Xbox 360, HD-DVD Drive & Movie.. VGA or Component?

[BillyBatson]

Everyone was right using a VGA cable instead of component for the xbox is far better when viewing dvds!!!!! colors look far more realisitic and the upscaling helps. (i have a 32" lcd and a 47" 1080p lcd)

Here is my new question: I purchased the HD-DVD addon for the 360 and will be showing an HD-DVD movie next week on the 47" 1080p, what cable should i output with?! i know playing a standard dvd in the HD-DVD drive will still not upscale unless you use the VGA cable but seeing as an HD-DVD disk doesn't need to be upscaled, which will look better???

The movie will be The Departed. I purchased it today but they got me.... I got it on HD-DVD which actually includes the standard definition DVD on side B but I purchased the special edition 2 disk DVD in the metal tin case aswell from Best Buy =\

 

[elbosco]

I hope you purchased Departed from Best Buy as it's currently on sale for $22.99 (normally $34ish).

As for your question, the cable you should use depends on your TV.

VGA will display 1080p but some xbox 360 users on avsforums are complaining about washed out blacks.

Users are claiming better colors with component cables, but your resolution will be limited to 1080i. However, a decent 1808p display should correctly deinterlace the 1080i signal.

Your best bet is to try them both and determine what works best for you.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Can you use a VGA cable, then a VGA to DVI converter, then a DVI to HDMI converter to get 1080p upscaled?

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Can you use a VGA cable, then a VGA to DVI converter, then a DVI to HDMI converter to get 1080p upscaled?

 

[Chrono]

LOL!

 

[BillyBatson]

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Can you use a VGA cable, then a VGA to DVI converter, then a DVI to HDMI converter to get 1080p upscaled?

wholly hell!?!???!?!

and yes elbosco i purchased the tin edition of the movie at BB for $22.99, i think the 2 disk special edition inthe regular plastic case was 24.99 at costco. the HD-DVD version was 34.99 and the blu-ray was 29.99 but of course the blue ray lacks the standard DVD on the same disk

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Think about it. The downconverting code that was put into the HD-DVD and Blu-ray players, where the movie companies can just decide whenever they want if they don't want you watching in HD over analog signals.

 

[BillyBatson]

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Think about it. The downconverting code that was put into the HD-DVD and Blu-ray players, where the movie companies can just decide whenever they want if they don't want you watching in HD over analog signals.

wait what am i thinking about?
how does this tell me which cable is better?

 

[krotchy]

Remember the color transmission is different for TV and PC: Component = Y-Cb-Cr, VGA = RGB. TV broadcasting is done in Y-Cb-Cr and PC's use RGB. I assume the Xbox is working in Y-Cb-Cr as its standard (since composite, component and S-video are all YCC and those cables actually come with a 360). Also, since you can do 1080p over component that should be your better option. However a color space conversion to RGB is almost entirely unnoticeable, and LCD's display in RGB anyways (each pixel = 1 red, 1 green 1 blue...)

That being said, if you have both cables, check it out for yourself and decide.

I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV, and everything looks fantastic in 1080p over component. If your TV can handle 1080p over component, Id check it out because I found it to be my best option by a large amount. However I never used my 360 for upscaling DVD's so I didn't have a real need for the VGA cable, and I just put it back in the box after comparing for a while.

 

[zerocool84]

Originally posted by: krotchy
I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV

 

[NFS4]

Originally posted by: zerocool84

Originally posted by: krotchy
I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV

In other words "I got taken to the cleaners for something that shouldn't cost more than $10 on eBay"

 

[BillyBatson]

Originally posted by: krotchy
Remember the color transmission is different for TV and PC: Component = Y-Cb-Cr, VGA = RGB. TV broadcasting is done in Y-Cb-Cr and PC's use RGB. I assume the Xbox is working in Y-Cb-Cr as its standard (since composite, component and S-video are all YCC and those cables actually come with a 360). Also, since you can do 1080p over component that should be your better option. However a color space conversion to RGB is almost entirely unnoticeable, and LCD's display in RGB anyways (each pixel = 1 red, 1 green 1 blue...)

That being said, if you have both cables, check it out for yourself and decide.

I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV, and everything looks fantastic in 1080p over component. If your TV can handle 1080p over component, Id check it out because I found it to be my best option by a large amount. However I never used my 360 for upscaling DVD's so I didn't have a real need for the VGA cable, and I just put it back in the box after comparing for a while.

well if you take the HD-DVD player and HD movies out of the equation, then everyone is right, component for games, vga for movies. Standard dvds look better on my 32" lcd, 47" 1080P lcd, and 42" 1080i plasma. Like i said in the OP the colors look FAR more realistic and the upscaling is an improvement over the components 480p. with the HDDVD player and an HD movie though i dunno i have not heard anything and i have not even had a chance to try my hddvd drive yet! i set it up 2 days ago and left home and have not been home since lol. elbosco above claims the vga will do 1080p but the component for movies with the hddvd drive will do only 1080i?

 

[NaOH]

I use the VGA cables. Everything looks a lot better in my opinion, especially movies (dvd and hd dvd).

 

[elbosco]

Originally posted by: BillyBatson

Originally posted by: krotchy
Remember the color transmission is different for TV and PC: Component = Y-Cb-Cr, VGA = RGB. TV broadcasting is done in Y-Cb-Cr and PC's use RGB. I assume the Xbox is working in Y-Cb-Cr as its standard (since composite, component and S-video are all YCC and those cables actually come with a 360). Also, since you can do 1080p over component that should be your better option. However a color space conversion to RGB is almost entirely unnoticeable, and LCD's display in RGB anyways (each pixel = 1 red, 1 green 1 blue...)

That being said, if you have both cables, check it out for yourself and decide.

I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV, and everything looks fantastic in 1080p over component. If your TV can handle 1080p over component, Id check it out because I found it to be my best option by a large amount. However I never used my 360 for upscaling DVD's so I didn't have a real need for the VGA cable, and I just put it back in the box after comparing for a while.

well if you take the HD-DVD player and HD movies out of the equation, then everyone is right, component for games, vga for movies. Standard dvds look better on my 32" lcd, 47" 1080P lcd, and 42" 1080i plasma. Like i said in the OP the colors look FAR more realistic and the upscaling is an improvement over the components 480p. with the HDDVD player and an HD movie though i dunno i have not heard anything and i have not even had a chance to try my hddvd drive yet! i set it up 2 days ago and left home and have not been home since lol. elbosco above claims the vga will do 1080p but the component for movies with the hddvd drive will do only 1080i?

AACS rules limit the maximum resolution of HD-DVD over component to 1080i. Your xbox 360 will automatically switch resolution to 1080i if you have it set to 1080p when you play any HD-DVD. However, any television with a halfway decent de-interlacer will display it at 1080p without any negligible quality loss. You probably won't even tell the difference.

Again, provided you have them, the best thing you can do is use both and see which one gives you the better picture.

 

[indamixx99]

My TV has DVI input. Can I use a VGA-DVI adapter to hook up VGA to my tv? I tried it once using my laptop and was unable to get it to work. I have a 57" RP CRT, 1080i. Thanks

 

[BillyBatson]

Originally posted by: indamixx99
My TV has DVI input. Can I use a VGA-DVI adapter to hook up VGA to my tv? I tried it once using my laptop and was unable to get it to work. I have a 57" RP CRT, 1080i. Thanks

i am not sure? i know you can use an adapter to go from dvi to vga but i have never seen vga to dvi

 

[BillyBatson]

i guess i am just going to have to spent time and try for myself

 

[Juddog]

Originally posted by: krotchy
Remember the color transmission is different for TV and PC: Component = Y-Cb-Cr, VGA = RGB. TV broadcasting is done in Y-Cb-Cr and PC's use RGB. I assume the Xbox is working in Y-Cb-Cr as its standard (since composite, component and S-video are all YCC and those cables actually come with a 360). Also, since you can do 1080p over component that should be your better option. However a color space conversion to RGB is almost entirely unnoticeable, and LCD's display in RGB anyways (each pixel = 1 red, 1 green 1 blue...)

That being said, if you have both cables, check it out for yourself and decide.

I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV, and everything looks fantastic in 1080p over component. If your TV can handle 1080p over component, Id check it out because I found it to be my best option by a large amount. However I never used my 360 for upscaling DVD's so I didn't have a real need for the VGA cable, and I just put it back in the box after comparing for a while.

Component doesn't do 1080P, the XBOX 360 simply does not output it through the component cables. This is why a lot of people use the VGA cables, to get the full output resolution that the unit can do.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: zerocool84

Originally posted by: krotchy
I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV

In other words "I got taken to the cleaners for something that shouldn't cost more than $10 on eBay"

Having a friend that works at Best Buy and gets the cables at cost helps out too

 

[Dacalo]

Originally posted by: ChAoTiCpInOy
Can you use a VGA cable, then a VGA to DVI converter, then a DVI to HDMI converter to get 1080p upscaled?

Originally posted by: indamixx99
My TV has DVI input. Can I use a VGA-DVI adapter to hook up VGA to my tv? I tried it once using my laptop and was unable to get it to work. I have a 57" RP CRT, 1080i. Thanks

These won't work. You are trying to make analog signal to digital signal, which is not possible. However, you can make digital to analog.

 

[BillyBatson]

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: krotchy
Remember the color transmission is different for TV and PC: Component = Y-Cb-Cr, VGA = RGB. TV broadcasting is done in Y-Cb-Cr and PC's use RGB. I assume the Xbox is working in Y-Cb-Cr as its standard (since composite, component and S-video are all YCC and those cables actually come with a 360). Also, since you can do 1080p over component that should be your better option. However a color space conversion to RGB is almost entirely unnoticeable, and LCD's display in RGB anyways (each pixel = 1 red, 1 green 1 blue...)

That being said, if you have both cables, check it out for yourself and decide.

I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV, and everything looks fantastic in 1080p over component. If your TV can handle 1080p over component, Id check it out because I found it to be my best option by a large amount. However I never used my 360 for upscaling DVD's so I didn't have a real need for the VGA cable, and I just put it back in the box after comparing for a while.

Component doesn't do 1080P, the XBOX 360 simply does not output it through the component cables. This is why a lot of people use the VGA cables, to get the full output resolution that the unit can do.

K! good to know! i didn't know that fact, even more so i didn't think vga was considered higher than component. I use to assume component was higher but on my recent tv purchases they have come with "setup" posters both of which had a scale of the video inputs available on the TV in order or quality and at the top is HDMI/DVI then VGA, then component, and so on. interesting.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: krotchy
Remember the color transmission is different for TV and PC: Component = Y-Cb-Cr, VGA = RGB. TV broadcasting is done in Y-Cb-Cr and PC's use RGB. I assume the Xbox is working in Y-Cb-Cr as its standard (since composite, component and S-video are all YCC and those cables actually come with a 360). Also, since you can do 1080p over component that should be your better option. However a color space conversion to RGB is almost entirely unnoticeable, and LCD's display in RGB anyways (each pixel = 1 red, 1 green 1 blue...)

That being said, if you have both cables, check it out for yourself and decide.

I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV, and everything looks fantastic in 1080p over component. If your TV can handle 1080p over component, Id check it out because I found it to be my best option by a large amount. However I never used my 360 for upscaling DVD's so I didn't have a real need for the VGA cable, and I just put it back in the box after comparing for a while.

Component doesn't do 1080P, the XBOX 360 simply does not output it through the component cables. This is why a lot of people use the VGA cables, to get the full output resolution that the unit can do.

Um, that's incorect. The 360 does do 1080p over component via an update last fall. It's IF and ONLY IF your TV supports 1080p over component that it can do it. Just because your TV is 1080p doesn't mean the 360 will do 1080p via component if it doesn't support it via those inputs.

 

[krotchy]

Originally posted by: NFS4

Originally posted by: zerocool84

Originally posted by: krotchy
I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV

In other words "I got taken to the cleaners for something that shouldn't cost more than $10 on eBay"

I didnt buy them, I got them free. Kthx....

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: krotchy
Remember the color transmission is different for TV and PC: Component = Y-Cb-Cr, VGA = RGB. TV broadcasting is done in Y-Cb-Cr and PC's use RGB. I assume the Xbox is working in Y-Cb-Cr as its standard (since composite, component and S-video are all YCC and those cables actually come with a 360). Also, since you can do 1080p over component that should be your better option. However a color space conversion to RGB is almost entirely unnoticeable, and LCD's display in RGB anyways (each pixel = 1 red, 1 green 1 blue...)

That being said, if you have both cables, check it out for yourself and decide.

I personally use Xbox 360 Monster Component Cables for my 47in 1080p TV, and everything looks fantastic in 1080p over component. If your TV can handle 1080p over component, Id check it out because I found it to be my best option by a large amount. However I never used my 360 for upscaling DVD's so I didn't have a real need for the VGA cable, and I just put it back in the box after comparing for a while.

Component doesn't do 1080P, the XBOX 360 simply does not output it through the component cables. This is why a lot of people use the VGA cables, to get the full output resolution that the unit can do.

Component video is capable of transmitting 1080p. The inability to do so has nothing to do with the video format itself.