Xbox 360 May 7th update success stories

[bass4040]

Does Mpeg 2 HD transport streams still work using MCE and Hdtvpump on the 360 after this update?

[veffremov]

Originally Posted by bass4040

Does Mpeg 2 HD transport streams still work using MCE and Hdtvpump on the 360 after this update?

The update does not affect the MCX functionality. Nothing is added or removed.

The "VGA fix" would applay to MCX and Games as well.

[veffremov]

For the H.264 the encode must be:

Baseline, Main or High Profile.

L41 max resolution 1920x1088 (1080 cropped).
L > 50 max resolution Width x Height < 414720.

[carpetwax]

I've taken a closer look at the error messages this morning.

The dashboard video option simply doesnt see any files other than WMV. The folders are all there, they just appear empty.
Under the 360 Extender, I can see the mp4 files, but when I try to play them I get the message "The file is not recognised and cannot be played, either the codec is missing of the file is corrupt"
Under Vista Media Center on the PC serving my xbox, I can also see the mp4 file, but when I try to play it I get a different message "WMC cannot find the specified file..."

edit:
Windows Media Player 11 will play my mp4's fine via ffdshow, but it will not add them too its library and I can't seem to find any way of making it accept the mp4 extension. I'm guessing this is what makes the files not even appear in the dashboard video folder.

[ACrowley]

Originally Posted by carpetwax

I've taken a closer look at the error messages this morning.

The dashboard video option simply doesnt see any files other than WMV. The folders are all there, they just appear empty.
Under the 360 Extender, I can see the mp4 files, but when I try to play them I get the message "The file is not recognised and cannot be played, either the codec is missing of the file is corrupt"
Under Vista Media Center on the PC serving my xbox, I can also see the mp4 file, but when I try to play it I get a different message "WMC cannot find the specified file..."

edit:
Windows Media Player 11 will play my mp4's fine via ffdshow, but it will not add them too its library and I can't seem to find any way of making it accept the mp4 extension. I'm guessing this is what makes the files not even appear in the dashboard video folder.

The Extender is not updatetd! No H264/Mp4....
The new Video Functions are only for the Dashboard Player!

[crypto]

Originally Posted by veffremov

L41 max resolution 1920x1088 (1080 cropped).
L > 50 max resolution Width x Height < 414720.

Thanks for making that clear. That did the trick. HD encodes using x264 w/ --level 41 option work great. Regarding the AAC 2.0 audio track, only those accounts that download the ipod codec again seem to be able to play audio. That is true, even when the codec displays as already downloaded.

WMV playback is also working great. None of my files had problems with the aspekt ratio anymore, even those cropped, anamorphic and cropped/anamorphic HD encodes. Automatic always did the job.

WMV streaming works better and with higher bit rates than MP4 streaming, although the MP4s are hinted.

This is a great update for the Xbox 360 transforming it into a multi media machine.

[jpasan]

But can you get MP4s to work? Is yes, what did you do?
A great shame was not to include AVI support with MPEG-4 ASP. That would be the real killer feature

[Ronin-7]

Originally Posted by jpasan

But can you get MP4s to work? Is yes, what did you do?

In what context ?

For anything with standard definition resolutions just use the stock high profile setting in AutoMKV or any other program even Nero AVC works.

For high definition resolutions you must modify the profile so it's set at level 4.1

To read the MP4 files burn to disc or put on USB flash, USB external HD.

To read over network from WMP shared media you must have I think at least directshow decoders installed, if it doesn't read them still use the MP4 Tag plugin for WMP. Alternatively you can use the Zune software to share media and that should allow the Xbox 360 to see them over the network.

[Deihmos]

I am trying to find a way for WMP 11 to add MP4 files to the library but with no luck. The zune software can share MP4 files but it does not add all of them to the library. If I copy the video to a USB drive it plays on the 360 but not Zune.

I basically need to find a way to add MP4 files to my WMP 11 library so the 360 will see them. Does anyone know how I can do this?

[shaolin95]

I am very happy with the update! My previous 1080P encode of Happy Feet using this script:

cscript.exe "C:\Program Files\Windows Media Components\Encoder\wmcmd.vbs" -input Vtest2.avi -a_input myaudio.avi -output "j:\output.wmv" -v_bframedist 1 -v_bdeltaqp 1 -v_mslevel 1 -v_codec wvc1 -v_keydist 3 -v_mode 2 -v_quality 96 -v_mmatch 0 -v_msrange 0 -v_performance 20 -v_loopfilter 1 -a_codec wmapro -a_setting 384_48_6_16

It used to be very choppy but with the update its perfectly smooth! I am not sure how to accurately measure the bitrate but if someone tells me I will report back.

Also the RESUME and LANGUAGE options are a very welcome. The "black level" setting is cool too.


Regards

[jpasan]

In what context ?

Streaming from PC with WMP. I have Nero Showtime installed and also ffdshow in order to watch x264 files but still can't see the files in the Xbox

[Pitbull_Raven]

What software should one use to recode a mkv to compliant mp4 streams?

[benwaggoner]

I made this http://216.99.212.230:6969/torrents/...B6D0D73C7708E6 sample file using the Elephant's Dream source, with 10 Mbps average and 25 Mbps peak, and 5.1 24-bit WMA Pro audio. Works great for my on my stock Premium with the spring update.

The .torrent also includes the .pproj I used to make the PNG sequence into an AVI, a screen shot of the WMV PowerToy settings I used, and the Windows Media Encoder session file.

[Ronin-7]

Deihmos & jpasan try the WMP MP4 tag plugin that makes MP4 files show in the WMP library.

It's working for me and I can play the encodes over the network.

(Just in case you have to use the WMP media sharing feature for this to work as far as I know other software media/servers don't work at the moment with the new update)

Edit: Question for anyone more knowledgeable on the matter, I have a load of my movies in H.264/AAC LC/MKV containers using MKV-Merge and YAMB I can put them into MP4 containers that play on the Xbox 360 but they lose their anamorphic setting is it possible to set this in the MP4 file ?

I know that's not a problem for the console as it can stretch to fill the screen in the display options but it would be nice to keep the anamorphic setting for PC/Media Centre playback.

[Pitbull_Raven]

Originally Posted by Ronin-7

I have a load of my movies in H.264/AAC LC/MKV containers using MKV-Merge and YAMB I can put them into MP4 containers that play on the Xbox 360

Is there any way we could get you to please elaborate on how to? I can't seem to get create any (at least compliant with the x360. I have tested out samples and it's streaming to the box w/o problems, so that's not the problem, for sure.

[Deihmos]

Originally Posted by Ronin-7

Deihmos & jpasan try the WMP MP4 tag plugin that makes MP4 files show in the WMP library.

It's working for me and I can play the encodes over the network.

(Just in case you have to use the WMP media sharing feature for this to work as far as I know other software media/servers don't work at the moment with the new update)

Edit: Question for anyone more knowledgeable on the matter, I have a load of my movies in H.264/AAC LC/MKV containers using MKV-Merge and YAMB I can put them into MP4 containers that play on the Xbox 360 but they lose their anamorphic setting is it possible to set this in the MP4 file ?

I know that's not a problem for the console as it can stretch to fill the screen in the display options but it would be nice to keep the anamorphic setting for PC/Media Centre playback.

i tried that application before and it did not work. i am using WMP 11 with Windows vista.

[Ronin-7]

Originally Posted by Deihmos

i tried that application before and it did not work. i am using WMP 11 with Windows vista.

Hmm working on XP fine for me, I have a Vista box but have not tried it out with that.

On my XP machine I have;
ffdshow tryout beta2
Haali Media Splitter
WMP Tag plugin installed

And that's all there is to it. I will test with Vista and let you know if it works could be the plugin needs to be updated for Vista WMP11.

Originally Posted by Pitbull_Raven

Is there any way we could get you to please elaborate on how to? I can't seem to get create any (at least compliant with the x360. I have tested out samples and it's streaming to the box w/o problems, so that's not the problem, for sure.

First I used MKVExtractGUI (put in folder of MKVMerge) and extracted the raw H.264 video and audio.

Then I used YAMB and inputed both files into it and muxed them into an MP4.

As it happens I was lucky because my movies were encoded with the MeGUI HQ-Slow profile which plays back on the X360 under SD resolutions as all my movies where 720x576 or lower. I also used 2 channel AAC LC for most of them so avoided another pitfall in the audio but in some cases you may need to redo the audio but that's a lot easier and quicker than redoing the entire thing from scratch.

If your not sure about why a certain video isn't playing & forgotten what it was encoded at an easy way I find is to just mux with video only and see if it plays, if the video is compatible it will play & that tells you if the audio is the culprit.

[carpetwax]

Originally Posted by Deihmos

i tried that application before and it did not work. i am using WMP 11 with Windows vista.

I have the same problem.

Vista x64
I installed the plugin, and it shows under installed plugins within WMP11.
When I use the file->open within WMP11 to open an mp4, my mp4's now show under the 'all media' description. Before the plugin I would have to select 'all files'
However, they still wont add to the library when I run them or when I try to have them added to the library automatically.

[Deihmos]

Originally Posted by carpetwax

I have the same problem.

Vista x64
I installed the plugin, and it shows under installed plugins within WMP11.
When I use the file->open within WMP11 to open an mp4, my mp4's now show under the 'all media' description. Before the plugin I would have to select 'all files'
However, they still wont add to the library when I run them or when I try to have them added to the library automatically.

Is there a solution to this? I have been searching around forever with no luck. I have Vista 32bit.

[carpetwax]

I'm currently downloading the zune software for Vista.
(I dont actually have a Zune)

I figure that the Zune plays mp4's, therefore the zune software might enable adding of the mp4's to the library.

I will let you know how it goes