I want to watch films on a network hard drive through the Xbox – what do people recommend?

Thanks.

would this work ok http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Wireless-N-Networking-Adapter-Fr-Microsoft-XBOX-360-/140621929993?pt=UK_Video_Games_Cables_and_Adaptors&hash=item20bdb85e09#ht_2335wt_1396 ?

I’ve got a cable running from my router to my Xbox. I recon the one you’ve linked to looks to do the job. Cheap enough too.

You’ve got two issues. Connectivity and compatibility.

Connectivity wise, as Earl said. It needs connecting to t’Interwebs like you’d connect a PC, either wired (regular Ethernet cable) or wireless (the linked dongle, unless you’ve got a new 360 Slim which has it built in). I’m assuming your NAS is already connected to your router and working.

Compatibility, you need the NAS to present the media in a format the 360 expects, which is basically Windows Media Player. Most decent NAS boxes use something like Twonky to transcode the source on the fly (usually at a nominal cost for the licence).

I do something similar, only using a PC as the source; TVersity is good, and free.

great thanks. Yep my NAS (hard drive!) is t’internet linked and I believe it’s all compatible.

So, is the linked item (dongle) all I need then Cougar?

Thanks.

That dongle should work with any wireless so should be fine to connect to your nas (will need to set up the wifi config on the xbox obviously). If you’ve got the option to use windows media player it works great with the xbox. You should also go onto xbox live and download the “optional media update” This will allow you to play media files without being connected to live. Its a bit hard to find, hopefully its still in this location:

Game Marketplace -> Explore Content -> All Games -> Browse All Games -> O -> Optional Media Update

sweet thanks.

Just wasn’t too sure about that dongle as it seems to be coming from France and is cheaper than all the other identical looking ones.

Not really an answer to your question, but I just stick them on a USB stick, stick it in the 360, and play them that way. The 360 will play Divx films if you download the codec.

(possible silly question) Have you got a wireless N router?

You can probably make sure it all works just by connecting a network cable between your router and xbox. The Xbox should show up your NAS drive automatically and let you browse your films and music. If it all works the way you want, and you don’t want to use a wire, then get a wireless dongle.

yeah I have been doing that, but i’ve got loadsa films and a temperamental USB stick.