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Autumn 360 update tomorrow News
Xbox 360 News by Tom Bramwell
Microsoft has announced that the Autumn system update for the Xbox 360 dashboard will launch tomorrow morning (Tuesday, 31st October), including support for native 1080p games, making a few improvements to Live Arcade and adding more movie playback options.
There will be 85 new features and enhancements in total, a full list of which is set to appear on www.xbox.com/live soon. In the meantime, here are some highlights Microsoft's cherry-picked for its press release:
- You'll be able to stream WMV videos from a Windows PC running Windows Media Player 11 or Windows Media Connect.
- You'll be able to play video files from data CDs and DVDs, USB 2.0 flash drives, and Xbox 360 Memory Units.
- Xbox 360 will support 50Hz HDTV display modes.
- There'll be an option to automatically download new Xbox Live Arcade trial versions as they're released.
- The Live Arcade menus will load almost instantly, instead of taking a while like they currently do, with "Recently Played" and "By Category" sorting options.
- Expanded Live Arcade Friends leaderboards will allow you to compare yourself to friends, with a top-ten friends list too.
- An expanded Achievements View will add more detail to achievements lists for Arcade games, including descriptions, icons, allotted Gamerscore and more.
- Selecting "Play Now" when you finish downloading a Live Arcade game will bypass the Live Arcade menu and launch it immediately.
- A "Tell A Friend" feature will allow you to send a message to a friend quickly alerting them to a new Arcade game.
- And, as XNA Game Studio Express launches, you'll be able to test and play games created using it on Xbox 360.
You don't have to do much to take advantage of the system update either - just log in to Xbox Live tomorrow and it will prompt you to download it automatically, and upon rebooting all the new functionality will be in place.
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Poster
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[i]You'll be able to stream WMV videos from a Windows PC running Windows Media Player 11 or Windows Media Connect.[/i] Finally. Although it's just WMV, it's a start.
[i]You'll be able to play video files from data CDs and DVDs, USB 2.0 flash drives, and Xbox 360 Memory Units.[/i] I'd assume it'll be WMV only as indicated by the above new feature. |
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Carpathian
30/10/06 @ 17:53
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Finally !! I wondered how quickly they'd unlock the "play you own video" option once it had been announced that the PS3 would be. I feel a DVD of 720p HD stuff being burnt this very evening !
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The full feature list is here:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/news/2006/1030-novemberupdate-completelist.htm |
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Tiger_Walts
30/10/06 @ 19:29
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# Optionally disable notifications from Xbox Live while watching DVD movies.
# Improved support for audio streams on incorrectly authored DVDs. Yay for the first one, I always forget to turn my notifications back on. As for the second, it should read, "Look, un-synchronised audio isn't our fault, but hey we fixed it for those lazy DVD publishers." |
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I also saw this:
Added support for low-speed and full-speed USB keyboards. under other system improvements Does this mean that usb keyboards can now be used? |
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BartonFink
30/10/06 @ 19:32
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@Xerx3s - err you always could.
Unless of course you are talking about as an in game controller.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 30/10/06 @ 19:36
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Tiger_Walts
30/10/06 @ 19:37
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I've been using a USB keyboard for ages, it only works on the dashboard and guide windows (text entry for messages and naming items in games)
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@Wonga
I dont' think the pictures are needed at all. I think the look of the Guide/blades is spot on as is. The addition of the pictures behind the text on the buttons just makes it look more cluttered. Just improve the navigation and the way things are listed (new stuff in particular) and I would be a happy bunny.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 30/10/06 @ 20:05
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patchbox360
30/10/06 @ 20:08
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theres a difference between 1080p and 1080i - not sure this article is correct, xbox360 can do 1080i but only ps3 can do 1080p - i think
1080p is superior to 1080i - fact |
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BartonFink
30/10/06 @ 20:33
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Nope you are indeed wrong patchbox360 after the update 360 will do 1080p too. Which wold of course have been obvious if you had read the article rather than making a rather poor attempt at trolling. ;)
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 30/10/06 @ 20:35
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patchbox360 wrote "Theres a difference between 1080p and 1080i - not sure this article is correct, xbox360 can do 1080i but only ps3 can do 1080p - i think.
1080p is superior to 1080i - fact" Where have you been patchbox360. The latest XBox update will enable 1080p on the console - fact. As reported here; http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/733/7... and here on Eurogamer in September; http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?art... |
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I also call 'troll' on Patchbox360.
360 will now be able to do native 1080p games - when developers get around to including that support. Existing games can be upscaled to 1080p from the 720p/1080i they run at now. Same with movie content. The same situation is true for the PS3 - the vast majority of games are *not* 1080p - developers just find it too hard to make everything run silky smooth at that resolution (heading Xerx3s off at the pass, I AM researching this now to get you your damn proof :-p ) After this update, Sony can no longer claim to be the "only console with True HD", nor even the 'first console with True HD'. I reiterate the point made by some random in another thread in a website far, far away when I say: "'True HD'? So my Sony LCD I bought that says 'HD Ready' on it and all the literature I get in that box tells me I can now enjoy the benefits of high-definition pictures is lying. What the hell? Sony Left Hand, may I introduce Sony Right Hand."
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 30/10/06 @ 21:10
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viperfoxbat
30/10/06 @ 21:24
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I'm glad the new HD-DVD player is cheap compared to a stand alone player. Less risk is always a good thing. I don't even have a 1080p tv but I would like to see what a true 720p image looks like instead of an upconverted 480p image(current non -HD-DVD movies).
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