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Week of November 30, 2008
EncodeHD v0.71 Beta
>> Dan released the first 'technology preview' release of EncodeHD to replace the Encode360(info) tool. EncodeHD is a an application to re-encode all types of video files for use on your home media player or on-the-go device. It aims to provide a simple interface with no fuss.
From dcunningham.net:
[QUOTE]
So firstly, let's talk EncodeHD. Look at the current beta release (0.71) as a 'technology preview' of sorts. The idea here is to verify that we've got the primary encoding mechanisms up to scratch. So what I'm looking for here is to make sure that video converts for all devices as expected and that the quality is good (or great).
The key things to note for EncodeHD are:
* Outputted video is MPEG4 and H.264 with AAC (or AC3) audio, NOT WMV (this is not strictly for X-Box 360 anymore)
* This means that 5.1 audio for the X-Box 360 is not yet supported in these formats
* Subtitles are also not yet possible, although I'm looking into it
As of now, there's still a lot of unimplemented functionality that will be added later. If you want to see something in particular, please let me know. However, if it's going to cludge up the interface and start making things complex, I may not implement requests. We'll have to see.
One of the nice things about EncodeHD is that it has built-in bug reporting. If you hit a problem, it will ask you if you want to submit a bug report - including all the details I need to help solve the issue. If however, the problem is with video output, it may not detect any problems. In this case, could I ask you to email my bug-tracking system: cases@dcunningham.fogbugz.com, and attach the EncodeHD.Log file which you can find in your Temp folder (Click Start > Run and type %TEMP% to access it).
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Official Site: http://dcunningham.net
Download: here
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(Friday 05 December 2008 23:37 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
NetFlix Streaming Performance Statement
>> From netflix.com:
[QUOTE]
Recently some Netflix members using Roku or Xbox movie players noticed lower quality streaming than they had experienced earlier. This was a temporary issue that we believe we have resolved. Working with our content distribution partners and key carriers, we made some specific changes that should restore everyone's experience to where it was before - high quality streaming.
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(Friday 05 December 2008 16:56 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Cxbx (Xbox1 Emulator) Update
>> From Caustik's CXBX Blog:
[QUOTE]
shogun made some great progress on his Cxbx(info) branch. The game "Smashing Drive" goes in-game. He informs me the game can't be considered playable at this point, but it's stunning progress nonetheless. Read more and discuss on the ngemu forums here.
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Official Site: http://www.caustik.com/cxbx/
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Microsoft Launches 'Deal of the Week' and 'Friendship is Free' Promos
>> From the press release:
[QUOTE]
Deck your Marketplace with loads of content: This week Xbox 360 is kicking off two global 30-day specials to bring great deals on select Xbox LIVE content and even free multiplayer for a list of great games.
Each week one piece of content from Xbox LIVE Marketplace will get a limited-time only discount in the Deal of the Week. Every Monday this month check out Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the featured piece of content. It could be a movie rental, a map pack or even an Xbox LIVE Arcade game. The Deal of the Week is only available for Xbox LIVE Gold members, so if you aren't a Gold member, upgrade today to the service that brings you online multiplayer, access to Netflix in the U.S. and much more. For only about $4 a month*, Xbox LIVE Gold gives you incredible entertainment for an incredible value.
Are you a Silver member wanting to get a taste of the multiplayer experience before upgrading? This month, we are also offering "Friendship is Free," a free multiplayer trial for Silver members. Over the course of this month, multiplayer will be available for all Xbox LIVE members for eight Xbox LIVE Arcade games. The Xbox LIVE Arcade team will open up the multiplayer functionality for "A Kingdom for Keflings," "Aegis Wing," "Bomberman Live," "Hardwood Hearts," "Hardwood Spades," "UNO," "Small Arms" and "Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix" (regional restrictions may apply).
So what are you waiting for? Both the Deal of the Week and Friendship is Free are going on now and will only last the month of December. Xbox.com will have all of the details and will let you know what the new discounted content is each week.
If you are not an Xbox LIVE member, December is the month to join. For only a few dollars a month you and your family can experience all the best gaming and entertainment available.
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(Thursday 04 December 2008 18:51 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
XCM Cross Battle Adapter - use Wired 360 Controller on PS3
>> XCM announced a new product for the Xbox 360:
[QUOTE]
Dream comes true! Finally an adapter to connect your wired Xbox 360 controller to your PS3 console!
Product description : for xbox 360 controllers' fans, now you can use your 360 wired controller on PS 3 console, plug and play, also built in rapid fire function.
For many reasons people really like the Xbox 360 controller. The look and feel are second to none. Now those same controllers can be used on your Playstation 3 console! For the first time you'll have the use of real triggers on your Playstation 3 console!
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Official Site: http://xcm-usa.com
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(Thursday 04 December 2008 18:45 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Has Biggest Sales Month Ever in Europe
>> From the Microsoft press release
[QUOTE]
Xbox today reveals November was its biggest sales month in its six-year European history, with sales up 124% over last November. This strong momentum shows that European consumers are responding to the Xbox 360 mix of value, great games, entertainment, and the recently-launched New Xbox Experience, despite challenging economic conditions.
November 2008 saw the largest Xbox sales ever in the six-year history of the brand in Europe. GfK-ChartTrack data shows that the console outsold PlayStation 3 across the entire region and in particular has seen significant gains in markets like France, Spain and Italy, where it has been outselling PlayStation 3 week after week. Xbox 360 has sold more than seven million consoles in Europe since its launch in November 2005 and was the fastest-growing console in Europe for the month of November, with sales up year-over-year 124% versus 43% for Wii and 3% for PlayStation 3.
Chris Lewis, Regional Vice President, Interactive Entertainment Business EMEA, said: "November was a very significant milestone for Xbox - we sold the most consoles ever in our history in Europe, and are outselling PlayStation 3 week-on-week across Europe. Since the reduction in the Xbox 360 ERP in September, bringing the entry-level price point for Xbox 360 down to £129.99, consumers have responded enthusiastically to the Xbox 360 offering. Our strong partnerships with retail and with publishers have played a big role in this success - we are working closely with retail to ensure a steady supply of consoles throughout the Christmas season, and third-party games have been selling well on the Xbox 360 platform and providing great choice for consumers.
"In the current economic conditions, consumers are more cautious than ever and looking for more value for their entertainment spend," said Lewis. "Xbox 360 delivers that value - we're now the best-value next-gen console on the market and this positive momentum indicates Xbox 360 is offering the right blend of gaming and entertainment experiences at the right price."
Piers Harding-Rolls, senior games analyst at media research company Screen Digest said: "Even under the current economic conditions European consumers are spending strongly on games as we reach the mass adoption phase of this cycle of consoles. This Christmas we expect console game sales to outperform last year by a substantial margin, which is a boost for the whole industry. Consumers recognise that games offer a strong value proposition compared to many other forms of entertainment and this is being reflected at the tills."
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(Thursday 04 December 2008 13:25 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
New BenHeck Xbox 360 Portable
>> From benheck.com:
[QUOTE]
My latest project is the Xbox 360 Portable. Figured that was a more appropriate name than laptop, because seriously, who'd put this in their lap? It weighs almost as much as my sister's cat.
It differs from my past Xbox 360 laptops in several ways:
* Removable standard Xbox 360 hard drive for easy profile/data swapping
* Both memory card
slots accessible, same reason.
* No keyboard! Really, they have those chat pads, what's the point? (Besides looking cool)
* Simplified layout of ports and buttons.
* Internal wi-fi module, no external antenna
. Antenna is strung out inside unit like other consoles/laptops.
* Beveled edges! Countersunk screws!
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Full Story: benheck.com
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(Wednesday 03 December 2008 16:01 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Survey Reveals Hispanics Want More Value and Gifts That Bring Their Family Together
>> From the Microsoft press release:
[QUOTE]
The weak economy is affecting how many people will celebrate the holidays. To better understand the current shopping attitudes of Hispanics in the U.S., Xbox 360 collaborated with Ipsos(1) to produce the Xbox 360 Hispanic Holiday Entertainment Survey. The findings reveal Hispanics in the U.S. are more concerned than the general population about entertaining their families at home over the holidays and other insights.
Some of the key findings include:
-- More Hispanics want a gift that brings their family together (89% vs. 64% of general population)
-- More Hispanics are looking for gifts that people can enjoy throughout the year (95% vs. 85% of general population)
-- More Hispanics are looking for affordable ways to entertain their family over the holidays (85% vs. 81% of general population)
-- Many more Hispanics would rather buy one gift for their whole family than spend money on lots of individual gifts (83 % vs. 52% of general population)
MOST HISPANICS WANT A GIFT THAT BRINGS THEIR FAMILY TOGETHER
When it comes to family, nine in 10 Hispanics (89%) agree they want to find a gift that brings everyone together at home this year. Parents of children under 18 at home are more likely to agree than those adults without children (93% vs. 82%).
HISPANICS ARE LOOKING FOR GIFTS THAT CAN BE ENJOYED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
In these tough economic times, an overwhelming 95% of Hispanics 18 years of age and older say they would like to give gifts that 'keep on giving' ... meaning they are enjoyed throughout the year ... regardless of their gender, income, length of residency in the U.S. or language of preference.
BEING ENTERTAINED AT HOME IS CRUCIAL TO FAMILY HAPPINESS
More than seven in 10 Hispanics surveyed (72%) agree that it is difficult to keep everyone in the family entertained over the holidays and are concerned about people getting bored. Those with children under 18 are even more likely to agree.
HALF OF HISPANICS PLAN TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
One in two Hispanic adults (49%) says they will probably play video games with family or friends over the holidays.
THE FAMILY THAT PLAYS TOGETHER . . .
Playing video games is the most popular way for 18-49 year olds to have fun over the holidays after watching television and movies, and 86 percent of young adults - nearly nine in 10 - are looking forward to receiving at least one video game this holiday season.(2)
A recent Microsoft and Harris Interactive Inc. study also found that 64 percent of parents would spend more time playing a video game if it was something that the entire family could do together.
This holiday, families can get together and play games such as the new singing game "Lips" and the movie games "You're in the Movies" and "Scene It? Box Office Smash". "Lips" is available in two versions: an all-English song version featuring 40 hits that include songs by Duran Duran, Maroon 5, Rihanna and Queen, and "Lips en Espanol" featuring 17 songs in Spanish by artists such as Alejandro Sanz, Belanova, Fanny Lu, La Factoria, Luis Miguel, Pimpinela and Selena.
XBOX 360: SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
From music to movies to TV shows to games, Xbox 360 is much more than the typical holiday present - and it is more affordable than ever with an estimated retail price (ERP) starting at only $199.99.(3)
The Xbox 360 Arcade Holiday Console comes with six free games, including "Sega Superstars Tennis" and five Xbox LIVE Arcade titles. The Xbox 360 console ($299.99 ERP) and the Xbox 360 Elite Holiday Console ($399.99 ERP) pair the consoles with smash hits at no additional cost.
With more than 200 games rated E (for everyone) and T (for teens) and the ability to watch 12,000 Netflix movies, TV shows and more,(4) Xbox 360 offers something for everyone. After the holidays are over, Xbox 360 is one gift that won't collect dust.
HTTP://WWW.XBOX.COM/VALUE
A new section on the website Xbox.com, http://www.xbox.com/value, pulls together all the latest information about how to get the best return for your holiday dollars.
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(Wednesday 03 December 2008 15:56 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Microsoft confirms 256MB internal storage in Xbox 360 Arcade units
>> From xbox360fanboy.com:
[QUOTE]
As if all the images and videos weren't enough evidence, we've now received official confirmation from Microsoft that new Xbox 360 Arcade units do come with 256MB of internal storage. Speaking with us, a Microsoft spokesperson said quite simply, "We are constantly updating the console's more than 1700 internal components. We can confirm that we are moving to internal memory for the Xbox 360 Arcade. The physical internal memory is the same size as the previous external memory units - 256MB."
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Full Story: xbox360fanboy.com
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(Tuesday 02 December 2008 18:46 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Registers Biggest Black Friday in Its History
>> From the Microsoft press release:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox360 video game and entertainment system kicked off the holidays with record-breaking console sales on one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year inthe U.S. Retailers reported Xbox 360 console sales over the Black Fridayweekend were on pace to beat previous years, outselling the PlayStation 3 by athree-to-one ratio and estimating a 25 percent increase from Xbox 360 BlackFriday sales figures from 2007.
Strong game sales rounded out a historic Black Friday for Xbox 360, withrecord-paced software sales continuing for key Microsoft titles, such as"Gears of War 2," "Fable II," and "Lips." Xbox 360 continues to have thehighest game attach rate of any console at 8.1 games per console.
"We entered into the Black Friday sales period with cautious optimism,knowing that dollar for dollar, Xbox 360 offers more social entertainmentvalue than any other console on the market," said Don Mattrick, senior vicepresident of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "RecordBlack Friday sales in the U.S., coupled with our existing global install baseof 25 million and an online community of more than 14 million Xbox LIVEmembers, have laid the groundwork for continued global sales momentum in2009."
Xbox 360 sales have also surged worldwide since the September price drop,outselling the PlayStation 3 week over week across Europe. Console sales inEurope are up as much as 400 percent, with sales nearly double year over yearand reaching 7 million consoles sold this generation.
With a mass-market price point starting at $199.99 worldwide (estimatedretail price) for Xbox 360 Arcade, a games lineup of more broad-appeal socialtitles than any other platform, and the recently launched New Xbox Experience,Xbox 360 is leading the industry and inviting everyone to play.
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(Tuesday 02 December 2008 00:36 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xecuter CK3 PROBE - No Solder Kit For Liteon Released
>> From team-xecuter.com:
[QUOTE]
We are pleased to announce this very simple add-on for the CK3 Lite and CK3 Pro. It allows the extraction of the Liteon keys without having to solder anything. Very easy to use and a must for all CK3 users - simply replace the green DVD power cable that is supplied with the CK3. Stocks are shipping next week to major suppliers.
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Official Site: http://team-xecuter.com
Buy Xecuter Connectivity Kit v3 PRO: mrmodchips | divineo
Buy Xecuter Connectivity Kit v3 LITE: mrmodchips | divineo
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(Monday 01 December 2008 21:41 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xdsl v0.7 beta
>> Stevewal released a new version of X-DSL on our forums - it's a small (about 50MBs) but fully functional Linux distribution for the Xbox1, based on Damn Small Linux:
[QUOTE]
Xdsl 0.7 beta is based on Dsl 4.4.3
Please list any bugs you encounter, and I will fix them for the next release.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site and Download: http://www.x-dsl.org/wiki/Main_Page
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