Connect360 returns after being shut out by Dashboard update

Mac users using Nullriver's Connect360 software to stream content to their Xbox 360 got an unpleasant surprise after installing the most recent Dashboard update, which beefed-up their 360's capabilities but unceremoniously severed the link with their Macs. As is often the case with such things, however, the software's developers have been quick to respond, not only fixing the problem but throwing in a few updates for good measure. Most notably, Connnect360 now boasts support for H.264 and MPEG4 video streaming, and you'll also now be able to stream podcasts straight from iTunes. While the update is free for exisiting users, the software itself is not (setting you back $20) -- although until Microsoft decides to add some Mac support itself, it looks to be about your only option.

[Via Arrogantics, thanks Zizzy]

[ronj @ May 14th 2007 5:19PM]

Funny, I've been using the old rev since the day of the 360 upgrade with no problems... at least none with streaming music from iTunes.

[Big @ May 14th 2007 5:26PM]

Goddamn I hate MAC.

I am disgusted Microsoft ever had to make hardware and software compatible with Apple stuff in the first place.

[Neil @ May 14th 2007 5:28PM]

Microsoft didn't make it compatible - this is third party software developed by a company that saw that people can be enthusiastic about both their Mac and their Xbox 360.

Please be a bit more open minded and consider what you're writing before you type it.

[Ignacio @ May 14th 2007 7:08PM]

"Goddamn I hate MAC.

I am disgusted Microsoft ever had to make hardware and software compatible with Apple stuff in the first place. "

1. You hate your network card address?
2. Nothing to do with this article, but did you know that the first development kits for the 360 were... Power Mac G5s and they were used to demo the first Xbox 360 games? ;-)

[psxp @ May 15th 2007 8:38AM]

@Big

You are so ghey.

[Neil Christie @ May 14th 2007 5:27PM]

The update did not 'break' anything - mine worked flawlessly and all this update to Connect360 does is adds additional codecs which you can stream.

[Bart Lee @ May 14th 2007 5:30PM]

Thank God for this software. It took away the only reason I would ever have to boot up into Windows.

[Anonymous @ May 14th 2007 5:31PM]

So Microsoft plugged a hole that allowed a third-party company to profit off of their machine, and that is a bad thing? I could see if the software was free, but if they charge for it, they should have to pay licensing fee's. I hope they get sued into oblivion

[ug_luvz_trance @ May 14th 2007 6:24PM]

You're a moron, in that case. Reverse engineering (if indeed that's what the Connect folks have done) is 100% legal, and you should be DAMN glad that it is.

[Tony @ May 14th 2007 5:35PM]

I don't think it broke per se. I have been using this software, and when the Spring Dash Update happened, the only thing that stopped working were my videos. This is probably due to the added support of new video codecs as well as this entry posted on the Xbox Team blog...

18. After the May 2007 update, my 3rd party software doesn't stream videos correctly. Why?

Video navigation was changed in the May 2007 update. 3rd party software that does not support folders through network sharing will not work correctly. You'll have to contact the software developer for support.

http://blogs.msdn.com/xboxteam/archive/2007/05/09/spring-07-video-playback-faq.aspx

Connect360 3.0 has resolved this issue.

[rp @ May 14th 2007 5:39PM]

Whatever, he hates MAC (whatever that is), although there's probably no good reason for it.

Microsoft adding OS X support for it's products? Hahahahahahaha... man, that's funny. Don't hold your breath.

[RikF @ May 14th 2007 5:41PM]

to the anonymous berk who thinks that they should pay a licensing fee - do you think petrol stations should pay a fee to the people who make cars? How about printer manufacturers to pc/operating system/software producers?

[dizilbdog @ May 14th 2007 5:50PM]

How do i change my movies from a quicktime to WMV so that i can watch them on my xbox 360.

[Kyle @ May 14th 2007 5:55PM]

BTW, TVersity streaming also broke due to the update. This was because Microsoft added directory support in the video section. TVersity has a patch out now and now we can finally organize all our videos and not have to scroll through a billion videos to get to the one we want. Yay!

[Tavis @ May 14th 2007 6:13PM]

@ dizilbdog: You need to get the paid version of Flip4Mac: http://www.flip4mac.com/wmv.htm

[nes @ May 14th 2007 6:39PM]

after the dashboard update last week, i was unable to stream ANYTHING from my mac to the 360. thank you nullriver for being so on top of the game. f the haters, i love this app!

[Ryan Sands @ May 14th 2007 7:21PM]

Ok people got a question for everyone. I have a 360 with the latest updated software....installed connect360 on my mac and i cant for the life of me get my 360 to see any of my files on my mac. I havent heard one other person have issues with this software. Could it be that because im using the wireless antenna for my 360 that it cant connect properly to my network and therefor cant see my mac?

[mando @ May 14th 2007 7:27PM]

Ok kids, some edumacation:
From WP

MAC-In computer networking a Media Access Control address (MAC address) is a unique identifier attached to most network adapters (NICs). It is a number that acts like a name for a particular network adapter, so, for example, the network cards (or built-in network adapters) in two different computers will have different names, or MAC addresses, as would an Ethernet adapter and a wireless adapter in the same computer, and as would multiple network cards in a router.

Mac-The Macintosh, or Mac, is a line of personal computers designed, developed, manufactured, and marketed by Apple. Named after the McIntosh variety of apple, the original Macintosh was released on January 24, 1984.

So lay off the CAPS LOCK!

[kevin @ May 14th 2007 11:44PM]

Well some videos are still not working even though they are properly formatted, I wrote the nullriver people and they said they were aware of the issue and are working on it... so I call this a .5 update until everything works perfect!

[Art Guy @ May 15th 2007 9:40AM]

Whoever wrote this article didn't do their homework.

Music worked fine both before and after the update, I believe only movie streaming was changed. Connect360 is not your only option, there are other programs you can use, but....Connect360 is the best around.

[John @ May 15th 2007 9:53AM]

Anything like this for the Wii?

[arkman @ May 15th 2007 8:09PM]

I've got connect360 and I have yet to ever get a video to play on the Xbox360 they can be seen, but the Xbox always says that it can't play them. Does anyone have some pointers for converting xvid to h.264, or one of the other formats that play? I've tried numerous settings and I can convert fine and play on the Mac fine, but never on the Xbox.

TIA

[Phelan @ May 15th 2007 9:20PM]

Dizilbdog,
Use a program called Visual Hub.
http://www.techspansion.com/visualhub/
It will allow you to convert virtually any file to any other file. Lovely piece of software.

I don't believe that Connect 360 is fully fixed. I converted a number of files to mp4 last night but when streaming through from my Mac to 360 to tv I found that the image on my 40inch screen was only half the size with giant black borders around it.
I tried converting the file in a number of ways and got the same problem every time:

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/4349/1000628tv3.jpg

[Goldengoose7 @ May 19th 2007 2:35AM]

I've got to agree with the comments Phelan posted above mine about version 3.0 having some MAJOR issues.

This is my first exposure to this program, so I didn't know where all the issues were coming from until I started reading complaints from other users describing the exact same problems.

Here they are in no particular order:

1) Videos that are using 3.0's newly supported formats refuse to play on the 360. The console returns an error saying that the format is not supported. I can't play .mov files, mpeg4v files, and many mp4 files.

2) What few video podcasts that do play on my 360 all freeze up after a minute or two, forcing a return to the Dashboard to clear the problem. 360 video controls will not come up when hitting the "X" button when the freeze occurs.

3) 360 locking up tight after some freezes, forcing a power reset from the console itself since the controller does not respond at all.

I have written to the support email address asking for some help, but after two days, I have not received a reply.

Probably should have used the trial version a bit more before plunking down the 20 bucks. I quickly tested all the various features and all seemed to work, but of course once I started trying to watch an entire video podcast, I quickly discovered that I can only get about 60 to 90 seconds in before the thing freezes up.

FRUSTRATING!

I sure hope the dev is able to fix the problem, and fix it soon. Otherwise, I just wasted $20 bucks. :o(

[Joe Stone @ Feb 17th 2008 10:38AM]

I just found connect 360, my microsoft desktop will be a thing of the past when my income tax check comes in, i have a mac laptop and love it, i'm done with this unreliable piece of shiat...

[Joe Stone @ Feb 17th 2008 10:38AM]

I just found connect 360, my microsoft desktop will be a thing of the past when my income tax check comes in, i have a mac laptop and love it, i'm done with this unreliable piece of shiat...

[bernard brown @ May 3rd 2008 9:13AM]

can not get connect360 to load every time i down load
i get a preferences error any help out there

[ThE SpEcTrE @ Jun 18th 2008 1:54AM]

~WhoS NexT??~

[ThE SpEcTrE @ Jun 18th 2008 1:37AM]

Try Uninstalling then go to Library / Receipts and make sure theres no serial info from nullriver if there is delete it then try re-installing connect 360. Sometimes after an install it will say failed to load but sometimes you need to exit preferences menu and then re-open for the program to load, sometimes. Well hope that helps ya!!!