VGA or HDMI to DVI on XBOX 360

[klipschman]

Thank you for the quick responses. HDMI to DVI will give the best picture and I see that Monoprice has them for cheap.

Now I have a 1280 x 1024 monitor that I will be connecting my Xbox 360 to.

Will the Xbox 360 let me game at 1280x720 with black bars at top and bottom of the screen over HDMI to DVI?

 

[hans030390]

HDMI/DVI > VGA.

 

[Randum]

is the VGA better than running the component HD cables?

 

[PricklyPete]

Originally posted by: Randum
is the VGA better than running the component HD cables?

Yes. Prior to HDMI, MS always stated that VGA was their "best connection". That being said, the Component connection is no slouch. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who could notice any difference on any normal HDTV or Monitor you found. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the HD connections...Component, HDMI, or VGA.

Edit: I should say that some TV's do very different processing based on what input you use which is likely to have a much larger affect on the quality of the picture than the actual information passing over the the connection you use...so in a lot of ways, the best connection has more to do with your output device than the connection itself.

 

[klipschman]

Alright so I now know that HDMI to DVI would give me the best picture.

Will the Xbox 360 display 1280 x 720 with black bars on the top and bottom of the screen over this connection? (on a 1280 x 1024 monitor)

 

[tatteredpotato]

Originally posted by: klipschman
Alright so I now know that HDMI to DVI would give me the best picture.

Will the Xbox 360 display 1280 x 720 with black bars on the top and bottom of the screen over this connection? (on a 1280 x 1024 monitor)

That depends on how your monitor deals with that resolution. Also the VGA a cable offers some more Computer monitor friendly resolutions.

 

[hans030390]

Originally posted by: klipschman
Alright so I now know that HDMI to DVI would give me the best picture.

Will the Xbox 360 display 1280 x 720 with black bars on the top and bottom of the screen over this connection? (on a 1280 x 1024 monitor)

It's like ObscureCaucasian said, it depends on your monitor. I'm not sure if the 360 will scale and do the black bars thing. I know my PS3 doesn't do that, and neither does the monitor I hook it into.

I'd say just to try it out...monoprice has good cables, so you won't lose money (well, not much) testing it out.

 

[inveterate]

I have the X2vga for my ps3, because my dad cheapoed out on me and didn't let me take the "FAMILY" lnt46" But anyhow. it works great for 360 and ps3, and anything else with Component and at least 480p.

I'm not sure if you can adjust the image size on a DVI connection. So i'd say go with VGA, that is a flawless connection. If anyone says they can tell the difference, "they're a god" if ur not one of those, u'll be fine.

 

[hans030390]

Originally posted by: inveterate
I have the X2vga for my ps3, because my dad cheapoed out on me and didn't let me take the "FAMILY" lnt46" But anyhow. it works great for 360 and ps3, and anything else with Component and at least 480p.

I'm not sure if you can adjust the image size on a DVI connection. So i'd say go with VGA, that is a flawless connection. If anyone says they can tell the difference, "they're a god" if ur not one of those, u'll be fine.

Does this X2vga output the image in a way that you could display black bars on the top and bottom of the screen?

I've been playing my PS3 on a 16x10 (1440x900) monitor at 1080p. It looks fantastic, but the image is scaled to fit the screen. That results in a "squished" (very slight) look.

If I could use something to output the source so that it displays the black bars, that would be great. Currently I'm using an HDMI to DVI cable.

 

[hans030390]

Originally posted by: hans030390

Originally posted by: inveterate
I have the X2vga for my ps3, because my dad cheapoed out on me and didn't let me take the "FAMILY" lnt46" But anyhow. it works great for 360 and ps3, and anything else with Component and at least 480p.

I'm not sure if you can adjust the image size on a DVI connection. So i'd say go with VGA, that is a flawless connection. If anyone says they can tell the difference, "they're a god" if ur not one of those, u'll be fine.

Does this X2vga output the image in a way that you could display black bars on the top and bottom of the screen?

I've been playing my PS3 on a 16x10 (1440x900) monitor at 1080p. It looks fantastic, but the image is scaled to fit the screen. That results in a "squished" (very slight) look.

If I could use something to output the source so that it displays the black bars, that would be great. Currently I'm using an HDMI to DVI cable.

EDIT: Would something like this work?

Crap...I hit the quote button...sorry.

 

[Farmer]

Originally posted by: klipschman
Alright so I now know that HDMI to DVI would give me the best picture.

Will the Xbox 360 display 1280 x 720 with black bars on the top and bottom of the screen over this connection? (on a 1280 x 1024 monitor)

I am using a HDMI to DVI cable on an HDMI Premium. There is a display option for 1280x1024, but that only applies to the dashboard (and even so, it looks a little scaled, I don't know).

Whether or not it runs at fullscreen 1280x1024, or letterbox 1280x720, et cetera, depends on whether if the game you are running has support for fullscreen resolutions. For instance, Forza 2 does not have that support (or at least, it doesn't for me), and it runs on letterbox, and the rendered image (not text, menu, etc.,) does look a little squished (for whatever reason; it really shouldn't because the width is not compressed at all).

Best bet right now, if you are going to be buying an LCD, is to get a 16:9 LCD, maybe a 24" that is native 1080p. Your Xbox may have a hard time rendering all that, thought (i.e., get hot, die).

 

[SoundTheSurrender]

I ran VGA on my friends 42 inch Samsung @ 1920 x 1080and it looked awesome. I don't know how much better it could get. It's crystal clear.

 

[inveterate]

Originally posted by: hans030390

Originally posted by: hans030390

Originally posted by: inveterate
I have the X2vga for my ps3, because my dad cheapoed out on me and didn't let me take the "FAMILY" lnt46" But anyhow. it works great for 360 and ps3, and anything else with Component and at least 480p.

I'm not sure if you can adjust the image size on a DVI connection. So i'd say go with VGA, that is a flawless connection. If anyone says they can tell the difference, "they're a god" if ur not one of those, u'll be fine.

Does this X2vga output the image in a way that you could display black bars on the top and bottom of the screen?

I've been playing my PS3 on a 16x10 (1440x900) monitor at 1080p. It looks fantastic, but the image is scaled to fit the screen. That results in a "squished" (very slight) look.

If I could use something to output the source so that it displays the black bars, that would be great. Currently I'm using an HDMI to DVI cable.

EDIT: Would something like this work?

Crap...I hit the quote button...sorry.

Looks like it should but I don't know about the quality OR if it can put black bars on top and bottome, Because that is the job of the LCD usually and not the VGA box's. So chances are ur lcd will still scale the final image to whatever it needs it to be. trying to get 1080p on 1440x900 is futile really, 720 is still much better in this case..

 

[hans030390]

Originally posted by: inveterate

Originally posted by: hans030390

Originally posted by: hans030390

Originally posted by: inveterate
I have the X2vga for my ps3, because my dad cheapoed out on me and didn't let me take the "FAMILY" lnt46" But anyhow. it works great for 360 and ps3, and anything else with Component and at least 480p.

I'm not sure if you can adjust the image size on a DVI connection. So i'd say go with VGA, that is a flawless connection. If anyone says they can tell the difference, "they're a god" if ur not one of those, u'll be fine.

Does this X2vga output the image in a way that you could display black bars on the top and bottom of the screen?

I've been playing my PS3 on a 16x10 (1440x900) monitor at 1080p. It looks fantastic, but the image is scaled to fit the screen. That results in a "squished" (very slight) look.

If I could use something to output the source so that it displays the black bars, that would be great. Currently I'm using an HDMI to DVI cable.

EDIT: Would something like this work?

Crap...I hit the quote button...sorry.

Looks like it should but I don't know about the quality OR if it can put black bars on top and bottome, Because that is the job of the LCD usually and not the VGA box's. So chances are ur lcd will still scale the final image to whatever it needs it to be. trying to get 1080p on 1440x900 is futile really, 720 is still much better in this case..

Yeah, it likely will scale the image to fill it anyways. Still, my PC is able to output a signal with the correct aspect ratio (so, I can play a game in 720P on my monitor with black bars on the top and bottom). This is done through the Nvidia drivers, so I was just wondering if there was some item I could buy that would do the same for my PS3.

My monitor runs 1080p perfectly (even though it is 1440x900). It looks absolutely fantastic (crystal clear). Both that and 720p look great.

 

[bob4432]

for my 360 i have used component and vga on both my 720p 32" & 40" lcds - can't tell a difference whatsoever, fwiw.

imho i can't see a difference after 720p but maybe that is different w/ larger lcds - possibly over 50", not sure. a friend of mine who installs high end home theaters for a living ($20,000+ systems in dedicated rooms in multi-million dollar houses) says even in the upper high end lcds, plamsas and projectors you are hard pressed to see much of a difference between 720p, 1080i and 1080p. again, fwiw. i have seen his 720p project @ ~92" and it looks excellent but again, just imho

 

[inveterate]

Originally posted by: bob4432
for my 360 i have used component and vga on both my 720p 32" & 40" lcds - can't tell a difference whatsoever, fwiw.

imho i can't see a difference after 720p but maybe that is different w/ larger lcds - possibly over 50", not sure. a friend of mine who installs high end home theaters for a living ($20,000+ systems in dedicated rooms in multi-million dollar houses) says even in the upper high end lcds, plamsas and projectors you are hard pressed to see much of a difference between 720p, 1080i and 1080p. again, fwiw. i have seen his 720p project @ ~92" and it looks excellent but again, just imho

On my 3007 wfp only 30" 720 and 1080 is NIGHT and day.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: inveterate
I have the X2vga for my ps3, because my dad cheapoed out on me and didn't let me take the "FAMILY" lnt46" But anyhow. it works great for 360 and ps3, and anything else with Component and at least 480p.

I'm not sure if you can adjust the image size on a DVI connection. So i'd say go with VGA, that is a flawless connection. If anyone says they can tell the difference, "they're a god" if ur not one of those, u'll be fine.

I'm looking to score an X2VGA 2 for my PS2... any experience using it with that console?