Radio Frequency Composite S-Video Component VGA The
Take Home
Component
You're going to miss out on a
lot if you only play your Xbox 360 on a normal television set.
Microsoft mandated that all games on the Xbox 360 be designed
with 720p as the reference resolution. In fact, the Xbox 360
renders everything internally at 720p, regardless of what kind of
video resolution you use. However, the system will scale the
video to the necessary video format. Component video uses three
wires to pass the video signal into the television display, and
allows for higher resolutions like 480p, 720p, and 1080i. You can
actually use old RCA cables in place of real component cables in
a pinch, but keep the cable as short as possible to minimise the
image degradation caused by an impedance mismatch. The full Xbox
360 system includes a complete set of component and composite
video cables.
VGA
If you want to get high definition
resolutions but can't afford an HDTV (since you just dropped 400
bones on an Xbox 360), consider getting a set of VGA cables for
your 360. The console can output high resolution video directly
to a computer monitor if you have the right cables. . By PC
standards, 1280x720 (720p) is a walk in the park. Any decently
made CRT monitor has the ability to display resolutions of
1600x1200 and upwards. Display size constraints are the only real
downside to using a monitor as a gaming display since there's a
world of difference between gaming on a 50-inch widescreen HDTV
and a 21-inch CRT monitor.
We're not going to compare VGA image quality with the rest of the cables because our 21-inch monitor is far smaller than our HDTV screen, but we can show you the differences between the monitor resolutions. The image quality differences between the two resolutions seem to be minimal. We'd like to attribute that to the versatility of computer monitors. Their ability to display numerous different kinds of resolutions and refresh rates gives them a leg up on TVs.
The Take Home
In our basic tests, we've seen that different cable types can
greatly affect image quality. If you're currently using RF, we
suggest that you make the switch to a better video cable. The
Xbox 360 doesn't have an RF cable option, and it's not worth
buying an adapter to create your own. Going from RF to composite
video or S-Video produces significant improvements in image
detail and colour quality. The next major step comes when you
move to component video, but the biggest benefits are the
increased resolution options and progressive scan output. If you
don't have an HDTV, you can buy a set of Xbox 360 VGA cables to
turn a computer monitor into a high resolution Xbox 360
display.
Click here for CNET.com.au's comprehensive Xbox 360 Launch Centre.
Like this article? Click below to send it to your mobile for free!
Gilbert D.
11/03/2006 09:53 AM
This is a great basic article, but it doesn't answer my question. I have an xbox 360 and a HDTV. Do the supplied MS AV cables allow the presentation of the best image on my 61" Samsung HD tv with S video and HDMI inmputs or are there other cables available that will allow me to see a better HD picture?
Report offensive content
MARK
26/03/2006 05:41 AM
A WELL WRITTEN AND THOUGHTFULL ARTICLE. MY THANKS. RE HDTV OUTPUT,I THINK THAT MICROSOFT SHOULD ALSO HAVE CONFIGURED THE 360 TO RUN AT 576P, AS MANY HDTV'S, PARTICULARLY EARLIER ONES, HAVE THIS SETTING. ONE TWEAK THAT IS RECCOMMENDED IS TO SET THE 50HZ SETTING IN THE XBOX SETTINGS DASHBOARD TO 60HZ, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS AN ANALOUGUE SETTING(YOU MUST SET UNIT ON HDTV CABLE SLIDE SWITCH TO TV TO VIEW THIS MENU)IT STILL AFFECTS THE DIGITAL SIGNAL,AS SOME GAMES WILL NOT RUN PROPERLY BOTH AURALLY & VISUALLY.AFTER DOING THIS RESET SLIDE TO HDTV.
Report offensive content
Buggerlugs
27/04/2006 12:55 AM
As someone considering buying a xbox360 without a hdtv in the house I found your article interesting. But here in the UK you forgot about the ability to use RGB Scart which are available for the 360. Any chance you could do a comparison for those aswell in the future?
Report offensive content
bvl
25/04/2007 10:42 PM
re: the uk guy-quick q-why are u on aussie cnet? just out of interest
Report offensive content