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The Xbox 360 dashboard is quite an excellent piece of software, it has some excellent features and options that make using the 360 a lot lot easier. This is a small guide to some of the many features of the Xbox 360 dashboard, many most of you will already know about but there maybe some interesting features that are new to you. Feel free to add anything that you feel is missing.
Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox live marketplace allows you to download additional content such as game demos, game and media video clips, gamercard pictures and themes for the Xbox dashboard. Content is regularly added and most demos offer at least one level to play through. Much of the content is free but for full Xbox live arcade games, themes and pictures you will need to exchange Marketplace points for them.
Marketplace Points
Marketplace points allow you to buy some of the additional content from xbox live marketplace. You can order points via Xbox live marketplace using a credit card or purchase a card from most game retailers and enter the code on the card to redeem your points.
Xbox Live Arcade
One of the popular areas of the Xbox live marketplace is the Xbox live arcade. This section contains many full arcade games available for download. Most popular at the moment seems to be the card game UNO. Many of these games are also playable against other gamers over Xbox Live. Many top titles are also rumored to be coming to Live arcade such as the Street fighter series.
Gamercard
Your gamercard shows your reputation and the number of gamerpoints that you have collected from the games you have played. Gamerpoints are awarded in most 360 games and Live arcade games for obtaining certain achievements during the game. Clicking on any of the games you have played here will display the achievements you have been awarded and those that you still need to get. Your reputation is based on what other gamers think of you, the more people enjoyed playing with you then the better your reputation.
Friends List
The friends list allows you to see which of your friends are online and what they are doing. You can add new friends, send messages (both text and voice) to those on your friends lists and also compare gamerpoints from the games you both own.
Playing Online
To play games online you will need an Xbox live Gold membership – this can be purchased through Xbox live marketplace with a credit card or from most game retailers. Then all you need are some live enabled games and you are free to play online against other gamers and your friends.
Music
On the media blade is the music player, to play music on your 360 you either need to put in a CD and play music directly off the CD or rip the music from the CD onto your hard drive. You can also use windows xp media edition or media connect to transfer music from your home PC to your 360. You can play your own music during games using the music player.
Movies
The 360 will also play DVD movies. There is also software available that will allow you to play all sorts of pc movie file formats (avi, mov, mp4 and divx movies etc) if you have a version of windows XP media edition. A nice addition in the latest update will remember where you stopped watching a DVD (if you decide to play a game or decide to stop watching), if you put the DVD back in your 360 it will start playing from where it left off.
Windows XP Media Edition
If you have a home network and a PC running windows media edition you can play music, movies and watch TV and pictures through your 360. This is a separate version of the windows XP operating system.
Windows Media Connect
If you don't have windows media edition you can still play music from your PC and view pictures from your PC on your Xbox 360. You'll need to download and install Windows media connect onto your PC and set it up to share the appropriate folders with the 360.
External Devices
It is possible to connect a few external devices to your 360 via the USB slots. Common devices such as Wireless adapters, digital cameras and mp3 players can be connected to your 360. With an mp3 player you can connect it and play the music through your 360 and TV. There are also a few new 3rd party devices out soon – one of which will allow you to save content from the 360 hard drive onto your PC hard drive.
System Blade
The system blade contains all of the system options and settings. You can change the settings here such as the display settings and audio settings, delete content from your storage devices and set up the network features to allow you to connect with your home network or to play games and download extra content.
Communicating Via PC
Another interesting new feature on xbox.com allows you to send messages to the gamers on your friends list from your PC. Just log in and select the friend on your list that you want to message. They'll then get the message if they are logged in or receive it the next time they log on.
Guide Button
The big button on the center of your control pad. This allows for some nice in game features. Using the guide button you can play your own music during games, check to see which friends are online during games and communicate with them or join their game, you can return to the dashboard from the game or shut down the console itself using the button.
Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox live marketplace allows you to download additional content such as game demos, game and media video clips, gamercard pictures and themes for the Xbox dashboard. Content is regularly added and most demos offer at least one level to play through. Much of the content is free but for full Xbox live arcade games, themes and pictures you will need to exchange Marketplace points for them.
Marketplace Points
Marketplace points allow you to buy some of the additional content from xbox live marketplace. You can order points via Xbox live marketplace using a credit card or purchase a card from most game retailers and enter the code on the card to redeem your points.
Xbox Live Arcade
One of the popular areas of the Xbox live marketplace is the Xbox live arcade. This section contains many full arcade games available for download. Most popular at the moment seems to be the card game UNO. Many of these games are also playable against other gamers over Xbox Live. Many top titles are also rumored to be coming to Live arcade such as the Street fighter series.
Gamercard
Your gamercard shows your reputation and the number of gamerpoints that you have collected from the games you have played. Gamerpoints are awarded in most 360 games and Live arcade games for obtaining certain achievements during the game. Clicking on any of the games you have played here will display the achievements you have been awarded and those that you still need to get. Your reputation is based on what other gamers think of you, the more people enjoyed playing with you then the better your reputation.
Friends List
The friends list allows you to see which of your friends are online and what they are doing. You can add new friends, send messages (both text and voice) to those on your friends lists and also compare gamerpoints from the games you both own.
Playing Online
To play games online you will need an Xbox live Gold membership – this can be purchased through Xbox live marketplace with a credit card or from most game retailers. Then all you need are some live enabled games and you are free to play online against other gamers and your friends.
Music
On the media blade is the music player, to play music on your 360 you either need to put in a CD and play music directly off the CD or rip the music from the CD onto your hard drive. You can also use windows xp media edition or media connect to transfer music from your home PC to your 360. You can play your own music during games using the music player.
Movies
The 360 will also play DVD movies. There is also software available that will allow you to play all sorts of pc movie file formats (avi, mov, mp4 and divx movies etc) if you have a version of windows XP media edition. A nice addition in the latest update will remember where you stopped watching a DVD (if you decide to play a game or decide to stop watching), if you put the DVD back in your 360 it will start playing from where it left off.
Windows XP Media Edition
If you have a home network and a PC running windows media edition you can play music, movies and watch TV and pictures through your 360. This is a separate version of the windows XP operating system.
Windows Media Connect
If you don't have windows media edition you can still play music from your PC and view pictures from your PC on your Xbox 360. You'll need to download and install Windows media connect onto your PC and set it up to share the appropriate folders with the 360.
External Devices
It is possible to connect a few external devices to your 360 via the USB slots. Common devices such as Wireless adapters, digital cameras and mp3 players can be connected to your 360. With an mp3 player you can connect it and play the music through your 360 and TV. There are also a few new 3rd party devices out soon – one of which will allow you to save content from the 360 hard drive onto your PC hard drive.
System Blade
The system blade contains all of the system options and settings. You can change the settings here such as the display settings and audio settings, delete content from your storage devices and set up the network features to allow you to connect with your home network or to play games and download extra content.
Communicating Via PC
Another interesting new feature on xbox.com allows you to send messages to the gamers on your friends list from your PC. Just log in and select the friend on your list that you want to message. They'll then get the message if they are logged in or receive it the next time they log on.
Guide Button
The big button on the center of your control pad. This allows for some nice in game features. Using the guide button you can play your own music during games, check to see which friends are online during games and communicate with them or join their game, you can return to the dashboard from the game or shut down the console itself using the button.
my gammertag is gunnerkid4
evrybody add me 2 your friendz list on xbox live on 360 if u have not already
The Xbox 360 dashboard is quite an excellent piece of software, it has some excellent features and options that make using the 360 a lot lot easier. This is a small guide to some of the many features of the Xbox 360 dashboard, many most of you will already know about but there maybe some interesting features that are new to you. Feel free to add anything that you feel is missing.
Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox live marketplace allows you to download additional content such as game demos, game and media video clips, gamercard pictures and themes for the Xbox dashboard. Content is regularly added and most demos offer at least one level to play through. Much of the content is free but for full Xbox live arcade games, themes and pictures you will need to exchange Marketplace points for them.
Marketplace Points
Marketplace points allow you to buy some of the additional content from xbox live marketplace. You can order points via Xbox live marketplace using a credit card or purchase a card from most game retailers and enter the code on the card to redeem your points.
Xbox Live Arcade
One of the popular areas of the Xbox live marketplace is the Xbox live arcade. This section contains many full arcade games available for download. Most popular at the moment seems to be the card game UNO. Many of these games are also playable against other gamers over Xbox Live. Many top titles are also rumored to be coming to Live arcade such as the Street fighter series.
Gamercard
Your gamercard shows your reputation and the number of gamerpoints that you have collected from the games you have played. Gamerpoints are awarded in most 360 games and Live arcade games for obtaining certain achievements during the game. Clicking on any of the games you have played here will display the achievements you have been awarded and those that you still need to get. Your reputation is based on what other gamers think of you, the more people enjoyed playing with you then the better your reputation.
Friends List
The friends list allows you to see which of your friends are online and what they are doing. You can add new friends, send messages (both text and voice) to those on your friends lists and also compare gamerpoints from the games you both own.
Playing Online
To play games online you will need an Xbox live Gold membership – this can be purchased through Xbox live marketplace with a credit card or from most game retailers. Then all you need are some live enabled games and you are free to play online against other gamers and your friends.
Music
On the media blade is the music player, to play music on your 360 you either need to put in a CD and play music directly off the CD or rip the music from the CD onto your hard drive. You can also use windows xp media edition or media connect to transfer music from your home PC to your 360. You can play your own music during games using the music player.
Movies
The 360 will also play DVD movies. There is also software available that will allow you to play all sorts of pc movie file formats (avi, mov, mp4 and divx movies etc) if you have a version of windows XP media edition. A nice addition in the latest update will remember where you stopped watching a DVD (if you decide to play a game or decide to stop watching), if you put the DVD back in your 360 it will start playing from where it left off.
Windows XP Media Edition
If you have a home network and a PC running windows media edition you can play music, movies and watch TV and pictures through your 360. This is a separate version of the windows XP operating system.
Windows Media Connect
If you don't have windows media edition you can still play music from your PC and view pictures from your PC on your Xbox 360. You'll need to download and install Windows media connect onto your PC and set it up to share the appropriate folders with the 360.
External Devices
It is possible to connect a few external devices to your 360 via the USB slots. Common devices such as Wireless adapters, digital cameras and mp3 players can be connected to your 360. With an mp3 player you can connect it and play the music through your 360 and TV. There are also a few new 3rd party devices out soon – one of which will allow you to save content from the 360 hard drive onto your PC hard drive.
System Blade
The system blade contains all of the system options and settings. You can change the settings here such as the display settings and audio settings, delete content from your storage devices and set up the network features to allow you to connect with your home network or to play games and download extra content.
Communicating Via PC
Another interesting new feature on xbox.com allows you to send messages to the gamers on your friends list from your PC. Just log in and select the friend on your list that you want to message. They'll then get the message if they are logged in or receive it the next time they log on.
Guide Button
The big button on the center of your control pad. This allows for some nice in game features. Using the guide button you can play your own music during games, check to see which friends are online during games and communicate with them or join their game, you can return to the dashboard from the game or shut down the console itself using the button.
Xbox Live Marketplace
Xbox live marketplace allows you to download additional content such as game demos, game and media video clips, gamercard pictures and themes for the Xbox dashboard. Content is regularly added and most demos offer at least one level to play through. Much of the content is free but for full Xbox live arcade games, themes and pictures you will need to exchange Marketplace points for them.
Marketplace Points
Marketplace points allow you to buy some of the additional content from xbox live marketplace. You can order points via Xbox live marketplace using a credit card or purchase a card from most game retailers and enter the code on the card to redeem your points.
Xbox Live Arcade
One of the popular areas of the Xbox live marketplace is the Xbox live arcade. This section contains many full arcade games available for download. Most popular at the moment seems to be the card game UNO. Many of these games are also playable against other gamers over Xbox Live. Many top titles are also rumored to be coming to Live arcade such as the Street fighter series.
Gamercard
Your gamercard shows your reputation and the number of gamerpoints that you have collected from the games you have played. Gamerpoints are awarded in most 360 games and Live arcade games for obtaining certain achievements during the game. Clicking on any of the games you have played here will display the achievements you have been awarded and those that you still need to get. Your reputation is based on what other gamers think of you, the more people enjoyed playing with you then the better your reputation.
Friends List
The friends list allows you to see which of your friends are online and what they are doing. You can add new friends, send messages (both text and voice) to those on your friends lists and also compare gamerpoints from the games you both own.
Playing Online
To play games online you will need an Xbox live Gold membership – this can be purchased through Xbox live marketplace with a credit card or from most game retailers. Then all you need are some live enabled games and you are free to play online against other gamers and your friends.
Music
On the media blade is the music player, to play music on your 360 you either need to put in a CD and play music directly off the CD or rip the music from the CD onto your hard drive. You can also use windows xp media edition or media connect to transfer music from your home PC to your 360. You can play your own music during games using the music player.
Movies
The 360 will also play DVD movies. There is also software available that will allow you to play all sorts of pc movie file formats (avi, mov, mp4 and divx movies etc) if you have a version of windows XP media edition. A nice addition in the latest update will remember where you stopped watching a DVD (if you decide to play a game or decide to stop watching), if you put the DVD back in your 360 it will start playing from where it left off.
Windows XP Media Edition
If you have a home network and a PC running windows media edition you can play music, movies and watch TV and pictures through your 360. This is a separate version of the windows XP operating system.
Windows Media Connect
If you don't have windows media edition you can still play music from your PC and view pictures from your PC on your Xbox 360. You'll need to download and install Windows media connect onto your PC and set it up to share the appropriate folders with the 360.
External Devices
It is possible to connect a few external devices to your 360 via the USB slots. Common devices such as Wireless adapters, digital cameras and mp3 players can be connected to your 360. With an mp3 player you can connect it and play the music through your 360 and TV. There are also a few new 3rd party devices out soon – one of which will allow you to save content from the 360 hard drive onto your PC hard drive.
System Blade
The system blade contains all of the system options and settings. You can change the settings here such as the display settings and audio settings, delete content from your storage devices and set up the network features to allow you to connect with your home network or to play games and download extra content.
Communicating Via PC
Another interesting new feature on xbox.com allows you to send messages to the gamers on your friends list from your PC. Just log in and select the friend on your list that you want to message. They'll then get the message if they are logged in or receive it the next time they log on.
Guide Button
The big button on the center of your control pad. This allows for some nice in game features. Using the guide button you can play your own music during games, check to see which friends are online during games and communicate with them or join their game, you can return to the dashboard from the game or shut down the console itself using the button.