Microsoft updates Media Center to include Xbox 360

Xbox 360 gets Microsoft Media Center support

18 October 2005 15:02 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Microsoft has announced a new software update its Media Center edition that will enable customers to stream digital music, videos, photos, and standard and high-definition television and movies from Media Center PCs to any television in their home via the Xbox 360 gaming system.

Using the built-in Media Center Extender technology of Xbox 360 Update Rollup 2 will connect Xbox 360 to a Media Center Edition PC, offering instant access to thousands of on-demand movies, music and videos available on the Media Center PC, and enabling users for the first time ever to stream high-definition content from Media Center PCs.

The new update will add support for external DVD changers, enabling consumers to watch movies and manage up to 200 DVD selections from the Media Center interface.

Users will also be able to benefit from “Away Mode” that improves current PC power-management systems by enabling the system to silently perform unattended tasks like recording TV shows.

The new update will also add additional HDTV tuner support for one more HDTV tuner, meaning it will support up to four tuners: two analog and two ATSC high definition.

The free update will be available to existing Media Centre Edition users via the Microsoft update website, and will be available shortly on new Media Centre PCs at retail.

Full tags

Software, PC software, Operating Systems, Microsoft, Windows Media Center, Gaming, Xbox 360