1080p HD-DVD: only on VGA!
Hooked your Xbox 360 up to your new 1080p-capable HDTV by component and planning to get the HD-DVD add-on? Then it’s time to pray you have a VGA connector on your HDTV. Why? Because copyright restrictions on HD-DVD don’t allow 1080p over component. Microsoft insider Amir M. made this clear in a post in the AVS Forums. After the jump you’ll find a more complete explanation.
Due to regulations on the DVD and HD-DVD formats Microsoft is forced to cripple the component output. AACS on the HD-DVD format doesn’t allow them to use the component cables for better output than 1080i, VGA on the other hand is classified as “authorized computer monitor output” and as such is allowed to output 1080p. DVD is also crippled on component, even when you have the the upcoming fall update, the best you can get is 480p.
A small list of what will be possible:
Component:
- HD-DVD: max 1080i (thanks to AACS)
- DVD: upscaled to max 480p (thanks to CSS)
- Games: 720p upscaled to 1080p, maybe in the future there will be 1080p native games.
VGA:
- HD-DVD: max 1080p.
- DVD: upscaled to max 1080p.
- Games: 720p upscaled to 1080p, maybe in the future there will be 1080p native games.
You’ll have to note that not many devices accept 1080p over component anyway.
Source: Engadget HD
please note, with a vga cable your dvd’s are all ready upscaled to 720p right this very minute
what he said
I hate all this crap! Why do nerds make all these crappy rules with AACS and all this bullshit, who can’t all cables hust do everything?
It’s not nerds, my friend. Nerds are the ones who find ways to get around this stuff - it’s the likes of the MPAA who do this crap.
yay for nerds
To bad vga colors looks washed out. I prefer rgb.
And I prefer VGA. Component looks very unsharp compared to VGA.
Eh what? VGA is just the port used to transmit the data… VGA still transmits the data in RGB - 2 wires for red, 2 for blue and 2 for green…
If you’ve got some kind of colour issue check your monitor/TV settings, rather than blaming the connector.
Yes i know both are analog rgb cables basically but still……
It has nothing to do with my monitor(projector). If i hook up my laptop the image is fine. So it is not the cable it is not the projector… its the xbox
Im not the first to notice btw.
You know they fixed this in a dashboard update right?
This seems pretty reasonable to me, I don’t have to upgrade either my TV or my cables to get 1080i games and 1080i HD-DVDs. I’m guessing that those people with the $$ to buy a 1080p TV can rustle up the scratch for a VGA cable.
Ok I’m confused…is the hdmi port on my tv a vga? Someone help me b4 my brain explodes
Nope, HDMI is HDMI and has nothing to do with VGA. HDMI is completely digital and VGA isn’t.
VGA is the connection often found to connect your pc to a monitor….THAT’S how old VGA output is!!!
I think this is wrong. The dvds are already 480p and they said it will be upscaled 1080i or higher. There are dvd players right now that upscale dvds to this resolution over component and I thought this would be a great addition. I really hope they keep it in component or it will be pointless.
Funny thing is, any sort of research will tell you that for film, 1080i is exactly the same as 1080p (when the disk source is native 1080p, which it is on HD-DVD). The only difference is the way the signal is compiled on the TV.
It’s the same resolution, one is just progressive and the other interlaced.
So… what’s to stop you from getting an external VGA-to-component converter, so that the 1080p VGA signal can be converted into a 1080p component signal?
nothing. But, converting will decrease the signal quality
It’s Microsoft they’ll think of a way to make it work!, then release a patch to fix it!!!!
it’d be nice (but not gonna happen) if there was a DVI cable for the 360.
My HDTV only has DVI as an input (but came with a DVI-component adaptor and a DVI-VGA adaptor) The component adaptor isn’t up to much but the VGA one works a treat. It’d be even better if I could get a direct connection though
In the meantime, VGA is just a fancy RGB connector. It’s still analog and with some gadgetry and adaptors able to be ran into a component input. (Used to do it at the start of the HDTV days when my computer was the only progressive output DVD player there was for under $1000)
bah, VGA is ok but way to washed out IMO. Its a real shame there are legal issues at force here not technical ones and as all stupid legal people will learn, nerds will gives us all ways around this. Just look at bittorrent
1080p dvd upscaling now thats sexy muhahhaha
i thought the 360 could already play dvd movies in 480p.
Yeah… 720P and 1080i as well..
Guys don’t worry.
I’ll bet MS will just make it up with a HDMI cable soon
Anyone who thought the current component cable would work for 1080p had delusions of grandure ^ ^
This is good, however I would prefer HDMI ^ ^
Ill be sticking with the current Component setup.
1080i == 1080p for HD-DVD playback.
okay?
but it depends on the quality of the deinterlacer, right? so if you’ve got a better deinterlacer in your display than the one in the xbox, 1080i output will look better than 1080p, right? and if you have a 720p native projector, there’s no point in vga because i can get HD-DVD output at 720p via component…did i get that straight?
Does any of this matter? I thought Microsoft was releasing HDMI cables with the release of the HD-DVD player. That surely is capable of displaying 1080p, so what is this crap and fuss about componenet vs. VGA? Those are both old, both analog. HDMI is digital, if you have a 1080p TV and plan on getting the add-on HD-DVD player then buy yourself some HDMI cables…THAT’S ALL!!!!
Sam, the HD-DVD add on will NOT come with HDMI cables. Microsoft has also NEVER said or promised that they will have a upgrade HDMI cable for the 360. This is why everyone is a little peeved that the component cables are going to be limited over copyright issues, not technology limitations(ARG!). For me, I’m not so much interested in the HD-DVD as I was DVD upscaling. I am not willing to buy an upscaling separate DVD player when the 360 can and should do it. I have an older rear projection HDTV, no HDMI, but I do have component and DVI. I guess the only way for me to get 1080i DVD upscaling will be to purchase a 360 VGA cable, and a VGA-DVI converter. Does anyknow know if that will work ok?
Netcurer, I never said that The add-on will come packaged with the cables just will be released along with the HD-DVD player.
Your other point:
” At the Tokyo Game Show, Microsoft revealed some upcoming additions to its Xbox 360 platform, coming by way of software update. The upcoming update will enable 1080p resolution on the 360, allowing your current 360 games to be upscaled to 1080p like the way the console upscales original Xbox games to 720p/1080i.
Also, HD DVD will most likely be played back at 1080p when the HDMI cable is released. The system should also be upscaling your current DVD movies to 1080p as well, which will be a welcome addition for most households with HDTVs but no upscaling DVD Player.”
Arrrgghhhh to many nonsesical number quotes flying round, feeling….. th…e n..e…e….d to….KILL YOU ALL!
my hdtv doesnt do 1080p.So i dont need vga to watch hd-dvds at 1080i but i might aswell get one so i can upscale dvds….right?
Does upscaling make that much difference?
Tremendous difference. Very crisp, bright and vivid in comparison to a regular 480p signal. Not exactly HD DVD quality for obvious reasons, but really a big difference. Alot also has to do with your TV set as well as the source material being upscaled.
Hey Sam, your quote from the Tokyo Game Show is not from Microsoft directly. I have seen no official news that microsoft will ever release a HDMI cable. This news is pure speculation. The Multi-AV out on the back of the 360 is most likely not compatable with HDCP, so I would say no HDMI cable will ever be released, until a refreshed 360 comes out with an actual HDMI port alongs side the Multi-AV out just like the PS3 will have. Oh, and my nickname is Netcruzer.. I had a typo before.
From a website for pre-order:
Xbox 360 HDMI Cable (Microsoft)
For Xbox™ 360
Item No: 8540, Shipping Weight: 0.5kg
Product Features
Description
Related Items
Internet Links and Downloads
Product Alert
Product Features
Official Microsoft Xbox 360 HDMI Cable
High-definition gaming output
Progressive-scan DVD playback
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound output
Superior quality image output
For NextGen Television sets offering HDMI input slots
Description
Showcase stunning Xbox 360 high-definition graphics with the HDMI connection on your HDTV.
A Microsoft Product I might add.
Lik-Sang.com
via Engadget…
Well this answers some questions but leaves us wanting more. Lik-Sang has a product page up for a Microsoft branded XBOX 360 HDMI cable. While there isn’t any pics of the cable they do have a product description up that matches what a HDMI cable is all about. This makes tons of since now that the XBOX 360 HD DVD player is a reality. What’s funny is that we would have thought that the HDMI cable would have been announced before the HD DVD player but there wasn’t even any mention of this last week at E3. We still don’t know if this is real or not but it looks good.
and again..
Another day, another Xbox 360 HDMI cable rumor. Although it seems unlikely that the Xbox 360’s multi-AV out will ever support a digital encrypted connection, yet again such a cable has appeared on a retailer’s website. This time EBGames has a listing for a “GameStop Universal Premium HDMI Cable”, no details listed other than a price of $99 and a ship date of 12/1/2006. Analog to digital ĂĽbercable, extension for an as-yet unannounced HD DVD and HDMI-equipped Xbox 360, or some marketing exec just checked the wrong box as they giddily prepared for high profit margin HDMI cable sales to confused Playstation 3 buyers?
So, there you have it.. all rumors, some websites showing a presale, but no official word from Microsoft directly.
If you have component and a 1080p capable display you will see ZERO difference between 1080i and 1080p. Simply run your hd-dvd out at a resolution 1080i and enjoy.
The actual lines of resolution between 1080i and 1080p are EXACTLY the same 1920×1080 but your display will use “p” for progressive anyway giving you the exact same result visually: 1080p
Upscaling DVD players do make a big difference on my 50″ DLP. I have a RCA DVD recorder that will upscale to 420p, 720p, or 1080i both DVDs and my satellite (HDMI out from recorder to HDMI in on the tV). It really cleans up the sat signal and makes it look pretty good (for crappy SD) at 1080i. DVD’s look great.
ok - so going back to the DVD upscaling… if I get a VGA cable for the 360 and a adapter cable to take VGA to component - should I be able to get DVD upscaling on my Plasma which only has component (no VGA) input ?
fu8ck you filthy bastards