The SA MCE Community

I recently got an XBOX 360.  I was VERY excited to use the MCE Extender part of it since I've heard reports of how good it is.  I've been using a standard XBOX extender for over a year now, and although it works really well for TV etc, the interface looks very clunky compared to the real MCE interface.  The XBOX has no transitions and no effects whatsoever.  Saying that though, watching TV on it was as close to perfect as you can get through Media Center, which is what I do mostly with it anyway.

But now, the 360.  Now that is nice!!  It looks exactly like the real Media Center.  All effects, that little spinning circle actually moves, the blue background swirls around ever so slightly, it's brilliant.  The best part about it is that you don't need to shell out for the Media Center remote if you don't want to.  The standard one for the real Media Center works fine.

The one issue I have though, is that the volume controls don't work.  I thought maybe it was the fact that I was using a standard MCE remote, but I'm not sure about this since there is no control on the 360 controller to control volume either.  This is pretty irritating.  I have to use another remote (the one for my speakers) to control volume.  I have also thought that maybe it's because I am using an optical cable to connect the 360 to the speakers.  Perhaps it doesn't allow the volume to be changed over digital output.

If anyone as any other comments or ideas on XBOX extenders, please reply.

Thanks

Duncan

Hi there Duncan,

the 360-remote "Universal Media Remote" is designed to control the connected TV as well, it can learn which TV you have and turn it on/off and control it's volume. See this link:
 http://www.xbox.com/en-US/support/systemsetup/xbox360/accessories/universalmediaremote-controlcodes.htm.

The small one, "Media Remote" cannot control the TV or volume.

Sound always comes with the same volume out of the X-Box (especially in optical!), and has to be controlled on the TV or speakers.

Bye
Alexander

Hi there

Anybody know where I can get a Media Center Extender for a standard (pre 360) Xbox?  It seems a shame to buy a full extender if all I need is some software and hardware add ons to my Xbox.

Look to www.eBay.com, though I am not sure if US versions work on ZA X-Boxes. Might depend on a mod-chip...   

I have a standard XBOX extender which I bought in the States.  I have an NTSC XBOX also, but I softmodded it to make it PAL, as the picture quality is a lot better, and I can use if to play DivX files with XBOX Media Center.  The disc says it's for NTSC only, but it works in PAL, but not sure if it will work on a standard shackled PAL XBOX.

Cheers

Duncan

I got mine from the USA and it works.  My XBOX is a PAL one.

I know http://xboxsa.co.za/ used to sell them but their site appears to be down at the moment.

That site has been down for months.  Maybe they've gone bust.  Sad, although they were kind of on the expensive side.

I have started to use my extender quite a lot recently to watch cricket while I am working on my PC in my gaming room\study and I am also frustrated by the lack of volume control in the extended MCE interface.  Like Duncan, I am also using an optical cable to connect my console to my speakers.

I have tried the official MCE remote and the XBOX 360 MCE Remote and neither work.  Other than this little issue, the MCE extender in the XBOX 360 works great! 

Has anyone got this issue?  Does anyone know if the volume works when you connect the console up to speakers not using the optical cable?

Thanks

Chris

 

chris, the same thing happens with normal mce when using optical. unless you use volume tracker (external application) or your soundcard somehow managers to link the two itself, spdif does not have a volume control.

 

because of this, i would hazard a guess you would be just fine when using normal "analog" speakers connected directly.

 

I see. Makes perfect sense.  Thanks dude! 

You know a LOT about these types of things!  I certainly am glad that you come around these parts often!

madmax:

chris, the same thing happens with normal mce when using optical. unless you use volume tracker (external application) or your soundcard somehow managers to link the two itself, spdif does not have a volume control.

 

because of this, i would hazard a guess you would be just fine when using normal "analog" speakers connected directly.

 

 In XP MCE I could control volume when connected optically to my speakers, unless the output was proper DD or DTS when watching a DVD.  I can't anymore now with Vista.   I suppose this is a driver issue, like you said when the sound card manages the link. 

I do think it sucks that they've disabled volume control entirely with the 360 extender.  I sort of understand why they did it, but why restrict the remote to only being able to control a TV volume control?  They are quite clear that it doesn't support amps or any other speaker systems.  A bit weak if you ask me.  Maybe they're in bed with Logitech, and want to help them sell more Harmony remotes?