The Xbox 360 supports videos in .wmv-format, as well as high-definition .wmv-videos, H.264, MPEG-4, and PlaysForSure WMV videos.
The Fall 2007 dashboard update added support for the playback of MPEG-4 ASP format videos.[50]
The Xbox 360 also supports audio playback, with music player controls accessible through the Xbox 360 Guide button. Users may play back their own music while playing games or using the dashboard, and can play music with an interactive visual synthesizer.
The Xbox 360 can also display pictures and perform slideshows of photo collections with various transition effects. Users can also play audio in the background while viewing a slideshow.
Music, photos and videos can be played from standard USB mass storage devices, Xbox 360 proprietary storage devices (such as memory cards or Xbox 360 hard drives), and servers or computers with Windows Media Center or Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or higher within the local-area network in streaming mode.[51][52] This is possible with video files up to HD-resolution and with several codecs (MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV) and container formats (WMV, MOV, TS).[53]
Software Dashboard
The Xbox 360 dashboard. Showing the original four blades 
This image is a candidate for speedy deletion. It will be deleted after Thursday, 10 January 2008. See also: Xbox 360 System Software
The Xbox 360's graphical user interface GUI is the Xbox 360 Dashboard; a tabbed interface that features five "Blades" (formerly four blades), and was designed by AKQA. It can be launched automatically when the console boots up without a disc, or when the disc tray is ejected. However, the user may choose to launch a game automatically if a disc is inserted. A simplified version of it can also be accessed at any time via the Xbox Guide button on the gamepad. This simplified version shows the user's gamercard, Xbox LIVE messages and friends list. It also allows for personal and music settings, in addition to voice or video chats, or returning to the primary Dashboard from the game.
Since the console's release, Microsoft has released several updates for the Dashboard software. These updates have included adding new features to the console; enhancing Xbox Live functionality and multimedia playback cabilities; adding compatibility for new accessories; and fixing bugs in the software. The latest Dashboard update, revision 2.0.6683, was made available on December 4, 2007.
Microsoft XNA Main article: Microsoft XNAMicrosoft XNA is a set of tools and technologies that includes XNA Studio, which provides versions of key production tools such as asset management, defect tracking, project automation and work lists. These tools are designed to work together to automate common development tasks and present interfaces tailored to the different functions within the team. John Carmack stated at QuakeCon 2005 that the Xbox 360 has "the best development environment I've seen on a console".[54] Microsoft XNA also includes other components such as the XNA Framework and XNA Build.
Anyone can develop a game using XNA Game Studio Express, an IDE for homebrew developers, which was initially released in beta form on August 30, 2006. A second, near feature complete beta version was released on November 1, 2006.[55] The final feature complete version, 1.0, was released on December 11, 2006.[56] For a US$99/GB£65 yearly subscription fee users can join a "creators club" which lets them transport code onto their 360 and share their content with others. In the UK, there is also a 4 month subscription to the "Creators [sic] Club" which costs £30GBP.
Backward compatibility Main article: List of Xbox games compatible with Xbox 360Backward compatibility on the Xbox 360 is achieved through software emulation of the original Xbox. Emulated games are rendered in 720p, 1080i, or 1080p HD resolution with anti-aliasing enabled rather than the Xbox standard of 480p[57] (anti-aliasing is also applied when the output resolution is 480p.) However there are also games that do not perform well in emulation; these often exhibit a lower framerate on the Xbox 360,[58] as well as various sound bugs and occasional gameplay glitches. A hard drive and the downloading of an emulation profile is needed in order to play original Xbox games. Updated emulation profiles are automatically obtained through Xbox LIVE, or alternatively they can be burned to a CD with files downloaded from Xbox.com, or by ordering a free update disc from Microsoft. A full list of backward-compatible games is maintained at Xbox.com.
The current U.S. list includes 464 games as of the November 2007 update; fewer titles are backward compatible in European and Japanese markets, with 295 and 101 titles respectively. Microsoft originally stated that they intend to release more emulation profiles as they become available, with a goal of making the entire Xbox library playable on the Xbox 360. They have since made multiple statements indicating that this may never be complete, and the rate of updates to the backwards compatibility list is in line with this stated attitude.[59]