8. The 360 As a Media Center

Most people think of the Xbox 360 purely as a gaming console, but it can also serve as a multimedia machine and the centerpiece of your home theater and stereo system. While the Xbox 360 contains a functional DVD player—and with an HD AV cable you can enjoy games in high definition and DVD movies in 480p—with the addition of a $179.99 HD DVD player you can watch HD DVDs on your Xbox 360.

This chapter takes a look at the Xbox 360’s role as a partial or complete member of your home media center. Whether you’re prepared to go all-out and purchase Windows Media Center or not, you can use the Xbox 360 as your home entertainment system without too much niggling to get it up and running.