You can stream digital media from your Zune collection to any room in your home through your Xbox 360 console. Watch videos and check out pictures on your TV or play your music through your home entertainment system. You control it all with the Xbox 360 controller or Xbox 360 Media Remote.

To get started, you'll need:

• A wired or wireless home network. For info about network and firewall requirements, see the Media Sharing FAQ.
• Zune software installed on a computer that's connected to the network.
• An Xbox 360 console, also connected to your network.
• Xbox Dashboard updated to the New Xbox Experience. For more on updating your Xbox 360 console, see 2008 Dashboard Update: New Xbox Experience.

Before you can begin streaming, you need to turn on media sharing on your computer. After you turn it on, go to the Media area on your Xbox 360 console to play the music, videos, and pictures from your Zune collection.

Turn on media sharing

1. In the Zune software, click Settings, Software, Sharing.
2. Click Enable media sharing with Xbox 360.
3. Type your collection name, then click Set name.
4. Choose what you want to share by selecting Music, Video, or Pictures.

5. Select a sharing option:

   • Share with all available Xbox 360 systems: Shares your collection with all the Xbox 360 consoles on your network.
   • Share only with these Xbox 360 systems: Choose the Xbox 360 consoles that you want to share with on your network.

Play your music, video, and pictures

1. In the Xbox Dashboard, select Media.
2. Select Music, Video, orPictures.
3. Select Computer.
4. Find and select an item to play or see it.

You can also play media directly from your Zune player through your Xbox 360.

Connect your Zune player to an Xbox 360 console

1. Turn on the Xbox 360 console.
2. Connect the Sync Cable to the Zune player or Zune Dock.
3. Connect the other end of the Sync Cable to a USB port on the Xbox 360 console.
4. In the Xbox Dashboard, select Media.
5. Select Music, Video, orPictures.
6. From the list of available devices, select Portable Device.
7. Find and select an item to play or see it.

Songs or other media in your collection that you want to share must be stored in a folder that Zune monitors. The default folder for ripped songs and Zune Marketplace videos is Music/Zune (you can check which folder Zune software is using on your computer by clicking Settings, Software, General and looking at the Media folder setting). To be sure you can share the media stored here, you need to add this folder to your monitored folder list. You can share the following media with your Xbox 360:

• Music files with the extensions .wma, .mp4, .mp3, .m4a, or .m4b. CDs inserted into your computer can't be shared.
• Video files with the extension .wmv. Video DVDs inserted into your computer can't be shared.
• Picture files with the extensions .jpeg or .jpg.
• Playlists with the extensions .zpl or .m3u.