Media Sharing Revisited

A while ago I wrote an article about sharing media from your PC to your Xbox 360™ console with Windows Media Connect. Since then, two new players have arrived on the stage (pun intended): Windows Media Player 11 and Zune™. In addition to being great media players, you can use both or either to share music, pictures, and video from your PC to your Xbox 360 console.

The Story
When Xbox 360 first came out, Microsoft released Windows Media Connect, which enabled you to share Media between your PC and other Windows Media Connect devices, including your Xbox 360. Last fall, Microsoft released Windows Media Player 11. This new version of Windows Media Player incorporated media sharing right into the player's software, allowing you to share media between Windows Media Center on your PC and your console. Zune hit the streets at the same time with similar sharing capabilities.

Select a PC.

Your Choices
So, to recap, here are your options for sharing media:

• Zune: Manage your library, download music from Zune Marketplace, play and view music, pictures, and video, and share content to your Xbox 360 console. The Zune software comes with the Zune device, but you can also download it and use it on its own.
• Windows Media Player 11: Manage your library, download content from URGE and other stores, play and view music, pictures, and video, and share content to devices on your network. This replaces previous versions of Windows Media Player and Windows Media Connect.
• Windows Media Connect: No longer supported by Microsoft, but if you already have it installed, you can continue using it to share content to your console.

Choosing between Zune or Windows Media Player is entirely up to you. Both players let you manage your music, pictures, and video, and when media is streaming to your Xbox 360, you won't notice a difference. The main difference is with purchased music. With Zune you can only stream Zune Marketplace content to your console, but if you want to access purchased music from other online stores, you need to use Windows Media Player.

The portable media powerhouse.

Zune and Windows Media Player will run side by side, so there's nothing stopping you from running both. Zune will also run alongside Windows Media Connect. If you already have Windows Media Connect and you install Windows Media Player 11, Windows Media Connect will be removed.

Setting Up Your PC
The requirements for sharing using Windows Media Player 11 or Zune haven't changed much from Windows Media Connect. Simply connect your PC, running Windows XP, Windows Media Center Edition 2005, or Windows Vista and your console. If you need help connecting them, see our Introduction to Home Networking.

To set up Windows Media Player 11 or Zune on your PC, go to www.xbox.com/pcsetup. The specific instructions will vary depending on your media player and your operation system, but follow them to set up sharing on your computer.

Setting Up Your Console
Once you have everything squared away on your PC, connect to it via your Xbox 360. From the Media blade of the Dashboard, select your medium: Music, Videos, or Pictures. Select Computer, and then select Yes when the console asks if you have installed sharing software and then select your PC.

Usually your PC name will appear in the format PC Name: User Name. This is so you can maintain a library on your PC for each of your users. Choose your user name, and you're all set!

After you've selected your PC, all you have to do is select one of the three buttons from the Media blade. You can also stream music while you play a game by selecting your computer as a source in the Xbox® Guide.

To disconnect from one PC and connect to another, select Computers, and then Windows-based PC from the System blade. After disconnecting from one, connect to the next following the same method as before.

Sharing Options
In both Zune and Windows Media Player 11, there are several options for tweaking your sharing settings. To get to these settings in Zune, click Options, Library, and then Media Sharing. In Windows Media Player, click Library, and then Media Sharing. The controls are very similar: You can change the name of the share from your user name, the devices you connect to, and the kind of content you want to share.

To share an individual song, picture, or video, simply add it to your library. In Zune, click Options, and Add Folder to Library. In Windows Media Player, click Library, Add Folder to Library. Or, you can press F3 in either program. Then choose the folders or individual file you want to add to your library.

Troubleshooting
In case everything goes horribly wrong, here are some steps you can take:

• If you don't see your computer in the list on your Xbox 360, make sure you have shared your media from Windows Media Player or Zune first. Pay particular attention to the devices you're sharing to, and that you're actually sharing something, and that there's content to share.
• Check your firewall. If you are using Windows Firewall, open the right port in setup. If you need to do some troubleshooting, follow the instructions here to do it manually. The same ports are needed for Zune, Windows Media Player, and Windows Media Connect.
• Windows Vista has added some security and complexity to sharing over a network. Check Vista Help for information about configuring your network on Windows Vista.

Article by Elle