Last Updated on June 30, 2020 by Jay
Running Kodi on Xbox 360 could just be the last breath of life that the dying gaming console needs to stay relevant, and here’s a way to do it. Read more to find out how you can run the Kodi media player on the Xbox 360 despite no official support from the XBMC community.
An entire generation of gamers grew up raving about the 8-Bit consoles that stormed the market in Japan, and then across the United States of America, brought by brands like Nintendo, Atari, and SEGA. Even when priced at a premium, the gaming fanatics bought millions of these gaming consoles, which convinced bigger names in the tech industry to join the party, leading to the release of the Sony PlayStation and the mighty Microsoft Xbox.
For more than a decade, Microsoft continued to support the Xbox 360, it is second, and possibly the most successful gaming console ever created. Ranking more sales than any other gaming console of the 2000s, the Xbox 360 became a phenomenon along with gamers, owing to widespread support in the game development community, and several exclusive titles such as the Halo series, which redefined the genre of FPS gaming for good. But it was the ability of the Xbox 360 to connect to the World Wide Web and introduce gamers to online multiplayer like never before.
Kodi on Xbox 360 – Does it Work?
Since the Xbox 360 has all of the hardware to support multimedia content, it was natural for Microsoft to offer some video playback support to the gaming console. However, the multimedia content support was fairly limited, just as it was for its predecessor, the original Xbox console. The original Xbox is the reason the XBMC Foundation was created in the first place, so it is reasonable to hope that the power of the Kodi media player would be delivered to the Xbox 360 as well.
While many would wish to flock to the official website in hopes of finding the media player for the Xbox 360 console, you’d be disappointed to come back empty-handed. Based on the information from the tech experts, the hardware configuration of the Xbox 360 is fairly different compared to the original Xbox. In comparison when you consider the newer version of the gaming console, which actually runs on Windows 10, it is dead simple to install Kodi on Xbox One using the official Microsoft Store.
Note: Since the XBMC Foundation maintains no formal or informal development code for Kodi on Xbox 360 gaming console, it is safe to say that the software simply does not exist. Any guide or technician that promises running Kodi media player on the Microsoft Xbox 360, is most likely not being entirely honest about it. We recommend that you steer clear from any untrustworthy websites that make such claims, to avoid tampering with your Xbox 360 beyond repair.
Can’t Run Kodi on Xbox 360 Console? Here’s How to Stream Content
Now that we’ve disclosed that there’s no official way to install Kodi media player on the Xbox 360, it is time to showcase one nifty way around it. While Microsoft may have blocked the access to the Kodi platform for the Xbox 360, it does offer some leeway when it comes to streaming content on the gaming console, thanks to the DLNA technology. Acting as a connecting bridge between different devices, DLNA works quite similar to how Casting works on Android.
Since the Xbox 360 comes with this technology built into it, you can use it to mirror the Kodi media player on to it. All of this is made possible, thanks to the PlayTo feature on the Xbox 360, which is designed to allow users to play streaming content from different smart devices with DLNA compliance. Although Microsoft has suspended the support for the PlayTo mirroring service, it is still a part of the Xbox 360 operating system, and you can use it to easily stream content from a DLNA-supported device.
Prerequisites
- Make sure that your Xbox 360 console is connected to the internet via the Ethernet port or through the wireless network adapter.
- The Xbox 360 should be updated to the latest version of the software available.
- You will need a streaming device that is compatible with DLNA (which includes most Android smartphones and Windows-based PCs).
- The DLNA-supported device and the Xbox 360 should be connected to the same wireless network.
Step 1: Name the Xbox 360
To make your Xbox 360 discoverable by other smart devices and begin casting from another smart device, you will need to name the console first. Here’s what you need to do to set up a name for your Xbox 360 console:
- Turn on the Xbox 360 and go to the Settings
- Head over to the System Settings, and then navigate to the Console Settings menu screen.
- Select the Console Name menu and set a name for your Xbox 360.
You can either choose a name from the list of given ones or use the Custom option to set a name for your Xbox 360 of your choice and press the Done button to confirm.
Step 2: Enable PlayTo on the Xbox 360
Before you can begin to mirror Kodi on Xbox 360 using DLNA technology, you need to make sure that the PlayTo feature has been enabled on the gaming console.
- Turn on the Xbox 360 and go to the Settings
- Head over to the System Settings, and then navigate to the Console Settings menu screen.
- Go the Connected Devices menu and select the checkbox right next to the PlayTo option on the screen.
Step 3: Connect a DLNA device to the Xbox 360
Once you have the Xbox 360 ready for streaming all kinds of content, all you need to do is connect it to your DLNA-supported Android mobile phone, tablet, or a Windows PC.
- Open the DLNA AllCast or Cast app on your Android phone or Windows PC.
- Scan to find the compatible devices around you and wait to find your Xbox 360 on the list.
- Tap on the Xbox 360 to connect to it, and after establishing a successful connection, you can go ahead and begin playing videos on the big screen via the Xbox 360.
However, there are certain limitations that come when streaming audio and video on the Xbox 360 using this method. For instance, only Microsoft’s very own Windows Media Video (WMV), Windows Media Audio (WMA) format, and a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels are supported.
Kodi on Xbox 360 or Xbox One – Always Use ExpressVPN
If you’ve been using Kodi media player for streaming and watch movies and TV shows using the numerous add-ons available, you already know how crucial it is to get a VPN up and running. But any free or cheap VPN service just won’t cut it, which is why we recommend that using ExpressVPN when using Kodi on Xbox One. Built with features that are streamlined for online viewing, ExpressVPN allows you to choose the fastest servers from more than 60 different regions across the world.
Apart from making your browsing experience anonymous and hiding your user activity from the ISP, ExpressVPN is the only way for you to enjoy some of the most popular Kodi add-ons. Regional restrictions may either affect your streaming experience with Kodi, or make certain add-ons completely redundant, and the only way around it is by using a service such as ExpressVPN. But when it comes to using Kodi on Xbox One, the compatibility of ExpressVPN with Xbox One makes it one of the more versatile services to use.
Final Words
As experienced users of the Kodi media player across several operating systems, and learning from the feedback provided by gamers who are also fans of Kodi, it seems that their streaming experience isn’t always stellar. Users have reported that even gaming consoles such as the Xbox One, which does have Kodi media player compatibility right out of the box, tend to underperform compared to mobile phones and computers that run the Kodi platform. Maybe it isn’t such a huge loss that you can’t run Kodi on Xbox 360 since it most likely would’ve been a mediocre experience.
Are you bummed out that your lovable gaming console isn’t Kodi compatible, or would you rather leave the media streaming to an Android streamer or your computer? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section right down below, we’re waiting to hear back from you.
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Never really thought about streaming movies and TV series on Xbox by using Kodi. I usually just use it on my laptop, but I guess it would be quite interesting to try it out on Xbox too. I wouldn’t use Kodi without a VPN on my Xbox for sure, don’t want any viruses and hackers creeping at me.