Advances in technology typically brings additional complexity, but until recently, video game machines have been designed to be similar to the "plug and chug" style of your DVD player or other home electronic device. These devices work one way out of the box, and continue to work that exact same way throughout the unit's operable life. However, new video game consoles, like Microsoft's XBOX 360, bear more similarities to computers than game machines past. In order to get the most out of your XBOX 360 and MediaSmart Server, you'll need to attain and install the latest updates.

Why Do I Need Updates?

Today's consoles do a lot more than game machines of the past. Sure, you can take a XBOX 360 game, throw it into any 360 console, and it will fire up whether or not the console has the latest updates. It's everything else that is constantly being tweaked through updates that make the 360 experience more compelling. For example, a month ago you couldn't stream WMV video from a networked PC, nor could you playback video from data CDs, DVDs, and flash drives, but all of these things are now possible through a recent update.

Updates can make gaming better, too. The latest 360 updates have added support for 1080p televisions (if you have a capable TV), which until now hasn't been an option. Plus, anyone that owns original XBOX titles has undoubtedly gone through the "this game is not supported" headache, which stem from the limited list of backwards compatible games. If you've been hoping to play that original XBOX game on your 360, an update may just make it possible. To see an updated list of all backwards compatible titles, click here.

The best news for MediaSmart Server owners is the addition of new compatible streaming video formats, like DiVX. With a simple update from XBOX Live!, you'll have the flexibility to stream a variety of video formats from your home server to your TV through the XBOX 360.

Depending on when you acquired your 360, there's plenty of new features and enhancements to make your 360 experience the best it can be. Here's a list of all enhancements in each major update:

• January 2006 Update
• Marketplace Update, April 12, 2006
• Spring 2006 Update
• August 2006 Backwards Compatibility Update
• November 2006 Xbox Live Update
• May 2007 Live! Update
• Fall 2007 Update

Read on to learn how to connect to XBOX Live! to download these new features and enhancements.

How To Get the Updates

For most gamers, keeping the XBOX 360 up to date is pretty easy, especially if they've taken advantage of the numerous online components through XBOX Live!. When a gamer is signed in to the Live! service, the system automatically checks for new updates. If one is available, you'll be prompted to update. Most updates take 3 to 5 minutes depending on the speed of your internet connection.

If you've never updated your console, but have access to a high speed internet connection, getting your updates through the web is pretty simple and straightforward. Unfortunately, Microsoft has made online updates unavailable to those who have not registered for the XBOX Live! service. Most folks that don't like or participate in online gaming wouldn't normally think of signing up for XBOX Live!.

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