Watch Optik TV on the Xbox 360

[IAM_CDN]

1) Any experiences (bad/good) from people that are/have used their Xbox as a STB for their main 'teevee' ?

2) is there any reason why a 250GB XBOX would be preferable over the 4GB XBOX if one's primary use is as an Optik STB (presumably, all PVR storage will be on the Telus PVR itself)?

As I have mentioned before, I'm not a huge "gamer" but I would like to have the XBOX to play the odd game... likely just a few purchased games for my kids (2 & 4).

Thanks again

[DJDiggler]

While the 4gb may be fine for telus use but since you are going to be getting live gold anyway I highly recommend a 250gb. Gold lets you take advantage of weekly deals on xbox live arcade games... For a casual gamer xbla is awesome! We have about 100 arcade games on our xbox and maybe 5 actual disc games. My son loves to play co-op games with me and there are tons available. At $5 or less (on sale, some are more but drop pretty quick) for great games & huge variety, puzzles, co-op games with the kids, racing, ect.

With a 4gb you cant really take advantage of this great feature, there is just no room.

[IAM_CDN]

Thanks DJDiggler... I understand that there is storage limitations on the 4GB WRT gaming... but I'm not prepared to drop the coin to get the 250GB model ($400) for casual gaming. The 4GB is free... and I've not heard about an option of paying the incremental cost to get the 250GB*. I guess I'm just trying to determine if I'm better off substituting an additional STB for the XBOX if it's not going do do the job.

*perhaps there is there an option to add additional storage capacity to the 4GB model???

[DJDiggler]

Oh well if your getting the free one from telus by all means that's the way to go, if you ever feel the need for more space you can always add a hard drive latter. The Microsoft drive is a ripoff at $120 for a 250gb but it has to be an official Xbox drive. (it just slides right in a slot in the back, very easy)

here is one at the source... might find it on sale somewhere if you keep a look out
http://www.thesource.ca/estore/produ...roduct=5817497

when I signed up for internet a year or so ago it was a 250gb they gave for free.

[audacity]

$400 for a Xbox 360 250GB?!

Future Shop has those right now for $250 and you get both Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 and 3 bundled with the console.

If you want a Xbox 360 250GB with Kinect, the list price is $400, but just wait for a sale (like right now) and get a cheaper version. Oh, and if you're okay with spending $400 on a console, you can get the Star Wars Kinect version of the console (and a 320GB drive) and bundled games right now. Apparently when you start that special edition Xbox it makes R2D2 noises.

Oh, and if you decide to get a 4GB model, if you have a 16GB USB memory stick, that would allow you to store a lot of XBLA games. Personally if I were you I'd go that direction.

[IAM_CDN]

Yeah, I'm not really ok with spending anything on an XBOX... if it's free and functions as a STB I'm all over it... it's really just a bonus to be able to putz around a little with some games and Kinect features for the tv. I might be able to stomach spending a little bit on the hard drive (eBay maybe?) if I get the notion.

(...and yes, $400 was for the full Kinect version)

Looks like a lot of people just take the XBOX KINECT 4GB deal and try and unload them on Kijiji or eBay... there is a boatload of them out there for $250-$300.

[PrimeBane]

I know Telus doesn't support or recommend it, but has anyone tried after an install to use wifi rather than a wired connection to their 360 for Optik?

Or is that just not possible due to the fact everything is controlled through the PVR?

[dscott01]

Wifi will work fine for gaming on the Xbox but will not work for watching TV. If somehow you were able to get it working, you would have a LOT of issues.

[viperdiablo]

Originally Posted by Geco

My Xbox automatically starts Optik TV. (TV2 Ver. 2.0.25625.427)
From the Xbox home screen, Settings>System>Console Settings>Startup and Shutdown>Startup>Optik TV

Geco, I believe there is a newer version for the xbox 360. The new update does not allow to boot up directly into optik tv. It is not under startup and shutdown settings anymore. When I got optik installed on they never gave me the cd that originally was needed to install the optik tv app. All the installer did was download the app from the xbox marketplace. The cd can be downloaded from the telus website but it shows an earlier version then the app installed on my xbox. I hope xbox updates this soon since this is is used at my main tv in the house.

Do you have the new xbox interface that came out a couple months back?

[Geco]

Yep I do.

[ac]

I have the latest version-- 2.1.28037. It was installed after a problem occured with our account. After it was installed, there is no longer the option to load Optik tv in startup

[Geco]

Aha! There's the difference (I have an older version).

[ac]

Is anyone else experiencing extremely long load times for the 360 Optik client? From the point I launch it from the dashboard its taking several minutes before I am able to watch tv (much longer than it previously took).

Once its running, everything is fine, as are all my other high-demand apps, so I don't think its a bandwidth issue.

[marks]

Just activated OptikTV on my my Xbox. A lot of questions here so thought I'd answer a few.

- You do require Xbox gold but there's no longer an additional Telus charge nor was there any setup charge and a tech visit wasn't necessary. The first time you load the Optik app on the Xbox you'll be prompted for an activation code. Call Telus, get the code, enter it and you're set.

- You can't use the Telus app with the integrated Xbox WiFi or the Xbox wireless adapter. When you try to load the Telus app you'll receive a message saying only wired connections are supported. A third party access point like the 'Linksys Universal Media Connector' would likely work.

- Your main Telus box has to be connected via the Ethernet port. If it's hooked up using coax the Xbox won't be able to connect to it.

- Loading the app does take a minute or so. Long enough to be a little frustrating. Once the app is loaded the menus respond much faster than with the Telus box. Guide paging and menu selection is pretty much instant. The Xbox itself takes 30 seconds or so to boot so now you're looking a a couple minutes to turn on your TV.

- The app looks just like you'd see on the regular Telus box and it appears to have identical functionality which makes sense as Microsoft makes the software used on the Telus boxes.

- I feel like the colour is better than I experienced with the Telus box. Richer colours and deeper blacks. Maybe it's my imagination but there's definitely no loss of quality.

- The Kinect integration is pretty cool. It may be a bit of a novelty feature but I can see myself using it to pause or mute the TV. I find the Xbox controller very intuitive. Easier to use than a regular remote. Paging the guide with the trigger buttons is nice.

- The video on demand features are much, much faster than with the regular Telus box. Almost instant actually.

If I had more TVs to hook up I think I'd buy an Xbox rather than another Telus box. It's crazy how much faster it is. I just wish the initial load time was a bit faster.

[marks]

Loading the Optik app on the Xbox is much, much faster today. I set it up on Saturday and Saturday and Sunday it took as long as two minutes to load, averaging about a minute or so.

This morning it loads quite quickly. Maybe as fast as 15 seconds.