EDIT: It seems I should have read all the comments. Apparently 2k3 lacks two services that won’t allow it to share media using wmp11. I set up sharing using my desktop to test if it was worth it, seems I see a tiny fraction of my media, it looks like only stuff in Microsoft format. So far the old xbox has been spared being moved from the entertainment center.
I’ll start with this, since everyone has the same response: Yes I own 2003 legally, why is this such a surprise that an individual could care to have a real (lets forget the linux vs MS bashing on this one) server environment in their home? I have need to host a few small web sites, run some simple PVR software, and to run data collection from my weather station as services, I enjoy the ease of maintaining the box since I have no useful experience with linux servers, and I use it as an environment with RAID to store my photos and mp3 collection.
So when I discovered there was no easy way to stream any of that media to my xbox 360, I was a bit disappointed, but I didn’t give up. I’ve long been using my Xbox (1) to stream files to my entertainment center using the awesome, Xbox Media Center. Of course this meant if I wanted continued functionality, I had to keep both machines in the already over crowded entertainment center.
In order to share media with a 360, you either need a machine running XP and Media Player 11, or a media center pc. I had no desire to bring up yet another pc that was on all the time just to share files. With a bit of searching, I found an excellent article on getting WMP11 on to your 2k3 box. So far, I’ve got it installed, the only gotchya (if your sans-sleep) was that the search does not check hidden files and folders unless you specify to do so under “More Advanced Search Options.”
When I found the desired files I decided to copy them out on to my desktop, where I also pasted the article into a text file. This way I can burn all this to a cd and use it later, without the searching if I lose my OS. Install was easy, all files did need to be run in compatibility mode, and it was a bit scary restarting the machine remotely, but hey, WTH right?
So I got it installed, with the help of that article, and it has been configured to use my media, of which is a bit limited in file types. The next test will be to see if I can truly fire up the 360 and use the media, at least some of it anyway.
