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[nelsongs]

I have my MP3s streamed to Xbox360 using Mediacenter PC.  I noticed that Xbox360 cannot emulate the 5.1 DD when playing MP3s unlike the XBMC in the original Xbox.  I'm using the optical/digital output connected to my 5.1 receiver.  Is this a normal behavior of Xbox360?

Thanks.

[nelsongs]

Yeah, not only the subwoofer output, but the rear channels as well.  It only has stereo output when playing MP3s even if the audio setting is in Dolby Digital.  It really sucks.  I called MS Xbox360 support team and they told me that if the content that I'm playing is Dolby Digital, then I could utilize the Dolby Digital output.  They didn't even know that the MP3 contents on the hard drive that comes with the Premium package and the dashboard audio have only stereo output.  It looks like the box couldn't emulate the 5.1 output, unlike the original xbox.

[dracus]

Its apparently a media center issue.  It outputs in 5.1 from the dashboard. I just tested media center, and poof 2 channels only. I wonder if this is a feature or a bug. I tested a 5.1 dvd vob renamed to mpg with the same result.

So thats 4 stikes against the media center extender side of things.

 1. no divx support despite the fact media center can play it
 2. no visualizations on xbox with extender
 3. only 2 channel output with mp3, and videos
 4. mce is not cheap for the average person.

Well seems to me, less and less reasons to buy a media center edition pc for xbox 360 without an update. So far, I am not all that impressed with the "multimedia features" of the xbox 360 compared with even the basic xbmc.

I do have to say though, MP3s sound AWESOME off the pen drive and streamed over network with the dash player and its visualizations are KICK ASS.