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

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?

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.

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?

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 15:50

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

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

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.

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?

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 19:14

Ok i think i understand it now.

@Kreeeee: If i got that TV and used VGA, then would it not be better getting a widescreen computer monitor instead of an HDTV since i wouldn't be using component?

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 19:44

Kreeeee said:
For your price range a 20" LCD monitor at 1680*1050 is probably your best bet.

Ok thanks. What would be the highest resolution i could get out of the 360 at that size of screen?

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 20:12

Will that resolution work ok will all the games? Cause i have read problems with PGR3 in particular about that it can only be played properly at 1024x768.

Nymins · 29 Jun 2007 at 20:41

NokkonWud said:
PGR3 has no problems in any Widescreen resolution. Any decent widescreen display will do you.

Ok thanks. Just got into it so im glad that it will work. Would it be better getting a 19" instead of a 20" because 19" monitors have a native resolution of 1440x900 and the max resolution i could run would be 1360x768. Whereas the 20" is 1650x1050 and would need to scale more to 1360x768. Dunno if thats correct but thats just what i thought would happen. If you could shed some light on that then that would be great. Thanks. :cool: