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My eyes must really suck. I play PC & Xbox and I just struggle to notice. Unless it is like Diablo 2 and then D2 LOD I really never can see slight improvements. But then my eyes hate 3d in all its forms.. 
Console games are 480p upscaled?
- Thread starter Omaeka
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Soldato
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Monitors upscale just the same as TVs, it's just that on your monitor you are sitting much closer and so the lower resolution and upscaling artifacts are far more noticeable.
Also, 'upscaling' isn't some magical process that can add more detail to a lower resolution image, it simply enlarges the images to fit a larger frame (e.g. 1280x720 to 1920x1080) using something like a bicubic resampling filter. At most the upscaling process might employ some sort sharpening filter, but this still does not add more detail, it only gives the impression of more detail.
Anyone who thinks 720p upsampled to 1080p looks as good as true 1080p, needs to have their eyes checked.
Also, 'upscaling' isn't some magical process that can add more detail to a lower resolution image, it simply enlarges the images to fit a larger frame (e.g. 1280x720 to 1920x1080) using something like a bicubic resampling filter. At most the upscaling process might employ some sort sharpening filter, but this still does not add more detail, it only gives the impression of more detail.
Anyone who thinks 720p upsampled to 1080p looks as good as true 1080p, needs to have their eyes checked.
You should think of it as a pipeline. For example, the Xbox would do this:
1. Example game renders at 1024x720. This is essentially the true frame buffer resolution.
2. Software and/or GPU Hardware scaler upscales frames to 1920x1080. Filters are used on the output frame to improve it's appearance. Typically it'd be some kind of sharpen and AA filter.
3. GPU outputs a 1920x1080 signal.
4. TV interprets the signal as a true HD signal. No need to process it unless otherwise configured too.
PS3 does the same but in it's own way.
All widescreen DVDs, most Freeview/Sky and their so called 'HD' counterparts do the same to compensate for the limitations with the deliverance technology.
Most modern graphics cards will allow you output a scaled image. If you have an ATI/AMD or nVidia GPU it'll be in the display controls. I don't know about Intel.
1. Example game renders at 1024x720. This is essentially the true frame buffer resolution.
2. Software and/or GPU Hardware scaler upscales frames to 1920x1080. Filters are used on the output frame to improve it's appearance. Typically it'd be some kind of sharpen and AA filter.
3. GPU outputs a 1920x1080 signal.
4. TV interprets the signal as a true HD signal. No need to process it unless otherwise configured too.
PS3 does the same but in it's own way.
All widescreen DVDs, most Freeview/Sky and their so called 'HD' counterparts do the same to compensate for the limitations with the deliverance technology.
Most modern graphics cards will allow you output a scaled image. If you have an ATI/AMD or nVidia GPU it'll be in the display controls. I don't know about Intel.
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How can the Xbox/Ps3 run a game, for example Skyrim, on a 480p T.V, and then a 720p T.V and then 1080p T.V all at the same performance? Like every single one will be (example, not actual) 30-35fps at those resolutions, not only can the consoles old hardware not run those, but surely if it tried to without the T.V upscaling for them, there would be performance issues?
If there isn't, its about time PC had the technology and ability to go to highest resolutions without the need for better hardware!
Consoles spend years in development blah blah blah
EDIT: others have posted more detailed/informed info I see
As others have said, it also depends on the game. Any game that claims to be HD must be at least 720p, the last PS3 game I purchased actually stated the resolution on the back of the box, and I see game reviewers mention it all the time when they're talking about a game's visuals.
By comparison, the wii runs at 480p and the difference between that and my PS3 is like night and day no matter how good the TV is at up-scaling. Uncharted 3 in particular looks outstanding.
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Its pretty crazy to think the consoles are usually processing 640x480 then, it makes sense now how they manage to play games like Battlefield 3. Its impressive though as I had Battlefield 3 on Xbox 360 and tbh it looked amazing, but then again maybe I have bad eyes for graphics.
But they aren't.
You've heard the man, they aren't.
http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=46241
Truth be told, 99% of the games are around 1280x720, or slightly lower.
Most "HD Ready" TVs are either 1366x768, 1024x768 (odd plasma resolution) or 1920x1080.
In that case upscaling is always involved, whether done by the console or the TV/projector.
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Yeah I read that, it seems pretty equal between 720p and below on Playstation 3, which is very impressive, the 360 though seems like more are below 720p than above it. Its strange to think I played a lot of the no-AA titles on console and didn't notice the lack of AA at all, yet I can't play a game on PC without at least 4x or else it looks horrible.
I don't know if we're looking at the same lists, because it seems to me that Xbox is almost always superior when it comes to the rendering resolution, and it has more VRAM to deal with AA.
Thing is though, with how my room is layed out I used to play my Xbox pretty damn close to my T.V (1080p @ 19"), about a similar distance as I am to my PC. Although my monitor is only 1440x900 (840p? 
) maybe that's why they seem on equal ground? My PC though has ran every game I've had so far with the absolute maximum graphical settings that my resolution has allowed (I think that's the case with Metro 2033, there are a lot of options I don't have, such as AA being capped at 4x).
Does 1080p make that much of a difference?
) maybe that's why they seem on equal ground? My PC though has ran every game I've had so far with the absolute maximum graphical settings that my resolution has allowed (I think that's the case with Metro 2033, there are a lot of options I don't have, such as AA being capped at 4x).Does 1080p make that much of a difference?
Street Fighter IV has more AA on the 360 than the Ps3!
The Xbox is actually more powerful than he Ps3 then? I swear the Ps3 does some things more impressively, or have things I've read in the past stuck in my head and twisted around as usual?
The Graphics chip inside the 360 is indeed faster than the one in the PS3. This is quite a little known fact as most assume the PS3 has better graphics. The PS3 does have a faster CPU though.
TVs are not as precise as Monitors for displaying images. Most TVs will slightly "blur" a console image, which would explain why you wouldnt notice the lack of aa. Also, console game devs cleverly use non clashing colour schemes to help reduces aliasing further
Its not really a problem on PC cos we dont get limited to upscaled graphics like consoles, PC just draw the image the same res as the display so we get the best possible quality.