XBox 360

**Steve Williamson** · **05-24-06, 02:33 AM**

Anyone here use their XBox 360 as an extender?

What do you make of it. I currently am using the XBox and HTPC on wireless, every couple of days it comes up with network congestion but in old houses, there is never a network point near the tv cable.

The problem is I still use my main PC for gaming as I cannot get used to the controller v's my old mouse and keyboard.

**pierrebnh** · **05-24-06, 06:07 PM**

I use a Viewsonic WMA-100 to connect via wireless to a PC that I store my movies & pics on. I already have a DVR from my cable company.

Certainly not a bad device for the price.

**Sonnie** · **01-01-07, 02:20 AM**

I think I'm gonna bite and get one of these. I haven't been much on games since Quake back in the 90's... but I've learned of a game that has me somewhat intrigued... Splinter Cell. Plus my daughter says she'll split the cost with me. It oughta look pretty cool on the 97" HT screen.

**Steve Williamson** · **01-01-07, 02:44 AM**

Since I moved into our rented house, I run a network cable over the carpet to the HTPC and the xbox works like a dream as a media extender. Also bought myself the wireless steering wheel and pedals for xmas and can't stop playing PGR 3

The xbox's latest update made it possible to play games upto 1080p over component, will look pretty good racing on a 120" screen with an AE1000 projector

**Sonnie** · **01-01-07, 09:12 AM**

Uh-huh...

... I could get into the steering wheel and pedals racing too.

Your setup is gonna be awesome!

**Sonnie** · **01-01-07, 09:47 AM**

Which brand of wheel and pedals did you get? I was eyeballing the Microsoft set.

**Steve Williamson** · **01-02-07, 04:26 PM**

Yep thats the one, works like a treat

http://www.ebgames.com/product.asp?product%5Fid=802461

Especially as over here you get PGR3 with it, don't know about over your way though

**Sonnie** · **01-02-07, 05:13 PM**

It seems to have the best reviews that I can find.

I haven't seen PGR3 offered with it yet, but I could be overlooking something or not looking in the right places. I'll double check.

**scott** · **01-04-07, 01:29 PM**

sonnie, any one of the splinter cell games are worth the money, very awesome. and if you like splinter cell, you would also like the rainbow six games as well. my nine year old son and i will play these all night, to the dislike of my wife, but i'm not out running with the guys.

**Sonnie** · **01-04-07, 07:12 PM**

Thanks scott... I'm looking forward to getting all setup. Of course I need to get it all ordered. I'll check out the rainbow six games too. As long as it's not too overly complicated, I should be okay.

**Dougie085** · **01-18-07, 12:55 PM**

My only gripe with the 360 is the fact they didn't include HDMI from the start! Now they are releasing a new version with HDMI...so now if you have a 360 and want to use HDMI for HD-DVD and what not you have to trade in your 360 and get the HDMI one.

**Steve Williamson** · **01-18-07, 03:57 PM**

Dougie, why would you want to use HDMI for HD-DVD when you have to have hdcp compatible equipment both ends. All the press are stating that every one will rush to buy the old Xbox 360 to circumvent that.

The Xbox 360 at present has one of the best HD DVD pictures and it uses component to pass the signal.

**Dougie085** · **01-18-07, 11:48 PM**

Yeah thats my point is that if they start turning on the ICF flag or whatever it is the old xbox 360 wont play HD-DVD's at 1080p it will play them at 576p or whatever pal is. With the HDMI version that wont be a problem. And most displays today have HDMI and HDCP

**basementjack** · **01-19-07, 02:33 PM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

I think I'm gonna bite and get one of these. I haven't been much on games since Quake back in the 90's... but I've learned of a game that has me somewhat intrigued... Splinter Cell. Plus my daughter says she'll split the cost with me. It oughta look pretty cool on the 97" HT screen.

there is nothing better than playing games on a big screen.

**basementjack** · **01-19-07, 03:11 PM**

Guys,

Let me pipe in and say, if you like driving games, Pick up a copy of Burnout Revenge for the 360, or Burnout Takedown for the xbox (it's on the BC list so it should work on the 360) If you have the original Xbox (or a PS2) you could start with Burnout 2.

I thought burnout looked like some lame game a few years ago. I was at best buy with my friend, and he picked it up cause he read about it. The package art didn't do it justice. We went back to my place and tried it. It blew me away. totally fun - addictively - I played that thing all the way through, it's one of the few I've finished.

The Burnout series is fun to drive, but it's just as much fun to loose....
take cornering for example...
If I go to fast into a corner in project gotham, my car comes to an abrupt halt. At this point, I have lost the race I'm in, there is no way I will win against the computer cars -who can do no wrong...
In Burnout, if you take a turn too fast and hit the wall, you car crashes into pieces - parts go flying, the camera angle changes so you can enjoy the spectical and you're on your way. You're a bit behind the other players, but eventually you'll see them all crash too. (in Later versions of Burnout, that becomes an element of the game - you can shove the other cars into a pole, traffic etc..)

So you don't mind playing the game, even if you're no good at it.

Burnout also has a 'crash mode' these are scenarios where you drive into some traffic, with the goal being to rack up as much damage as possible.

Everyone I've ever shown burnout to has loved it - gamers and non-games, moms, dads, kids - they all love it - it's fun, it's easy to pick up, and it's not violent like some shooting games are.

All in all, it's one of my favorate games of all times.

Please give it a try.

- Jack

**Dougie085** · **01-20-07, 12:55 AM**

I saw a video of Forza 2 the other day and it looks awesome....

**scott** · **01-20-07, 12:05 PM**

jack said "and it's not violent like some shooting games are".

i fully agree that that shooting games are violent, some extremely violent. that's why the games are rated. i buy almost every shooter game that comes out. it's a good way for me to unload a day of stress from work.

my 9 yo son can beat me at all of them. i also have SEVERAL guns about my house and my son knows what a real gun can do. i teach him handling and shooting almost weekly.

what i am saying is, it is the parents that need to make sure the kids understand the difference. you don't get to replay or start again with real guns.

i'm sorry if i seem to lecture, i'm just so tired of seeing kids shooting kids. where are the parents?

**basementjack** · **01-20-07, 02:47 PM**

Hey Scott, wasn't meant to dis on guns, I myself have about every shooter out there.

The reason I mentioned it is that Burnout is a pretty universal audience game.

I.E. I would feel comfortable putting on Burnout in front of a 4 year old - there's no swearing, no blood, etc... And don't get me wrong, Burnout is FUN. I enjoyed it more than Halo.

- Jack

**scott** · **01-20-07, 03:59 PM**

jack, i understand what you were saying. and as i said i apologize if seemed to lecture. and i certainly didn't mean to use this forum as a platform to discuss my own personal opinions on anything but home theater. i just finished reading where another youth took 'dad's gun' to school to show another kid "it looks like the gun" from some game. like i said, i am sorry if i stirred anything up here.

scott

**basementjack** · **01-20-07, 04:35 PM**

No Problem Scott,

While we don't have a gun, I'm in favor of peoples rights to have them and to carry them. If they outlaw guns, only the outlaws will have guns. An Armed citizenship is a good deterant to all sorts of crimes..

- Jack

**ACGREEN** · **04-17-07, 10:34 PM**

I use the 360 as an extender. It works great. i can view video and play my music. I works just like the Media Center on Windows.

The new Elite version of the 360 coming out 4/26 has HDMI and a 120 GB HD. I will have to upgrade on of these days.

**SteveCallas** · **06-05-07, 05:47 PM**

I also use my 360 to stream media onto my tv - I only wish it had a built in internet browser as well so that I wouldn't have to purchase a discrete laptop for use on the tv. I'd imagine that couldn't be too difficult to integrate.....I guess we'll see if they ever make that jump.

There are quite a few good games for the 360, plenty to keep me happy. Not only have the visuals taken a big step up from previous generations, but the audio has really improved. Games running in DD with active panning from speaker to speaker reflecting the movement on screen with great dynamic range and clarity is something most games have been neglecting for too long. As for visual output, all the games are rendered at 720p, so I output in that resolution. I trust the Genesis scaler in my Westy to do a better job of upscaling than whatever chip is in the 360.

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