Windows Vista will supposedly include Media Center functionality, so on that glorious day we'll be able to taste the purest, most succulent fruits of the 360. Until then, people without dedicated Windows Media Center machines can only stream photos and music, which Brenna would say is "better than a sharp stick in the eye."
Except I've wasted hours trying to get it to work, and my machinations only led to an array of slightly different failure states. Now the PC can see the 360. Now it can't. Now it can, but the 360 can't see it. And so on.
If you're having a similar problem, most people are suggesting that you need to have .NET Framework 1.1 installed, which is probably true but wasn't my issue. They might also tell you to verify that the Universal Plug and Play service is active, or to make sure that the Windows Media Connect service is started, with all of its dependencies in tow. This is also good advice, but it wasn't my problem either.
My problem was Internet Connection Sharing, or ICS. I didn't install it myself, but that is how the Nintendo Wi-Fi USB Connector works its magic - it's essentially a dongle that hooks into a basic Microsoft networking service. I thought I'd mention it, if there was anyone else having the same issue.
(CW)TB
December 1, 2005
