1080p through Xbox 360, HDMI required?

[plissken99]

Now that I have a 1080p projector, I thought I'd do 1080p from the Xbox 360, but it won't display when selected. Is the Xbox with HDMI required? If so, gay.

[MooglePorn]

Yes, HDMI or VGA is required.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by plissken99

Now that I have a 1080p projector, I thought I'd do 1080p from the Xbox 360, but it won't display when selected. Is the Xbox with HDMI required? If so, gay.

No, any XBOX 360 be it Core or Premium can output 1080p. 1080p can be used either via Component or VGA from the non-HDMI XBOX 360. The trick is that many displays do not accept 1080p over component - while my Sony KDS-60A3000 accepts it and works great at 1080p with my non-HDMI 360, my Integra DTC-9.8 does not accept it. VGA can also be used.

In my case, I decided to run 720p to my Integra, and the Reon upscales it to 1080p. This is a more convenient solution than using different inputs on the HDTV and the end result is the same since 99% of XBOX 360 games are natively output at 720p. The one 360 game I have I know of that natively runs at 1080p (Virtua Tennis 3) runs with much smoother framerate at 720p when playing doubles, so I prefer the 720p setting there anyway!

[MooglePorn]

Hmmm... I'm rather certain that DVD upscaling and HD DVD 1080p requires the digital connection of HDMI or VGA.

Games might display at 1080p through component, but they're all upscaled anyway, so it's not like it matters.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by MooglePorn

Hmmm... I'm rather certain that DVD upscaling and HD DVD 1080p requires the digital connection of HDMI or VGA.

360 games and HD DVD can be output 1080p over Component, VGA, or HDMI.
The only thing you cannot output 1080p over component is upscaled DVD due to DRM.

Pliss has a standalone, though, so I am guessing he is only concerned with 360 gaming like myself.

Also, VGA is analog, not digital.

Games might display at 1080p through component, but they're all upscaled anyway, so it's not like it matters.

Right, I'm using 720p out of my 360 as described above out of convenience. Basically using Reon for upscaling instead of the internal 360 scaler because the DTC-9.8 only accepts 1080i component. A lot easier than switching inputs on my TV which can do 1080p over component.

[plissken99]

Hmm, that may be it that the display won't accept 1080p via component... however, I run component from the 360 into my reciever and the reciever converts all video inputs to HDMI so only one cable need go to the projector. So technically the projector is getting it via HDMI, but this still may have something to do with it.

I do have the basic 360 VGA cable. Would I get better PQ via Monster component at 1080i, or standard VGA at 1080p?

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by plissken99

Hmm, that may be it that the display won't accept 1080p via component... however, I run component from the 360 into my reciever and the reciever converts all video inputs to HDMI so only one cable need go to the projector. So technically the projector is getting it via HDMI, but this still may have something to do with it.

Likely your receiver does not accept 1080p over component, so it fails to do the A/D conversion to HDMI. If you are just using 360 for games, the easiest thing would be to set it to 720p. This would work fine since games are native 720p anyway.

I do have the basic 360 VGA cable. Would I get better PQ via Monster component at 1080i, or standard VGA at 1080p?

Completely dependent on your specific display's processing.

[plissken99]

You'd say 720p over 1080i? Basically means less internal processing in the 360 I take it and no real change to PQ?

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by plissken99

You'd say 720p over 1080i? Basically means less internal processing in the 360 I take it and no real change to PQ?

Well a couple reasons. First it probably takes more processing cycles to deinterlace 1080i than it takes to scale 720p to 1080p, and on top of this most games run natively at 720p - therefore there will likely be less input lag with 720p. Second, games that support both 720p and 1080p tend to run better at 720p - it seems that devs do all of the coding for 720p then tack on 1080p if there is extra power in reserve; however, those 1080p modes often have more slowdown than 720p - I'll always take stable framerate over higher resolution. Since I'm going to have to process the signal either way, I figured 720p was the best option out of the two.

[sub780lime]

Originally Posted by Ruined

Completely dependent on your specific display's processing.

I use VGA for my 360 hookup to my 56" Sammy and it is just beautiful. I see a noticeable enough difference from Component so if you have that option its a good way to go, but as Ruined said it all depends on what your display is set to take through VGA. Its not standardized so could get anything through...which is unfortunate for many people, I am lucky my display does it, because my HDMI inputs are all spoken for (once I get my Blu-ray player).

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by Ruined

Well a couple reasons. First it probably takes more processing cycles to deinterlace 1080i than it takes to scale 720p to 1080p, and on top of this most games run natively at 720p - therefore there will likely be less input lag with 720p. Second, games that support both 720p and 1080p tend to run better at 720p - it seems that devs do all of the coding for 720p then tack on 1080p if there is extra power in reserve; however, those 1080p modes often have more slowdown than 720p - I'll always take stable framerate over higher resolution. Since I'm going to have to process the signal either way, I figured 720p was the best option out of the two.

Just to test out this theory I tried both 720p and 1080i modes to see which could be scaled/deinterlaced to 1080p quickest using the Guitar Hero II lag test w/ the Reon in the DTC-9.8.

I was repeatedly able to reproduce that 720p -> 1080p resulted in about 10ms less lag than 1080i -> 1080p. So for games, I'd use my above advice and keep the 360 set to 720p.

[plissken99]

I too have noticed things look better at 1080i. So, I'm thinking of either using the VGA cable directly to the projector, or getting a device that converts the 360 output to HDMI. Either should allow 1080p. Just ran across it in our system when I was killing time, and trying to look like I was working.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1195599144147

Think I may have to use the VGA cable, as I don't have anymore HDMI inputs, and don't want to buy a switcher(was gonna have to, but the RS1 has two inputs, so the Oppo is connected to the other input).

[RaceTripper]

Looks like the XBox 360 Ultimate is being rumored for CES.

XBox360
320 GB HD
DV DVD drive
HDMI 1080p
integrated WiFI
etc

If this happens and it's priced within reason, I may sell my 1st gen. 360 (from Dec. 05) and get it.