Extended Play

Music, movies, pictures, streaming video: Turn Xbox 360™ into a mind-blowing multimedia centerpiece by pairing it with a PC with Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005.

Offering an unparalleled A/V experience, the duo couldn't be more dynamic, seamlessly synchronizing to bring you the hottest games, the coolest new bands, and the latest in independent and blockbuster box office film content.

With Media Center Extender software at your
fingertips, Xbox 360 becomes a single, natural
hub for all your next-generation needs.

Start expanding your horizons today with Media Center Extender technology, which comes preinstalled on every Xbox 360.

Mass Transit
You'll still enjoy sci-fi thrillers such as Perfect Dark Zero™ and first-person shooters like QUAKE™ 4 in all their high-definition glory. But, by using Xbox 360 with Media Center Extender technology, you also gain access to digital music, live TV, photo albums, and award-winning movies on demand.

Organize your photo album for a hi-def slideshow.

Simply link up the console with your wired or wireless home network (a dual-band 802.11a+g router is recommended) and retrieve it all using the same animated 3-D interface desktop users enjoy. It's literally the most fun you can have on your couch; once configured, your PC becomes capable of beaming selections to any room in your house.

Attach multiple Xbox 360 consoles and make the most of your off hours, creating and enjoying music playlists, pausing and recording primetime programming, or sampling news and sports recaps as the mood strikes. Support for several connections means you can simultaneously be downloading dance tracks in the den while Mom checks out MSNTV in the kitchen and little sis scopes out yesterday's soaps from her upstairs refuge.

Control your entire media library and more at the touch of a button. Xbox 360, a Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005-based PC, and a Universal Media Remote are the keys that open to the door to the future of interactive entertainment.

Sound and Vision
Explore thousands of possibilities through Online Spotlight services, indulging in exclusive programming unavailable via cable or satellite. Instantly pause, play, and transfer HD broadcasts from your favorite television networks. Share stunning photo presentations, complete with sound and special effects. Watch home movies and rewind, freeze, or fast-forward FM radio. Xbox 360 and a Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 PC make it effortless.

Watch recorded TV shows on demand.

Intuitive installation wizards guide you through the setup procedure. Network performance tuners help you optimize your home network for A/V streaming. And as soon as your systems are connected, it's game on -- crystal clear 16:9 widescreen video and spine-tingling 5.1 and 7.1 Surround Sound is pumped right through your existing home theater setup. A multitude of audiovisual outputs further let you quickly interface with any TV or stereo.

You even have access to a free electronic guide that offers program listings for the next two weeks. Download single TV shows or entire seasons for kicks, or relax by browsing your vacation photos or tuning into a little talk radio.

One for All
No longer must you purchase multiple electronic components to enjoy various forms of entertainment; everything's retrieved and stored on your Windows XP Media Center PC, then streamed onto the Xbox 360 at your behest. Using a single click of the remote, choose from any CD in your collection (and admire full album art), catch up on the ballgame, or browse and download top silver screen releases.

With Media Center Extender software at your fingertips, Xbox 360 becomes a single, natural hub for all your next-generation needs. Not too shabby, when you consider it's also the ultimate gaming device, already light years ahead of the competition in terms of delivering attention-getting play and unrivaled online features.

Those serious about their digital entertainment won't find a finer substitute, or one that more readily integrates with your current home theater configuration. You don't just save money on parts and cables; you also take your leisure time to new heights.

A World Apart
International settings include Chinese, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish language editions. This means that across the globe, gamers just like you are enjoying a similar range of unique electronic experiences.

Consider it further proof that Xbox 360 is the best thing to happen to your PC since your digital camera and music player. And, while we're at it, that a Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 PC is the best thing to happen to it since, well ... ever.

Article by Chris Zimmerman