7. Viewing Videos and Video Content
In this chapter, you learn about the Xbox One’s video offerings, including movies, TV shows, web clips, and sports, as well as accessing your own media.
→ Enjoying TV Shows, Music Videos, and Movies with Xbox Video
Your Xbox One is one of the best platforms to enjoy many different types of video, including movies, TV shows, web clips, and sporting events. Besides passing through and controlling video from your cable or satellite provider, you can also enjoy almost instant HD-quality video streams from a variety of apps. In addition, you can purchase, download, and watch selections from a large content library, as well as play your own DVDs or Blu-rays.
Working with OneGuide
OneGuide allows you to watch live television from your cable or satellite box while simultaneously taking advantage of the extended apps and features of your Xbox One. See “Setting Up a Cable or Satellite Connection” in Chapter 1, “Setting Up Your Xbox One,” and “TV & OneGuide” under “Changing the Console Settings” in Chapter 2, “Navigating Your Xbox One’s Dashboard and Settings,” for first-time setup. Refer to “Understanding Kinect Controls” in Chapter 2 for the basics of how to navigate OneGuide with motion and voice commands. OneGuide can be displayed by either saying, “Xbox, OneGuide,” or, when watching TV full screen, by pressing the Menu button on the controller and selecting OneGuide.
When OneGuide controls content from your cable or satellite box, it doesn’t enforce content restrictions for playback you’ve associated with your Xbox One profile. If you want to configure parental controls for what you watch on your TV, you should do so directly on your cable or satellite box. Contact your cable or satellite provider if you have any questions about this process. What OneGuide does filter are explicit titles and descriptions in its listings. This setting is on by default for all accounts. To view or change this setting, go to Settings, then select Privacy and Online Safety. Refer to “Breaking Down the Settings Screen” in Chapter 2 for more information.
Add and Watch Your Favorite Channels
The TV listings that OneGuide displays show you all of the channels available to you based on your selected TV provider and channel lineup. The Favorites option allows you to set a list of favorite channels for quick access. To add your favorite channels, start OneGuide and then follow these steps:
1. Select TV Listings from the options to the left of the main OneGuide screen.
2. Scroll through the available channels column to select the channel, or say, “Xbox,” and then the name of the channel.
3. Once the desired channel is selected, say, “Xbox, add to favorites,” or press the A button on the controller.
Removing a Favorite
To remove a Favorite, repeat these steps, but instead of selecting or saying Add to Favorites in step 3, select or say Remove from Favorites.
Watching Your Favorites
To watch your Favorites after starting OneGuide, say, “Xbox, favorites,” or select Favorites from the options to the left of the main OneGuide screen.
Using App Channels to See Your Streaming Video Apps
Besides live TV, OneGuide also integrates the programming from your favorite streaming video apps into your channel lineup. Apps like Xbox Video, Netflix, and Hulu Plus have listings just like a regular TV channel with available videos that appear to the right of the channel listing. After you download, install, and run one of these video apps for the first time, it is automatically added to the OneGuide App Channels list.
To find App Channels, start OneGuide, then say, “Xbox, app channels,” or select App Channels from the options to the left of the main OneGuide screen.
Enjoying TV Shows, Music Videos, and Movies with Xbox Video
Using the Xbox Video app, you can buy or rent TV shows and movies right on your Xbox One console. Xbox Video content is also available via apps on Xbox 360, Windows 8 PCs and tablets, as well as Windows Phone 8 devices. Finally, using a Windows 7 or later, or Mac OS X v10.6.8 or later, computer, Xbox Video content can also be accessed via the XboxVideo.com website. Some of the nicer features of Xbox Video include the ability to quickly search over 150,000 titles with Bing, TV Season Passes that can offer a savings of up to 20% to 50% off the individual episode prices, closed captioning for most TV shows and movies, and, for select titles, SmartGlass-enhanced interactive content and other extras.
Purchase or Rent Media
Buying or renting TV shows or movies works in a manner similar to purchasing other content on your Xbox One. To rent or buy content using the Xbox Video app, follow these steps:
1. From the Home screen, scroll right to select the Movies & TV tile.
3. From the Xbox Video Home screen, do a Video Search, or browse and select a title from the Recommendations, Featured Sets, Collection, Movies Store, or TV Store categories. Once you select a title, all of its details are available, including applicable ratings, descriptions, cast lists, and trailers.
4. Select the Buy (or Rent) option for the title. Much like with games, you can also provide your own rating, from one (worst) to five (best) stars. You can decide whether to purchase or rent the media in HD or SD, the former of which is the default setting. You can, in some cases, even watch a trailer for the video.
5. Follow the remaining prompts to complete your purchase or rental transaction, which is charged immediately, with no ability to procure a refund.
Limitations
If renting, the viewing period is 14 days from the time of your order or 48 hours from the time you start to watch, whichever happens first, and is only available on the system it was rented on. Purchased content can be used on a maximum of up to five compatible devices.
Controlling Playback
While Kinect (see “Understanding Kinect Controls” in Chapter 2), a media remote (see “Accessorizing Your Xbox One” in Chapter 4, “Personalizing Your Xbox One Experience”), or SmartGlass (see Chapter 11, “Looking Through the SmartGlass”) provides the most intuitive control options, you can also use the wireless controller. Once your video starts, the following controller functions are available:
• Left stick, View button, X button, Y button, A button, D-pad, or right stick—Shows the playback overlay.
• A button—When the playback overlay is displayed, pauses or resumes video playback.
• Left stick or D-pad—When the playback overlay is displayed, moves left and right between the Rewind, Pause/Play, and Fast Forward options. Press the A button to activate the highlighted option.
• Left trigger—Rewinds. Press again for faster rewinding, up to the maximum speed. Press the A button to resume normal playback. When the video is paused and the left trigger is pressed, it rewinds at the slowest speed.
• Right trigger—Fast-forwards. Press again for faster fast-forwarding, up to the maximum speed. Press the A button to resume normal playback. When the video is paused and the right trigger is pressed, it fast-forwards at the slowest speed.
• B button—Goes back to the video’s Home screen.
• Menu button—Displays the Xbox Video app options.
When you press the Menu button, the following options are available:
• Video Home—Goes back to the video’s Home screen
• Restore My Purchases—Restores access to your previously purchased content
• Help—Displays Xbox Video app help
• About—Displays the Xbox Video app’s copyright notice and related information
• Feedback—Provides feedback on whether you like or dislike the Xbox Video app and your optional suggestions for improving it
Stream Videos and Photos from Your Computer
Your Xbox One can stream videos or photos from a Windows 7 or later computer to Xbox Video. To do so, open the Settings app and follow these steps:
1. Under Preferences, ensure that Allow Play to Streaming is checked.
2. Open a File Explorer window on your computer. Make sure your Xbox One is visible as a media device on the same network that your computer is on. The name listed will be the name given to your Xbox One in the System section of the Settings app; the default name is XboxOne.
Console Not Visible
If your console isn’t visible, ensure that both your computer and your Xbox One are connected to the same network and try again.
3. Locate the video or picture file on your computer or other accessible network location and right-click it. From the menu that appears, select Play To and then the name of your Xbox One. Xbox Video will start automatically on your console.
Supported File Formats
Most common video formats, such as AVI, MKV, MP4, MPG, and WMV, should stream without issue, as well as most picture formats, such as JPG, PNG, and BMP. Multiple files can also be selected to queue.
4. The Play To dialog box is shown on your computer as the video or picture files play on your Xbox One. Use the Xbox Video app’s controls to control the video or picture on your Xbox One’s display.
Stream Videos from a Mobile Device
You can also stream video from most Android or iOS mobile devices using a free app called Skitfa. To stream videos or photos from the Skitfa app for Android or iOS mobile devices, do the following:
1. On the Xbox One, go to Settings, Preferences, and ensure that Allow Play To Streaming is checked.
Installing the App
These steps assume that you’ve already downloaded and installed the Skitfa app to your mobile device.
2. In the Skifta app, under Choose a Media Source, select your media source from the available choices. These options include the mobile device its running on or any available computers or network locations. (The look of your device’s Skifta app may differ slightly from the example.)
3. Select the name of your Xbox One under Choose a Player.
4. Select the media file under Browse and Play Media. Your Xbox One will now play the selection. Xbox Video will start automatically on your console.
What About Music Files?
The steps for streaming common audio files, like MP3 or WMA, from your Windows computer or a mobile device using Skifta works exactly the same as they do for video or picture files. Instead of running the Xbox Video app, run the Xbox Music app (see Chapter 8, “Tuning In to Music”), then choose an audio file instead of a video or picture file.
Using Apps to Watch Video
Your Xbox One features an ever-growing selection of the top video streaming services available today, several of which are described in the sections that follow. Just as with Xbox Video, a media remote, Kinect, or SmartGlass provide the most intuitive controls for these various services. Nevertheless, as before, the instructions you find here focus on using the controller as we know you’ve got it and it consistently works as advertised.
Netflix
You know Netflix. It’s the most popular video rental service running. It provides DVDs and Blu-rays by mail, and offers a streaming option for computers, mobile devices, and set-top boxes such as the Xbox One. There are two requirements for Netflix streaming on your Xbox One. The first is that you’re an Xbox Live Gold member. The second is that you have an unlimited streaming Netflix account, which, if you don’t already have one, you can sign up by following the instructions that follow.
Download and Activate the Netflix App
To download and activate Netflix, locate it in the Store and follow these steps:
1. Install Netflix from its App Details screen.
2. Start the Netflix app and select Member Sign In. Enter your Netflix email address and password, then select Sign In.
Signing Up
If you are not already a Netflix member, select Start Your Free Month instead of Member Sign In. Use your web browser to visit http://netflix.com/xboxone and follow the instructions. Once you have entered the information to start your free trial from the website, select Sign In on your Xbox One and follow the remaining instructions.
Navigating Netflix
Once you have logged in to Netflix and started the app, you need to select a profile if more than one is on the account. Profiles are a way for Netflix to keep watch histories and recommendations separate for multiple family members who use the same Netflix account. Once you select a profile, you are presented with the main Netflix screen.
Netflix is broken up into categories, which you can access by scrolling right. Conduct searches by selecting Search or press the Y button on the gamepad. Select Change Profile or press the X button to switch profiles. Select Browse Kids to limit selections to only family friendly content. Pressing the Menu button on the controller displays the Netflix app options, which include Search Netflix, Change Netflix Profile, Settings, Help, and Exit Netflix.
Once a video is selected, its Home screen is displayed. From this screen, you can select Play, or, if it has more than one entry, which episode you’d like to play. Selecting Add to My List adds it to the My List category, which is a list of items you set for quick access for later viewing. Rate lets you add your own rating for the selected program, which replaces the average user rating in red.
As with Xbox Video, a full complement of Kinect, media remote, and Smart-Glass functionality are available, but you can also use the wireless controller. Once your video starts, the following controller functions are active:
• Left stick, X button, Y button, A button, D-pad, or right stick—Shows the playback overlay.
• A button—When the playback overlay is displayed, pauses or resumes video playback.
• Left stick or D-pad—When the playback overlay is displayed, moves left and right between the Rewind, Pause/Play, Fast Forward, and Closed Captioning (if available) options. Press the A button to activate the highlighted option.
• Left trigger—Rewinds. Press again for faster rewinding, up to the maximum speed. Press the A button to resume normal playback. When the video is paused and the left trigger is pressed, it rewinds at the slowest speed.
• Right trigger—Fast-forwards. Press again for faster fast-forwarding, up to the maximum speed. Press the A button to resume normal playback. When the video is paused and the right trigger is pressed, it fast-forwards at the slowest speed.
• B button—Goes back to the video’s Home screen.
• Menu button—Displays the Netflix app options.
Hulu Plus
Hulu Plus is a subscription service that offers ad-supported, on-demand streaming of TV shows, movies, and other videos, including trailers and web shows. Hulu Plus has two requirements for your Xbox One. The first is that you must be an Xbox Live Gold member. The second is that you must have a Hulu Plus account, which, if you don’t already have one, you can sign up on your console.
Download and Activate the Hulu Plus App
To download and activate Hulu Plus, locate Hulu Plus in the Store and follow these steps:
1. Select Install from the Hulu Plus App Details screen.
2. Select Launch from this same screen, once the app is installed.
3. If you are already a Hulu Plus member, choose Log In and enter the onscreen code at www.hulu.com/activate, or select Log In with your email address and password and follow the instructions.
Becoming a Member
If you’re not already a Hulu Plus member, select Try 1 Week Free and enter the onscreen code at www.hulu.com/activate, or select Sign Up on This Device and follow the remaining instructions. You’ll need a credit card or PayPal account to start the one-week trial, which you can cancel after the trial period is over if you don’t want to pay for the service.
Navigating Hulu Plus
Once you have logged in to Hulu Plus and started the app, you’re presented with the main Hulu Plus screen.
Hulu Plus is organized by categories, which you can access by scrolling down or right. Conduct searches by selecting the Search box. Pressing the Menu button on the controller displays the Hulu Plus app options, which include Search, Settings, and Help.
Once a video is selected, it starts playing. As with the other video services, Kinect, media remote, and SmartGlass functionality are all available, as well as the wireless controller. Once a video starts, the following controller functions are active:
• A button—Shows the playback overlay. When the playback overlay is displayed, pauses or resumes video playback.
• Left stick or D-pad—When the playback overlay is displayed, moves left and right between the Rewind, Pause/Play, Fast Forward, and Closed Captioning (if available) options. Press the A button to activate the highlighted option.
• Left trigger—Rewinds. Press again for faster rewinding, up to the maximum speed. Press the A button to resume normal playback. When the video is paused and the left trigger is pressed, it rewinds at the slowest speed.
• Right trigger—Fast-forwards. Press again for faster fast-forwarding, up to the maximum speed. Press the A button to resume normal playback. When the video is paused and the right trigger is pressed, it fast-forwards at the slowest speed.
• B button—Goes to the video’s Home screen, or main page. Beyond getting additional information about the program or series, you can also add the show to a queue or favorite it. Your queue holds all of the videos you plan on watching at a later time and is similar to a playlist. When you favorite something, when new episodes of a show are added to Hulu Plus, they will appear automatically in your queue.
• Menu button—Displays the Hulu Plus app options.
Amazon Instant Video
With an Amazon Prime Instant Video subscription, you not only gain access to a Netflix-like selection of streaming TV shows and movies, but also the ability to purchase content, get free 2-day shipping and reduced cost 1-day shipping on eligible Amazon.com purchases, and, for Kindle device owners, access to the Lending Library, which enables you to borrow select books.
On the Xbox One, as long as you’re an Xbox Live Gold member, you’ll have access to all available streaming content as long as you maintain a Prime subscription, and, with or without an active Prime subscription, access to any other digital video content you’ve purchased from Amazon Instant Video.
Download and Activate Amazon Instant Video
To download and activate Amazon Instant Video, locate the app in the Store and follow these steps:
1. Select Install from Amazon Instant Video’s App Details screen.
2. Select the Launch button from this same screen, once the app is installed.
3. If you’re already an Amazon Prime member, choose Sign In and Start Watching and follow the onscreen prompts.
Getting an Account
If you don’t already have an Amazon account, go to www.amazon.com/watchonxboxone, then return to this sign in screen. If you’d rather browse the app’s options, press the B button on your controller.
Navigating Amazon Instant Video
Once you have started Amazon Instant Video, you’re presented with the app’s main screen.
Amazon Instant Prime has three master categories: Prime Movies, Prime TV Shows, and Kid Zone. You can search by pressing the Y button on the controller or selecting Search after pressing the Menu button. The remaining sections are:
• Your Watchlist—These are programs you’ve added to your playlist for quick access or later viewing.
• Recommendations—These are Amazon’s recommendations based on your viewing history.
• Your TV Shows—This is a listing of recently watched television shows.
• Your Video Library—This library displays any videos that you own.
• Recently Watched—This is a listing of all recently watched videos.
Pressing the Menu button on the controller displays the Amazon Instant Video app options, which include Home, Help, Switch User, and Sign Out.
Whether you purchase, rent, or have a video included as part of Amazon Instant Prime, once selected, its Home screen is displayed. From this screen, you can select Play, or, if it has more than one entry, which episode you’d like to play. As applicable, selecting Add to Watchlist or Add Season to Watchlist adds the single video or entire season of a show to the Your Watchlist category.
As with the other video services, Kinect, media remote, and SmartGlass functionality are all available, as well as the wireless controller. Once a video starts, the following controller functions are active:
• A button—Shows the playback overlay. When the playback overlay is displayed, pauses or resumes video playback.
• Left stick or D-pad—When the playback overlay is displayed, moves left and right between the Rewind, Pause/Play, Fast Forward, and Closed Captioning (if available) options. Press the A button to activate the highlighted option.
• Left trigger—Rewinds. Press again for faster rewinding, up to the maximum speed. Press the A button to resume normal playback. When the video is paused and the left trigger is pressed, it rewinds at the slowest speed.
• Right trigger—Fast-forwards. Press again for faster fast-forwarding, up to the maximum speed. Press the A button to resume normal playback. When the video is paused and the right trigger is pressed, it fast-forwards at the slowest speed.
• X button or B button—Quits playback and goes to the video’s Home screen. Beyond getting additional information about the program or series, you can also add the show to a queue or favorite it. Your queue holds all of the videos you plan on watching at a later time and is similar to a playlist. When you favorite something, when new episodes of a show are added to Amazon Instant Video, they will appear automatically in your queue.
• Menu button—Displays the Amazon Instant Video app options.
YouTube
YouTube features a mass of original videos on nearly every subject imaginable uploaded by both amateurs and professionals. Although a YouTube account is not a requirement to start watching videos, you do need an Xbox Live Gold membership. A YouTube account also allows you to share your saved Game DVR clips (refer to “Working with Game DVR, Upload, and Upload Studio” in Chapter 5, “Getting Your Game On”) from the My Uploads section of the app.
Download and Sign In to the YouTube App
To download and optionally sign in to the YouTube app, locate the app in the Store and follow these steps:
1. Select Install from the YouTube App Details screen.
2. Select Launch from this same screen to start the YouTube app after it’s installed.
3. You can sign in to the YouTube app with your Google account by selecting Sign In under the Sign In & Settings option and following the activation instructions. Once signed in, you’ll have access to additional YouTube features, including your viewing history and any playlists or subscriptions.
Navigating YouTube
Once you’ve started the YouTube app, you’re presented with a screen of categories that you can scroll through by moving up or down, as well as any applicable personalization, like “My Watch Later Videos” if you’re signed in. You can search by selecting the Search option or pressing the Y button on the controller.
As with the other video services, Kinect, media remote, and SmartGlass functionality are all available, as well as the wireless controller. Once you start playing a video, the following controller functions are active:
• Menu button—Pauses and resumes playback.
• A button—Shows the playback overlay. When the playback overlay is displayed, pauses or resumes video playback.
• Left stick or D-pad—When the playback overlay is displayed, moves left and right between the More actions (Subscribe, Like, Dislike, Flag as Inappropriate, Search), Go Home, Skip Backward, Rewind, Pause/Play, Forward, Skip Forward, and Closed Captioning (if available). Press the A button to activate the highlighted option.
• Left trigger—Rewinds. Press again for faster rewinding, up to the maximum speed. Press the A button to resume normal playback. When the video is paused and the left trigger is pressed, it rewinds at the slowest speed.
• Right trigger—Fast-forwards. Press again for faster fast-forwarding, up to the maximum speed. Press the A button to resume normal playback. When the video is paused and the right trigger is pressed, it fast-forwards at the slowest speed.
• X button or B button—Quits playback and goes to the app’s Home screen.
• Y button—Searches for other videos.
Watching Other Video Services
As you can imagine, the services mentioned earlier in this chapter are just the tip of the video app iceberg. Microsoft continues to add new video apps to the Xbox One’s lineup, each with their own sign in or subscription requirements. The best way to stay on top of any new video apps that you might be interested in is to regularly check the New Releases section of the Apps section of the Store.
The following are short descriptions of a representative sampling of the Xbox One’s ever-growing list of video apps:
• Bonnaroo—Watch selections from the Bonnaroo live music festival.
• Crackle—Watch movies and TV on demand.
• CW TV Now—Check out your favorite CW network shows, including full episodes, previews, and interviews.
• ESPN—Access content from this service of the popular network. The app provides the latest news, scores, and stats centered around the teams and sports you care the most about.
• FoxNow—Check out your favorite Fox prime-time shows, including full episodes, previews, and interviews.
• FXNow—Access content from the FX, FXX, and FXM networks.
• MLB.tv—Watch every out-of-market regular season Major League Baseball game.
• MUZU.TV—Access to over 40,000 music videos, as well as music news and interviews.
• NFL—Check out official NFL news, video highlights and stories, live stats and scores, and even built-in NFL.com Fantasy Football functionality.
• Redbox Instant by Verizon—Browse, bookmark, and instantly stream movies, as well as find and reserve movies from Redbox locations near you.
• TED—More than 1,600 talks from famous movers and shakers in the education, technology, medical, business, music, and other fields.
• Univision Deportes—Access content from the popular Spanish-language American sports channel, which is centered around soccer and soccer-related programming.
• VUDU Movies—Rent new movies and TV shows.
Playing DVDs and Blu-rays
To watch DVDs or Blu-rays on your Xbox One for the first time, you must first install the Blu-ray Player app. You can install the app from the Apps category of the Store, or insert a DVD or Blu-ray disc, which automatically prompts you. Once the app is installed, you can watch DVD or Blu-ray discs by inserting the disc into your console and selecting the Blu-ray Player tile on the bottom-right corner of the Home screen.
Controlling DVDs and Blu-rays
Besides Kinect, media remote, and SmartGlass functionality, you can control DVD and Blu-ray playback with the wireless controller. The following controller functions are available when playing a DVD or Blu-ray:
• X button—Pauses and resumes playback.
• Left bumper—Skips back one chapter. You can also press the B button, then select Skip Back.
• Right bumper—Skips forward one chapter. You can also press the B button, then select Skip Forward.
• Right trigger—Fast-forwards. Press the right trigger again to increase the speed.
• Left trigger—Rewinds. Press the left trigger again to increase the speed.
• B button or Y button—Opens the onscreen display playback controls. The Menu button also works for DVDs.
• View button—Opens the advanced transport controls, which include enabling subtitles, changing the camera angle, changing the audio channel, and displaying instant playback details. The options available vary by what is supported by the DVD.
The following commands are specific to Blu-rays:
• Menu button—Access the pop-up menu for discs that support this feature. Pressing right on the left stick or D-pad also works. Pressing left on the left stick or D-pad closes the pop-up menu.
• Right on left stick, right on D-pad—Access the track bar for discs that support this feature.