How do I watch AVI files on my Xbox 360?

Javery

Javery

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Can I just burn the AVI files as data files to a DVDR and pop it in the 360? If so, what program should I use and is there a way to set up chapters or something like 10 minutes apart?

Thanks!
 
I usually just put my avi files on a thumbdrive and it works fine.. the 360 includes jump points. not sure how far each "chapter" is.. maybe 15-20 minutes...
 
You mean putting it on a USB drive and plugging it in the front will work? That's pretty cool. I don't have a thumb drive so I guess I'm going to burn them to a disc...
 
My 360 is sitting on my desk next to my external HDs, so I just plug them into the 360. Its great. Discs, thumb drives, and streaming are usually what everyone else does.
 
Do you just want to burn your files? I mean I rather just have the xbox on the network and be able to stream files from any of the PCs at home. Is that not an option? Less hassle to have to keep burning your files and the other way all you really need is to have your PC and 360 on.
 
What I just discovered.. If you have an extra external hdd laying around. format it to HTFS+ and you can put files larger than the 4 gb limit. so If you had a wmv HD file like a copy of a blue ray movie you made, you can play that on your 360.
 
My main desktop is in the same room as my 360, so I just run an ethernet cable directly to my router. Doesn't bother me and I never have to worry about speed. And then I never have to shuffle around to make space on my 360's HD or any external media. Just stream the music for games or video. Easy.

Side note: I'm watching 3rd season of Venture Brothers right now on stream from my computer. I fucking love this show
 
[quote name='homeland']What I just discovered.. If you have an extra external hdd laying around. format it to HTFS+ and you can put files larger than the 4 gb limit. so If you had a wmv HD file like a copy of a blue ray movie you made, you can play that on your 360.[/QUOTE]

How do you do that? Mines only allows me to format to NTFS and exFAT
My FAT32 USB Drive Reads but I cant get my External HDD to read
 
This all sounds complicated! I think I first need to figure out how to stream wirelessly to my 360 from my computer. I DLed Battlestar Galactica to my laptop (hooked up to my wireless router which the 360 is wired to as well) and all the files are in AVI format.

I can connect the laptop to my TV (16:9) but the aspect ratio is all messed up. The AVI files are in 16:9 format too but for some reason they are getting squished with black bars on the top and bottom playing them back using WMP on the TV.

I was hoping to either burn to a DVD (to play in my 360 or stream the files to my 360 somehow without burning them).
 
[quote name='javeryh']This all sounds complicated![/quote]

No dude, those arcade cabinets you build are complicated! :D

You should be able to burn your avi files via your PC's burning software. Just burn it like you would any other data disc and it should play in the 360. It's been awhile since I've done it, but I remember viewing wmv, mpg, and avi on my 360. My PC comes with Nero (burning software) and that does the job just fine. You shouldn't need anything beyond whatever you have used before on your PC to burn discs. I remember the 360 had problems with some avi files (Divx IIRC), but it's been over a year since I used it like that, and those issues may have already been resolved via updates to the console.
 
Streaming has gotten really easy. All you need is the latest version of Windows Media Player (11?), from there if you open the menu under library there will be an option "Media Sharing" and that lists all the devices you can potentially share with. If your Xbox is one, you just need to allow access to your shared media and then your entire library is available on your 360 to stream.
 
You can burn them to DVD, no problem! The first time you watch something, you may have to download an update from Microsoft, but I've been watching AVIs on my 360 for a year now. Except after reading this thread, I'll just put them on my 8GB thumbdrive - had no idea that worked. Nice!
 
[quote name='greyzieoriental']How do you do that? Mines only allows me to format to NTFS and exFAT
My FAT32 USB Drive Reads but I cant get my External HDD to read[/quote]

I use a program called macdrive... its very simple. Only downfall is you need macdrive on the pc to see it since your basically turning your external hdd into mac compatible.
 
[quote name='javeryh']Can I just burn the AVI files as data files to a DVDR and pop it in the 360? If so, what program should I use and is there a way to set up chapters or something like 10 minutes apart?

Thanks![/quote]

stream through media center after installing transcode
 
P.S. on the chapters:
When playing AVIs, your 360 should automatically set up 'chapters' every 10-15 minutes automatically. I know when watching Deadwood AVIs there are 3-4 chapters to skip to every time, and I didn't need to do anything to make that happen.
 
I just put an xvid AVI on my MicroSD, put that in the USB reader, plugged it in the 360, and worked right out the box (after I downloaded some update).
 
[quote name='javeryh']So can I just plug in my external 250GB hard drive and be good to go?[/quote]


You should be able to do it that way. I haven't done it in quite some time, but it'll will basically search the external's file structure and spit it out onto your Xbox. With that you should be able to navigate and find your Movies.

If I'm egregiously off base here, someone please correct me.
 
[quote name='javeryh']So can I just plug in my external 250GB hard drive and be good to go?[/quote]


you should be able to. As long as your external hd is in Fat32 format.
 
[quote name='homeland']you should be able to. As long as your external hd is in Fat32 format.[/quote]

How do I figure that out? I mean, I plugged it in and the Xbox didn't seem to recognize it...
 
Does your hard drive require external power?

Just open up my computer, right click on the hard drive and go to properties and look next to "File System". Should tell you if it's FAT 32 or NTFS. Xbox won't read NTFS, have to reformat it to FAT32 in that case, which you can do from right clicking on the drive as well.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']Does your hard drive require external power?

Just open up my computer, right click on the hard drive and go to properties and look next to "File System". Should tell you if it's FAT 32 or NTFS. Xbox won't read NTFS, have to reformat it to FAT32 in that case, which you can do from right clicking on the drive as well.[/quote]

Yes - it needs external power. I don't want to reformat it though because it is the only place I have all my files...
 
dude. just stream it. make sure you have Windows Media Player 11, then click on the little arrow below "Library" then click on "media sharing". if your 360 has ever been on at the same time as your computer then it'll show up, just click allow and it should work. if it doesn't call microsoft and they'll tell you what's wrong.
 
[quote name='TruVisionary']dude. just stream it. make sure you have Windows Media Player 11, then click on the little arrow below "Library" then click on "media sharing". if your 360 has ever been on at the same time as your computer then it'll show up, just click allow and it should work. if it doesn't call microsoft and they'll tell you what's wrong.[/quote]

I finally got it working using this method. Talk about not user friendly... I could not get the 360 to appear in the devices window. I rebooted the computer and the 360 a bunch of times and finally it showed up. Then I couldn't point the 360 to the right folder on my computer for the files. Then I had to DL something from Xbox live to get the AVI files to play properly.

Whew! I think I'm good to go though - the episode of BSG streamed flawlessly from the laptop and was in the correct aspect ratio! It's like a whole new world - so much TV so little time...
 
[quote name='CouRageouS']My 360 is sitting on my desk next to my external HDs, so I just plug them into the 360. Its great. Discs, thumb drives, and streaming are usually what everyone else does.[/QUOTE]

What are your drives formatted to? Mine are set to NTFS, and the last time I checked, the 360 shockingly doesn't support it, though that's Microsoft's own file structure I believe.
 
Either stream or get a thumb drive. You'll run through so many blank discs! I download 4-5 shows a week all on different days; I can't imagine wasting a cd or dvd on each one!

The thumb drive makes it easier.
 
If you have a video thats in a format not supported by the 360 (but still an AVI file), anyone know of a good (and hopefully free) convertor I could run it through so it will play on the 360 ?
 
[quote name='hiccupleftovers']What are your drives formatted to? Mine are set to NTFS, and the last time I checked, the 360 shockingly doesn't support it, though that's Microsoft's own file structure I believe.[/QUOTE]
Not sure, I'm on a Mac so everything has been pretty much plug and play. Everything just showed up when I've plugged my external drives on my 360 and other people's PCs.
 
[quote name='javeryh']This all sounds complicated! I think I first need to figure out how to stream wirelessly to my 360 from my computer. I DLed Battlestar Galactica porn to my laptop (hooked up to my wireless router which the 360 is wired to as well) and all the files are in AVI format.[/quote]

Porno Pete strikes again!

j/k, glad you got it working.
 
[quote name='ArthurDigbySellers']Porno Pete strikes again!

j/k, glad you got it working.[/quote]

Haha - I need to find that old thread. Maybe I will DL some porn and then "accidentally" play it instead of the next BSG episode!
 
[quote name='javeryh']I finally got it working using this method. Talk about not user friendly... I could not get the 360 to appear in the devices window. I rebooted the computer and the 360 a bunch of times and finally it showed up. Then I couldn't point the 360 to the right folder on my computer for the files. Then I had to DL something from Xbox live to get the AVI files to play properly.

Whew! I think I'm good to go though - the episode of BSG streamed flawlessly from the laptop and was in the correct aspect ratio! It's like a whole new world - so much TV so little time...[/quote]
Agreed. So little time. I'm cancelling my cable when the NFL season is over, between d/l TV shows, Netflix Streaming and DVD delivery, I just don't need it. I rarely watch it anyway.
 
[quote name='Quillion']Agreed. So little time. I'm cancelling my cable when the NFL season is over, between d/l TV shows, Netflix Streaming and DVD delivery, I just don't need it. I rarely watch it anyway.[/quote]


I've been without cable now since Sept. Besides sports and Cnn i don't miss it at all. If you look around enough though you can find a great site dedicated to streaming of live sports and cnn has their ccn.com/live which isn't to bad..
 
When connecting an external HD, can you stream music from it while you play games, the same as you could if you put music onto the 360's HD?
 
[quote name='Scorch']When connecting an external HD, can you stream music from it while you play games, the same as you could if you put music onto the 360's HD?[/QUOTE]

Yes.
 
Thanks for the tip on using a jump drive for the 360. I had been using my mp3 player for music. Now I can save that for my truck. I got an 8GB Sandisk Cruzer Micro for $19.99 from Officemax. So far it is working like a charm.
 
Oy, reading some of these is painful. If I'm going to watch video the LAST thing I'm gonna do is try to play it though a 360.
 
[quote name='Malik112099']It is stupid easy to stream movies through the 360. Even easier to play off a thumb drive.[/quote]


couldn't agree more.

why would i bother watching shows on the computer when i can drag & drop it on a thumb drive.
plug the thumb drive into the 360 and use my ghetto hometheater setup. its quick and easy. no reason to waste time sitting on the computer watching your tv shows/movies.
 
[quote name='VipFREAK']Oy, reading some of these is painful. If I'm going to watch video the LAST thing I'm gonna do is try to play it though a 360.[/quote]

Once you figure it out it works unbelievably great. I download an AVI file, turn on my 360 and play it. It couldn't be any easier.
 
Streaming Videos from PC to the 360 is one of the best features of a 360
I don't know what I would do without it
This is how I watch all my fan-subbed anime and TV shows

I can't stand watching videos on my computer
I would much rather relax in bed or on a chair and watch a 40"+ image than a computer monitor
You see more artifacts but you also watch TV how it's supposed to be watched

also what you might want to do is download some codecs so that .mp4 show up as well
I would actually buy a 360 just to stream, that's how great it is
 
[quote name='CAG 79']Does the 360 stream MKV files?[/QUOTE]

no, but i hear programs like TVersity can make mkv's play

I don't like using TVersity, I prefer WMP11
I change all my mkv's to mp4's, in the process I get rid of the dual audio and subtitles
but nothings more satisfying then watching anime and videos on a TV
Japanese is preferred, but I can live without reading subs and listening to english dubs
 
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