How the Xbox 360 download queue works

 

When we launched the web marketplace in last November, we introduced the ability for Xbox LIVE members to browse Marketplace through Xbox.com and easily add game and video content to your Xbox 360 download queue. That meant when you turned on your Xbox 360 console, and signed into LIVE, you would immediately start downloading items you added from the web Marketplace. If you own more than one console, or travel with your Xbox LIVE profile on an MU or HDD, it’s possible that your downloads don’t start immediately upon sighing in to LIVE, and that has left you puzzled.

 

You may have added things to your queue and then signed in on a console and gone to your Active downloads only to notice things are not automatically starting to download like you thought.

 

Your active download screen may look something like this:


What does Assigned to another console mean? And how do you make items automatically download to the console you are signed into?

 

Let me back up a little bit and explain how web marketplace works.

 

After NXE launched, the very first console that you used to download any Marketplace items is seen as your main console. That means anytime you add items to your queue, they’ll automatically start downloading when you sign in with that console.

 

Now, for most people that is fine. But if you have more than one console, or you travel around a lot, your main console status may have been assigned to a console that was not in fact what you consider to be your main console. To be more specific, if you sign in with any other console, you’ll see the above message and your items will be pending and assigned to another console.

 

I’ll now show you how you can make whatever console you want your main console.

First, add something to your download queue from the web marketplace. Then, sign in to the console that you want to make your main console and navigate to active downloads (press the guide button -> Marketplace -> Active Downloads.) When you see the above screen shot showing the item you added to your queue assigned to another console, simply select it and press A and you’ll be greeted with this message:

 

 

From here Select Download All Items

 

Once you do that, your download will begin, but more importantly choosing Download All Items tells the Xbox LIVE service to make the console you are currently signed in to LIVE with your main console.

 

From that point forward, anytime you add items to your download queue from the web marketplace and you sign in on that console your downloads will begin the moment you sign in to LIVE. You can change what console the service considers your main console as frequently as you would like by repeating the above steps.

 

Of course if you select Download this item only, the service will download that one item and not change what console is your main console.

 

Hopefully this will help you understand how the Web Marketplace works in relation to your Active Downloads.

 

 

Edit: I made a few edits for clarity.