1080p only through VGA for 360 HD-DVD

[Melbosa]

There are a few people at my work using MediaPortal for what you are discribing Lazy, and its from the guys who did XBMC.  They are really impressed with it, and find it fairly stable and robust.  http://www.team-mediaportal.com/

[Lazybones]

Stable is becoming the number one FEATURE that I want.. XBMC has never been stable for me. It just doesn't fails to play videos, it tends to lock up completely when it fails.

I will check out MediaPortal... options are always good.

[Cova]

I want something that can JUST PLAY most thing.. this means a windows box to me.
- I tested the most current build of XBMC with HD trailers downloaded from Apple and a few other places.. It would ether not play the codec or would stutter even on the 480 content.. Just not powerful enough for GENERAL playback..

Like I said, XBMC won't play HD (including apple HD trailers), but it will play up to 540p xvid.  XBMC does have issues with super-advanced codec's since it only has a 700Mhz CPU - h264 and VC1 will likely stutter at any resolution - I'm reasonably certain apple's latest quicktime is h264 based so it wouldn't suprise me if they have issues.  Since you likely don't have much HD content (technically you don't even have an HD display) I don't see why no HD in XBMC is an issue for you.  For GENERAL playback of 99% of content, XBMC just works - no fighting codecs and containers, no fighting with TV-output from a PC and overscan issues.

Who wants to re encode all their content to narrow it down to a single platoform?

Where did that idea come from?  Besides doubting that you actually have much content that would need re-encoded - lets assume you do have a massive collection of x264 encoded HD content.  Why would you pick a format to encode into that would only play on a single platform?  (I don't think such a destination format thats XBMC-specific exists)  Just encode to nice standard xvid/divx, put it in your container of choice (avi if it has MP3 audio, ogg/mkv if you want AC3 / embedded subtitles), and you have a nice happy file that will play anywhere.

[Lazybones]

Like I said, XBMC won't play HD (including apple HD trailers), but it will play up to 540p xvid.  XBMC does have issues with super-advanced codec's since it only has a 700Mhz CPU - h264 and VC1 will likely stutter at any resolution - I'm reasonably certain apple's latest quicktime is h264 based so it wouldn't suprise me if they have issues.  Since you likely don't have much HD content (technically you don't even have an HD display) I don't see why no HD in XBMC is an issue for you.  For GENERAL playback of 99% of content, XBMC just works - no fighting codecs and containers, no fighting with TV-output from a PC and overscan issues.

There seems to be a weath of downloadable content available on the net. It seems that XBMC has issues with many files and locks up.. So it already has a strike against it for even SD content.

My set natively supports 720p which last time I checked counted as HD, unless you own a PS3 apparently.. If I am going to bother downloading HD content I had better be able to play it.

Where did that idea come from?  Besides doubting that you actually have much content that would need re-encoded - lets assume you do have a massive collection of x264 encoded HD content.  Why would you pick a format to encode into that would only play on a single platform?  (I don't think such a destination format thats XBMC-specific exists)  Just encode to nice standard xvid/divx, put it in your container of choice (avi if it has MP3 audio, ogg/mkv if you want AC3 / embedded subtitles), and you have a nice happy file that will play anywhere.

I don't have a massive amount of content, however I don't like having to FIX what I download just to get it to play.. Hence the limitation of XBMC. It just isn't reliable.

[TheDruid]

I'll take that Serenity HD-DVD off your hands if you don't want it anymore.  Its been out of stock the last 2 times I was at best-buy, or I'd have it already.  Right now the only HD-DVD I have is King Kong, which came with the drive.

I think its more like it's not being carried anymore in town. I was experiencing similar disappointment in my search. The guy at A&B said they don’t carry it anymore, odd seeing how HD-DVD is still getting off the ground. Although Serenity was the first movie to be released onto HD-DVD by Universal. If you want it, you going to have to order it through a store or buy it off Amazon. Or buy it off Shayne before i do

My HD-DVD library has been steadily growing:

King-Kong - of course
Vanhelsing
V For Vendetta - Gift from my wife
Scorpion King - Gift from my in-laws
World Trade Center - Gift for my wife

[Cova]

There seems to be a weath of downloadable content available on the net. It seems that XBMC has issues with many files and locks up.. So it already has a strike against it for even SD content.

I think you just have bad luck with the few files you've tried.  XBMC has played every file I've ever thrown at it, except the couple times I decided to try HD playback with it even though it shouldn't work.

My set natively supports 720p which last time I checked counted as HD, unless you own a PS3 apparently.. If I am going to bother downloading HD content I had better be able to play it.

Technically you're 256 horizontal pixels short of 720p (1280x720 doesn't fit in 1024x768) - your set is unable to display any HD signal without at least a little downscaling.  It's a lot higher than SD or ED, but it's not quite HD.

[Shayne]

http://www.amazon.ca/Serenity-HD-DVD-Joss-Whedon/dp/B000FA57N0 (Thats how I ordered mine)

As for HD DVDs, I own:

King Kong
MI1, MI2, MI3 (box set was $10 more in HD DVD then SD)
Serenity
Miami Vice
Army of Darkness

[Lazybones]

There seems to be a weath of downloadable content available on the net. It seems that XBMC has issues with many files and locks up.. So it already has a strike against it for even SD content.

I think you just have bad luck with the few files you've tried.  XBMC has played every file I've ever thrown at it, except the couple times I decided to try HD playback with it even though it shouldn't work.

I would say it happens to about every 5th file I try and open.. but I have content from assorted places. I have had it happen with TV shows that I have downloaded weekly, as well as movie files I have received from other sources.. Some files play consitantly, others can not play at all. All I know is that my windows box can play them all but XBMC can't.