Will my plasma do HD with 360?

Psyk · 22 Mar 2006 at 18:54

dirtydog said:
That isn't true, I can tell you for a fact Xbox games are vsynced and the refresh rate does make a difference to the framerate.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=xbox+pal60+50fps+60fps&btnG=Search&meta=

Well yes the actual FPS would be affected (after all it's impossible to get higher than 50fps if the screen is only refreshing 50 times a second). But I just mean the actual speed of gameplay isn't linked to the FPS like it is with other consoles. For example the seconds counter in FFX on the PS2 actually ticks every 1.2 seconds if you have the PAL version due to sloppy conversion (This specific example may not be true, just illustrating a point). But since the Xbox doesn't use the refresh rate or fps as a timing device the gameplay speed is unaffected by changes in refresh rate or fps, just like PC games.

VIRII · 22 Mar 2006 at 19:06

dirtydog said:
(I'm not sure if there's some irony or sarcasm lurking in your post that or if it's a serious question )

Here I am campaigning on your behalf for a 360 and you accuse me of taking the mickey out of you ! Oh callous words indeed.

LOL - of course there's a little bit of teasing in there.

dirtydog · 22 Mar 2006 at 19:25

Psyk said:
Well yes the actual FPS would be affected (after all it's impossible to get higher than 50fps if the screen is only refreshing 50 times a second). But I just mean the actual speed of gameplay isn't linked to the FPS like it is with other consoles. For example the seconds counter in FFX on the PS2 actually ticks every 1.2 seconds if you have the PAL version due to sloppy conversion (This specific example may not be true, just illustrating a point). But since the Xbox doesn't use the refresh rate or fps as a timing device the gameplay speed is unaffected by changes in refresh rate or fps, just like PC games.

Hmm but correct me if I'm wrong (as I don't use Xbox Live) but aren't there games on the Xbox like PGR2, which will not let 50Hz players play against 60Hz players online? That implies that the gamespeed as well as the framerate is different.

VIRII said:
Here I am campaigning on your behalf for a 360 and you accuse me of taking the mickey out of you ! Oh callous words indeed.

LOL - of course there's a little bit of teasing in there.

I thought as much

Psyk · 22 Mar 2006 at 20:03

dirtydog said:
Hmm but correct me if I'm wrong (as I don't use Xbox Live) but aren't there games on the Xbox like PGR2, which will not let 50Hz players play against 60Hz players online? That implies that the gamespeed as well as the framerate is different.

Never played that game so can't say. Never had problems with Halo 2 though. I always ran it in 60Hz and I played against a friend that run it in 50Hz. Maybe it does depend on how the game is coded but generally I think it doesn't matter since the refresh rate is a setting on the Xbox dashboard rather than in specific games like on the PS2.

VIRII · 22 Mar 2006 at 20:43

dirtydog said:
Hmm but correct me if I'm wrong (as I don't use Xbox Live) but aren't there games on the Xbox like PGR2, which will not let 50Hz players play against 60Hz players online? That implies that the gamespeed as well as the framerate is different.

I don't think that the clockspeed of the game is related to or controlled by the refresh rate.

Paul -C- · 22 Mar 2006 at 22:57

robbiemc said:
Your Plasma will no doubt be a standard-definition model, but it will be perfectly fine if its got a component input at the back..Just get your 360, plug it in and enjoy, don't worry!

Is there any difference with a standard definition plasma running an xbox360 at 720p 60Hz compared to an HD plasma running the same resolution?

Sorry if it's a silly question!

robbiemc · 22 Mar 2006 at 23:04

Paul -C- said:
Is there any difference with a standard definition plasma running an xbox360 at 720p 60Hz compared to an HD plasma running the same resolution?

Sorry if it's a silly question!

Well, an HD plasma (or any HD screen) will give the 'true' 720p resolution, yours will only give 480p (but it will take the 720p signal and scale it to 480p).

Of course you're losing out some detail, but the difference isn't enough to consider buying a whole new TV for.
You'll be more than happy with a crisp, clear picture on your current plasma, and once Sky HD takes off (or any of the other HD formats) then consider changing your screen, but in my eyes theres really no point until theres more HD content..upgrading to an HD tv from a perfectly adequate SD model really isn't worth it.

Paul -C- · 22 Mar 2006 at 23:54

Ah ok. Thanks for the explanation!

Energize · 23 Mar 2006 at 00:02

Depends on the size of your display, hd can make a big difference.

NokkonWud · 23 Mar 2006 at 01:01

robbiemc said:
..upgrading to an HD tv from a perfectly adequate SD model really isn't worth it.

I catagorically disagree.

Paul -C- · 23 Mar 2006 at 02:44

That's not what I wanted to hear!

I'm weighing up whether to buy an xbox360 for my plasma or if I should put the money towards the new pc I was already getting to make it more of a gaming rig.

Any advice?

dirtydog · 23 Mar 2006 at 03:09

Paul -C- said:
Any advice?

You ask that question in the *console* forum? I think you know what the advice will be don't you

robbiemc · 23 Mar 2006 at 11:19

NokkonWud said:
I catagorically disagree.

I knew there'd be someone that said that.
Ok, so hes got a 42" SD plasma, and the only HD content out there is on the 360...Sky HD (and Telewest etc) isn't fully out yet, and even when it is, there'll be precious little content available.
So, maybe you can explain why its worth him getting rid of a perfectly good display and dropping over £1300 for a new HD display?

I've also got a 26" LCD Tv thats HD ready so am in an excellent position to compare the two, and quite frankly the difference really isn't worth spending over a grand to acheive.

Of course if you have bundles of money then by all means buy a new TV..a friend has a 50" Pioneer HD set and thats breathtaking, but its also £3.5k.

In my opinion, just wait a year for the HD content to start appearing, and by then the HD Ready TV's will be a generation further along, and be that much cheaper..

How can you argue against that?

robbiemc · 23 Mar 2006 at 11:24

Paul -C- said:
That's not what I wanted to hear!

I'm weighing up whether to buy an xbox360 for my plasma or if I should put the money towards the new pc I was already getting to make it more of a gaming rig.

Any advice?

Whats not what you wanted to hear, that your current plasma is more than up to the job?
Im confused :confused:

If you're listening to the *only* guy who says 'Yeah you must upgrade to a new plasma or else its not worth it' then hes massively mis-guided.

I have a standard def plasma and am MORE than happy with the results. Im going to wait for at least a year until theres more HD Content around (Sky, HD-DVD etc) then it'll be worth while upgrading, but take it from me I have both SD and HD tv's you're not missing that much..certainly not enough to upgrade to an HD plasma.

Anyone who recommends otherwise is either very rich, or hasn't compared the 360 on an SD or HD screen.

Mate, just go and buy a 360, you'll love it.

Sagalout · 23 Mar 2006 at 12:31

I've just bought a 2nd plasma. Moved the SD one upstairs and got a HD one for downstairs.

I can categorically state that the difference between SD and HD on tv/film is significant (thats why I got one), although its as much to do with the ridiculously high bitrates than the resolution. I've tried a couple of movies and look fantastic, but then they should for 20GB each.

Now, onto the 360 and difference is nowhere near as profound. I have them both connected via VGA and whereas there is some added crispness its not the sort of differecne that hits you in the face at all. I've tested PGR3, COD2 and GR:AW. A decent SD plamsa connected via vga will give you very crisp images and bitrates obviously dont come into the equation at all. If I'd upgraded just for playing on the 360 I'd have been very underwhelmed, but as I say, I mostly upgraded for HD video.

So, is it worth the upgrade? - well, if I didnt have access to a lot of HD material already I wouldnt have upgraded. The sky service is going to be limited and expensive (I wont be getting it) and freeview is years away. All in all for me it was a case of buying a 2nd plasma which needs to last me 5 years so HD was the way to go, but its certainly not the huge upgrade that many people tell you it is for the 360.

robbiemc · 23 Mar 2006 at 12:44

Sagalout said:
I've just bought a 2nd plasma. Moved the SD one upstairs and got a HD one for downstairs.

So, is it worth the upgrade? - well, if I didnt have access to a lot of HD material already I wouldnt have upgraded. The sky service is going to be limited and expensive (I wont be getting it) and freeview is years away. All in all for me it was a case of buying a 2nd plasma which needs to last me 5 years so HD was the way to go, but its certainly not the huge upgrade that many people tell you it is for the 360.

Thats a very sensible solution, so hopefully the OP will take that on-board. If you have access to PC based HD material then that certainly helps, but if you're just playing a 360 and looking forward to broadcast HD, then its simply not worth upgrading a plasma thats only a year old.

Sagalout · 23 Mar 2006 at 12:47

robbiemc said:
Thats a very sensible solution, so hopefully the OP will take that on-board. If you have access to PC based HD material then that certainly helps, but if you're just playing a 360 and looking forward to broadcast HD, then its simply not worth upgrading a plasma thats only a year old.

Yep, that about sums it up.

Paul -C- · 23 Mar 2006 at 16:35

Thanks for the replies.

When I got the plasma a year ago I decided to go for a £1000 "budget" one rather than spend £2500 on an HD one. Then in 2-3 years I could buy a second or third gen HD plasma for another £1000, thus spending less and ending up with a better screen, just when HD is starting to take off.

I think I will go for an xbox360, so all that's left now is to convince the girlfriend that it makes more sense to buy a 360 rather than spend the same amount of cash on a new graphics card.

I've got a 19" Sony CRT and a new Samsung 940B 19" TFT, so I guess I can plug the xbox into one of these to check out HD gaming.

Thanks again for the help guys!