Codec Libraries, Video Player for Homebrew 360s WIP Update Options

[Alize]

All I can say is about damn time!

What a lot of us have been waiting for for a loong time, ever since homebrew was possible, I assumed this would be just around the corner, first on everyone's lists!

Great work so far guys, keep it up and hopefully we will see something as good as XBMC on the 360 some time soon!

The development of this is just too low level for me so I can be of no help yet! One day though...

[W1zz]

This would be fantastic if it could play over a network. Got a poporn hour full of .mkv's just waiting to be streamed from.

[tk_saturn]

^^^

You'll be able to use Samba.

[Mik3h]

Only thing is the file system not allowing the storage of single files exceeding 4GB. Looks like it's streaming unless someone can integrate some NTFS support.

[srath]

Only thing is the file system not allowing the storage of single files exceeding 4GB. Looks like it's streaming unless someone can integrate some NTFS support.

Just format with HFS+

[symbal]

Finally the first genuine reason to have a Jtag 360.
Until now there's been little reason but piracy.

[Takieda]

.srt supprot isn't an issue. The codecs are (in this case) video compressors that allow you to play video. An .srt file is an overglorified .txt file. The codecs are being created to allow other coders to implement them in their own homebrew, so it's the homebrew app programmer/team that will have to integrate the support for subtitle files/formats. I'm more interested in proper support for .ssa & .ass files (very robust, and in some cases, totally awesome, subtitle formats - allowing you insert any font you want, change the color of text, even allow for simple color changing animations, ala karaoke, to be inserted). XBMC never properly supported it, and as such, some of the videos I have just don't look half as nice as on my PC running through Zoom player.
At the end of the day, you know enough demand will get it into whatever dashboard/homebrew/whatever that it WILL be there. The BIG news is just the codecs... THIS is exciting, and making me wish I hadn't passed up that other JTAG a few months ago. With time all will be supported. With time, all will be teh awesomes. With time *droooooool*

[edwinmcdunlap]

Why not just port XBMC?

[Takieda]

Why not just port XBMC?

XBMC is, at it's core, a ported Mplayer, with an advanced GUI, networking system, etc. It's a huge bit of code, and it's designed for x86 architecture (remember, every port of XBMC that exists in non-alpha or proof of concept stages, is standard x86, from the Xbox's modified 733Mhz Celeron processor, to the x86 linux ports, and windows ports, etc). Easy to port around to other operating systems so long as the core architecture and hardware on those systems is similar enough.

Now the Xbox 360 has a PowerPC core - very significantly different from the original Xbox (think older Mac computers, running G4's as a general example). Rewriting, or porting, XBMC for PowerPC is a monumental task. What's being done here is the first steps towards such an idea (though the end result, I'd wager, won't be XBMC 11, or whatever version they may be up to), though it will be more a spiritual successor than a direct "port." Mplayer, the core of XBMC, is a basic video player with a huge array of codecs built in. The first step, here, is to port the individual codecs, keeping them open source allowing the homebrew community to make use of them, and provide a large base to work from.

This is a great step forward. Though it may seem like a complete rewrite of XBMC, what is being done here can easily be added to the already existing architecture of FSD's media player, or just put it into its own shell. Remember, XBMC itself started out much smaller and much less ambitious in nature than the behemoth that it has become. Before XBMC it was a the much leaner XBMP (Xbox Media Player), and before that it was YAMP (and one other whose name eludes me). Each project was a large task in and of itself just to see the basic concept of playing video on the original Xbox, then straddling more formats, then giving the user a better interface, and so on.

Remember, baby steps. In order to achieve any lofty goal, one must have the pathway laid out before you before you can make progress.

[juggahax0r]

Why not just port XBMC?

XBMC wasn't able to be ported until this ^^ was done .... now that is possible. I won't speculate on whether anyone is working on anything of the kind; but it is now possible for them to include these codecs in their own work. The xex that runs the videos is already a media player backend , it just doesn't have a GUI , it plays a file called test.avi , or whatever format you are going for. You could say the future has arrived.
Opensource means that this doesn't even have to be XDK built , it could also be compiled for Linux and LibXenon/Xell based applications, Which would mean no MS code and therefore legal to distribute =) .... This is a game changer as far as I am concerned , we just need to encourage the devs through positivity , to put these codecs to good use.

[shookie]

I don't think there is a need for XBMC port... save the resources and give us a straight menu app using the codecs with network support... and output to 1080p... = heaven...

i mean sure it would be hot to get some cover art and such... but the core function is what I personally want!

[HotKnife420]

Finally the first genuine reason to have a Jtag 360.
Until now there's been little reason but piracy.

Yes, because we all know everyone who buys their movies has been dying to rip them to mkv and stream them to their 360...

[hfmls]

hahaha, well said

[Firetalion]

I don't think there is a need for XBMC port... save the resources and give us a straight menu app using the codecs with network support... and output to 1080p... = heaven...

i mean sure it would be hot to get some cover art and such... but the core function is what I personally want!

I have to disagree. While the core function would be wonderful, and what we really need at this point... have you ever tried to watch some random episodes of your favorite shows with a 360? Naw, no random function. Hmm, well, how about trying to watch a slideshow of files in your pictures directory while playing music, or even set up as a screensaver? Nope, no dice there either. Hmm, how about set up a playlist of video files in general. Nope, you have to manually pick and click every episode you want, and it's the main reason why Windows Media Center is flawed, if you ask me. The same for the core 360 multimedia capabilities.

But I digress, this thread brings alive a hope that I had all but let die for 360 Jtag abilities. All my Cowboy Bebop and FLCL episodes, as well as most blu-ray rips, are collecting endless digital dust these days.

Great props to everyone involved in this project! =oD

[Obveron]

Finally the first genuine reason to have a Jtag 360.
Until now there's been little reason but piracy.

Yes, because we all know everyone who buys their movies has been dying to rip them to mkv and stream them to their 360...

hahaha, well said

I loled.