network as a Media Center PC. It will stream just about any video type to your Xbox360 as a WMV. I've used it with great success so far.

I would love to see the new Live dashboard support DivX, XviD, H.264, MVK (or whatever that is)... I understand their reasons not to do it, but the community would thank them relentlessly. The fact that it supports playback of TS files is amazing in its own right.

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RE: Video from data disk?

By otispunkmeyer on 10/30/2006 4:21:16 PM , Rating: 2

DivX and XviD would be awesome

pretty much my entire collection of videos is divx or xvid or some varient of mpeg-4. if i can hook up my exteranl hard disk to my 360 and play those, ill jump for joy

im well jealous of my mates meager original xbox....with its 250gig hard disk and that xbox media center OS loaded on it. the thing plays absolutely anythin...even .bin files

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