Great Video Conversion for your Xbox 360 Via Encode360
18. Apr, 2007 
15 Comments
So as you know from my previous posts, I’ve been using Windows Media Center and Transcode360 to stream video files from my computer to my Xbox 360. But this leaves out the group that is still running Windows XP. I have made a few posts about sharing media via Windows Media Player 11 and Microsofts Zune Software, but using both of these methods requires that you have one of the limited video formats that the Xbox 360 can play. What about the other (preferred) formates? Well generally video conversion is a long drawn out task that requires you (if your trying to do it for free) to download a crap-load of shareware in hopes that you will find one that converts from the format your video file is in to some other video format. This is tiring and not to mention takes up a grip of desktop space. Now a solution (long intro I know), Encode3600…
Encode360 is incredibly easy to use (once installed). The installation process takes a few moments to explain as you need some additional software installed, all free I can assure you.
- Download and install the latest .net framework
- Download and install Windows Media Player 11 (if you haven’t already done so)
- Download and install Windows Media Encode (WTF?!!1!? Microsoft has a media encoder?)
- Download and install the Combined Community Codec Pack
- Download and install Encode360
Thats alot of crap to install! So after you download the Encode360 zip, extract it to a folder of your choice. Next you will need to download yet another application (last one, I promise…kinda). Download FFMpeg. Extract both ffmpeg.exe and ffplay.exe to your Encode360 directory. You can now open up Encode360. But don’t try to encode any files yet, you still need to download one last .dll! The file is called pthreadGC2.dll. I had to do some searching for this file. I couldn’t find a download of this file directly, good thing some guy used it in a project and I was able to extract it. Download this app. Extract the files and open the directory Tools/FFMPEG. Copy the files pthreadGC2.dll and AVSredirect.dll to your Encode360 directory. Now you are ready to go…
- Open Encode360.exe
2. Add files to be encoded by clicking on the + sign and browsing for your files. Encode360 allows you to queue as many files as you want. Also you can set the resolution in the “Output To” dropdown. Make sure you click the “…” button where it sais “Creat Encoded Files Here” and select a directory to save the files in. Click the Encode button to start the encoding process. This could take a while, depending on the video size. Generally the size increases by about 2.6 times. You can preview the video as in encodes by clicking “Post View”. I believe this will however slow down the encodeing process.
When you are all done, you are ready to view the video files on your Xbox360. Read this tutorial for instructions on how to do this via Windows Media Player 11.
Happy Xbox-ing.
thalia
Didnt worked for me
When I click the “encode” button, it stops on 0% and never changes.
Hmmm… Few things to start with. 1st what are the specs on your pc, can it handle the encoding? Another thing, what type of video file are you trying to encode? And last, did you download the combined community codec pack? Let me know.
Why we need put the ffmpeg and pthreadGC2.dll, AVSredirect.dll files in the Encode360 directory?
The process stops and Encode360 closes automatically after 10hours. The output file (WMV) stay incomplete!
Thanks for the link to the pthreadGC2.dll, i found another place here http://ffdshow.faireal.net/mirror/. This one worked for me with ffmpeg, not trying it with Encode360
Thanks for the great guide!!
You ve been of so much help in my transcoding, encoding, streaming, playing, relaxing efforts!!!
No Problem! Glad to hear I was of some assistance.
i keep getting ffmpeg.exe – unable to locate component: this application has failed to start because avodec-51.dll was not found. and i keep getting haali: avi: can’t find index errow windows keep popping up. how do i fix it
try TVersity!!
Only one download required.
Streams xvid to xbox 360!
MP3, MPG, photographs
i did everything you said but i get these messages
[11:15:38] [ERROR] Encode/funcEncodeFile/EncoderPrepare: Attempted to read or write protected memory. This is often an indication that other memory is corrupt.
[11:15:49] [ERROR] Encode Events/subEncode_ProcessFiles: funcEncode_EncodeFile failed to start
please help
Invalid first byte of EBML ID:00.
Any suggestions?
Windows Vista SP1
Dual Core E6750
4GB RAM
Hmm at what point do you get this message?
Here’s the order of events…
1) Install Encode360, K-Lite Codec (Full)
2) Open Encode360
3) Hit “+” button to load in *.mkv file
4) Set up my settings
– Automatic 720p
– Full Resolution
– Codec WC1
– Mode CBR 1-Pass
– Bitrate for 360 on LAN
5) Hit “Start”
6) Immediate error message (twice)
Falk3r,
Install only Encode360 and K-lite, not the WM Encoder, pthreadGC2.dll, and Combined Community Codec?
this program is just on massive head FUCK install this install that error error error error error error error error error the bloke made this should be dragged out and shot spent 4 hours playing are with this codec that codec just solved my problem and drag it to the bin FUCK IT