Difference of HD on Xbox360 ?

Vogon

Vogon

Vogon

Soldato
Joined
14 Nov 2002
Posts
4,339
Obviously all the screenies I have seen are HD ... so what difference is there between the HD and regular output ?

I assume HD images are higer res, whats the res for HD and the res used for normal ? what about AA ... is that on both ?

Finally, is the HD output able to go into an analogue component input, or only digital ?
 
Closest comparable PC resolutions would be:

Normal TV/Low Definition : 640x480
HD 1080i LCD/CRT/PLASMA = 1920x1080.
 
Just found the sticky :o

Ok .. reason I asked, is I am looking at getting a new TV, and have seen one I like at the right price, but is a non HD Plasma, it has inputs for composite, which reading one of the links in the FAQ looks to be how the 360 outputs HD .... presumably the plasma screen would rescale the image as it can't do the 720 ?

Just wondering if I should only consider a HD TV.
 
SD plasma will look fantastic mate.

I'm assuming when you say composite you mean component? Component will look great, as will VGA which the plasma will probably have.

I've posted this in another thread, but this is PGR3 running in SD (ie not HD) on my plasma

96317743_604c1a5d9d_o.jpg
 
Sorry to interrupt here but my monitor (that i'm typing on) is a 19" CRT with component inputs on the back, I currently have my 360 on my 28" JVC widescreen using the basic composite that comes with the Core version. If I used the component cables and used it on my monitor is that HD? and therefore would look much better?

Secondly if the above is true, my friend got the premium and gets the Advanced Cables with component. He only has a 20" normal TV and is using the scart part, am I correct in assuming his Scart is still only composite or is it RGB? If its still composite then I might be able to convince him to let me use his cables so I can plug it into my monitor if he has mine as long as they are the same etc

Thanks.
 
Err yep I think I meant component :o

The Plasma I am considering is the Panasonic TH37PE50B.
Was looking at a Hitatchi 32" HD LCD, but the bigger screen is swaying me :p

I can't recal though, if it wasn't a good idea to play video games on plasma ?

Sagalout, does it use AA through SD ? I do hate jaggies ;)
 
Last edited:
Its the same leads in the Premium composite to Scart, im using the proper RGB advanced scart here on my 28" Sony Trinitron Widescreen, and the picture is absolutely stonking, much better than the composite to scart that you get. :D
 
Richeh said:
Sorry to interrupt here but my monitor (that i'm typing on) is a 19" CRT with component inputs on the back, I currently have my 360 on my 28" JVC widescreen using the basic composite that comes with the Core version. If I used the component cables and used it on my monitor is that HD? and therefore would look much better?

Secondly if the above is true, my friend got the premium and gets the Advanced Cables with component. He only has a 20" normal TV and is using the scart part, am I correct in assuming his Scart is still only composite or is it RGB? If its still composite then I might be able to convince him to let me use his cables so I can plug it into my monitor if he has mine as long as they are the same etc

Thanks.
Click to expand...

1) Outputting via component to a CRT will allow you to run in HD :)
2) The Advanced cable has normal composite leads (i.e. not RGB) - only the Advanced Scart is RGB ;)
 
Vogon said:
Err yep I think I meant component :o

The Plasma I am considering is the Panasonic TH37PE50B.
Was looking at a Hitatchi 32" HD LCD, but the bigger screen is swaying me :p

I can't recal though, if it wasn't a good idea to play video games on plasma ?

Sagalout, does it use AA through SD ? I do hate jaggies ;)
Click to expand...

Yep, you get identical image processing, AA,filtering/shadows/detail etc. Only difference is its made up of less dots but you wont notice the differecne on most games. You also get a smoother frame rate on a few of the current games, although I'll put that down to first releases being a bit unoptomosed, but certainly NFSMW, Full Auto and COD2 (smoke grenades) are noticeably smoother.

Go for the big screen - you know you want to ;)
 
Also all HD signals are progressive rather than interlaced and this makes quite a difference at 480.

My Toshiba picture frame tv takes a component feed so I was able to change from an advanced SCART running PAL (basically 480i) to the HD component cable running at 480p and the difference was far greater than you'd imagine. It looks fantastic imo.

I've just checked the Panasonic TH37PE50B write up and it has Progressive Scan and Component Input so I'm thinking it will do 480p.
 
Sagalout said:
Yep, you get identical image processing, AA,filtering/shadows/detail etc. Only difference is its made up of less dots but you wont notice the differecne on most games. You also get a smoother frame rate on a few of the current games, although I'll put that down to first releases being a bit unoptomosed, but certainly NFSMW, Full Auto and COD2 (smoke grenades) are noticeably smoother.
Click to expand...

At HD some things are visible that aren't at SD. For example there are names above cars in PGR3 in HD, but in SD there are no names (although I think there's an option to force it). HD also sometimes has a larger play field in some Arcade games iirc.
 
Names above cars are shown perfectly on mine in SD? They are toggled on and off using the button above the right trigger.

Take a screenshot of any scene in HD, post it and I'll try and take the identical scene in SD on my plasma then compare details.

On some CRT TV's you do lose some details due to the quality of the actual screen, but they are there and can be seen in VGA at SD resolution.

Also re the field of view, most TV's (and certainly plasmas) will accept a 720P signal and scale it themselves. Panasonic owners in particular say this gives better results that taking a 480P signal, and of course you then get an identical field of view.
 
Last edited:
Sounds a plus for that Panny Plasma then :)

Now the hard bit .... finding someone locally or online with premiums in stock, got a week until I get the money, so hopefully there will be some about by then (sarcasm) :(
 
Last edited:
Juast my 2p worth

While I realise there isnt that much Hidef tv around yet, do you really want to invest £1000 or more on a SD set when sky will be broadcasting hidef within a couple of months and the BBC within a year? Remember this set will probably last you 3 or 4 years or more and for all that time you may be regrretting your decision.

dont get me wrong I had about the same amount of moeny recently andhad to make the same choice, very glad i went HiDef though

even a cheap £90 upscaling dvd player via hdmi looks fabulously better than on SD, let alone when HiDef comes out for real in BluRay / HD-DVD

I realise you get a smaller screen , but the added detail is sooooooo worht it ( in my opinion)

The difference between composite and componant on the xbox is unbelievable, I was ready to be impressed but its soooooooo mcuh clearer ( pity i am soooo useless at PGR3 lol)
 
Vogon said:
Sounds a plus for that Panny Plasma then :)

Now the hard bit .... finding someone locally or online with premiums in stock, got a week until I get the money, so hopefully there will be some about by then (sarcasm) :(
Click to expand...


Where are you mate? There are quite a few shops in London and Southampton that have everything in stock now ( even though you may have to get a core + hdd+ componant cables rather than premium) but the cost shouldnt be that much different
 
Sagalout said:
Names above cars are shown perfectly on mine in SD? They are toggled on and off using the button above the right trigger.
Click to expand...

Aye, but they're on by default. When the cars are close enough (in HD) the names appear, but as they get further away the names fade out. Its just something I noticed when I went from SD to HD. There are various 'little things' that you notice (but don't remember funnily enough) when playing in HD having come from SD.

Not saying SD is bad, it most certainly isn't. If you have a HD capable screen, or were planning on getting one anyway then HD is most definitely worth it. But spending £700+ just go get HD is defnitely not worth it, you're better off with an advanced SCART (ie. RGB) cable and your existing TV :)
 
Problem is that the Sky service will be very limited for quite a while. Initially it will be 10 movies a week plus premiership games and some documentaries. This will also cost you about a tenner a month on top of your normal sky sub. I dont know what the BBC plans are or how they will be distributed (through Sky?). HD DVD is a way off from being affordable too, plus theres a format war to get through before I'd even think about buying a HD DVD or Blu Ray player.

For me it comes down to useage - if the set will be used mostly for 360 with occasional DVD/TV useage then HD is th ebest solution, but a lot of HD sets look worse when displaying week SD material (including many sky channels) than an SD set - this was the main reason I sent my original HD LCD back and bought an SD plasma.

It also depend on your budget - you'd be mad to spend over £1000 on an SD set, which is why I got mine for £800 ($460 afetr tax dodge ;)). If it lasts me a couple of years by then HD will be half the price and image processing will have jumped a generation - and there will actually be enough source material to get the best out of it.
 
I'm pretty sure HD signals can be sent through freeview, although they'll prolly have to create some more multiplexes due to the extra bandwidth required. Hence BBC will prolly just broadcast HD via a new channel or something.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom