[Richard_P_Harvey]

Hello All,


Just purchased a new XBOX yesterday and connected it to my 2001 Mit's RPTV via the Y,Pr,Pb HD connector. Set it up to output only 1080i and sat back it total amazement. The picture quality and detail is wonderful and there is no sign of screen jitter. I'm wondering how this can be. On my HTPC if I run at 1080i the output image is downright aweful and I have atempted in with a Matrox 450 and my current GeForce.


Based on the fact that the XBOX is nothing more than a PC in a game box and it uses a custom NVida video chip how in the world can there be such a huge difference.

 

[JKohn]

Well, none of the current games are 1080i, so you were probably just seeing line-doubled 480i. Try setting the XBox to also output 480p and you'll at least get that.

 

[Fiddler]

can XBox play DVD's? the one thing I dont like about the idea of HTPC is the long boot time plus the fact taht u gotta put a huge box somewhere in front of u

 

[Karnis]

Quote:

Originally posted by Richard_P_Harvey Hello All, Just purchased a new XBOX yesterday and connected it to my 2001 Mit's RPTV via the Y,Pr,Pb HD connector. Set it up to output only 1080i and sat back it total amazement.

If you set the Xbox to 1080i only and the game is not 1080i it will output only 480i. Since there are no 1080i games presently you should enable 480p since all games will output 480p.

 

[anogaijin]

Fiddler: Yeah, it plays DVDs with an add-on kit, but they're only 480i, they took out the progressive output on DVDs only, but not on gameplay. And if you don't want a big box in front of you, you probably shouldn't get an XBOX either, that sucker is HUUUUGE and heavy too. Size and weight are about the same as some of my old Mitsu SVHS decks, like the U82 if you know what that is. Hope this helps.

 

[EBeast]

Quote:

Originally posted by anogaijin And if you don't want a big box in front of you, you probably shouldn't get an XBOX either, that sucker is HUUUUGE and heavy too.

I was actually surprised at how small the xbox was. It isn't as svelt as the PS2, but posts such the one above left me with the impression that the xbox was HUUUUGE. It is less wide, deep, and tall then most of the components on my audio rack. FWIW, It also doesn't seem very heavy.

 

[Gertjan]

Quote:

Originally posted by Richard_P_Harvey On my HTPC if I run at 1080i the output image is downright aweful and I have atempted in with a Matrox 450 and my current GeForce. Based on the fact that the XBOX is nothing more than a PC in a game box and it uses a custom NVida video chip how in the world can there be such a huge difference.

How do you have your HTPC hooked up to the TV? The TV takes component? Your HTPC does not ouput component?


Gertjan

 

[RyanDinan]

Quote:

Originally posted by Richard_P_Harvey Hello All, Just purchased a new XBOX yesterday and connected it to my 2001 Mit's RPTV via the Y,Pr,Pb HD connector. Set it up to output only 1080i and sat back it total amazement. The picture quality and detail is wonderful and there is no sign of screen jitter. I'm wondering how this can be. On my HTPC if I run at 1080i the output image is downright aweful and I have atempted in with a Matrox 450 and my current GeForce. Based on the fact that the XBOX is nothing more than a PC in a game box and it uses a custom NVida video chip how in the world can there be such a huge difference.

The reason why the image looked aweful at 1080i with your GeForce and Matrox 450, is because they don't interlace correctly. The GeForce will simply interlace one field of 540 lines -

1

1

3

3

5

5

7

7

etc...

So everything (especially text) looks like total crap.


-Ryan

 

[hk29]

So the xbox upscales to 1080i? So if I play a DVD will it scale to 1080i?


TIA

 

[Bertil]

Well since it's NVidia based, the 1080i mode is probably just 1080i complatible - so you are looking at 540x960p or something.


My HTPC (with Radeon LE) looks great in either 540p or 1080i for DVD playback. Gaming, however needs to limited to 540p or 480p.


I also thought there were some Direct X issues with interlace in 3D mode...


NOTE: I'm speculating here. One can always hope for true 1080i gaming.


Bert

 

[JKohn]

Quote:

So the xbox upscales to 1080i? So if I play a DVD will it scale to 1080i?

No, DVD playback is limited to 480i. Games are 480p unless the game specifically supports 1080i or 720p, which none of the current games do. Also, if the native resolution of the game is not supported by your display (according to the XBox config menu), then the XBox downconverts; it doesn't upconvert. So if you tell the XBox that your display supports 1080i but not 480p, then games that don't explicitly support 1080i will be down-converted to 480i.

 

[MikeEby]

Gertjan,

My Mits 2000 Mits set has RGBHV port. I think that how he has it connected. Before I built my theater and got a FPTV I connected my HTPC to the Mits via this port. He is right I though the desktop looked terrible. That one reason I went CRT FPTV plus where the RPTV is located in the house has no light control at all and 3 eight foot patio doors. Not much of a theater experience during the day.


Mike

 

[CaspianM]

The VGA port of Mits doese not support 1080i.

It only support 480x720.

Get a VGA to component transcoder and use the component interface.

 

[Richard_P_Harvey]

I have been playing with various connections and settings of the XBOX and I have found that folks are right that the XBOX is really only sending out 480i which has me very confused. I set it up to out put all resolutions other than 720p which my Mit's will throw up on and it only seems to give me 480i and reported by the mits. I guess the others are right in that the first generation of games will not support higher res output


My original comment then is a moot point because as bad as 1080i is from my HTPC I have yet to see it from the X.


As far as connection to the Mit's goes I started by using the RGBHV input because I expected to get 1080i out of the box and that's the only input that supports 1080i. I now have the X connected to one of the 480i/480p component connections and it actually looks a tad better connected this way, not sure why.


Also of interest, the HD breakout box of the X provides an optical digital audio connection and DD5.1 and DTS (when games provide it) output. I connected this cable this morning and WOW what a rush. Playing racinggames you can hear the cars come up from behind you before they pass the slower driver (me). Very cool.


All in all the X box is a good game console but until there are real high res games, for me it does not live up to the hype.

 

[blondon]

Richard...


Are you getting at least 480p out of the games?? All of the games that I bought are outputting at 480p..


Madden, DOA3, Halo, Munch and Tony Hawk... They all are outputting in 480p..


I was also disappointed that all the games werent done in 1080i... I hope it does pan out to be good...


All in all... This system is awesome...


(Getting the Gamecube tommorow )


Brad

 

[Karnis]

Quote:

Originally posted by Richard_P_Harvey I have been playing with various connections and settings of the XBOX and I have found that folks are right that the XBOX is really only sending out 480i which has me very confused. I set it up to out put all resolutions other than 720p which my Mit's will throw up on and it only seems to give me 480i and reported by the mits. I guess the others are right in that the first generation of games will not support higher res output My original comment then is a moot point because as bad as 1080i is from my HTPC I have yet to see it from the X. As far as connection to the Mit's goes I started by using the RGBHV input because I expected to get 1080i out of the box and that's the only input that supports 1080i. I now have the X connected to one of the 480i/480p component connections and it actually looks a tad better connected this way, not sure why. Also of interest, the HD breakout box of the X provides an optical digital audio connection and DD5.1 and DTS (when games provide it) output. I connected this cable this morning and WOW what a rush. Playing racinggames you can hear the cars come up from behind you before they pass the slower driver (me). Very cool. All in all the X box is a good game console but until there are real high res games, for me it does not live up to the hype.

Richard,

I have the Mits 55819 which displays the signal format. The Xbox menu system is 480i but all the games I have so far (Halo, PGR, DOA3 and Madden) all output 480p, with DOA3 and Madden being 16x9. Try pressing the INFO button on your Mits remote to confirm the game resolution. High rez support is dictated by the game itself, as well as 16x9.