Why won't the Xbox 360 playback .mp4 video

[smitbret]

I can't figure it out and I've usually pretty savvy with this stuff. I've got my home system setup, using a PS3 as my media center. Works great. What I can't figure out is how to set up my buddy's Xbox 360 to play .mp4 video. He is not connected to the internet, so it has not been updated since he bought it a few years ago. My first attempts failed, so I determined that it was because it hadn't been updated so I burned the Fall 2008 Update to DVD and updated the system. Put the DVDs back in and still, when I try to playback the .mp4s via DVD or USB jump drive, the system says it needs an update to play the media. The files are all around 2GB, so I don't think that file size is the problem. The machine is recognizing the DVD and the files on it, they just will not play. I thought that the Fall 2008 update would update the codecs, but they still do not appear to be available in the Xbox 360. I have attempted to playback .mp4s in all of the following formats:

h264 with AAC-LC (2 channel) audio, created and encoded by Xilisoft HD converter and Any Video Converter (attempted with each)

h264 with AAC-LC (2 channel) audio, converted with MeGUI and muxed with YAMB

Straight up Divx, (.avi container and .divx container) using Dr. Divx

Xvid with AAC-LC (2 channel) audio, created and encoded by Xilisoft HD Converter and Any Video Converter (attempted with each)

I have followed three or four different guides from the internet and the discs will play in my PS3, but not in the Xbox 360. I am assuming that Xbox 360 updates supersede previous updates like Windows Service Packs, for instance, if you install Service Pack 3 then you do not need to install Service pack 1 or 2, right? Do I need to find an update that installs the appropriate codecs in the Xbox 360, anyway? This thing has me buffaloed. WMV HD works, but I don't want the HUMONGOUS files and re-encoding anything takes more time than I want to put in to the project. Thanks.

[handyguy]

Can you stream it to the box from WindowsMediaPlayer 11 on a PC?

[smitbret]

Not sure, since the Xbox is not on any sort of network. I've been trying to convince him to just set up his computer with Tversity, but he doesn't want to run cables through his house and he doesn't want to pay $100 for the wireless adapter.

[t0nee1]

I've had pretty good luck creating compatible files with Xvid4PSP and the MP4 Xbox 360 profile..Try it..

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic352374.html

[bmo]

Do you know if your friend has the "optional media update"? The optional media update enables mpeg4 playback on the 360 (including h264, divx, and xvid). I'm pretty sure it can only be obtained from xbox live so your friend may want to create an xbox live silver account (which is free) and download the update.

[mh2360]

when I try to playback the .mp4s via DVD or USB jump drive, the system says it needs an update to play the media.

As bmo said, you will need the media update to play MP4 (and AVI for that matter). You may also need to connect to Xbox live every time you want to play mp4.

It's just Microsoft's way of making the simple things bloody annoying.

[handyguy]

Do you know if your friend has the "optional media update"? The optional media update enables mpeg4 playback on the 360 (including h264, divx, and xvid). I'm pretty sure it can only be obtained from xbox live so your friend may want to create an xbox live silver account (which is free) and download the update.

I wish they would enable subs for divx on the box. Only way to get them is to stream from Tversity.

[jman98]

I know this isn't what anyone wants to hear and it doesn't solve any playback issues, but the reality is that "solutions" like the Xbox are now obsolete and getting more so every day. The future is cheap media playback devices like the Western Digital HDTV where you don't have to re-encode to get things to play and Divx subs just work and so on.

[neomaine]

smitbret,

Have your friend download the update from XboxLive, burn it to CD/DVD and install it. As long as the file fits the parameters of video playback for the 360, they should be all set. No constant connection to live is needed.

[smitbret]

Thanks for the repsonses. Neomaine was right. He has to download the optional media. From what I read it's not downloadable except to individual Xbox 360's directly. I guess Microsoft has to pay a royalty for every Xbox 360 that DivX is installed to, so this is their solution to tracking how many units out there have the DivX codec installed on them.

[jman98]

I guess Microsoft has to pay a royalty for every Xbox 360 that DivX is installed to, so this is their solution to tracking how many units out there have the DivX codec installed on them.

I can't say there's no chance that's the reason, but most likely it's more of Microsoft operating in paranoid mode and wanting to track the players for reasons that have nothing to do with paying money to Divx. Microsoft is big enough to have negotiated a flat rate instead of paying per Xbox as Divx Networks needs them a lot more than Microsoft needs Divx Networks.

[neomaine]

smitbret,

No, you can download the update seperatly to a PC, copy to a flash drive or burn it to a CD/DVD:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemuse/xbox360/console/systemupdates.htm

[mh2360]

The USB/CD method of updating is for major system updates only, the optional media update is only available from Xbox Live.

There is supposedly a way to get the media update, and then use it without signing in to Live, in fact I once had it saved to a memory card and it would allow me to do that, but I cant remeber how I did it...

I think it has something to do with the account you use and the unit you download it to, i'll do some experimenting...

[mh2360]

Using my main Xbox Live account (which wasn't created on my current Xbox), I have to sign in to Live to able to play AVI/MP4 files.

I erased the media update from my 360's hard drive, created a new silver account, and signed in to it. I then played an AVI from an external USB drive, which of course means that I have to download the update again. Now I dont have to sign in to be able to play AVI/MP4 files.

[ifishcat]

Using my main Xbox Live account (which wasn't created on my current Xbox), I have to sign in to Live to able to play AVI/MP4 files.

I erased the media update from my 360's hard drive, created a new silver account, and signed in to it. I then played an AVI from an external USB drive, which of course means that I have to download the update again. Now I dont have to sign in to be able to play AVI/MP4 files.

nice info mh2360... ima gonna give it a try. i was just wondering, can one stream the avi to the xbox (via media player shared folder) instead of hooking up the avi to the usb port? (yep, ima n00b)

[mh2360]

I used a USB device only because I didnt have media sharing set up, streaming over a network should work fine.

[ifishcat]

I used a USB device only because I didnt have media sharing set up, streaming over a network should work fine.

yep, it did!!

[AngusWalker]

I find that the XBox has the codec for mp4 files but doesnt recognise the extension. just renaming xxx.mp4 to xxx.avi seems to work everytime for me. hope this helps.

[Dylan1877]

one time i was watching my stuff on a usb on the xbox after a while the videos wouldnt play but i cut of the xbox evyrthing is fine

[theewizard]

your NEW,,please notice, Dont resurrect old dead threads

this was from 2009
last previous post 2012

[bewerbung]

The optional media update enables mpeg4 playback on the 360.