Xbox 360 HDTV or computer monitor?

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 13:59

I thinking of replacing my standard definition TV for an HD one. However, I already have a VGA cable that i had bought to try it on one of my PC monitors. The picture is very good and all, but it didn't feel like the HD experience that i have heard about. It was on a standard 17" Dell flat panel monitor that came with my PC, so i dont know if that affected it?

Anyway, i have been looking about for a cheapish HDTV, but should i get a different LCD widescreen monitor or go for a HDTV? Basically is VGA better than component for the 360?

Also, when i had the Xbox hooked up to the Dell monitor, i couldn't play many backward compatible games because they weren't supported by VGA or something. And when i played Halo 2 on the monitor (one of the games that did work), it looked like crap compared to my old standard def TV.

Any suggestions on what i should do/buy?

P.S I dont have a sound card in my PC so i wont be able to use seperate speakers if a PC monitor is the best option. The monitor will need to have built in speakers.

Hopefully this is the correct forum to post this in and it hasn't already been discussed.

Thanks for any help

Kreeeee · 29 Jun 2007 at 14:06

Nymins said:
Basically is VGA better than component for the 360?

Yes. Most HDTVs also have a VGA port by the way.

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 14:11

Kreeeee said:
Yes. Most HDTVs also have a VGA port by the way.

I see. So would you recommend me buying say this: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-003-AS

Would it give me the same or better picture quality than that of an HDTV?

Steedie · 29 Jun 2007 at 14:21

I recently got a 40" LCD which replaced my 20" Samsung 205BW for my PS3 and 360 use

It really is a massive jump in terms of quality, fair enough my new tv is native 1080p so its a higher resolution, but even so the quality is so much better

The monitor was amazing quality though dont get me wrong, it just wasnt as sharp and crystal clear as it is through the tv, colours are much more vibrant to but thats just an issue with VGA

Overall I'd recommend a HDTV for console use if you can, but thats not to say you'll be dissapointed with the IQ through a monitor

Kreeeee · 29 Jun 2007 at 14:27

Nymins said:
I see. So would you recommend me buying say this: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MO-003-AS

Would it give me the same or better picture quality than that of an HDTV?

I used an NEC 20WGX2 before my TV and to be honest a HDTV is so much better than a PC monitor, plus you get *** correct aspect ratio whereas widescreen monitors stretch the 360 image vertically.

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:34

Kreeeee said:
I used an NEC 20WGX2 before my TV and to be honest a HDTV is so much better than a PC monitor, plus you get *** correct aspect ratio whereas widescreen monitors stretch the 360 image vertically.

I see. I thought widescreen monitors have the correct aspect ratio since the games were built around 720p which is a widescreen resolution.

AdWright · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:39

Widescreen TVs are generally 16:9 aspect ratio, whereas most widescreen monitors are 16:10

Shamikebab · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:40

Nymins said:
I see. I thought widescreen monitors have the correct aspect ratio since the games were built around 720p which is a widescreen resolution.

it depends what resolution the monitor is designed for

Kreeeee · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:42

Nymins said:
I see. I thought widescreen monitors have the correct aspect ratio since the games were built around 720p which is a widescreen resolution.

AdWright said:
Widescreen TVs are generally 16:9 aspect ratio, whereas most widescreen monitors are 16:10

Bingo! Yahtzee! We have a winner!

PC standard format: 16:10
TV standard format: 16:9

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:45

Shamikebab said:
it depends what resolution the monitor is designed for

Ah i understand now. The monitor i linked above has a native resolution of 1440 x 900, but the max i could do using the 360's cables would be 1360x768 i think. So it would need to scale it up a bit to make it fit?

EDIT: In response to the previous posts, would it not make it right if i selected the resolution 1280x768 which is 16:10 and basically the same as 720p?

Shamikebab · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:50

the 360 cable can do 1920 x 1080 (or something like that) then the next one down is 1280 by something i think?

Shamikebab · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:50

Nymins said:
EDIT: In response to the previous posts, would it not make it right if i selected the resolution 1280x768 which is 16:10 and basically the same as 720p?

Thats what i have mine as, and if theres any squashing, i dont notice it.

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:50

Do the games look as good as 720p and all? Is the picture sharp and crisp enough?

NokkonWud · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:54

Kreeeee said:
Yes. Most HDTVs also have a VGA port by the way.

Not always. Certainly not on my Toshiba 32WLT66, but it is on my Dell 2405.

It's down to the set.

Anyway, answer to the question, I'd go for a good HDTV as long as you didn't need to use if for a PC.

Shamikebab · 29 Jun 2007 at 16:10

Nymins said:
Do the games look as good as 720p and all? Is the picture sharp and crisp enough?

oh yes easily, i have a mate who has a smallish HDTV and we sat them side by side and couldn't tell the difference, its crisp enough that split screen is easily feasible on a 20inch screen, no more squinting

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 16:21

Shamikebab said:
oh yes easily, i have a mate who has a smallish HDTV and we sat them side by side and couldn't tell the difference, its crisp enough that split screen is easily feasible on a 20inch screen, no more squinting

Hmm, its pretty hard to decide now. I have found a ViewSonic N1900w 19" Widescreen LCD TV for £173.90 total. It says in the spec sheet from the official website about 1x SCART (RGB in, CVBS In/Out, Audio In/Out). Is that the input for the 360's cables?

Also the resolution says 1440x900, is that okay for the 360? Meaning is it just above 720p and that it wouldn't need to upscale or downscale the picture or anything and make it squished?

Here is a link to Viewsonics official website with specs about the TV: http://www.viewsoniceurope.com/UK/Products/LCDTV/N1900w.htm#Specs

NokkonWud · 29 Jun 2007 at 16:27

You would need either Component or VGA.
Being a monitor it will have VGA, but if you're using that monitor for your PC too then it will drive you mad swapping them around all the time.

What is your budget?

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 16:32

NokkonWud said:
You would need either Component or VGA.
Being a monitor it will have VGA, but if you're using that monitor for your PC too then it will drive you mad swapping them around all the time.

What is your budget?

Does the Viewsonic monitor i listed not use component since its a TV :confused:

Pretty tight budget of around £250 max. I know its not a lot to work with, but I was hoping for something around or below that margin. I dont want a huge TV cause i want it to fit on my shelf in my room so around 20" would be fine. Any bigger would probably cost a lot more and wouldn't fit.

Kreeeee · 29 Jun 2007 at 16:38

NokkonWud said:
Not always. Certainly not on my Toshiba 32WLT66, but it is on my Dell 2405.

It's down to the set.

Anyway, answer to the question, I'd go for a good HDTV as long as you didn't need to use if for a PC.

I know they don't all have it, but most, especially non budget, HDTVs have VGA ports.

NokkonWud said:
You would need either Component or VGA.
Being a monitor it will have VGA, but if you're using that monitor for your PC too then it will drive you mad swapping them around all the time.

What is your budget?

£15 KVM switch sorts that out.

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 17:47

Ok i have narrowed it down to three possible TV's:

1) Viewsonic N1900w = 1440 x 900, not completely sure if it has RGB ports but they are mentioned in the spec sheet under 'SCART'.

Price = £173.90

2) GOODMANS LD1930W = 1440x900, Contrast ratio: 500:1, HDMI, it says 16:9 but i thought it was 16:10?

Price = £179.99

3) GOODMANS LD1928W = 1366x768, Contrast ratio: 400:1.

Price = £199.99

All of them basically say "RGB enabled scart sockets". Is this the individual red, green and blue plugs that you plug the component cable into?

Also, what resolution is the best out of the three? I have read that the 360 needs to downscale 1440x900 to the closest resolution of 1280x720 (720p). So i was thinking that the Goodmans LD1928w would have better picture since its resolution will still be downscaled, but not as much as the other two.

Any opinions on the three of them?