XBox, SMB and Snapstream... took me the weekend to set up, but it's great!

[guitrldy]

Just thought I'd post this here in case anyone else is contemplating this project.

Because I was also learning EvoX (new XBox dashboard) and XBMP (XBox Media Player), I think the learning curve was longer. But it was a fun weekend project.

I can now play any MPeg and WMV file created by Snapstream on my XBox using the SMB protocol.

Here's how (in a small nutshell):
o Installed XBox Mod Chip (Chameleon)
o Installed Evolution X (EvoX) and XBMP along with other software.
o Connected XBox to LAN
o Used the Network SMB protocol (Server Message Block) in XBMP to point to my shared video folders on my Snapstream box.
o Watched pre-recorded Snapstream videos on the XBox!

Any file format works for XBMP, so there's no compression and codec stuff to worry about.

The mod chip and software installs are not for the feint of heart. I sent mine to an installer and paid him to do it.

That's it in short. Any questions, let me know! But it can be done.

[Julia]

the XBMP project is very nice. Some of us have been doing this. The one thing I found is that 802.11b isn't enough bandwidth to play DVD quality captures (720x480 6Mb/s). But other than that it is a great solution.

Julia

[PBMax]

If you look at the config file you will notice that it has settings for a Snapstream Server.


HUMMMMM..............

[guitrldy]

Yeah, I saw that... I said hhhhmmmmmmm too!

[berg]

I am using a very similar setup.

Using a moded XBox running XBox Media Player 2.4 (XBMP) to view shows recorded with SnapStream on a PII 400 mhz box using a PVR 250.

I had some problems using SMB to access the recordings and had to setup the system using the Relax "server" software to have more reliable streaming.

It's great !!!

The configuration entry for the SnapStream server is not being used right now. I gather it is still under development. Of course, I am sure the gals and guys at XBMP (www.xboxmediaplayer.de) would welcome some help/support from the folks at SnapStream.

I am sure there are quite a few of us using that setup, and more would certainly look into it if the integration between the two was tighter.

I can't schedule, delete, etc. from the XBox. I have to use a browser to access the web interface of SS to do this.

If the folks at SnapStream could help the folks at XBMP to allow the XBMP to act as a true client to the SS PVS, it would be great.

I would love to hear from more PVS users who are using XBMP and what they have done.

PBMax, you should talk to the boss and get the co. to buy a moded Xbox for testing ;-)

JS.

[James]

...berg, you say that like we don't already..

[berg]

Good point !

Get on with it then ;-)

[guitrldy]

What's tricky about getting SS to work with the folks at XBMP is the fact that, as far as I know, XBMP will only run on modded XBoxes.

Will SS really want to get into the legal ramifications of that? Plus, they would be doing all that work for essentially an open-source community. I didn't purchase any of the software I'm using on my modded XBox. It was all open-source.

And, "the man" is coming down hard on modchip makers. They may get harder to find.


PS. Here's some info on using XBMP and XMLTV. XMLTV is an open-source TV Guide.

[James]

Originally posted by berg
Good point !

Get on with it then ;-)

...well, because it's always being used for Halo stress relief sessions :P

[berg]

In addition to the legal issues, probably the most compelling argument is that there is probably, everything being relative, a limited number of users. This does limit the efforts you would expend in a commercial enterprise.

What I was suggesting is really for some of the SnapStream crew to participate in the XBMP forum to "help things along ..." (If they don't already)

But since Halo keeps on getting in the way ...;-)

As for the limited availability of mod chips, while M$ can make an impact, they will never be able to close that Pandora's box until the next hardware realease. In fact, as you probably know, much has been made in the last couple of months of mods without a mod chip.

Anyways, enough of this, this is a PVS forum !

XBMP integration or not, PVS is a great product !!!

Now if only they could release support for multi tuners, HDTV, etc. ;-)

Sincerely,

Never Happy

[berg]

Hello folks, James,

Just to keep this topic "fresh" in the PVS team's mind, this is the most recent post on the XBMP forum with respect to some type of integration between SnapStream and the XBox Media Player;

I know no one of the offical XBMP devs is working on it right now and might be a while til they do.

Does not help either that Snapstream is closed source so everying has to be reversed engineered.

If you guys could only find sometime to help them a little ... maybe the API will go a long way to resolving this ?!?!

Thanks.

[rkuo]

I would think the developer SDK would totally resolve these issues, if it meets my expectations. Feel free to mention it over there.

[berg]

I thought I would *bump* this thread ...

There has been some developments on the XBox Media Player front - the core group or a portion of the core group of devs that put together the XBox Media Player (XBMP) have announced the beta/alpha of XBox Media Center (XBMC) a completely new "package" developed from the ground up but with the experience of XBMP.

It is really early but it shows great promise, so at the risk of repeating myself, it would be great to see the XBMC integrate with PVS.

So, I can't help myself - I have to ask how the SDK is doing ???

Since the XBMC team is just getting started, it could go a long way if the SnapStream team shared some info about the architecture of the upcoming SDK so they could get ready to put the foundations in ...

rkuo - can you help ?

Thanks.

[rkuo]

I'm not sure how XBMP will deal with this, but you'll basically want to be able to make web service calls over SOAP. Ideally you'll want to use .NET with the .NET framework as the development environment...I'm not sure whether you have that option on the XBOX, but if you do, that would be great. The other option is to get familiar with the web service/SOAP packages out there and use those. gSOAP is one open package that I'm aware of.

[berg]

Thanks rkuo.

Its great to get such quick replies.

How far away are you guys from releasing the SDK ?

Nothing to ties you down, but some order of proportion - days, weeks, quarters, ?

Is it ties to the development of realease 3.5, 3.6, 4.0 ?

Thanks again.