Ok so I'm sure this has been covered before, but I didn't find a lot of information when I searched (probably because most people dealt with this issue already and moved on).

I just picked up a new Panasonic Plasma (TH-50PZ77U), for those unfamiliar its a 1080P it has 2 HDMI connections, no VGA connection and doesn't accept 1080P over component.

So now I'm trying to figure out my options for displaying 1080P content from my 360 and whether I should upgrade to a new 360 with HDMI since that's the only way to get 1080P to my TV. Also I have the HD-DVD and expect to get the Blu-Ray addon when/if that comes out.

So it seems like my only option is to trade in my old 360 or sell it (don't really want to be bothered with trying to sell it), buy an arcade version and just throw my old 20 GB HDD on the arcade version. The end result will be the exact same set up except I'll be able to connect via HDMI and thus my TV will be able to accept the 1080P content. I'll be out $100 or whatever the difference is between trade in and an arcade version.

Anyone have any other suggestions/solutions?

If the very, very few things that are 1080p on the 360 are that important to you, then yeah, trade in and pay another $100. Really 720p upscaled over component will probably be the same in the end. :)

If the very, very few things that are 1080p on the 360 are that important to you, then yeah, trade in and pay another $100. Really 720p upscaled over component will probably be the same in the end. :)

That's another option I was considering (what you said, just using what I have) but didn't want to get too long winded. I figure at the rate these 360's fail (mines 2 years old but hardly used), once I start actually using it on my new TV it'll die and I'll need a new one anyway.

The one thing I'll be missing (other than true 1080P content) is I understand the HD-DVD won't upconvert DVD's via component either. Not that I plan to watch a lot of old DVD's (since I now have a HD-DVD and plan to get a Blu-Ray addon if that comes out).

Mostly I just wanted to make sure I understood my situation correctly so thanks for clarifying. :)

If yours does die, you know you're still under warranty, right? At least for the RRoD.

If yours does die, you know you're still under warranty, right? At least for the RRoD.

Yes I learned that from this forum, 3 years right? How do they determine the date you bought it? I'm not sure I registered or have a receipt anymore.

If you don't have any documentation, I guess they just go from the manufacture date on the back panel. Won't be accurate as to when you bought it, but you'll still be covered until at least November of this year.

Just use 1080i / 720p over component. The TV will de-interlace or scale accordingly. Granted if there are eventually 1080p@60fps games you'll miss out, but thats not likely going to happen to anything worth while in the 360s future.

As far as DVD upscaling, your TV already upscales everything to 1080p.

I just bought and hooked up a Onkyo TXSR875 last week to my Sony Bravia
KDL46W3000 and the Onkyo would not accept the component input or the yellow,red,white audio l/r and video connection. I ended up hooking the audio to my 875 and the component to my tv. seeing the cable that should not have been there pissed me off since I should have only had a power cable and a Hdmi cable. Weird thing is the audio was passing through.

I could not live with it so I went to game crazy the game store that is part of hollywood video and traded it in the gave me $165.00 for it $55.00 more than ebx or gamestop. Now I can play my cod4 in complete digital connection over hdmi in dolby digital, dts and thx cinema surround.

So If it is important to you trade up. The thing will probably die anyways and the hdmi x-boxes have better boards and chips.

My wife really could not understand that one but she also was happy watching tv on a 32 inch old rounded phillips with sd cable.

if I trade up for an hdmi 360, will that cause any problems running optical sound to my sound system?

if I trade up for an hdmi 360, will that cause any problems running optical sound to my sound system?

You'll want to get the elite as it comes with the audio dongle (to allow hdmi and optical cables to be connected at the same time) or hack up your old component cable as shown on this forum and other places if you get the arcade. I think you can buy the dongle but its like 50 bucks so not so worth it.

if I trade up for an hdmi 360, will that cause any problems running optical sound to my sound system?

Why would you want to run a optical cable? You will get superior sound over HDMI.

Why would you want to run a optical cable? You will get superior sound over HDMI.

You will get the same sound. The 360 doesn't pass anything different over HDMI than optical. That's the biggest disappointment with the HD-DVD add on.

If it was me I would trade up to the elite for the added space.

Why would you want to run a optical cable? You will get superior sound over HDMI.

Because your receiver doesn't do HDMI audio

Because your receiver doesn't do HDMI audio

exactly

The only reason I'm considering trading in my old pro for an hdmi 360 is I want to upscale DVDs to 720P, which I can't do over component. Is the improvement in PQ worth it? How noticeable is the difference?

The only reason I'm considering trading in my old pro for an hdmi 360 is I want to upscale DVDs to 720P, which I can't do over component. Is the improvement in PQ worth it? How noticeable is the difference?

Upscaling is nice, but i dont like "wasting" my 360 to do it. i got this $60 dvd player http://www.amazon.com/Philips-DVP5960-Player-Upscaling-direct/dp/B000G18DR0
and it works good, plays divx from the usb port too, but i dont think it will play divxHD

Upscaling is nice, but i dont like "wasting" my 360 to do it. i got this $60 dvd player http://www.amazon.com/Philips-DVP5960-Player-Upscaling-direct/dp/B000G18DR0
and it works good, plays divx from the usb port too, but i dont think it will play divxHD

sounds like a good DVD player, only it doesn't have an optical out for audio, and my HTIB doesn't have an HDMI in.

Go with the Elite. If you don't, you'll always be wondering if it's possible that you may be missing out on something. And contrary to what some believe, even though your tv will upscale the signal to 1080p, it will not necessarily do it better than the 360. Easy way to find out. Set your 360 to 480p and then set it to 1080p. See which looks better, the tv upscaling 480p or the 360 upscaling to 1080p.