Xbox Mediacenter

8/10/2019 Xbox Mediacenter

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Xbox Media

Center ManualBeta 0.06

History:- 0.06 Added "My Videos.mht", reformatted into the .doc manual- 0.06 Added keymapping-schematics into the .doc manual- 0.06 Added original Beta 0.05 manual into the .doc manual

- 0.05 Added "My Videos.mht" from RUNTiME- 0.04 Packed all manual files into one ZIP for tracking & management.

Table of Contents:

Contents of My Videos.mht...2-11Keymapping Schematics.12-23Original Beta 0.05 Manual....24-70


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Contents of My Videos.mht as follows:

My Videos

Arguably the most compelling feature of Xbox Media Center is My Videos.

At a glance, this feature allows you to view all of the movies available on the localXBOX hard-drive and DVD-ROM. Xbox Media Center supports the latest digital videoformats including but not limited to XViD, DiVX, MPEG2 and WMV9.

Should you decide to connect your XBOX to a local area network, XBOX Media Centerwill show the contents of network folders, allowing you to stream movies across thenetwork as easily as playing them off a DVD. This is a great way to make your favouritemovies easily available, utilizing the huge storage capacity that desktop computers andnetwork storage devices offer.

To help you manage your movie collection My Videos offers an Internet Movie Database(IMDb) cataloguing service that will scan your movie collection, generating thumbnailsfor each of your movies as well as gathering useful meta-data including title, genre, year

and actors. This information allows you to search your movie collection using thesecriteria as well as sort your movies by name, year and rating.

Xbox Media Center offers a slew of features for the advanced user, allowing you toprecisely configure everything from display settings through to image enhancement.While the most common settings are easily accessible within one or two clicks of a

button, the more advanced settings are only available by selecting the Settings optionfrom the Home screen.

To access My Videos, select it from the Home screen.

On selecting My Videos the first view is that of local devices and network folders.

Left: The XBOX Media Center Home screen

shows a preview of the current movie in the

lower left frame.

Supplementary information about the movie

scrolls from right to left across the top right

of the screen.

The current play time is visible to the rightof the playback status icon


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If you have a local area network set-up at home (sometimes referred to as home-networking or LAN), you may want to consider creating bookmarks to allow you to viewmovies stored in folders on networked devices.

Consider the following example:

Films on My Computer

smb://KLAATU/films_media

This is an example of a simple network share. SMB is short for Samba, the network filesystem used by Windows networking.

In the example above the path points to a network folder share on a computer calledKLAATU. The name of the shared folder is films_media, but rather than display thaton-screen a friendlier name has been chosen, Films on My Computer.

If you prefer to secure access to your network folders so that only certain users can accessthem, then you should consider using the full path specification:

My Secure Network Sharesmb://DOMAIN;username:pwd@MyWindowsServer/movies/

Notice that you can specify the network domain, username and password of the user inaddition to the server computer name and shared folder.

There are a variety of other network file systems developed specifically for XBOX MediaCenter, of which include XNS (Xbox Network Share) and XBMS (Xbox Media Share).You are more likely to consider configuring these types of bookmark if you previouslyused Xbox Media Player:

Xbox Network Streaming Protocol (XNS)

XNS

xns://192.168.0.1:1400/

Xbox Media Streaming Protocol (XBMS/XBMSP)

XBMS

xbms://192.168.0.1:1400/


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Notice that instead of specifying the name the server computer, the IP address and portnumber is used.Movie Selection

After you select a local or network device My Videos will present you with a view of thedevice contents.

Notice that only movie files with supported file extensions are listed. Although unlikely,should you wish to limit or extend support to other file extensions you should considerediting the XBOX Media Center XML file, locating and editing the contents of thevideoextensions tag.

My Videos uses a hierarchical view to display files and folders in very much the sameway as Windows Explorer. Similarly, My Programs, My Music, My Pictures and MyFiles share the same basic concept. To navigate into a sub-folder press the A button onyour controller, to navigate out of a sub-folder back to its parent folder, press the B

button.

If at any point you wish to change the behaviour of the controller button layout youshould consider editing the Keymap XML file. For the purposes of this manual it is

assumed that the default layout is used.

Once the desired movie file is high-lighted, start playback by pressing the A button.

In this view you can also perform a number of related tasks:

Switch View, Scan and IMDB require internet connectivity and are discussed in thefollowing section.

Play DVD immediately start playback of any DVD Movie currently in the XBOXDVD-ROM.

Left: My Videos lists the movies available in

the current folder. The number of movies in

the folder is displayed along the bottom of

the screen.

If more movies are available than can be

displayed on-screen you may scroll up and

down the screen a line at a time or highlight

and select the page buttons to move quickly

through them a page at a time.

TIP: Use gamepad shoulder buttons to scrollup and down a page at a time.


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Stack will combine several movie filenames ending with -CD1 -CD2 -CD3 etc.into a single item facilitating movie playback by queuing the files for playback.

Movie Database

Xbox Media Center can help you organise your movie collection by cataloguing yourmovies and cross-referencing the file names with film records obtained from the InternetMovie Database (IMDb). The information gathered is cached locally so that it isavailable offline.

After the Scan task has completed you will be able to take advantage of several featuresthat depend on rich information obtained.

Highlight and select the Switch view action in the Task panel, this will present you withthe opportunity to view your movie collection by Genre, Actors, Year and Title.

Left: Catalogue a folder (and sub-folders) by

highlighting and selecting Scan from the

Task panel.

NOTE: Depending on the number of files

involved, the process can take between

several minutes to an hour.

TIP: To improve matching accuracy consider

renaming your filenames so that the nameof the film title appears first (contrary towhat the screenshot suggests!).

Left: While Stack is active, movies spread

over several files appear as one item in the

list.

On selecting a movie that spans across

multiple files, a visual cue is displayed in the

top right hand of the screen indicating the

number of associated files.

TIP: Use gamepad DPAD buttons to select

between different associated files, press theA button to start playback from that file.


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Movie Playback

To pause playback press the A button once, to resume playback press the A button asecond time. The shoulder buttons can be used to accelerate or decelerate playback. Therate of playback is indicated in the top right hand corner of the screen.

During movie playback pressing the X button will toggle between the movie and My

Videos, while pressing the white button will toggle the movie play time and total playtime.

An on-screen-display (OSD) control panel can also be toggled by pressing the Y button.While the OSD is on-screen use the DPAD to select between playback controls andcommon playback settings.

Playback Controls

Stop, Pause, Rewind, Forward, Fast Rewind and Fast Forward.

Left: After the scan is complete you can

select movies by Genre. Note that related

movies appear as Titles within a Genre.

TIP: You can choose from the most popular

films in the Genre by highlighting andselecting Sort by and choosing Rating.

Left: In addition to improving the richness of

the user interface, information gathered by

the Scan task is stored on your XBOX hard-

drive for offline viewing.

TIP: Highlight a movie and press the White

button on your gamepad to access movie

details.


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Settings

Volume, Brightness, Contrast and Gamma, Audio Track and Delay andBookmarks.

Audio Track and Delay settings govern the delay between what you see onscreen andwhat you hear. Move the slider left to delay the audio relative to the video.

In the context of the OSD, Bookmarks refer to the facility of storing several positionsduring movie playback with the view of returning to specific scenes at a later date.

Picture Enhancement

In order to enjoy the best viewing experience it is strongly recommended that youcalibrate your display using the Screen settings option. Calibration defines the visiblescreen limits of your display and allows you to make corrections to the aspect ratio sothat movies are shown exactly as intended.

Left: The on-screen-display (OSD) allows

quick access to commonly used playback

controls and settings.

The current movie play time and total playtime is shown to the right of the OSD.

Left: Each movie may have any number of

bookmarks all of which are persisted until

you clear them.


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Calibrating your display is a simple process. Use the controller to position the cursor asinstructed pressing the A button to confirm each location so that the top left and bottomright edges of the screen have been selected.

Once you are satisfied with the selections you have made, exit calibration by pressing theBack button.Additional settings can be toggled to Soften, Zoom and Stretch the image, whetheryou choose to do so will depend on the way a particular movie has been encoded or

personal preference.

It is worth noting that by default an XBOX will soften its display output to prevent flickeroccurring on interlaced displays.

By contrast, Xbox Media Center disables Soften to improve resolution as a default, thisimprovement is particularly apparent on Anime / cartoon footage that exhibit sharp finelines. However it should be noted that disabling Soften can occasionally result in a

benign flickering artefact occurring on boundaries of sharp contrast.

If you have a conventional interlaced TV and the occasional flickering artefact causesyou irritation the problem can be alleviated by re-enabling Soften. If you have

progressive scan equipment disabling Soften should cause no ill-effect.

Left: Selecting the top-left hand corner of

the screen. Press the A button to confirm

your choice and follow the remaining

instructions.

Left: Use the DPAD to make minor

corrections to the aspect ratio.

The value shown will very depending on thetop left and bottom right edges you define.


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Image Filters

It may be desirable to choose one of several magnification filters depending on yourpersonal preference. Conversely, in the rare circumstances where an image needs to bescaled down you can choose which of the filters are used to perform the reduction.

While a thorough explanation of these filters is outside of the scope of this manual itshould suffice to say that the linear filter is the simplest form of image scaling.

Anisotropic is a common choice used by both the games and film industry to sharpen thedetails of a 3D object as it recedes into the distance.

Quincunx sampling is anti-aliasing technique that will minimise the occurrence of sharpedges on-screen while reducing the amount of colour error normally associated with anti-aliasing.

Gaussian Bicubic blends textures quite significantly; consequently its inclusion is morefor completeness than practicability.

Post-processing Filters

During movie playback the visible image can be subjected to several post-processingfilters to reduce the occurrence of encoding artefacts.

Most encoded footage derived from digital sources such as DVD is generally encoded ina progressive format, consequently Xbox Media Center defaults to disabling the de-interlace filter.

If desired re-enable the de-interlace filter for improved playback of interlaced footage.

Above: Use the Settings menu to adjustScreen settings.

Above: Several filters are available toenhance display output.


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There are several other post-processing filters that have varying degrees of effectdepending on the encoding artefacts present in encoded footage.

Please note that enabling all of them can result in some loss of resolution or have animpact on the playback frame rate. As a default, the Auto option will aim to achieve aconstant frame rate within the encoding specifications while maximising picture quality.

Vertical De-blocking, Horizontal De-blocking, Auto Brightness and Contrast andDe-ringing.

The De-blocking filters help reduce the appearance of block-like artefacts prevalent inmovies that have been encoded with a low-bit rate. These artefacts are particularlynoticeable in low-bit rate movies encoded using older codecs such as DiVX 3.11.

The Auto Brightness and Contrast filter can have marked improvement in the display offootage captured from analogue sources.

The De-ringing filter removes encoding noise without unduly destroying significantimage details by applying a mask that varies depending on local characteristics. De-ringing can have quite a significant effect in improving the quality of Anime / cartoon

footage.


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Keymapping

Schematics:


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X B MC

w w w .x b o x me d ia c e n t e r .c o m

X B MC b e t a ma n u a l

Draft version 0.03 Date: 01 Mar 2003Get replacement screenshots here: http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/info_screens.htm
http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/info_screens.htmhttp://www.xboxmediacenter.com/info_screens.htm


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X b o x me d ia C E NT E R 1 .0Ma n u a l v 0 .0 3

In d e x

1. Introduction.......................... 27

1.1 Disclaimer 271.2 The XboxMediaCenter Project 27XboxMediaCenter is a free open source (GPL) multimedia player for the Xboxfrom Microsoft. (XboxMediaCenter is also known as "Xbox Media Center" or simply"XBMC"). Currently the XboxMediaCenter can be used to play and view supportedvideo/audio/picture formats such as MPEG-1/2, DivX, XVID, MP3, JPG and moredirect from a CD/DVD in the Xbox DVD-ROM or of the Xbox hard disk drive, itcan also play files from a PC over a LAN / network via an XNS (XStream Server)software or from a windows (SMB) share. It has playlist and slideshow. Thesefeatures enable the Xbox running XboxMediaCenter to fully function as a multi-media jukebox. Note! XBMC is a hobby project that is only developed by volunteersin their spare-time for free. (Remember XboxMediaCenter does require a Xboxmod-chip installed in the Xbox to work). 27

1.3 History 281.4 Features 291.4.1 Using from HDD.................................................................................... 391.4.2 Using from CD/DVD ............................................................................... 391.4.3 Using XBMC as a Dashboard ...................................................................... 401.4.4 Controller Setup ...................................................................................41

Optional Features 411.4.5 Relax XNS Server .................................................................................. 411.4.6 SMB Shares .........................................................................................421.4.7 XBMSP ............................................................................................... 431.4.8 FTP Server.......................................................................................... 441.4.9 ISO 9660 ............................................................................................441.4.10 File/Folder Thumbnails........................................................................... 441.4.11 Subtitles ............................................................................................45

1.4.12 Filename Filters ................................................................................... 451.4.13 Multi File Stacking.................................................................................461.4.14 DLL Codec's......................................................................................... 461.4.15 IMDb support ....................................................................................... 461.4.16 Skins................................................................................................. 46

1.5 Advanced Configuration 461.5.1 Fine Tuning XBMC ................................................................................. 461.5.2 Upgrading XBMC ................................................................................... 48

2. Functions ............................. 49

2.1 My Programs 492.1.1 Shortcuts ...........................................................................................492.1.2 Program Bookmarks ............................................................................... 50


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2.1.3 Hierarchy Flattening .............................................................................. 502.2 My Music 512.2.1 Playlist .............................................................................................. 512.2.2 Shoutcast ........................................................................................... 522.2.3 Audio Visualizations...............................................................................52

2.3 My Pictures 532.3.1 Slideshow........................................................................................... 532.3.2 Using Background Music .......................................................................... 53

2.4 My Videos 552.4.1 During Playback ................................................................................... 552.4.2 Control Panel ......................................................................................562.4.3 On Screen Display (OSD).......................................................................... 562.4.4 Video bookmarks .................................................................................. 562.4.5 Playlist .............................................................................................. 562.4.6 IMDb Information .................................................................................. 56

2.5 Settings 572.5.1 Decoder............................................................................................. 572.5.2 General .............................................................................................582.5.3 Screen............................................................................................... 592.5.4 Slideshow........................................................................................... 602.5.5 Sound................................................................................................ 602.5.6 System .............................................................................................. 60

3. Support ............................... 61

3.1 Tips 613.2 Trouble Shooting 623.3 Appendix A : Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 633.4 Useful Links 69

4. Credits ................................ 70


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1 . In t r o d u c t io n

1 .1 Dis c l a ime rBy downloading or using anything of this site you agree & have to comply with thisdisclaimer:All Rights Reserved XboxMediaCenter 2003-2004. This project and its website doesNOT condone piracy. All source code from this project is marked to be freely

distributed, and SHALL NOT be sold to a mass market. The XboxMediaCenter (alsoknown as Xbox Media Center and XBMC) is Open Source, it's source code is releasedunder the GNU General Public License (GPL) and by downloading or using anything ofit's code you have to comply with the GPL License it is bound under. TheXboxMediaCenter source code has been debugged before each release, and shouldNOT have any defects, however the authors of the XboxMediaCenter project, thiswebsite & it's authors is not responsible for any damages or loss resulting from anyinformation or code obtained from the XboxMediaCenter source or othercode/software obtained/originated from the XboxMediaCenter project/websites. Allnames & anything shown on the XboxMediaCenter documents & websites that showsa trademark, character, copyrights, or symbol belonging to any company belongs totheir respective owners. The XboxMediaCenter project, its authors & its websites isnot affiliated with Microsoft corp. in any way. If opening your Xbox, you will voidits "WARRANTY"! All files on this site have been checked for viruses, but we

recommend you check everything & anything you download yourself as we hold noresponsibility for damages or loss caused to data or hardware as a result of a virusfrom the XboxMediaCenter websites or any of the links provided on this site. Theauthors of the XboxMediaCenter, everyone affiliated with the XboxMediaCenterproject & the XboxMediaCenter websites does NOT distribute any software compiledby Microsoft Xbox SDK (XDK), nor do we condone doing so.

SUPPORT THE COMPANIES THAT PRODUCE QUALITY SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE!IF YOU ENJOY A PRODUCT, BUY IT! ITS CREATORS DESERVE YOUR SUPPORT!

XboxMediaCenter and XBMC are trademarks of The XboxMediaCenter Project.All Rights Reserved XboxMediaCenter 2003-2004 xboxmediacenter.com

The XboxMediaCenter project is not affiliated with Microsoft corp. in any way."Microsoft", "XDK", "Xbox" & the Xbox logo/s are trademarks of Microsoft corp.

Dolby Digital and the DD loga are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories, Inc.FFMPEG is a trademark of the FFMPEG ProjectMPlayer is a trademark of the MPlayer Project

XINE is a trademark of the XINE ProjectDivX is a trademark of DivXNetworks Inc.

XviD is a trademark of XviD Project

1 .2 T h e X b o x Me d ia C e n t e r P r o j e c t

XboxMediaCenteris a freeopen source(GPL) multimedia player for the Xbox fromMicrosoft. (XboxMediaCenteris also known as "Xbox Media Center" or simply "XBMC").Currently the XboxMediaCentercan be used to play and view supportedvideo/audio/picture formats such as MPEG-1/2, DivX, XVID, MP3, JPG and more


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direct from a CD/DVD in the XboxDVD-ROM or of the Xboxhard disk drive, it canalso play files from a PC over a LAN / network via an XNS (XStream Server) softwareor from a windows (SMB) share. It has playlist and slideshow. These features enablethe Xboxrunning XboxMediaCenterto fully function as a multi-media jukebox.Note! XBMC is a hobby project that is only developed by volunteers in their spare-time for free.(Remember XboxMediaCenter does require a Xbox mod-chip installed in the Xboxtowork).

1 .3 H is t o r yXboxMediaPlyaer was created by d7o3g4q (a.k.a. duo) & RUNTiME in May 2002. Itstarted out as two separate players by the two original developers each working ontheir own design d7o3g4q's player was called XboxMediaCenter & RUNTiME's playerwas called XBPLAYER, they began by sharing some code & coordinating features tonot duplicate efforts & by XboxMediaCenter beta 5 the two player where totallyintegrated into one. In beta 5 they also started using FFMPEG as the video codec & inbeta 6 they also added XviD support with code from the XviD project. Thedevelopment & beta testing was done "behind closed doors" for this project (d7o3g4q& RUNTiME promising that when version 1.0 was made they would release the sourcecode to the public, but after beta 6 was done there where a lot of complaining frommany why the developers did not release the source code for the player sooner asthey where using FFmpeg & XviD code which are under the (L)GPL license. Even

though the project was closed d7o3g4q & RUNTiME released the source code for beta6 (Inc. a few bug fixes, SVCD/MPEG-2 & limited ISO 9660 caching support) on the15th of October 2002. In the November 2002 Frodo (the founder of "YAMP - YetAnother Media Player") joined the Xbox Media Center team as the XboxMediaCenter& YAMP project merged, the first release of the merged projects is called "XboxMedia Center 2.0" & source code for it was release on the 14 December 2002.(XboxMediaCenter 2.0 is a complete re-write using a new core based on the Mplayerproject still using FFmpeg/XviD codec code). On the 28 December 2002 the sourcecode of XboxMediaCenter 2.1 was released with many bug fixes and a couple of newfeatures like true AC3 5.1 output, volume normalizer/amplification and anadditional post processing filter. Two weeks later on the 12 of January 2002XboxMediaCenter 2.2 source code was released with new features like dashboardmode to launch other applications, separate national language files, streamingmedia from windows shares (SMB), audio-playlist, playing media on-the-fly fromISO9660-Mode1 CD's and Windows DLL support for WMV 7,8,9. We have not yet had apoint release since then but subtitle/GUI TTF support, SHOUTcast streaming, IFOplayback, IMDb service, ISO9660-Mode2, video playlist, blank screensaver and abuild-in FTP server has been added to the CVS.XNS protocol and the first XStream Streamer/Server software was created byRUNTIME to share media to the player over a network. Since then it is being workedon by Pope-X, Jeff33, Ziki, jkw & Tusse/nonSense (with support from RUNTiME,d7o3g4q & frodo), a draft for a new XNS protocol has also been put together byPuhPuh. Some of the streamers also host additional functions like SHOUTcastsupport.

(Of course the ultimate goal is to make this the best available media player for theXbox).


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1 .4 F e a t u r e s

XboxMediaCenter 1.0 point release source code supports/features the following:

- AVI, OGM, Matroska & MPG/MPEG multimedia containers- DivX;-) 3.11 and OpenDivX 4.0 playback (uses FFmpeg lib)- DivX 5.0 - 5.03 Pro playback inc. B-frames, GMC & QPel (uses FFmpeg lib)

- XviD playback support (uses XviD codec library)- MP3 and MPEG-1/2 audio playback (uses libmad lib)- OGG/OGM Support (uses libvorbis/FFmpeg/XviD libs)- Windows Media Files WMA/WMV/ASF (inc. WMV9 via DLL's)- BivX (multiple audio streams/tracks) support- MSMpeg4 v1, MSMpeg4 v2 & MSMpeg4 v3 support (uses FFmpeg lib)- AC3 (Dolby Digital 5.1) support (real AC3 5.1 output or down-mixed to stereo)- MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 (inc. .DAT & .BIN VCD/SVCD files) (uses FFmpeg lib)- Unencrypted VOB playback (uses libmpeg2 lib) & encrypted via IFO parsing fromDVD- Subtitle support (MicroDVD, srt, smi, vplayer, rt, ssa, aqt, sub, jss, mpl & VobSub)- True FFWD/RWD during AVI, OGM, Matroska (DivX/XviD) & MPEG playback- Seeking during AVI (DivX/XviD) & MPEG playback- Audio Visualization (using Goom visual effects generator)

- Playlist's for audio & video files (inc. save & play playlist to/from M3U)- Video bookmarking (so can resume a movie later, even after reboot)- Post-Processing filters for better video quality- Audio amplifying & normalization filters- Video resizing/scaling and zooming functions- ISO 9660 - Mode1 CD-R/RW compatibility (caching or on-the-fly)- ISO 9660 - Mode2 CD-R/RW compatibility (caching or on-the-fly) (VCD/SVCD)*- JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG, TIFF, TGA & PCX picture/image viewing (uses FFmpeg lib)- Picture slideshow of JPG, GIF, BMP, PNG, TIFF, TGA & PCX (using CxImage)- Thumbnails (media files, folders and applications) for easy localization- Picture thumbnails (automatically generated)- Launch XBE's (dashboard replacement mode)- Build-in FTP Server (using XBFileZilla module)- IMDb information (The Internet Movie Database)- Internet Radio - SHOUTcast/Icecast support (native or streaming via RelaX)- OSD (On Screen Display) with various of settings during video playback- File streaming from a PC or Server over a network from a XNS (XStream Server)software- File streaming from a PC or Server over a network from Windows SMB (Samba)share/s*- Stream video/audio/pictures directly from a ISO/BIN/IMG/ZIP files via RelaX- 8092Kb memory buffer for video/audio playback (can be configured)- NTSC playback on PAL Xbox/TV and PAL playback on NTSC Xbox/TV- Control XboxMediaCenter via Xbox controller or the Xbox DVD Remote- Language files for translated user interface (over 20 languages so far)- International subtitle fonts (manually exchangeable using TTF fonts)- International GUI fonts (manually exchangeable using TTF fonts)


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*Some of them may have problems, but they are constantly being worked on. Please,feel free to report bugs and problems in the bug reporting forums.

http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/xbmc_vs_xbmp.htm

2 . S e t u p

2 .1 B a s ic in s t a l l a t io n

XBMC requires a modded Xbox; any modchip/exploit will work with XBMC.

XBMC can be run either from the Xboxs HDD or from CD/DVD media.

2 .1 .1

S e t u p t h e x b o x me d ia c e n t e r .x ml f il e

Un l ik e X B o x Me d ia P l a y e r X B MC h a s h a r d c o d e d d r iv ema p p in g . T h a t me a n s t h a t o n l y C : D: ( DV DR OM) E : F :a n d G : c a n b e ma p p e d .

T h e X : Y : Z : p a r t io n s ( s w a p s p a c e ) is n t a g o o d

p l a c e t o s t o r e e v e n t e mp o r e l y f il e s a s s ma l lmo v ie s / mp 3 s / o g g f il e s e t c .

Now, to set up the xboxmediacenter.xml, open the file with an XML or TextEditor, like Notepad, and change like explained:

-Using as a Dashboard

Place a copy of the xboxmediacenter.xml along with a copy of your default.xbe in c:root(Rename the default.xbe to something YOUR bios will boot from!)

Example: If you have XBMC installed to Apps\XBMC on the XBox F:\ the tag will looklike this:

- Network Settings

-

F:\Apps\XBMC\


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If you use a 2 nic setup you will want to set all info manually.

is the IP number the Xbox will have every time it boots (STATIC) is the subnet the Xbox will use. 255.255.255.0 is the most commen. is the ip to the PC nic you have hooked the Xbox.(Used for example shoutcast /movie streams, iMDB and more.) is where you set the ipnumber to the computer where you have SMBshares setup.

If you use a router/switch use the dhcp option in all tags.

- CDDB

CDDB is CD-DataBase.It will connect to a CD Database and get the song names/Artist and much more foreach cd.Set to No if your Xbox cant connect to internet via ICS/router, otherwise leave as itis.

- LBA 48 Support (HDDs larger then 137Gb)

This is for the people that have a harddisk drive larger then 137Gb and that haveformatted and portioned it so you have a G: partion

--

-

-

194.97.4.18yes

yesno


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- Http Proxy and Port. Anyone else wanna give it a try?

- Setting Automatic Time

Using the default settings will make the XBox connect to Microsofts timeserver andget the correct date/time for you. (Displayed on the start screen)Do not forget, even if the time is set right in XBMCs startscreen it can still be wrongin the MSDash so check once in awhile that it is correct.

- Exiting XBMC

Set path to the .xbe you want to be launched when pressing the YELLOW button(depends on what skin used) at the of the start screen and XBMC will execute the.xbe

- DVD Player

If you dont want XBMC to play the DVDs edit the path.

Example:

That would make the MSDash to start when a DVD is inserted when XBMC is running.

--

time.windows.com

C:\evoxdash.xbe

-

C:\xboxdash.xbe


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$Home is the dir where XBMC is installed. (in xbmc.log called Q:

SharesTo specify individual shares to each section (Music, Pictures, Videos) edit theconfiguration file like this:

C Drive

C:\

E Drive

E:\

F drive

F:\

DVD

D:\

XNS

xns://192.168.0.1:1400/

XBMS

xbms://192.168.0.1:1400/

SMB


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- General- Slideshow- Screen- Scripts- Music- Programs- Weather- System Info

General:

The first you will see in here is:

Skin:

Here you can switch through the different skins you have installed.You can change the on-the-fly, with out rebooting the Xbox.

Then you come to

Language:

Same thing here, you switch between the different languages in XBMC.

FTP:

Enable this if you want to be able to FTP into xbmc. (usefull if you have XBMC asyour dashboard)

Http server:

This starts the built in webserver. To connect to it open a browser window on yourpc and type in the ipnumber you gave your Xbox. This is still in early development,

and if you want to work on it please contact @s in #XBMC on Efnet.

Time Server:

This syncs the xbox clock to a sntp server you specify in the xboxmediacenter.xmlIt only try to sync once when XBMC is started.

Resolution:

Here you can set if you have a 4:3 or 16:9 tv

Auto widescreen switching:


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Settings/Screen

UI Calibration:

UI, or GUI, is Graphic User Interface. In short it is what you see on your TV.Here you can calibrate to positioning of the UI with your D-Pad or left thumbstick.

Screen Calib:

Here you set your overscan right for movies. Best way is to start a movie press X andgo back to this meny and press A on it. After that position the bars so they fit your tvscreen.You also set your subtitle positioning here

Soften, zoom and stretch

Exactly what they sound like.Best way to see what they do is to test and try yourself.

Filters Ill leave this for someone that knows more about it then me.

Subtitles: Enable/disable subtitles. Change between different iso specifications

Adjust Framerate: Make a 25fps movie play at 29.97fps if you are on NTSC and viceversa.VERY usefull tool!

Screensaver: Here you choose what, if any, screensaver you want to use. You set itin minutesbut if you have screensaver mode off it will not start. You also set the shutdown idle

time here.Time befor the xbox turns off itself when not used.)

Settings/Scripts

Here you can start the python scripts you have on the xbox. You can also use theautoexec.py to


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Once XBMC has loaded -and if your BIOS has the No eject on Reset hack- you caneject the tray, change the disc and go to the desired section to load the files. If youhave a first generation modchip (Ejects on Reset), you will need to burn the mediafiles along with the player files to use the player.

For XBMC to read ISO9660/UDF CD-Rs your Xbox DVD Drive MUSTbe able to do so,Being able to read different CD types is a hardware limitation and not a softwarelimitation.

A recommended application to burn UDF compliant CD/DVDs is Record Now Maxfrom Stomp Inc. Nero Burning ROM has UDF compatibility issues so its notrecommended.For information on how to burn XDFS (XISO) discs, please refer to Xbox-Scenetutorials.

1 .4 .3

Us in g X B MC a s a Da s h b o a r d

XBMC can run as the default dashboard of the Xbox. With an FTP Server, XBE launchfunction, and easy to use design, its a great option. There are some points to takein consideration when doing so.

Mode 1 Using XBMC as a dashboard, using all files from another partition.

Note: This is the intended way to use XBMC when running as a dashboard.This is a clean way to use XBMC as a dashboard; you only need 2 files in C: ROOT:

The XBE and the xboxmediacenter.xml file.The XBE file also needs to be named to something your BIOS can boot to and thexboxmediacenter.xmls tag needs to reflect the path to where all files are.

i.e. You have XBMC in F:\Apps\XBMC\default.xbe and wish to use those files.-Open a text editor.-Type in: F:\Apps\XBMC\-Then save as XboxMediaCenter.xml

This time, it will read the copy of XboxMediaCenter.xml file you placed in c: andthen use the files in the selected folder, leaving the C: partition as clean as possible.

NOTE!You place a COPY of the xboxmediacenter.xml and default.xbe in the c:(They should be in the homedir too!)

Mode 2 Using XBMC as a dashboard, using all files in C:\

To use this set-up, you need to place all the files that come in the package,including the XBE, in the ROOT of the boot drive (usually C:). Then, the XBE must berenamed to something your BIOS can boot to.-Normal BIOS boot to evoxdash.xbe, or avalaunch.xbe as well as toxboxdash.xbe.You need to rename to either one of these, according to your BIOS.

Formatted:Bullets and Numb


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1 .4 .4

C o n t r o l l e r S e t u p

USE keymapping-schematic.pdf for instead

Op t io n a l F e a t u r e s

The next features are not needed by everyone, but they come with the player. Theycan be used at any time without major changes.

1 .4 .5

R e l a x X NS S e r v e r

RelaX sets up your home computer as a server and then uses the XNS protocol tostream files over the network. RelaX can share files stored in a folder, or from zipand image files, such as ISO, BIN or IMG. It will list all the files inside a folder, but ifan image file is pressed it will then navigate to it as it would do with a regularfolder.

First configure RelaX to share only the desired folders.To add folders in RelaX first delete the ones that come as an example, then createyour own personal shares, such as Video, Music and Pictures. Inside each share, drag& drop the desired files or folders, this will be shared only in the section you select(Music/Pictures/Videos).

To add a single folder as a shared folder, edit the Config.xml:

*Change IP*

To add a complete share from RelaX:

RelaXd:\[email protected]

Network (XNS)[email protected]





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After setting all the paths on the XBMC configuration file, upload the editedconfig.xml to your Xbox and then run RelaX, when you wish to access to yourRelaX shares, go to My Music/Pictures/Videos and select the proper share.

The RelaX documentation states that when RelaX is installed as a service(c:\relax.exe install) that it may have problems starting. It has beenobserved that if the service fails to start go into the service properties (ControlPanel ->Administrative Tools ->Services -> RelaX) and select Allow service tointeract with desktop in the Log On tab as shown in the figure below.

1 .4 .6

S MB S h a r e s

To use SMB Shares you need to have shared folders on your network. To share afolder under Windows- Browse to the folder that you wish to share;- Right click on the folder and select 'Properties';- Select the 'Sharing' tab.

To Use SMB Shares (SAMBA), you first need to change the tag in theconfig.xml file. In this tag put your Domain Name Server (DNS) IP :

192.168.1.3



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Then, under the Tag inside the tags edit the remote path:

When you wish to access to your RelaX shares, go to My Music/Pictures/Videos andselect the proper share.

1 .4 .7

X B MS P

The Xbox Media Streaming Protocol (XBMSP) was developed as a lightweight protocolto be used explicitly with the Xbox. Instead of a peer-to-peer protocol it is aserver/client protocol meaning you should be able to connect multiple Xboxes to oneXBMSP server.

CCXstream is a program that has been compiled for Linux as well as Windows. TheWindows port of CCXstream is compiled using Cygwin. Currently there is a 2GBlimitation to the file sizes under Cygwin.A simple way to start the XBMSP server with CCXstream is as follows:

prompt> ccxstream -f -r /u/media

With the f option CCXstream will run in the background. The r option shares thespecified server directory as the root share for the client.

Under Windows the servers shared directories need to have /cygdrive/drive_letterappended. For example, if you want to share your C:\Media directory than the pathfor CCXstream will be /cygdrive/c/Media. Note that the forward slash / is stillused under Windows instead of the back slash \.

CCXstream may have a hard time resolving the servers IP address under Windows.To resolve this problem specify the servers IP address with the l option:

C:\ccxstream.exe -f l 192.168.1.100 -r /cygdrive/c/Media

For the client (the Xbox) configure the config.xml file as follows:

SMBsmb://user:password@domain/computername/sharename

Network (XBMSP)xbmsp://ipaddress:port/directory8192



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Where IP Address is the server address. If no port is specified then the Xbox willdefault to port 1400. Note that if no port is specified for the XNS protocol that theXbox will default to 1400 as well so if you have XNS configured using the default1400 port be sure to choose a unique port for XBMSP.

The directory in the config.xml will be a directory in that exists in the root sharedirectory. For example C:\Media is the root share and C:\Media\videos is a directorythat exists then the config.xml will be:

1 .4 .8

F T P S e r v e r

XBMC includes a fully functional FileZilla FTP server. You can connect to your Xboxwith an FTP client from any PC using the IP address set in config.xml. The defaultusername and password is xbox:xbox. The FTP settings can be configured via theFileZilla Server.xml.

1 .4 .9 IS O 9 6 6 0To use an ISO9660 CD, place your CD on the tray (your DVD-Drive must be able toread CD-R) and select the ISO9660 share (see shares information), it will then readthe CD-R.

To enable On-The-Fly playback from ISO9660 CD-Rs, go to Settings, then in GeneralSettings, enable/disable Cache ISO9660 files.

1 .4 .1 0 F il e / F o l d e r T h u mb n a il s

To enable file/folder thumbnails, like this screenshot shows

Network (XBMSP)xbmsp://ipaddress:port/videos8192

Make a 64x64 image (JPG, PNG, BMP)rename it to filename.tbn orfoldername.tbn, like in this example


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In My Pictures, selecting Generate Thumbnails will make a proper TBN file out of

every picture in the folder.For Videos, if you have a IMDb connection, you can generate a thumbnail for the filefrom the IMDB dialogue (See more in 7.6 IMDb Information)

You can either choose to store TBN files in the configured XBMC Thumbs folder, or inthe same folder as the target folder/file.

If a TBN is supplied for a folder, all the files inside the folder will have the same TBNunless a specific TBN is supplied per archive.

1 .4 .1 1

S u b t it l e s

XBMC supports SRT, SUB, TXT, SMI, SSA, AQT, JSS, MPL and VobSub subtitles. To usethem with video files place the subtitle file in the subtitles folder under XBMC, oralternatively use the same folder as the video file.

The subtitle and video files must have the same name, for example:Video File: The Matrix.aviSubtitle: The Matrix.srt

After that, the subtitle will show up when The Matrix.avi is played.If no subtitle is provided, playback will continue without problems.To enable or disable subtitles, go to the General Settings and select/deselect theoption.

To edit the subtitle font size in Mplayer subtitles, open font.desc with a texteditor and change:

size: 18.0 pixels to something higher (20-28)

For TTF subtitles, open skin.xml and change:23 to some other value. Change this value on allinstances.

To use localized font, place a subtitle-font.ttf file inside the MEDIA Folder, anduncheck the Use MPlayer subs option in General Settings.XBMC also supports compressed VobSub subtitles (rar) (Small files only (~6MB)because of memory constraints!)

1 .4 .1 2

F il e n a me F il t e r s

Under General Settings, there is an option called Filter using video and music filename conventions. When selected, this option will change filenames to somethingmore easy to read. The conventions can be applied to both music and video files.


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i.e. dvd-dvl-star_wars_ii.avi to star wars iiHoobastank 10 Crawling in the Dark.mp3 to Crawling in the dark

Note. Everything before the last hyphen will not be displayed.

1 .4 .1 3

Mu l t i F il e S t a c k in g

Multi-file stacking is used to play multi part clips as a single file, this way its notneeded to manually change to the next part when the first one ends. To use this,

Multi-file stacking first must be enabled under Settings, in the General Settings, andthen, the filename must be XXCD1.aviand XXCD2.avi (note there is no spacebetween the - and the CD#)

Once a file is properly named, the playerwill only show the first part, but give anoption to play the desired part of the

movie (as indicated by the CD icons, topright).

1 .4 .1 4

DL L C o d e c

's

Some files, such as QuickTime, Real Media or Windows Media 9, require DLLs to beplayed. At this moment, Windows Media files are played and QT and RM have limitedplayback.

1 .4 .1 5

IMDb s u p p o r t

If you have an active internet connection on your Xbox, you can access informationon movies from the Internet Movie Database (See more in 7.6 IMDb Information).

1 .4 .1 6

S k in s

You can now alter the look and feel of your XBMC installation by changing its skin.You simply overwrite the appropriate files with ones from your preferable skin. Todownload new skins please refer to AllXboxSkins.

1 .5 A d v a n c e d C o n f ig u r a t io n

1 .5 .1

F in e T u n in g X B MC

Smooth playback

The defaults of XBMC's AV sync parameters aren't fine-tuned for perfect files.They are set to match most (average) files. If you have high-quality videos, you maywant to limit AV sync correction in order to get smoother playback.


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The most important AV sync parameter is "Max PTS correction/frame". It means "maxAV time correction per frame", and defaults to 0.01. Smaller values make playbacksmoother, but slow down reaction time to fix AV desynchronization (broken/skippedframes, etc). Higher values make playback choppier, but fix AV desync issues faster.

Because the sound driver is not perfect, you should also smooth its timer a bit; trysetting autosync to 30 for a start. Higher values mean more smoothing, but avoidusing numbers too high, as they will cause independent timing from the sound card

and may result in an AV desync.Disable any post processing filter. Post processing takes up a lot of CPU time and isonly needed for poor quality movies. Disabling the post processing filters usuallyresults in much smoother playback.Also check your cache % during playback. This can be seen by pressing the blackbutton on your controller it should be at 99%, if not then increase the cachesize inyour config.xml

Video Quality/Filtering

If your video source is imperfect (noisy, interlaced, blocky artifacts) and you have afew percentages of idle CPU, try some of XBMC's filters.

For interlaced video (when there are fast movements, you can see every second line

of the image displaced, creating a comb effect), try the deinterlace filter.

For blocky video (most common with low-bitrate DivX/WMV or poor-quality (S)VCD),enable the post processing #1 or # 2 filters. As a general rule, do not use postprocessing unless the movie is low quality DivX (less than 800kbps) or MPEG1. Insome cases enabling post processing filters can cause the video playback to lookworse.

A/V sync issues

First try to see if this can be fixed with the "Max PTS correction/frame", forexample, most MPEGs only play nicely when Max PTS correction/frame is set to -1and most DivX movies seem to play nicely when Max PTS correction/frame is set to0.0 or 0.1If that doesnt help, try decreasing autosync. Higher values mean more smoothing,but avoid using numbers too high, as they will cause independent timing from thesound card and may result in an AV desync.


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1 .5 .2

Up g r a d in g X B MC

Note: There is no support for CVS builds, sometimes things can be broken. UseCVS builds at your own risk.

When upgrading/downgrading XBMC build level you need to delete the 0face007folders under E:\UDATA & E:\TDATA on your Xbox (including the system.bin file),

alternatively delete "Xbox Media Center" save from the original Xbox dashboard inthe Memory Manager. This will restore XBMC to its default settings which are neededeach time changing build version.

Always update important files such as codecs.conf and config.xml. Check theconfig.xml for new or modified tags, and always keep a backup.



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2 . F u n c t io n s

2 .1 My P r o g r a ms

My Programs is used to launch XBE files, real useful if using XBMC as a dashboardreplacement.With XBMCs cover function, programs are easy to identify, as you can specify a

cover for any XBE or Shortcut as you would for a Music/Video clip.

The Play DVD-ROM tries to launch D:\default.xbe, this way you can easily launchgames. If a disc is not present, it will then load the default dashboard.

2 .1 .1

S h o r t c u t s

Shortcuts are used to call programs located in other drives/folders (Evox, or the MSDash for example). Shortcuts can also make My Programs look less cluttered, as itwill only show the files you wish.

To make a shortcut file, open a text editor and edit like this:

After editing the Path, save as Filename.cut. Place the file on the applicationfolder, it will show up as an ordinary file, but when selected it will run the specifiedXBE.

Partition1 = E: | Partition2 = C: | Partition6 = F:

Harddisk0\Partition1\apps\xbplayer\default.xbe



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To save the current playlist, press Save it will save it as Playlist0.m3u inside thePlaylist folder. The number will increment every time a new playlist is created.

To launch m3u playlists, simply select the file and it will start to play. Folders andfilenames in the m3u playlist must match the ones on drive.Note: The playlist folder (default \XBMC\playlists) must be shared in each section(music/video) for you to be able access and launch them.

2 .2 .2 S h o u t c a s t

XBMC now supports Internet Radio via SHOUTcast/Icecast(native or streaming viaRelaX).Shoutcast files are stored by default under XBMC\Shoutcast. (Note that the folderhas to be shared in config.xml)Shoutcast streams can also be recorded to the harddrive, for it to work you have tospecify a recording path in config.xml, the default is e:\apps\XBMC\recordings (viathe tag, note the directory must exist on your Xbox for this featureto work)

To create SC files (to use with Shoutcast) with Notepad (or any text editor), create anew file called myshoutcaststream.sc with the following syntax:shoutcast://205.188.209.193:80/stream/1003first goes the IP (205.188.205.193), then the Port (80), and in the end the stream(/stream/1003). Some Shoutcast streams only have the format

http://ipaddress:port.

XBMC also now supports natively SHOUTcast & Icecast playlists (.pls)

2 .2 .3

A u d io V is u a l iz a t io n s

XBMC includes Audio Visualization (using Goom visual effects generator). You canpress the X controller button or the Display button on the remote to start thevisualization effects. While in this mode you can seek/rewind/fast forward in audiofiles.


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2 .3 My P ic t u r e sThis section is for image displaying; all the images must be placed in the folder thatwas selected for images in the configuration file.

To Generate Thumbnails, press the Generate Thumbnails option inside the folderwith pictures, it will create 1 thumbnail file per picture.

2 .3 .1

S l id e s h o w

To use the slideshowfunction, just go to the folder, and then click the Slideshowbutton, this will show all the files inside that folder.

To set the duration for each slide, go to Settings, then, in Slideshow select the timefrom 0-60 seconds (If 0 is selected then XBMC waits for manual change by selectingthe A button on the controller or the Select button on the DVD remote, otherwisethe images will change automatically. You can still manually change to the nextimage if the time for the current picture has not elapsed.

2 .3 .2

Us in g B a c k g r o u n d Mu s ic




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To use Back Ground Music while watching images, first select the album/file youwish to play, then go to the My Pictures section and select the files you wish todisplay, the music will keep playing after selecting the image file (note file playingon lower left corner).



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2 .4 My V id e o s

My Videos is used to store and reproduce video files,such as DivX, XviD, MPG and others. The files must beplaced in the folder selected in the configuration.

To start playback of any file, select the desired file,

and then press the A/Select button.

2 .4 .1

Du r in g P l a y b a c k

All the screen settings can be changed while playing a video file, just press the blackbutton and it will then display the Screen Settings. In here the Calibration can bechanged, or alter the Aspect ratio of the file. The video will not stop playing whileyou change any of these settings; it will place a thumbnail size video in the lowerleft corner.

To toggle between the video and the player interface, press the X button or Displayon the remote.

If you are experiencing AV Out of sync, pressing theD-Pad Up and Down or the Arrows on the DVD Remoteto change the sync by +/- 25ms for each press.

If using subtitles and they show up out of sync, pressthe D-Pad Left or Right or the Arrows in the DVDRemote, allows you to change the Subtitle Offset by+/- 100ms for each press.

To navigate to a specific minute of the movie, inputthe time in the HH:MM format with the DVD Remote.Since the controller has no numbers, this option isonly available for DVD Remote users.A new change in this function is that if you press ahigh number, like 40:00, and the movie is only 01:00,it will continue playing instead of stopping.



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2 .4 .2 C o n t r o l P a n e l

While playing video files, pressing A or Select, will bring up a VCR like Control Panelon the lower half of the screen. From there, it is possible to Pause, Stop, Rewind,Forward and Mute the video. Most of these options can also be accessed by pressingthe corresponding keys on the DVD Remote.

2 .4 .3

On S c r e e n Dis p l a y OS D)

By pressing the White button/Title key you can alsoinvoke the On Screen Display.This is an icon driven settings menu, where you canadjust playback settings for video, sound andsubtitles. For example some of the settings affectingplayback are Zoom, Stretch, Volume and Subtitles,and various Bookmark options.

2 .4 .4 V id e o b o o k ma r k s

Video bookmarks save the current location in the video playback allowing you toresume the video playback from the saved location.

To enable bookmarks, the tag must be properly setup in theconfig.xml file.To create a bookmark in the currently playing file, go to the Video settings in OSDand select Create Bookmark. Alternatively you can go back to the Video menu andselect Create Bookmark from the Bookmark menu.To cycle through the bookmarks, press the B button, or use the Skip +/- keys.

2 .4 .5 P l a y l is tMy Videos has the option to create a playlist the same way as with My Music (see5.2). Simply press the Title key or Y on the controller to add files to the currentplaylist while in the video playback GUI.

2 .4 .6

IMDb In f o r ma t io n

You can access information from the Internet Movie Database on any movie bypressing the White button or Info key on your remote while having the moviehighlighted in the GUI. XBMC will use the filename to match it to an entry in theInternet Movie Database. There you will get information on the movie, director,actors, ratings, picture, etc. From there you can also create a thumbnail picturefrom the corresponding IMDb movie entry.




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2 .5 S e t t in g s

In My Settings you can change most of the player different options, like DecoderSettings, Audio Streams, Multi-File Stacking, and Screen Settings.

2 .5 .1

De c o d e r

*For Better Results When Playing Video Files, Do a Reset to Default Settings *In the Decoder settings you can change:

a. Drop FramesThis option makes playback smoother, by dropping frames when the player needsto, producing a better result.

b. Force Frame Rate (FPS)This makes all the video files output to a same Frame rate, regardless of thesource file.

c. Use PTS from BPSThe decoder threads always mark each frame with a PTS, a presentation timestamp, that indicates at which media playback time the frame is supposed to be

shown. This option gets the PTS from the BPS (bits per second).

d. Use PAL60 where availableIf your TV supports PAL60, enable this option to improve playback quality onNTSC based video files (29.x, or 60 Hz).

e. Anamorphic sourceA video that is encoded anamorphically is one in which the pixel ratio used is notsquare.If this option is selected, XBMC will squish the image vertically (or expandhorizontally) in order to set the correct aspect ratio of the film. Note that ifStretch is enabled, it will override the anamorphic setting, as the picture isstretched to fill the entire frame anyway.

f. DeinterlaceUse for interlaced video (when there are fast movements, you can see everysecond line of the image displaced, creating a comb effect).

g. Reset to default settingsResets Decoder settings to defaults

h. Auto SyncIf you are having sync issues, increasing this value optimizes the auto correctionfrom the player, giving a near perfect sync. Default value is 10, but if you getsync problems, change to something higher.

i. Max PTS correction/frame




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Maximum Audio/Video time correction per frame

j. DVD Audio/SubtitlesThis option allows user to select automatically audio and subtitle language to usewhen playing DVD movies.

2 .5 .2

G e n e r a l

This is the default Settings entry in XBMC.

a. Browse my Videos as listIf enabled, this setting makes all videos in My Videos appear in a directory listinginstead oficons/thumbnails.

b. Browse my Music as listSame as above, only for Music icons/thumbnails.

c. Enable SubtitlesEnables subtitles for videos with associated subtitle files.

d. Use MPlayer subtitles

Use MPlayer font's for displaying subtitles, when disabled the TTF font is used forsubtitles instead.

e. Filter Using video filename conventionsThis option enables the filename filter described in 3.6 Filename Filters.

f. Filter Using music filename conventionsSame as above but for music (described in 3.6 Filename Filters).

g. Flatten My Programs hierarchySee 4.3

h. Stack multi-file videosIf a video file has more that one file, and they are named correctly, XBMC willplay them as one video transparently to the user (a slight pause will occur). See3.7

i. Cache ISO 9660 filesEnables On-The-Fly playback from ISO9660 CDs

j. Clear playlist when doneNormally when playing a playlist, it will loop when it reaches the end, if this isenabled playing will stop and the list will be cleared.

k. Show ID3 tag info



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Displays the ID3 tag information in the lower left of the screen when playing a

MP3 file.

l. AM/PM ClockWhen enabled XBMC displays an AM/PM clock, otherwise it uses a 24h format.

m. DVD Navigation

This function is only partially implemented.

2 .5 .3

S c r e e n

a. CalibrateThe Calibrate setting is one of the most important settingsin XBMC which it lets you adjust how much of the screencan you see. This setting gets saved when configured.

b. Aspect RatioThis setting lets you adjust the Output AR compared to theSource AR.

c. ClippingClipping changes the AR by each side, and adjusts the Output video as you edit it.

d. Post Processing #1This enables the default MPlayer post-processing filters, which improve the videopicture quality, especially for low quality DivX and MPEG-1 files.

e. Post Processing #2Enables XviD PP filters, Note its not recommended to have both on at the sametime.

f. SoftenEnables soften option; it makes the image displayed a lot softer. Disable to get asharper image.

g. StretchMakes the video fill the screen completely, ignoring the output aspect.

h. ZoomFills the screen by changing the aspect ratio and, unlike Stretch, it wont deformthe output image.




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2 .5 .4 S l id e s h o w

a. Show time (secs)This setting determines for how long each picture is displayed during slideshow.

2 .5 .5

S o u n d

a. Output to all speakers in stereoFor sources with 4 or less channels, makes the output sound go to all speakers ifavailable.(Make sure this is disabled if you use an external decoder on optical-out)

b. Normalize AudioNormalizes the output audio from the source, making the volume level on theentire file equal.

c. Extra stereo effectAmplifies the differences between the Left & Right channels.

d. Amplify Audio

Increases the audio from the source file, useful for bad encoded audio tracks (orsimply with low volume).

e. Auto Shuffle playlist on loadAutomatically shuffles the files in a playlist during play.

f. Use Audio StreamSelects the audio stream to play, only available when the file has multiple audiotracks.

2 .5 .6

S y s t e m

Here you can see various parameters concerning your Xbox and XBMC

e.g. XBMC build date, temperature (CPU and mainboard), space left on hard drivepartitions and IP & MAC addresses.






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3 . S u p p o r t

3 .1 T ip s- Codecs can be turned on and off by editing the codecs.conf file. This is neededby some files in order to be displayed properly.

- To easily create SC files (to use Shoutcast streams) use XNSPls Edit, a tool that

helps to create SC files. This tool is available at the XBMC web site.

- Always calibrate your Screen before playing files, this way XBMC knows how muchof the screen you can see.

- Increase the tag for each share depending on the file type, music filesare short, and dont need as much cache as video files. To prevent any kind ofchoppy playback from CD/DVD, also put a cache tag.

- Although DHCP works fine for many users, if you experience XBMC hanging whileloading with the network connected, try using a static IP address instead.

- If you dont use XBMC as a dashboard you should delete the Xbox Media Center.cutfile from the C: drive. Doing so seems to resolve various problems with XBMC.

- DVD support is only partially implemented, if DVD Navigation is enabled in settingsyou have to manually browse the DVD movie, go under the VIDEO_TS folder and clickon the video_ts.ifo and it will start/activate the DVD's menu. Highlights in the menudo not work yet so you have to guess which item you are on and then select. A goodrule is that it often defaults on the 'Play' item. Another thing that does not work onDVD's is stills/pictures which are a special feature of some DVD discs. PS! DVD menuonly works from the DVD-ROM, not from HDD or network. Also note that playing anyencrypted DVD/VOB only works if you start a .IFO from the DVD-ROM. (Again .IFOwont work from HDD or network, so if you want to play from HDD or network theonly option is to play unencrypted VOB files one by one, menu's do not work fromHDD or network).

- When using XBMC from CD/DVD, configure the local folders (config.xml)

somewhere inside E:\UDATA\0face007, this way you can delete the folders withinthe MS Dash.



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3 .2 T r o u b l e S h o o t in g

This section tries to aid you fix some of the most common problems with XBMC.

Cant load XBMC- IGR enabled in Evolution-X, disable IGR on EvoX to fix; if this doesnt help- Xbox Media Center.cut present and not running as a dashboard, delete file

to fix.

Cant log to FTP Server- Check your tag in the config.xml, this should point to the folder inwhich XBMC is stored.- Missing FileZilla Server.xml in the local folder, get the file from the packageand place it in XBMCs folder.

Video only shows on the small preview- Delete XBMCs settings, E:\TDATA\0face007 folder or MS Dash XBMCs GameSave, and then recalibrate.

No Video, only audio (General, not only XBMC)

- Use Video Mode Switch Disc to change between PAL/NTSC.- Blindly restore settings; please refer to this forum thread.


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3 .3 A p p e n d ix A : F r e q u e n t l y A s k e d Qu e s t io n sF A Qs)

d Questions - Questions Index:- What is XboxMediaCenter and what does it allow me to do if I run it on Microsoft's Xbox? - Does XboxMediaCenter have a HOW-TO manual or user-guide that I can read to learn more? - Exactly which video/audio/picture formats and audio/video codec versions can XBMC play?- Where can I download compiled/executable/binary versions of XboxMediaCenter for Xbox?

- What do I need to compile the XBMC source code into a Xbox executable/binary (xbe)? - Can you use/run Xbox Media Center on a retail Xbox without a modchip installed in it? - What will a software-mod or modchip enable me to do once installed in my retail Xbox? - What kind of modchip do I need to install in my Xbox to use the XboxMediaCenter? - Can I control XboxMediaCenter with the Xbox DVD Remote and/or a game controller?- Can I connect my Xbox to a 802.11 wireless network/LAN to stream media to XBMC? - Can the DVD-ROM that came with my Xbox read CD-R media with audio, video or pics? - Can I put XboxMediaCenter + clips/movies on a CD or DVD media and boot from it? - Can I put XboxMediaCenter on the Xbox build-in hard disk drive and run it from there? - Can I put supported files on the Xbox build-in hard disk drive and play them from there? - Can I play/view a video/audio/pic file direct from a CD or DVD when got XBMC on the HDD? - Can I play a ISO9660 CD-R/RW direct from the DVD-ROM if I got XBMC on CD or the HDD?- Can XboxMediaCenter play (stream or download) audio and video directly from the internet?- Can I put two build versions of Xbox Media Center on the same Xbox (Hard Disk Drive)?- I have changed to another build of XBMC and get some strange problems, what to do now?- I use EvoX (ie. EvolutionX) as my primary bootup dashboard and I'm experiencing crashes,

hangs, freezes, slow playback/loading, performance issues and/or network problems in XBMC.- How do I give XBMC a local IP address & subnet mask to use a XStream Server or FTP?- Launched XBMC and the menu works fine but get no video when play movie or it is off-set? - What is the default user name/ID and password to XboxMediaCenter's build-in FTP server? - How do I change the user-name/ID and password to XboxMediaCenter's build-in FTP server? - Why does transfer fail when try send a file to my Xbox using the dash build-in FTP server? - Why can't XboxMediaCenter read/play files larger than 1GB from a UDF DVD-R/RW media? - Why can't XboxMediaCenter read/play files larger than 4GB from the Xbox hard disk drive?- Why can't XBMC read/play AVI video files after 2GB or play/read a 2GB+ AVI video file? - I've registered a forums user account & have logged in but when I try to post I get message:

"You do not have permission to start a topic in this forum You are currently logged in as ******"- Is there a current channel on IRC for XboxMediaCenter/XStream support and discussion? - Where can I find an answer to my problem and/or question about XBMC or XStream? - Where can I report a bug and/or find out if the problem already is a known issue? - What kind of information do I need to provide when reporting bug/problem or need support?

- How do I create a sample for the developers to work with and what do I do with it?- Where can I request a new feature or function to be implemented in a future release? - I'm not a developer/programmer but I still wish to contribute, how can I help the project?- I'm a developer/programmer and wish to contribute code to the project, how do I proceed?

Q: What is XboxMediaCenter and what does it allow me to do if I run it on Microsoft's Xbox? A: XboxMediaCenteris a freeand open source(GPL) multimedia player/jukebox for the Xboxgame console fromMicrosoft. Currently Xbox Media Centercan be used to play and/or viewsupported video/audio/picture formats such as MPEG, DivX, XVID, AAC, MP3, JPG and manymore. It has playlists, slideshow functions and play direct from a CD/DVD in the XboxDVD-ROM or of the Xboxhard disk drive, it can even stream files from local networked computers.(The XboxMediaCenterProject is also known as simply "Xbox Media Center" or short "XBMC").Note! XBMC is a non-profit project that is developed by volunteers in their spare time for free.


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Q: Does XboxMediaCenter have a HOW-TO manual or userguide that I can read to learn more? A: No, since XMBC is still in a Alpha stage of development. Please use XBMC forumsfor now.

Q: Exactly which video/audio/picture formats and audio/video codec versions can XBMC play?A: Most common container formats are supported & a wide range of codec's, see full list here(onthat page you will also find list of all features/functions of XBMC, also view screen shots).

Q: Where can I download executable binary (compiled) versions of XboxMediaCenter for Xbox?

A: Not from this site or any other site that are in affiliation with us, (don't ask us where either).We only host and maintain the XboxMediaCentersource code ( what is "source code?" (link)).*For legal reasons, no Xbox binaries will be released from us or distributed by us until a legalnon-MS compileris available (so please do not ask for any files not posted here). (Note! XDKcompiled binaries are NOT released or distributed by the XboxMediaCenter team). Do not ask ore-mail us requesting any Xbox files or asking where they can be downloaded from, thanks.- Support the OpenXDK Projectwhich's one of the most important project for the Xbox scene.

Q: What do I need to compile the XBMC source code into a Xbox executable/binary (xbe)? A: Legal copies of "Microsoft Visual Studio .NET" and "Microsoft Xbox SDK" (a.k.a. XDK).Note! We do not help with usage of the XDK (Xbox SDK), please do not ask is "how to use" it.PS! A freely available & open source Xbox SDK is under development (The OpenSDK Project),but this free open source SDK is far from mature so it cannot be used to compile XBMC yet.

Q: Can you use/run Xbox Media Center on a retail Xbox without a modchip installed in it?

A: Yes, there are some pre-coded hacks (software mods) to run XBMC unmodded, but we do notsupport How-To use them. Note! We do not support HOW-TO use a software mod or HOW-TOinstall/use a mod-chip. PS! It is unlikely that XBMC will ever run on unhacked retail Xboxes.

Q: What will a software-mod* or modchip* enable me to do once installed in my retail Xbox?A: Many things, these are some interesting options some modchip's will open up:- Enable you to execute homebrew applications/software such as the XboxMediaCenter- Install software onto the Xbox Hard Drive or launch from CD/DVD+/-R/RW.- Enable you install a much bigger and faster Hard Drive (originaly Xbox has only 8GB),

(upgrading your harddrive will also speedup loading times and time to bootup an Xbox).- Enable you to replace the original Xbox DVD-ROM with a different one, allowing fasterloading times and better compatibility of home-burned media like CD-R/RW, DVD+/-R/RW.- A modchip also allows you play imported Xbox games & other region DVD movies.(*This is maybe not legal in your country, check your specific country's law for details).

Q: What kind of mod/modchip do I need to install in my Xbox to use the XboxMediaCenter? A: Anyone will do, but we recommend Xecuter 2/3modchips (non-solder versions are available).

Q: Can I control XboxMediaCenter with theXbox DVD Remoteand/or a game controller?A: Yes, XBMC currently supports both Xbox DVD Remotesand game controllers/gamepads.Though we highly recommend getting a Xbox DVD Remote(this may even be required later).PS! You can alternativly use a universal IR-remote but you still need the MS Xbox IR-receiver.

Q: Can I connect my Xbox to a 802.11 g/a wireless network/LAN to stream media to XBMC? A: Yes, you can use the class of wireless LAN products called a Wireless Bridge, like the officalXbox Wireless Adapteror third-party ones like Linksys WET54G, Buffalo Tech AirStation 54G, orSMC SMC2870W. More info on SmallNetBuilder's article on Wireless Bridging NTK.Note! 802.11b wireless adapters can not sustain streaming high quality video & audio, so wehighly recommend getting one that supports 802.11g (54Mb) or better, such as Microsoft own.


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Q: Can the DVD-ROM that came with my Xbox read CD-R media with audio, video or pics? A: If you got a Samsung DVD-ROM drive with your Xbox then most likely yes. If you got aThomson or Philips DVD-ROM then most likely no, however some can read a few brands CD-R.(The only real way to find out if your DVD-ROM can play CD-R's or not is try and see).PS! As most Xbox DVD-ROMs are Thomson or Philips so many users install a PC DVD-ROM.

Q: Can I put XboxMediaCenter + clips/movies on a CD or DVD media and boot from it?A: Yes, as long as the CD/DVD is written in a format the Xbox can read (i.e. UDF128/xISO).PS! You can't boot the Xbox with ISO9660 format, it needs to be UDF128 or xISO format.However if you have XBMC installed on the harddrive as primary dashboard then it will still start.Note! Most Xbox DVD-ROM dives are Thomson or Philips which cannot read CD-R media(link).

Q: Can I put XboxMediaCenter on the Xbox build-in hard disk drive and run it from there? A: Yes, with XBMC's file-manager or FTP-server or a other file access program for the Xbox.

Q: Can I put supported files on the Xbox build-in hard disk drive and play them from there? A: Yes, with XBMC's file-manager or FTP-server or a other file access program for the Xbox.

Q: Can I play/view a video/audio/pic file direct from a CD or DVD when got XBMC on the HDD? A: Yes if it is a supported file and CD/DVD format (ISO 9660 - mode 1/2 or UDF128/xISO).Note! Most Xbox DVD-ROM dives are Thomson or Philips which cannot read CD-R media(link).

Q: Can I play a ISO9660 CD-R/RW direct from the DVD-ROM if I got XBMC on CD or on HDD?

A: Yes, you can play media files directly from a CD/DVD as long as drive can read the media.Note! Most Xbox DVD-ROM dives are Thomson or Philips which cannot read CD-R media(link).

Q: Can XboxMediaCenter play (stream or download) audio and video directly from the internet? A: Only SHOUTcastMP3 audio playlists (pls), it can't play any other formats from the internet.

Q: Can I put two build versions of Xbox Media Center on the same Xbox (Hard Disk Drive)? A: No, different build levels of XboxMediaCenter can conflict with each other & cause problems.You can however have one version of XboxMediaCenterand one version of Xbox Media Player.

Q: I have changed to another build of XBMC and get some strange problems, what to do now? A: When up or down-grading XBMC version/build level you need to delete the "Xbox MediaCenter" save under memory in the original Xbox dashboard and reboot, this will restore XBMCto its default settings which is needed each time changing the build version. Alternativly deleteboth 0face008 folders under E:\UDATA & E:\TDATA on your Xbox (including the system.bin file

in one of these folders). If this do not help then follow the normal bug reporting procedure.

Q: I use EvoX (ie. EvolutionX) as my primary bootup dashboard and I'm experiencing crashes,hangs, freezes, slow playback/loading, performance issues and/or network problems in XBMC. A: First of all make sure you are using the latest version of Evo-X. If you still have problems, inEvo-X (evox.ini) disable both IGR (in game reset) and TSR (trainer), which both can cause this.

Also try physically connect the network cable, if it helps then there's a EvoX to XBMC conflict.

Q: How do I give XBMC a local IP address & subnet mask to use a XStream Server or FTP?A: Use DHCP or you can give XboxMediaCenter a static IP via the XboxMediaCenter.xml file.(Note! If use DHCP with EvoX make sure you then also use DHCP XBMC, same with static IP).


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Q: Launched XBMC and the menu works fine but get no video when play movie or it is off-set? A: You need to re/calibrate the screen under XBMC settings, must play the video at same time.PS! Remember to delete the Xbox Media Center" savefirst if changed the XBMC build/version.

Q: What is the default user-name/ID and password to XboxMediaCenter's build-in FTP server? A: Both the default password and the user name/ID for the FTP-server is "xbox" (in lower case).Note! The password can be changed from "FileZilla Server.xml", in MD5 hash(not plain text).

Q: How do I change the user-name/ID and password to XBMC's build-in FTP-server?A: Change it in "FileZilla Server.xml", password is encrypted in MD5 hash, so not plain text.Tool available on the website under FAQs http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/info_faq.htm#MD5

Q: Why does transfer fail when try send a file to my Xbox using XBMC's build-in FTP server? A: Check the filename, the Xbox's file system (FAT-X) only supports file/folder-names up to 42characters. FAT-X does not either support all characters in file/folder names, these as someunsupported characters (Note! there are probebly many more): < > = ? : ; " * + , / \ |Tip: There is a software application called "XboxIfy" that will rename files/folders to above limits.

Q: Why can't XboxMediaCenter read/play files larger than 1GB from a UDF DVD-R/RW media?A: This is due to a Xbox limitation reading UDF128 (this is not a XBMC failure or our fault).

Q: Why can't XboxMediaCenter read/play files larger than 4GB from the Xbox harddrive? A: This is due to a Xbox limitation in the FAT-X format (not a XBMC issue that can be fixed).

Q: Why can't XBMC read/play AVI video files after 2GB or play/read a 2GB+ AVI video file? A: All AVI files over 2GB in size are OpenDML AVI's and XBMC do not yet support OpenDML.PS! Know that XBMC has also other problems with OpenDML AVI's that are under 2GB in size,(a couple such problems are that XBMC cannot FF/RW in OpenDML, and/or video distortions).Note! Reason for this is that MPlayerwhich XBMC is based upon do not yet support OpenDML.

Q: I've registered a forums user account & have logged in but when I try to post I get message:"You do not have permission to start a topic in this forum You are currently logged in as ******"

A: You have not visited the URL in the authorisation e-mail this is required before you can post. Ifyou done this but still cannot post & send messaged please contact a forums administrator.Note! Do not directly contact any XBMC forums administrators/mods for support/help on XBMC.

Q: Is there a current channel on IRC for XboxMediaCenter/XStream support and discussion? A: Yes, the channel is #XBMC on EFnet for usage support and discussions, and the public one

for development is #xboxmediacenter on EFnet, (there is also a confidential development one).

Q: Where can I find an answer to my problem and/or question about XBMC or XStream? A: If you have any problem/questions and/or need support you must first read all the manualsavailable in out "HOW TO" section of the site, then read through all the FAQ on this page. If thisdo not answer your question or solve your problem then enter our forumsand do a search (oftenyou will find that question has already been asked and answered there), if you can't find what youare looking for post a new topic or reply with a comment to an exiting thread with the samequestion/support-query (make sure you include all the info on your HW/BIOS/SW setup,configurationand a detailed step-by-step instruction on what to do to replicate the problem).Note! Do not e-mail or PM us asking for support or help, we do not do personal 1 to 1 support.

Q: Where can I report a bug and/or find out if the problem already is a known issue? A: Please log a report on bug tracker at SourceForge.NETor add comments to exiting reports.


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You can also post a copy in the XboxMediaCenter forums Bug Discussion sectionof the forum.(Remember you must search for existing reports before logging/posting a new bug or thread andthat you must include all the info on your HW/BIOS/SW setup and configuration details).Note! Only one problem per Bug Reportand Forum threadis allowed (for easier manageability).PS! You must check if the bug exist is both latest XBMC point release and latest CVS code.

Q: What kind of information do I need to provide when reporting bug/problem or need support? A: You need to provide all relative information about your setup and the bug/problem, if you donot know if something is relative or not then incude that information just in case. Information suchas kind of what TV you have PAL-50/60 or NTSC-M/J or HDTV and if you have a 16:9Widescreen or normal 4:3 etc. What Xbox you got (modchip, BIOS its using, what DVD-ROM ithas and if it can read CD-R or not), which primary dashboard you use, which build version ofXBMC and XStream youre using, if youre running XBMC from the hard drive or of a CD-R/RW/DVD-R/RW+R/RW (inc. file structure) and if youre playing the media file of DVD-ROM,Hard Drive or XStream (setup & version), if streaming file what kind of network you have. Mostimportantly you need to provide a very detailed problem description together with step-by-stepinstructions how others can replicate the problem you see. You may also have to post thecontends of your xboxmediacenter.xml file from XBMC root directory. Provide detailed info of themedia file (use Gspot, YAAIor similar tool to get this info). For media bugs you also need toprovide a URL where the developers can download a sample of the file (AVI,MPG,MP3,JPGetc.) that show the problem, see how-to create a sample here. Note! If you have problem whenplaying a file over the network or from the DVD-ROM you need to at least test to play or view theexact same file from the Xbox Hard Drive to see if the problem is the same from there.PS! You must check that the bug exist in the very latest XBMC latest CVS code/build before.

Note! Do not e-mail or PM us directly to report a bug, we do not do personal 1 to 1 handling.

Q: How do I create a sample for the developers to work with and what do I do with it?A: To create a small sample of the file use a tool like VirtualDubor VirtualDubModto cut a smallsection of the file that have the problem (use direct stream on both video & audio), please try tokeep the sample size as small as possible. After creating the sample make sure you check thatthe sample has the same problem/issue as the original file, if you are playing a file over a networkor from the Xbox DVD-ROM you must also test the file from the Xbox Hard Drive to see ifproblem is the same from there. Upload the sample to your website/FTP or alternatively uploadthe sample via our upload site(no login needed but it has a 25MB limit and is upload only), alsoinclude the full URL/filename of it in the Bug Reportalong with your e-mail.Note! Must compress the media file in ZIP or RAR together with a text file with bug report link.

Q: Where can I request a new feature or function to be implemented in a future release? A: You can log a NEW feature/function request in our RFE Request

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