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    Update Thursday – Boxee Box, Xbox 360

    Today we seen two of our favourite set-top boxes get an update. Both Boxee Box and Xbox 360 updates landed today, so what’s included and should you get them  ?

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    Boxee Box
    Updated to version 1.0.3, the list of changes is pretty lengthy, including both bug fixes and improvements. The most notable is its speed improvements. Zipping in and out of different menus on Boxee Box is now satisfyingly snappy.

    While Boxee is promoting the biggest addition in this update is VUDU (HD movie service), once again this is a US-only feature. Fake physical borders in an international marketplace – the internet, strikes again.

    So in Australia we’ll have to be content with the following updates..

    Enhancements:

    • Settings to control de-interlacing and video filters configuration
    • Support for language selection in subtitle/audio
    • Forced subtitle automatic selection during MKV file playback
    • An option to ignore the prefix in the sort order for movies/albums/artists which start with ‘The’ and ‘A’ (big one!)
    • Enhancements to Browser performance
    • Browser opens in lower resolution to allow easier reading of text
    • Browser is zoomed into Video by default for non auto full screen websites
    • Direct launch of website when defining full URL in the search bar
    • Preselecting the current chapter when opening chapter selector for MKV/BluRay

    Bug Fixes:

    • HTTPS support for the browser
    • 4:3 Videos Stretched to 16:9
    • MKV Chapter Time is Displayed Incorrectly
    • Audio dropouts in DTS-HD audio
    • Improved WTV support
    • 3gp playback errors
    • Improve BluRay titles loading time
    • Allow larger subtitles time offsets
    • Audio re-buffering when entering commercials in TV episodes.
    • Viewing “Info Menu” while watching 24hz videos cause temp reversion back 60hz
    • With playlist over 999 items, track numbers overlap repeat icon in OSD
    • TV Shows no longer show as watched and can’t set to watched/unwatched
    • Crash at manual resolve if the user rapidly presses the menu/back button whilst the OS tries to apply details to files in a folder
    • When choosing from search suggestion list -> update the search editbox
    • Embedded fonts ignored on MKV playback with embedded SSA/ASS subtitles
    • SSA/ASS Subtitles position and font
    • Overlapping text when network settings changed
    • Empty state for App Favorites appearing for empty third-party repository
    • Crashing while resolving metadata for movies from UPNP
    • Listview mode is not preserved when returning from an artist selection
    • In certain cases video freezes when selecting play after pausing
    • Playing a video and after several times of pausing and skipping the video freezes and audio continues
    • Boxee remembers wrong PGS subtitle track in MKV file after leaving and then resuming playback
    • All subtitles (PGS) appears as ‘unknown’ for some BluRay titles
    • Crash when attempting to identify media via UPNP
    • Some .mkv and .m4v files with 2.35:1 AR are playing back vertically stretched to 1.78:1
    • Hang and video freezes or black screen when Pause Resume and or seeking FF/RWD during playback
    • Hang on WMV Stream Seeking
    • Crashed on shutdown and restarted automatically
    • Scrolling in Files Browse list results in partial control of Files menu and also crash
    • SMB credentials are not saved on reboot
    • When deleting an item from the watch later list the focus location of the last item is not remembered
    • Music tracks which are longer than an hour appears as “01:00:…” on the OSD
    • Rear channels on AAC 5.1 are not played properly w/ LPCM 5.1 out
    • Prompting user for credentials that are not used in accessing shares
    • Can’t access network share due to Window Live on Windows 7
    • large flash videos stop playback when reaching Boxee file system limit
    • Reconnecting to disconnected shares disables selection in the Movies database view
    • Subtitles is disabled in the playback OSD for local content
    • No video only audio while playing certain m4v files
    • Flash video audio drops out for long length online videos
    • Disconnects from OSX SMB sources
    • Occasional loss of focus on main menu
    • Unidentified files in File Source with “Movies” in path name are being identified as a title called ”Movies”
    • Crashed on shutdown and restarted automatically
    • Scrolling in Files Browse list results in partial control of Files menu and also crash

    More about the latest update @ Boxee’s blog

     

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    Xbox 360
    A lot less exciting than the Boxee update, Xbox 360’s new version is essentially plugging some security holes specifically relating to Black Ops and MW2. The update also (re) enables the ‘Boot to Disc’ option which launches a game instantly when you insert it. To be honest I never noticed it was missing. It is a required update, so basically you don’t have a choice. Fortunately the good news is that it’s a pretty small update, so you’ll get through it quick.

    Lets hope for a more significant update soon.. like the one mentioned in the CES keynote that improves Kinect’s accuracy and tracks facial movements. That has massive potential one developers get their grubby little mits on it.

    More info on the Xbox 360 mandatory update @ MajorNelson.com

    Jason Cartwright
    Jason Cartwrighthttps://techau.com.au/author/jason/
    Creator of techAU, Jason has spent the dozen+ years covering technology in Australia and around the world. Bringing a background in multimedia and passion for technology to the job, Cartwright delivers detailed product reviews, event coverage and industry news on a daily basis. Disclaimer: Tesla Shareholder from 20/01/2021

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