Autumn 360 update tomorrow

By Tom Bramwell Published 30 October, 2006

1080p and more video support, Live Arcade improvements, more.

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.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (61) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • afray #1 5 years ago

    You'll be able to play video files from data CDs and DVDs, USB 2.0 flash drives, and Xbox 360 Memory Units.

    Any details on what type of video files? DivX?

  • t8yman #2 5 years ago

    not likely, I wanted a web browser, shame theres no mention here, and as far as "really cool" goes, I dont think any of that is "really cool"
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/06 @ 17:18

  • stormuk #3 5 years ago

    Hmm need to check, but from that I take we will no longer need a mediapc now just a standard xp machine can stream wmv.

  • yegon #4 5 years ago

    Hmm, cheers yeah, I just read elsewhere it's related to dvd and hd dvd playback.

    Here was me naively hoping for a vga lead 50hz/60hz fix :(. Bollocks to all the other stuff, that fix alone would be enough for me.
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/06 @ 17:31

  • wiintendo #5 5 years ago

    So no 1440x900 widescreen VGA support then? Pish.

  • Forebodin #6 5 years ago

    You'll be able to stream WMV videos from a Windows PC running Windows Media Player 11 or Windows Media Connect. Finally. Although it's just WMV, it's a start.

    You'll be able to play video files from data CDs and DVDs, USB 2.0 flash drives, and Xbox 360 Memory Units. I'd assume it'll be WMV only as indicated by the above new feature.

  • Xerx3s #7 5 years ago

    Didn't ms more or less mention that the spring updates are for the cool stuff while the autumn updates are there to make things more functional?

  • spongebob #8 5 years ago

    You'll be able to play video files from data CDs and DVDs, USB 2.0 flash drives, and Xbox 360 Memory Units.

    Any details on what type of video files? DivX?

    Exactly! Or what about XviD or others? They really should do it.

  • t8yman #9 5 years ago

    whats the possibility of someone knocking up an xna app to play divx?

    serious question, I know NOTHING about programming.

  • Barghest #10 5 years ago

    I thought that they were not going to support 1080p games? Running scared perhaps?

  • Carpathian #11 5 years ago

    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 !

  • Gurgeh #12 5 years ago

    "I thought that they were not going to support 1080p games? Running scared perhaps? "

    More checking the boxes I guess - largely irrelevant in practice as most people dont have a 1080p screen, but it stops Sony saying only the PS3 can support it. I havent heard of any 1080p games for the Xbox 360.

  • effinwooly #13 5 years ago

    sweet

  • Frumper #14 5 years ago

    Streaming .WMV from Windows Media Connect is a nice add on for me. :o)

  • AssassiN Verified Owner/Editor, Computers N Stuff #15 5 years ago

    "I havent heard of any 1080p games for the Xbox 360."

    Lost Planet
    Blue Dragon (I think)

    There's a couple of others but i can't remember what they are off the top of my head

  • dllord #16 5 years ago

    Streaming vids is the news i was waiting to hear!

  • Xerx3s #17 5 years ago

    I still wonder what limitations will be bound to it... and how fast 360 connection programs will pop up that transfer on the fly without WMCE. ;)

  • Xerx3s #18 5 years ago

    "I havent heard of any 1080p games for the Xbox 360."

    Lost Planet
    Blue Dragon (I think)

    There's a couple of others but i can't remember what they are off the top of my head

    Proof?

  • disco.citizen #19 5 years ago

    damn - now i'll have to convert all my p0rn to wmv

  • Xerx3s #20 5 years ago

    Do I spy with my very little eye an option to serve larger games next to the XBLa service?

    <a href='http://www.xbox.com/en-US/community/pers onality/elle/20061030-update.htm'>1st pic</a>

  • KD #21 5 years ago

    I hope there will be a transcode360 type encoder for use in the dashboard, and soonish. My media centre os is seriously slowing my old creaky pc as it is.

  • Rambaldi #22 5 years ago

    "Nothing major then"

    Well, they did get it pretty much cock-on to begin with ;)

  • neilka #23 5 years ago

    The full feature list is here:
    http://www.xbox.com/en-US/comm unity/news/2006/1030-novemberupdate-completelist.htm

  • Rambaldi #24 5 years ago

    @Yellowtruck

    The 360s been doing 1080 right from the get go, just interlaced rather than progressive. Anyone who says it can't needs to look at GRAW on a 1080 set: not a jaggy in sight anywhere unlike most games which run at 720.

    720 pah. So last gen.

  • Xerx3s #25 5 years ago

    No it's not. It's just fixing what was stupidly shortsighted in the first place. Wankers.

    Wouldn't it be great to have a job as pr guy where you get to 'translate' stuff. :D

  • Foundry #26 5 years ago

    @Xerx3s

    All I see is the Xbox Live Arcade blade? What are you seeing?

  • bauhaus #27 5 years ago

    No DivX then??

    Thats all i want

  • swede #28 5 years ago

    Quick question - are the updates stored on the hard drive/memory unit or in some internal flash memory somewhere? Is there anyway of uninstalling dashboard updates?

  • Tiger_Walts #29 5 years ago

    # 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."

  • Xerx3s #30 5 years ago

    I also saw this:

    Added support for low-speed and full-speed USB keyboards.

    <a href='http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/12117/Xbox-360- Fall-Update-Announced/'>under other system improvements</a>

    Does this mean that usb keyboards can now be used?

  • BartonFink #31 5 years ago

    @swede - or somewhere and no

  • BartonFink #32 5 years ago

    @Xerx3s - err you always could.
    Unless of course you are talking about as an in game controller.
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/06 @ 19:36

  • Xerx3s #33 5 years ago

    All I see is the Xbox Live Arcade blade? What are you seeing?

    Oh nm, just me rambling along as I study for tomorrow's exam's with one eye and read EG with the other (multi tasking = t3h real next gen human :D).

  • Xerx3s #34 5 years ago

    @Xerx3s - err you always could.

    Really? I thought that ms didn't like other devices. So maybe a small chance for a mouse with halo wars after all then? One could dream... ;)

  • Rambaldi #35 5 years ago

    I knew you were at school

  • Tiger_Walts #36 5 years ago

    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)

  • Xerx3s #37 5 years ago

    The only thing that I really hate about the menu's is that the loading sometimes takes too long. It just testifies of either lack of dedicated resources or just bad program structure optimisation.

  • Scimarad #38 5 years ago

    "You'll be able to stream WMV videos from a Windows PC running Windows Media Player 11 or Windows Media Connect."

    At bloody last!!

  • patchbox360 #39 5 years ago



    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

  • Nostromo13 #40 5 years ago

    well, this isn't exactly like the last update...but what the hell.

  • BartonFink #41 5 years ago

    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 by 1 at 30/10/06 @ 20:35

  • Xerx3s #42 5 years ago

    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

    Welcome to 2005.

  • bauhaus #43 5 years ago

    no

  • Yaz #44 5 years ago

    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; [link url= http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/733/733658p1.html
    ]http://uk .xbox360.ign.com/articles/733/7...[/link]

    and here on Eurogamer in September; [link url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=67753 ]http://ww w.eurogamer.net/article.php?art...[/link]

  • Xerx3s #45 5 years ago

    bauhaus: no

    /fires a minigun at bauhaus from a helicopter

  • bioreit #46 5 years ago

    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 by 1 at 30/10/06 @ 21:10

  • viperfoxbat #47 5 years ago

    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).

  • peterfll #48 5 years ago

    "Existing games can be upscaled to 1080p from the 720p/1080i they run at now. Same with movie content."

    I don't think it will upscale movie (DVD) content. It has something to do with the DVD conventions (the rules laid out by the DVD governing bodies - for want of a better term), and any upscaling of DVD to 720\1080 resolutions has to be via a DVI or HDMI interface. Component is capable of doing it of course, but the powers that be won't let you.

    Or something like that, I read it somewhere.

  • Kiigan #49 5 years ago

    There's only one feature I'd really love to see. That is, I'd like to be able to either categorize my friends list, or else place comments / real names beside the entries on my friends list. It can be hard to remember who is who, when people use silly pseudonyms on XBL.

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #50 5 years ago

    "'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."

    LOL!

  • BadBoyBonner #51 5 years ago

    4096 Colours on the Amiga were possilbe withHold-and-Modify (more commonly known as HAM) And was a screenmode of the Commodore Amiga computer. It worked by either using one of 16 colours in the palette or by holding the colour of the last displayed pixel and then modifying its red, green, or blue component. This allowed the computer to display up to 4096 colors with only 6 bits available to indicate the colour.

    Was not very good for moving images though (scrolling! lol)
    Edited by 1 at 30/10/06 @ 23:08

  • Darren #52 5 years ago

    The Amiga could display upto 64 colours onscreen (out of 4096) for games (using Extra Half Bright mode) but typically most games used 32. The Atari ST was restricted to just 16 colours from a palette of 512.

  • coojam #53 5 years ago

    1080i and 1080p resolutions are only even relevant in the god damn dash boards of any consoles...developers are still making game in 720p which is then upscaled...but it's only upscaled to fit the screen, it's not making the picture any more high resolution.

    Genuine 1080p games will be higher resolution than 720p, but 1080i are just interlaced 720p images, therefore not genuinely better images.

  • The-Bodybuilder #54 5 years ago

    Oh great, a HD thread.....

  • Walshicus #55 5 years ago

    Repeat after me:

    "There is no such thing as a 1080i framebuffer! All framebuffers are progressive rather than interlaced! Any game which was outputting 1080i natively will be able to output 1080p natively!"

  • bloodflowers #56 5 years ago

    Interesting theres a fix to play videos properly off a fragmented drive. A few of us have long suspected these things are fragmenting like sheets of glass, and this would appear to confirm it. So, when's the defrag tool coming out? ;-) It's like NTFS, if anyone remembers that - MS said it didn't suffer. It did of course, and people shouted until they released a defrag tool.

    Also - not sure why people care about 1080 resolutions, the console runs at 720 only - you don't want a scaling stage if you can avoid it.
    Edited by 1 at 31/10/06 @ 00:24

  • bonker #57 5 years ago

    >>whats the possibility of someone knocking up an xna app to play divx?

    >>serious question, I know NOTHING about programming.

    Count on it - I'm a bit surprised that it's not sorted already by some group or another tho I think there's some s/w you can buy already to do this???

  • WhyMeeeeee #58 5 years ago

    is there anyway of getting these updates if u r not on xbox live?

  • t8yman #59 5 years ago

    " >>whats the possibility of someone knocking up an xna app to play divx?

    >>serious question, I know NOTHING about programming.

    Count on it - I'm a bit surprised that it's not sorted already by some group or another tho I think there's some s/w you can buy already to do this??? "

    yes there is, I use it, its called transode360, and works quite well, its just that I have to have the pc switched on to do this, and it doesnt like "network congestion" which is its only real flaw. I would however like an app that could play divx from a usb dongle or cdr or dvdr, that would be sweet.

  • Yaz #60 5 years ago

    bloodflowers wrote "Also - not sure why people care about 1080 resolutions, the console runs at 720 only - you don't want a scaling stage if you can avoid it."

    The 360 supports up to 1080i, the update inceases this to 1080p. Hence 720p games can be upscaled to 1080p (just like the PS3), and there will be games with native support for 1080p (also like the PS3).

    So stop the denial and learn to live with it.

    Also, what's wrong with upscaling from 720p to 1080p? The VAST majority of PS3 games are 720p, so why would you not want to upscale to 1080p if you have a 1080p TV?

  • Fatnick #61 5 years ago

    pah. No 1400x900 support. I am not amused :(