Help - PC workstation to Xbox 360

[jsluk]

Hi all,

This is for my bedroom and the TV is CRT with only component inputs from an Xbox 360. I need your suggestions and recommendations on this. Currently I have an old PC that I put together in 2006 (AMD Opteron 170/NF4 chipset - DFI Lanparty Expert motherboard). 2 gigs DDR memory. Windows XP SP3. Video card is a fanless Asus GT 430. I also have a LiteOn 12x BR burner and use PowerDVD 11 Ultra to watch BR movies and other stuff on an USB external 3TB Segate HD on this PC with no issues.

Recently, I ran a Cat5e line from the DSL router to the Xbox. The Xbox can see all the files on the Segate HD but will only play without stuttering about 5 of the 100's of movies and TV shows. My understanding is that this old Xbox is very limited in the files that it could play.

Sorry for the long and winded background. But here is the question? I currently use the DVI out from the PC's video card to the computer monitor. At the same time, can I also run an hdmi cable from the back of the PC's video card to the input of the XBox and play all my files from the PC. Will the Xbox pass this along to the TV? I don't have the hdmi cable yet. But it will have to be over 20 feet to reach the TV. Is that going to be a problem?

I hope someone will know the answer to this question. Or else I will have to debate the issues of either building a HTPC or get one of the many streamers available today. I think clearly the streamer will be much cheaper in the short term. Not that this matters but when the old CRT TV dies, I will get a modern large screen TV. Thanks and best regards.

 

[ghostprivacy]

So you want to play Video files that are located on your PC and access them through your Xbox?

We used to do this in my old student house. If you have wireless NIC on your PC you can set up sharing options so that the Xbox can access certain files and you can stream if from there,

Let me know if this is what you mean, I can ask my friend how he set it up.

 

[jsluk]

ghostprivacy, thanks for the reply. Don't have a wireless nic card on the PC. But this old Xbox 360 is already seeing all the shared files on the external PC drive with a wired connection from the router. It is just that the xbox can only play the files smoothly and without stuttering that Xbox is happy with such as Divx etc.

I have a lot of movies on this hard drive and to convert them so that the Xbox can play them would be extremely time consuming. I tried just 1 file and this take over 3 hours to change format. Any other ideas?

 

[Batmeat]

I use Vuze. simply drop the media files on the xbox 360 icon. From your 360 look under the video tab to open the player.

Forgot to mention Vuze is free (Azureas). Install it on your pc, then hook your 360 to your computer via network cable or wirelessly.

 

[jsluk]

Batmeat, thanks for the suggestions on Vuze. I just Googled it and found either 5 star rating or 1 star rating on this bit torrent softwear. Very little in between. Something about a lot of bloatware included if you download. Also, something about the annoying toolbar and other spyware. I am not familiar with bit torrents. Never used it before but why is it necessary since I already have the files in my computer and the network.

Anyone else have experience with Vuze? I understand that it is free. But is it the best solution for my needs if I am willing to pay for additional software or hardware. Best regards.

 

[Batmeat]

Vuze does come with bloatware, but it's simple to not install. It gives you the option to do a custom install. Select that option and it will ask if you want certain components and other software installed. All you have to do is decline. If you do use vuze, and select the custom installation, make sure you don't install the 'classic ui' it's a little more tedious.