I'm having some serious problems getting an acceptable image with DVD playback on my Sanyo PLV-Z3 projector, using anything other than my cheap Norcent player! Believe it or not, the Norcent DVD player produces a phenomenally sharp, bright, realistic and punchy projected image.

However when I use the XBox360 for DVD playback, the image looks aweful! It's dull and washed out, using the exact same connection (component) and pj settings. After hours of tweaks and adjustments, I just can't seem to get an acceptable image... faces look like cardboard cutouts!

I also tried using my PC with NVidia graphics card and component output, and same deal... ugly ugly picture. Then I tried it with a Toshiba player and although it was slightly improved, it wasn't anywhere as nice as my Norcent. Any ideas? I was under the impression that all DVD players produced a similar image -- what could be the difference here?

What resolution do you have the 360 set to? You will have to switch the plug to "HD" before you can see anything over 480p.

Check the incoming resolution on the projector. And what kind og cable are you using to connect teh 360 and the projector ?

Check the incoming resolution on the projector. And what kind og cable are you using to connect teh 360 and the projector ?

I'm using component in all cases. I think that the only difference is that the XBox 360 is sending out a 480p image, whereas the Norcent is sending out a 480i image.

Is it possible that I'm seeing such a difference because my PJ is just that much better at de-interlacing than the XBox360?

Isn't the Z3 a 720p projector ? Actually DVD looks quite good coming out of Xbox360 upscaled. I know that over component DVD will not be upscaled to 1080p but I can not remember for certain if DVD is upscaled to 720p over component cable. Have you confirmed whether the input signal on the projector was 480 ? I have always used either VGA and HDMI to connect to the projector, upscaled to 1080.

I have always found the DVD playback on the 360 to be underwhelming. Since you are using component the 360 is limited to 480p playback for DVDs. If you wanted the 360 to upscale them you would have to either use HDMI (if your model has it) or VGA. Something that will helped out with the washed out look the 360 has a tendency to have is to go into the system blade and I believe it is image settings (or something like that) and turn the reference level to "extended".

go get a playstation 3 and give that a try. i am amazed at the image quality coming out of my new ps3...honestly. or get a cheap pioneer dv400-k for about 70.00 at BB great upconverstion too.

Thanks for all your comments. Actually after testing this for a while, I've come to the conclusion that the problem is a combination of 2 things;

- Either the xbox's component cables, or my xbox360's component output, are defective. The picture is *really* bad. I mean color saturation is minimal and there is a green tint. If I try to remove the green by adjusting my projector, the image becomes so dull that to me it looks almost black and white! There's just enough color as to incicate that it's still *attempting* to output colors, just poorly. Hasn't anybody else seen this issue?

- The 360's de-interlacer isn't nearly as good as that of my projector. If the 360 could just send out 420i then it could let the projector's excellent de-interlacer do all the work. But from what I can tell there is no 420i setting on my XBox360.

I tried switching to a VGA connection, and what an improvement! I can set the 360 to output 720p, and while it doesn't upscale or de-interlace quite as well as my pj, the color saturation is much improved over component. But now there's a new problem; when I boot the 360 with a game disk in the drive, I get no image or sound! I have to remove the disk and re-start, and then after about 40 seconds it finally comes to life. Frustrating... I'll start a new thread for this issue.

***Edit*** In the case of the VGA cable, the problem was the cable itself. I took it back and exchanged it for an official Microsoft one, and it worked fine.

I found the upscaling of DVD to be about equal between the 360 and PS3, 360 looks a little sharper but PS3 looks smoother.
Try using the "defective component cable" on a DVD player and see if the cable is defective.
I had a Sanyo Z4 at one point and I preferred the 360 upscaling to the projectors. In fact I tested it with my old Mit HC5000 and I still found the 360 to be a little sharper. Your new problem is strange, think you should contact MS for support.

I found the upscaling of DVD to be about equal between the 360 and PS3, 360 looks a little sharper but PS3 looks smoother.
Try using the "defective component cable" on a DVD player and see if the cable is defective.
I had a Sanyo Z4 at one point and I preferred the 360 upscaling to the projectors. In fact I tested it with my old Mit HC5000 and I still found the 360 to be a little sharper. Your new problem is strange, think you should contact MS for support.

The cable I'm talking about which might be defective, is the high def cable that comes with the XBox360. It's got a proprietary connector, so it can't be connected to a standard DVD player.