Anyone using XBOX360 VGA cable with 20.1" widescreen?

Matt2

Diamond Member
Jul 28, 2001
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So my girlfriend finally pissed me off by not letting me play my 360 on my brand new 50" HDTV that I paid for because she wants to watch TV at exactly the same times I want to play XBOX.

I finally gave in and bought the VGA cable to play my 360 on my Dell 2007wfp. Everything works right, except that the XBOX doesn't allow me to run 1680x1050. I have a whole slew of resolution options from 640x480 to 1366x768 and then it jumps to 1920x1200. I currently have it set to 1366x768 which is ok, but the monitor is stretching the screen to 1680x1050.

Needless to say, it doesnt look half as good as running native 720p on my HDTV.

I can set the monitor to display 1:1 pixel mapping, which makes it look amazing, but I lose a third of the screen to black bars which makes it look like a 17" WS monitor and is unacceptable to me.

Is there any way around this, or is it a limitation of the XBOX? I find it very strange that it would offer me so many resolutions options up to 1920x1200, but completely leave out 1680x1050.

Thanks for the input.
 

BassBomb

Diamond Member
Nov 25, 2005
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1680X1050 is not a HD resolution thats why.

What you need to do is run 1366x768 but upscaled w/ black bars

so you still get 16:9 picture with a black bar on top and bottom


Thats how I watch 720P content on my 20WMGX2
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
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1680x1050 = 16:10, 1366x768 = 16:9

You can't get perfect mappings with different ratios.

Also, buy that woman a VCR/TIVO and tell her to let you to your gaming!
 

Matt2

Diamond Member
Jul 28, 2001
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Originally posted by: BassBomb
1680X1050 is not a HD resolution thats why.

What you need to do is run 1366x768 but upscaled w/ black bars

so you still get 16:9 picture with a black bar on top and bottom


Thats how I watch 720P content on my 20WMGX2

I dont think I completely understood your post.

1680x1050 is not available because it is not an HD resolution?

640x480 and 800x600 are not HD resolutions, yet I can select those from the dashboard.

I currently have the XBOX set to output 1366x768 as I mentioned in the OP and as you suggested, but the 2007wfp is stretching the picture to 1680x1050 because I have the monitor set to "fill" in the monitor's menu.

Again, I can set the monitor to display 1:1 pixel mapping, but then I lose almost 300 pixels from the top and bottom and I lose a third of the screen.

I dont know, maybe losing 300 pixels top and bottom to black bars are tolerable while watching a movie, but when playing Gears of War on XBOX Live and trying to line up that impossible head shot, I'd like that extra screen real estate.
 

BassBomb

Diamond Member
Nov 25, 2005
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Try ZOOM or other options.

Im trying to think from how I scale my 4:3 cable content to my monitor


640x480 and 800x600 are for 4:3 televisions ie standard definition I THINK
 

ayabe

Diamond Member
Aug 10, 2005
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I run my Xbox on my 2005FPW and there is no way to run it at native rez, that's just how it is.

I think it looks pretty snappy.

You also need to sack up and take command of the TV. Grey's Anatomy is not more important than gaming and it's your TV, you paid for it.
 

Matt2

Diamond Member
Jul 28, 2001
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Originally posted by: ayabe
I run my Xbox on my 2005FPW and there is no way to run it at native rez, that's just how it is.

I think it looks pretty snappy.

You also need to sack up and take command of the TV. Grey's Anatomy is not more important than gaming and it's your TV, you paid for it.

LOL

shhh...

You're going to anger the fire breathing dragon!

After a little more research (I created the thread at school) it seems that there is no way to force 1680x1050. It seems that the only thing holding back 1680x1050 and other 16:10 resolutions is Microsoft's laziness.

Figures, just as I had embraced console gaming, MS found a way to piss me off.

Bassbomb, I'll play around with using 1366x768 with 1:1 pixel mapping and the zoom feature and let you know how it works.