Video Playback FAQ
Have questions about video playback or video or audio streaming on your Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system? We address the top concerns here.
Q: What does the Xbox 360 console support for AVI? A: The Xbox 360 console supports the following for AVI:
Q: What does the Xbox 360 console support for H.264? A: The Xbox 360 console supports the following for H.264:
Q: What does the Xbox 360 console support for MPEG-4 Part 2? A:The Xbox 360 console supports the following for MPEG-4:
Q: What does the Xbox 360 console support for WMV (VC-1)? A: The Xbox 360 console supports the following for WMV:
A: The Xbox 360 console does not block video from playing based on a maximum bit rate, resolution, or frames per second. Each codec's maximum has been tested using various video playback sources. Content with a higher bit rate is not blocked, but playback quality may be less than optimal. Use higher bit rates at your own risk. Q: What are the different ways to play video content on the Xbox 360 console? A: You can play video from a USB 2.0 FAT 32 removable drive or optical media, and by streaming from the Zune software or Windows Media Player 11. To learn more, see Play Media on Your Xbox 360 Console on Zune.net, or see Use Zune with Xbox 360. Q: What is the maximum video file size that the Xbox 360 console supports? A: The maximum file size for an MPEG-4 Part 2 or H.264 file is 4 GB. However, Windows Media Player 11 and the Zune software support streaming WMV files larger than 4 GB. Q: How do I create H.264 or MPEG-4 Part 2 content? What encoders does the Xbox 360 console support? A: You can create this content using one of many third-party applications. The Xbox 360 console supports many popular encoders. A:The Xbox 360 console is updating the metadata on your media files. Please be patient. Q: How do I select the source for Videos, Music, and Pictures? A: Your Xbox 360 console remembers the last source you chose. If you don't see the Select Source screen after you have selected Music, Pictures, or Videos in the Media area of the Xbox Dashboard, press the X button to see the list of sources. This lets you switch easily between your media shares. A: You can move around in video you have already watched. For example, if you watch 15 minutes of a TV show, you can to go back 10 minutes and then skip forward again to the 15-minute mark (where you left off). After the video downloads completely, you can move back and forth at will through the entire video. Q: How can I set up Windows Media® Player 11 or the Zune™ software to share my media to my console? A: For information about setting up sharing, see Share Media from a PC with Xbox 360. To learn more, go to Play Media on Your Xbox 360 Console on Zune.net. A: There are five display modes: auto, letterbox, full-screen, stretch, and native. To access these modes while watching a video, press Display on your remote or press A on your controller and then scroll to the Display mode icon. Press A to select one of the following display modes:
Q: How are display mode settings saved? A: If you're watching a video for the first time, the display mode defaults to auto. If you change the display mode, the next time you watch that same video, the console defaults to whatever setting you chose. Q: How are the chapters determined? A: Each video is divided into ten chapters to let you quickly move around the video content. To move quickly betwen chapters, press A while your video is playing, and select skip forward or skip back in the playback controls. Each chapter appears as a tick on the information bar. Q: Can I use shortcuts to control playback when I'm watching videos? A: Yes, when viewing videos, you can use your controller to take any of following shortcuts:
Q: Can I play music from my iPhone or iPod Touch? A: No. The iPhone and and iPod Touch use a different mechanism for storing music than a traditional iPod, and the Xbox 360 console can't play music from those sources. However, you can browse pictures stored on these devices through the Media area of the Xbox 360 Dashboard. Q: Can I play videos from my iPod? A: No. The Xbox 360 console doesn't play videos from an iPod. Q: What features of MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile does the Xbox 360 console support? A: The Xbox 360 console supports bidirectional frames (BVOPs), interlaced frames, quarter pixel motion compensation, global motion compensation, and MPEG quantization. Q: Does the Xbox 360 console display embedded artwork for MPEG-4 Part 2 or H.264 files? A: Yes. You can embed artwork smaller than 400 KB in the video files. Q: What types of AVI files are supported? A: The Xbox 360 console supports files encoded using MPEG-4 Part 2, Simple Profile and Advanced Simple Profile. These files often are referred to as Xvid or DivX video files. Many common DVD authoring tools, cameras, and camcorders can encode files using MPEG-4. Some files authored for DivX devices also may contain additional functionality (menus, subtitles, multiple audio tracks, and so on). The Xbox 360 console attempts to play these files but doesn't support any additional functionality. In some cases, it can't play the file. Q: Does the Xbox 360 console support 5.1 channel AAC? A: No. Only 2-channel AAC is supported. If you want to play a 5.1-channel video on your Xbox 360 console, you will need to encode it to WMV with WMAPro 5.1 audio. Q: Should I continue to use Windows Media Connect (WMC) to stream video to my Xbox 360 console? A: You can use Windows Media Connect, but it's no longer supported. To manage and stream content to your Xbox 360 console with Windows Media Player 11 or the Zune software, see Share Media from a PC with Xbox 360. Or go to Play Media on Your Xbox 360 Console on Zune.net. Q: What video codecs do the Zune software and Windows Media Player support for streaming? A: The Zune software supports unprotected WMV, MPEG-4 Part 2, and H.264. Windows Media Player 11 supports protected and unprotected WMV. For more about supported files from the Zune software, see Zune Audio and Video Formats on Zune.net. Q: How can I get Windows Media Player 11 to stream MPEG-4 Part 2 or H.264 to my console? A: By default, Windows Media Player 11 does not support MPEG-4 Part 2 or H.264. You can convert your MPEG-4 Part 2 and H.264 content to WMV, or you can install a third-party MP4 DirectShow decoder pack to import MPEG-4 part 2 and H.264 files into your library. From there, they can be streamed to your Xbox 360 console just like WMVs. For More Info
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