How do I watch AVI files on my Xbox 360?

When I try to turn on sharing for my 360 in WMP 11, it does not show my 360 (or anything else for that matter) to be able to be shared to.
I did some research and it says to make sure the service of Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service is started, but when I try to start it, it says that it could not start and gave me an "error: 2 The system could not find the file specified".
There is not hardly anything on that error involving Media Player, except maybe
"reinstall NCP & DUN"
I have already reinstalled WMP11 and reloaded the Networking services Windows components.
Anybody have any ideas?

:wall:
 
Alright! Just for the record. In case someone else was having the same issue I was.
I reinstalled WMP11, tried to reinstall the networking windows conponents,uninstalled and reinstalled service pack3, all with no luck on getting the WMP Network Sharing Servince to start.
Finally I figured that the path to the file it said it could not find was in the WMP folder of program files (the file was therebut it still said it could not find it). I once again uninstalled WMP11 and this time tried to load WMP9 instead. It said it could not load properly, so I tried WMP10 and it loaded fine. I then checked and the service was no longer there. From WMP10 I upgraded to 11 and the service was there and I was able to start it. And then after some weird things I was able to get the 360 to show on the share to list and now I am done!!! YEA!!!

I work in IT and weird issue like this always fall into my lap at work too. LOL
I can somehow always find a fix or workaround, and I like to share it in case someone else ever has the issue, so they do not go nuts trying to figure it out. LOL
 
[quote name='Gden']I downloaded the patch for my 360 and it still won't play Divx files off of DVD-Rs i put in there[/quote]


Make sure you are signed into Live before trying to play the file. Even after you download the update you have to be signed into Live before the file will play. After it starts playing you can sign out of Live if you want.

NOTE: this is how it is with me. I exclusively stream wirelessly from my PC. It might be differeing if using optical media.
 
You say that but some of us have extensive stuff on dvds that we burned a while back to clear up space on our hard drives.
 
[quote name='Gden']You say that but some of us have extensive stuff on dvds that we burned a while back to clear up space on our hard drives.[/quote]


1. Go buy a $15 4gb usb drive.
2. Plug the usb drive into your pc
3. Insert DVD into pc
4. Copy what you want to watch from the DVD to the USB drive
5. Remove USB drive
6. Insert USB drive into Xbox 360
7. Watch stuff
8. ???
9. Profit!
 
Anyone having trouble formatting NTFS to FAT32, go to this link and download this program:
http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.j...toid=d9fd4a3cdde5c010VgnVCM100000dd04090aRCRD

It allowed me to format my 100GB laptop external HDD from NTFS to FAT32 without losing any space or partitioning the drive.
My drive now works on my Xbox 360 and DVD Players with USB slots.
If you aren't worried about the portability, I would just get an external HDD.
Otherwise, go with a USB flash drive. 16GB for $20-$30 online.
 
Man I'm dumb for not even thinking of thumb drives. I've been hooking my Laptop into my TV which is incredibly irritating because I have to reroute the sound. Plus I'm able to use my whole screen of my TV now which I couldn't make work by using my laptop.
Off topic how you liking BSG man. That show got its hooks into me bad. I'm usually always checking how long a program is running because I don't like being surprised by it ending suddenly. But that show I'd lose track then bam ending credits.
 
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[quote name='homeland']It depends on their container. download gspot to tell what type of codec it is using.[/quote]

Is there specific codecs for avi's that the 360 will run and others that it won't?
 
[quote name='deszaras']Is there specific codecs for avi's that the 360 will run and others that it won't?[/QUOTE]

Yes.

Mostly just divx and xvid. Oh and standard avi's that windows use to use before wmv.
 
Thanks guys. I'm trying to get a video working on my 360 and can't figure out why it won't play. Maybe I can find a way to re-encode it.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']Yes.

Mostly just divx and xvid. Oh and standard avi's that windows use to use before wmv.[/quote]

Any idea if the 360 can play .mkv files?

I can't find an HD torrent of BSG Season 4 in any other format. The individual episodes that are labeled HD are only 380MB and they should be closer to 800MB for better quality (which definitely isn't HD but it is passable).
 
I should rephrase that I'm pretty sure you can stream it with a 3rd party app.. but as for throwing it on a hdd and connecting it to the 360, that you can't.
 
[quote name='homeland']I should rephrase that I'm pretty sure you can stream it with a 3rd party app.. but as for throwing it on a hdd and connecting it to the 360, that you can't.[/quote]

I have everything setup to stream the .avi files from my laptop right now... maybe whatever program is handling that (WMP?) can read .mkv files or I can DL the right codec.

Does the 360 actually play the file or does my computer with the image and sound streaming over?
 
[quote name='javeryh']
Does the 360 actually play the file or does my computer with the image and sound streaming over?[/QUOTE]

If you are using a transcoder (the only way to play mkv files on your xbox) it's the latter.
 
[quote name='thrustbucket']If you are using a transcoder (the only way to play mkv files on your xbox) it's the latter.[/quote]

How do you tell if you are using a transcoder? When I open a file I am selecting it from the 360 and using the controller to Pause, FF, Skip, etc. The hard drive is not connected to my 360 (the files are on my laptop and they magically play on my TV without any wires).
 
does anyone notice their picture quality when watching avi files on the 360 to be too dark? if i watch AVI files off the PS3 they look just fine but on the PS3 everything is just so dark. I can't seem to find any type of brightness settings to configure either. what's up with that?
 
[quote name='javeryh']How do you tell if you are using a transcoder? When I open a file I am selecting it from the 360 and using the controller to Pause, FF, Skip, etc. The hard drive is not connected to my 360 (the files are on my laptop and they magically play on my TV without any wires).[/QUOTE]

You aren't using a transcoder. Transcoders are programs you install like Tversity or Transcode 360. What they do is actually convert the video file to something 360-friendly on-the-fly and send it to the 360; in other words, your PC is doing all the work (so you need a pretty nice pc to transcode HD on the fly). Also, if you use a transcoder, your pc can't really be used since it's 100% tasked to transcoding.

What you are doing is what most everyone else is doing. Your 360 is looking at your laptop's hard drive and simply grabbing the files and decoding them on the 360. The only thing your PC is doing is copying files to the 360's memory, which takes almost no work, so the PC can still be used.

As for MKV files to work on your 360 you have two options:

If you think your PC is beefy, try out Tversity and transcode on the fly. I personally have never gotten this to work that smoothly. Lots of pausing and buffering, and the picture degrades.

Or

Get a file conversion program that will turn the mkv file into something the 360 can digest, convert the entire file, then play it like you currently are. - Personally I have done this with mkv's a couple of times but it's time consuming depending on your PC's cpu power (A 2 hour HD movie can take at least 2 hours to convert on an average PC). This is because, essentially, your computer must open every frame in the video, sequentially, and save it as a different type.

I've just mostly stopped dealing with mkv's because of the hassle.

[quote name='espionage']does anyone notice their picture quality when watching avi files on the 360 to be too dark? if i watch AVI files off the PS3 they look just fine but on the PS3 everything is just so dark. I can't seem to find any type of brightness settings to configure either. what's up with that?[/QUOTE]

It sounds like you either already have, or need to, fiddle with the reference level settings in the display settings of your 360 (if you are using a vga cable). Otherwise I don't know what the problem is, they look fine on mine.
 
Yup, I try to avoid mkv's. Although they look like they are going to be a big part of HD videos and anime.
I usually take mkv's and split them up and recode the video into a mp4.

If anyone knows of an easier way to do it please let me know.
I usually just run it through videora which takes about the same time as the video's length.

Also avi's look great streaming to my 360, but i don't have a ps3 to compare.
 
Where is a good spot to Download TV shows (free)

Is there a site, or are we all talking about peer 2 peer/torrent sharing?
 
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