I concede (RE: X360 VGA vs Component)

[Kreeeee]

I've just spent an afternoon configuring my Home AV setup and the component image absolutely spanks the VGA image for colour depth, black levels, contrast and sharpness (comparing 1080i/720p component with 1366*768 VGA).

Now I've always touted the VGA cable as being superior and with tweaking it can come close to component but for reasons unknown to me the quality is simply inferior to the component connection. Now I know it's not my TV as I loaded a picture onto my PC and 360 and comparing the following:

360 component
360 VGA
PC VGA 1:1 mapping
PC DVI via HDMI 1:1 mapping

All images look identical bar the 360 via VGA. Any ideas as to why MS have made the VGA cable inferior to component? I hope the HDMI cable for the 360 (if/when it's released) can match the component quality as my component connection is taken up by the Wii and ideally I'd like no overscan (component loses 5-10% at the edges of the screen by design).

Not really sure why I posted this other than I imagine McDaniel would love to take the opportunity to say "I told you so".

EDIT: It's not the TV as the PC via VGA looks fine!!!

 

[Kreeeee]

I've always though that Component gives the more vibrant colours but lacks the sharpness of VGA.

I'd imagine the TV you use also plays a massive factor.

I get the same from 3 TVs:

LG 32LC2DB, LG 37LC3R, Samsung LE32R74.

Also the same picture being sent from a PC and a 360 at 1366*768 both via VGA on the above TVs and on an NEC 20WGX2 monitor all show the same flaws in the X360s VGA. There's no logical reason for the 360's VGA to be inferior to a PCs VGA though, or especially compared to component.

Edit: The dashboard in particular looks better via 1080i than 1366*768 VGA for some reason. I'm still using VGA because of my limited connections but I'm hoping HDMI can solve this.

 

[Kreeeee]

Why dont you just turn the colour up on VGA and have the best of both connections then?

Because raising the colour doesn't get rid of the white haze. With VGA you can't have deep blacks and striking whites like you can on component. Lowering the brightness helps loads but at the cost of pristine whites.

This varies depending on what screen you have, I'm running my 360 through a dell 2407 and the vga picture is better by far (component is shockingly bad on this screen) but on a hd ready tv with proper component inputs then component will be better

But that doesn't explain why PC VGA at identical resolutions doesn't look crap, it looks the same as component on the 360.

 

[Kreeeee]

Official VGA lead is still better for me than the HD component lead on my 23" Sammy LCD TV.

Any colour difference there might be doesn't bother me, and its much sharper. PGR3 is almost a different game with the reduced jaggies a VGA lead provides.

After trying PGR3 again I agree. In everything but the dashboard everything seems a bit sharper bit the difference in colour depth is huge

Edit: I think most of the jaggies disappear by there being no overscan. The overscan cuts off the edges and blows up the rest of the image to fit the screen (removes 5-10% depending on the TV) which accentuates "jaggies".

 

[Kreeeee]

The VGA is far better on my LCD. Stop buying budget LCD's tbh

Read threads before posting

It's the cable though, as he's said, on VGA via PC, the picture is fine.

Aye and there's really no legitimate reason for it really.

 

[Kreeeee]

And me, considering I've said Component > VGA since the launch in 2005 .

Yes but you don't deserve the opportunity

 

[Kreeeee]

Only problem I have now is that I need a component switcher that doesn't lose quality.

 

[Kreeeee]

Another vote for this, you can get it here.

Aye I found it but for that price I'd like 3 rather than 2 component inputs.

 

[Kreeeee]

Just found something called XCM Multi-Component Cable which is a component cable with connections for Xbox 360, Wii, PS3 and PS2.

Thought it might be of interest to you as I doubt it's that expensive.

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/7129/xcmccash4.jpg

I worry about the quality of the cable though...

VGA has always been better for me but then it also depends on the screen you're using. I prefer the sharper image.

Like I said it's not the screen.

 

[Kreeeee]

What a life you must live.

Right...

 

[Kreeeee]

I was just being mischevious

I could never dislike you anyway, I like your name too much. Almost as much as MakeShiftWings.

The component does give much more vibrant colours than the vga, but i find the vga gives a smoother picture on my 40w bravia, its a shame, i would like to see the vibrant colours with the smoothness of the vga, i guess we would have to wait for the hdmi 360 to get that combo though.

That's precisely what I'm waiting for. There's no reason why it won't but then again there was no reason for VGA to have such washed out colours.

 

[Kreeeee]

I tried component tonight as a result of this discussion and i still prefer VGA.

Test game was Viva Pinata for obvious reasons!

If anything the colours on component are TOO strong, and VGA's are just right for me, but a lot of this is all down to personal preference.

the other thing i don't really like about component is the way you lose a bit of the picture (5-10% didn't someone say earlier in the thread?)

Yes, standard overscan is 5-10% which is always accounted for so no text is off the screen. I do find Component overblown but that's easily adaptable, the VGA connection is harder to tweak to satisfactory levels. After fiddling I'm fairly happy with VGA but could do with slightly more vibrant colours after adjustment to remove the washed out look.

 

[Kreeeee]

I've just been fiddling with my service menu on my LC3R and changed the overscan to 1%... now this makes my decision even harder.

It also makes the Wii look a lot better without overscan.

 

[Kreeeee]

Yes but isn't dvd upscaling only available on VGA?

Correct.

 

[Kreeeee]

<3