I am new to the forum and have been searching for an answer for awhile. My problem is that when I play Forza 2 on my Samsung LNT2642 (1360x768), the cars are too short horizontally when selecting 1360x768 (VGA). Selecting 1280x768 helps but cuts off the edges of the screen. Is the game or console supposed to be played in a specific ratio?

thanks

Choose whatever resolution is closest to your displays native resolution - then adjust the picture bigger or smaller to either fill the screen or fit the screen. There should be an adjustment to increase or decrease the image size to fit your TV's resolution.

I would set your xbox to output at 720p and just let your TV stretch the video to fit.

I'm using a Sony 42a10, which has a native res of 720p, so I run my 360 through VGA and it looks CRISP! Love it. Though, I do want an SXRD

cutting the edges off sounds like overscan look and see if you can disable that. probably work perfectly with native rez and overscan turned off.

Some TVs cannot properly handle a video VGA signal evidenced by cut off picture, forced overscan, desaturated colors, etc. This may be the case with yours.

You always have the option of switching back to component if nothing else works.

I would set your xbox to output at 720p and just let your TV stretch the video to fit.

there is no "720p" setting in VGA

there is no "720p" setting in VGA

I thought there was? Reference: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360prosystem/highdefdetails.htm

Since the xbox natively outputs 720p through component...that's what I select and allow my TV to fit to my 1366x768 plasma screen.

My only rationale for this is that I'd rather not lose any processing power in scaling from the 360 and have my TV do it in an effort to minimize any lag/latency/whatever.

I guess I can't really comment on VGA settings. I did try outputting at 1080i, but didn't really see a difference so I just figured the less work the 360 did the better.

I thought there was? Reference: http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360prosystem/highdefdetails.htm

sure, there is a display resolution equivalent, i was just stating that there isnt a "720p" labeled choice. some users may be confused

[QUOTE=Hedonist;11372300]Since the xbox natively outputs 720p through component...that's what I select and allow my TV to fit to my 1366x768 plasma screen.

My only rationale for this is that I'd rather not lose any processing power in scaling from the 360 and have my TV do it in an effort to minimize any lag/latency/whatever.

QUOTE]

Someone following your advice is very likely introducing more lag doing it the way you describe. Your assertion is the processing power is being taken from the 360 that could otherwise be used to process game objects. You really have no fear there.

Where you potentially ARE introducing lag is in terms of hdtv lag. It is likely that the 360 scaler is better than the one in your set, and therefore, the hdtv lag is worse by having the set process the scaling.

In your case, using component, it makes no difference. Since you cannot output the 360 to your TV's native resolution through component, the TV must scale anyhow. The only reason I bring this up is, if someone who had a 1080P TV were to follow your logic, they'd probably be worse off than letting the 360 do the scaling.

The simple rule is this: If you can output your 360 to the TV's native set, then do so. If you cannot, let whichever scaler is better do the work. Most consumer sets do not have great scalers. That's the reason upconverting DVD players are so popular, they have better scalers in them than the TV. The 360 scaler is generally considered pretty good. Let it do the work until you are satisfied your particular set does a better job.

That's the reason upconverting DVD players are so popular, they have better scalers in them than the TV. The 360 scaler is generally considered pretty good. Let it do the work until you are satisfied your particular set does a better job.

Hmm, I'd say that upconverting DVD players are popular because people don't really understand what they do, but the 360's scaler is pretty good. It definitely doesn't indroduce any significant lag.

[QUOTE=Hedonist;11372300]Since the xbox natively outputs 720p through component...that's what I select and allow my TV to fit to my 1366x768 plasma screen.

My only rationale for this is that I'd rather not lose any processing power in scaling from the 360 and have my TV do it in an effort to minimize any lag/latency/whatever.

QUOTE]

Someone following your advice is very likely introducing more lag doing it the way you describe. Your assertion is the processing power is being taken from the 360 that could otherwise be used to process game objects. You really have no fear there.

Where you potentially ARE introducing lag is in terms of hdtv lag. It is likely that the 360 scaler is better than the one in your set, and therefore, the hdtv lag is worse by having the set process the scaling.

The 360 scaler is generally considered pretty good. Let it do the work until you are satisfied your particular set does a better job.

Actually I disagree with you and here is why.

If you noticed that I posted my display is a 1366x768 plasma that is connected via component you would have realized that my TV is going to scale ANY image that is output by the 360...be it 720p or 1080i to fit the pixels on my display. There is no way around this the way my TV and xbox are connected (unfortunately).

So that issue of lag will remain constant.

Unless you can explain your point about the 360 scaling to not have ANY lag more clearly...I don't see how my approach doesn't minimize the lag/latency/whatever you want to call it for my particular case. Because for the 360 to scale the picture to 1080i will take some time, but there is no time required (in terms of scaling) to output 720p since games are rendered at 720p. At least this is my understanding.

Please enlighten if otherwise.

[QUOTE=brophog;11372953]

Actually I disagree with you and here is why.

If you noticed that I posted my display is a 1366x768 plasma that is connected via component you would have realized that my TV is going to scale ANY image that is output by the 360...be it 720p or 1080i to fit the pixels on my display. There is no way around this the way my TV and xbox are connected (unfortunately).

So that issue of lag will remain constant.

Unless you can explain your point about the 360 scaling to not have ANY lag more clearly...I don't see how my approach doesn't minimize the lag/latency/whatever you want to call it for my particular case. Because for the 360 to scale the picture to 1080i will take some time, but there is no time required (in terms of scaling) to output 720p since games are rendered at 720p. At least this is my understanding.

Please enlighten if otherwise.


He's recommending that you have the Xbox scale to the TV native resolution, not to 1080i. The thinking is that while it is known that the Xbox's scaler doesn't indroduce lag, it is possible that your TV's scaler does. Not likely, but possible.

Scaling doesn't take processing power away from games anyway, it uses separate chips.

Chris...

The xbox doesn't scale to my resolution.

I think I must have misrepresented my original point which was not necessarily that scaling takes power away from 360, but that it certainly takes time.

Chris...

The xbox doesn't scale to my resolution.

I think I must have misrepresented my original point which was not necessarily that scaling takes power away from 360, but that it certainly takes time.

It does scale to your res if you use VGA.

The Xbox's scaler doesn't introduce any significant amount of lag. That's known. Your plasma may, who knows. If you are committed to using component, or if you can't use VGA, then I agree that 720p is definitely the best resolution to use.

Finally...

As I posted I use (and can only use) component cables.

Related...does the Elite output 768p through HDMI?

My plasma will only accept either component or HDMI.