How can I connect my Xbox 360 to my LCD?

[bladder23]

I have a viewsonice Q22wb monitor that i would like to connect to my Xbox 360.

The LCD has a native resolution of 1650x1050, so I will run 720p.

Anyways, my xbox has an HDMI port.

Should I get a VGA adaptor?

...

or should I get a HDMI to DVI adaptor?

Which will give a better picture?

 

[RagingBITCH]

Any difference will be negligible in all reality...but if you already have the supplied (assuming it comes with one) HDMI cable, just get the DVI adapter

 

[hans030390]

My PS3 with HDMI to DVI looks crystal clear on my monitor, but my 360 (VGA) is noticeably less sharp. If you can go the HDMI/DVI route, do so (you may even be able to do 1080p and scale down, which should look better than 720p).

 

[boomhower]

I am using the VGA cable and love it, but I do not have a DVI to compare it to.

 

[Wuzup101]

Originally posted by: hans030390
My PS3 with HDMI to DVI looks crystal clear on my monitor, but my 360 (VGA) is noticeably less sharp. If you can go the HDMI/DVI route, do so (you may even be able to do 1080p and scale down, which should look better than 720p).

It can also have a lot to do with the way a monitor handles the signal. In a perfect world, VGA is very good. However, some monitors don't do a great job with it. It also is going to have a lot to do with what resolution your monitor is, what resolution you are sending it (remember the xbox VGA is very limited as to what resolutions it can output... there is nothing between 1360x768 and 1920x1080), and how good your monitor is at scaling the image. I can tell you right now that there is no noticeable difference on my TV when I connect my Xbox via VGA or my roommates xbox (elite) via HDMI. However, I have seen certain monitors/TVs where a certain input was poorly designed (IE: stuff looked great on HDMI but bad on component, and good on VGA, or bad on HDMI, but great on component, etc...). As HDMI is pretty much the current standard, it's often best to use that if you have it available. However, many sets still offer very good support via component along with VGA and these analogue signals may look quite amazing.

Of course, if your monitor doesn't have 1:1 pixel mapping, and is at a resolution between those offered by the 360 (quite likely unless it's a true 1080p set), you are also limited by the monitor's ability to scale the image. Some monitors are great at this, and there are a few that blow goats. Furthermore, on a 16:10 computer widescreen (as opposed to 16:9 HDTV), you will have some stretching if your monitor doesn't support 1:1 mapping.

 

[LordGestle]

Just keep in mind if you go the HDMI to DVI cable you will not be able to get any sound unless you purchase the HDMI Audio Out box, or what every the call it. Best route is to pick up a VGA cable since it will have optical and RCA out. Target sells an offbrand one for 19$.

 

[tatteredpotato]

Originally posted by: LordGestle
Just keep in mind if you go the HDMI to DVI cable you will not be able to get any sound unless you purchase the HDMI Audio Out box, or what every the call it. Best route is to pick up a VGA cable since it will have optical and RCA out. Target sells an offbrand one for 19$.

I've heard nothing bu bad things about off brand 360 VGA cables. If you go VGA go for the official MS one.

 

[ghost recon88]

Just can VGA all together. The Xbox 360 isn't meant to be played in standard def, plus it'd look like crap on an LCD. Just get a HDMI-to-DVI adapter like I did, and view your Xbox 360 the way it was meant to be displayed.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: ghost recon88
Just can VGA all together. The Xbox 360 isn't meant to be played in standard def, plus it'd look like crap on an LCD. Just get a HDMI-to-DVI adapter like I did, and view your Xbox 360 the way it was meant to be displayed.

Um....I'm scratching my head trying to understand that statement. VGA blows away component on my TV hands down - movies and games. Besides, HDMI wasn't even added in until recently...I hardly would call it "the way it was meant to be displayed"

 

[ghost recon88]

HDMI = 1080p, and thats the max the 360 can output. Doesn't VGA max out @ 720p?

Edit: Just saw the OP's LCD only does 720p.

 

[Kirby64]

Originally posted by: ghost recon88
HDMI = 1080p, and thats the max the 360 can output. Doesn't VGA max out @ 720p?

Edit: Just saw the OP's LCD only does 720p.

Technically, VGA has no max resolution. The issue is that the analog signal degrades rapidly as you get higher and higher resolutions.

The 'max resolution' depends on two things: The length of the cable and the quality/shielding/gauge of the cable.

VGA can handle both 720p and 1080p without an issue as long as you don't have a 20 foot cable or something.

 

[Wuzup101]

As kirby said, both VGA and Component are more than capeable of delivering a 1080p signal. It all really comes down to what your TV will accept. There are quite a few TVs that don't accept native resolution over VGA, and are limited to 1080i over component. That's a limitation built into the TV and is not caused by the interface.