View Full Version : HD TV looks shit...
Ok so i gots a hd tv and am trying to get my games working in hd, apparently it will do 720p and 1080i (all games i've played on say they support those two things) but the problem is when i plug the video, audio plugs in the component socket the graphics look shit, there is a HDMI socket aswell but i don't have any cables that fit it. I was thinking that the component and HDMI socker are 720p and 1080i instead of each of them doing both. Anyone know what to do? Thanks ^_^.
weebl
09-07-2007, 04:56 PM
you don't say what console you have or what TV. Sounds like you have a crappy cheap tv at this point.
Martinus
09-07-2007, 05:06 PM
I'd make an educated guess from his title that he's got a 360. ;)
Oh yeah sorry, Xbox 360, Hitachi 32 inch 32LD6600
Timmeh
09-07-2007, 06:48 PM
Ok so i gots a hd tv and am trying to get my games working in hd, apparently it will do 720p and 1080i (all games i've played on say they support those two things) but the problem is when i plug the video, audio plugs in the component socket the graphics look shit, there is a HDMI socket aswell but i don't have any cables that fit it. I was thinking that the component and HDMI socker are 720p and 1080i instead of each of them doing both. Anyone know what to do? Thanks ^_^.
The numbers (720 and 1080) are the number of vertical lines, any HD interface (HDMI, DVI or component) will support these. Composite and S-vid will not. Make sure you're actually using a decent component cable would be point #1. We could really use some more information because
when i plug the video
- where's a VCR coming into this now? Please explain exactly what you're connecting to what with what.
The Mna
09-07-2007, 07:04 PM
If its a 360, then its not the component cables. It might be that the tv doesn't support HD with component input though. The tv should say that its in 720p or 1080i mode in the corner when switched to them (at least mine does). Have you experimented with any other HD sources?
HeavyT
09-07-2007, 07:27 PM
Just checked the specs on that TV, it's not capable of 1080i, only 720p.
It also has a shitty contrast ratio (which is just as important as resolution) of only 800:1.
800:1 is horribly low. My LG plasma has a contrast ratio of 10000:1 and is capable of 1080i. I bet this is your problem, you have a crappy TV.
You should also try using and HDMI cable, it WILL make a difference.
Timmeh: Sorry i meant those three different coloured cables, red yellow and white.
Mna: It appears that it's only running in 480p and i can't find an option to change it, i've reduced the sharpness to 0 and that has helped.
HeavyT: Ok thanks ^_^.
So i'm assuming im going to need a HDMI cable to get the full capabilities from the tv, where does this connect in the 360 lol? is it instead of that plug with the sd to hd switch? ;)
edit: Ahh man i should've looked into this more, just found another tv, same size same price, 1600:1 contrast -_-
Martinus
09-07-2007, 08:08 PM
Timmeh: Sorry i meant those three different coloured cables, red yellow and white.
That's composite, Tim's talking about component. Google them.
Lol sorry i have no idea what i'm talking about, yes the green, blue and red ones are plugged in, they are on the other end of a 360 cable, on the other end of the cable it has a switch for switching from sd to hd.
The Grim Reaper
09-07-2007, 11:49 PM
And have you changed the settings in the 360, flicked that switch and changed any settings if needed on the TV?
That is a pretty cheap HDTV actually. 800:1 is pretty terrible, the one we are looking at getting has 16000:1 dynamic and 1800:1 standard or something.
Splush
10-07-2007, 12:04 AM
I was also going to ask if you flicked the switch on the cable. The first time I plugged my 360 into an HDTV I was playing in 480p for ages thinking how crap HD looked before I noticed the switch. :)
if your TV doesn't support HD over component (which sounds too crap to be true) then you might have some luck with a VGA (D-sub) connection, microsoft sell a VGA cable for the 360.
edit: I wouldn't worry too much about the contrast ratio either, different manufacturers test contrast ratio in different ways and it's not necessarily a reliable number. And it's not like Hitachi are some no-name brand, they seem to have a pretty good reputation for LCDs.
Timmeh
10-07-2007, 01:33 AM
You cannot realistically compare contrast ratios between different manufacturers. It's important to note is that there are real and theoretical contrast ratios; IE what's mathematically possible and what's actually possible within the confines of the real world.
800:1 is horribly low. My LG plasma has a contrast ratio of 10000:1 and is capable of 1080i. I bet this is your problem, you have a crappy TV.
That is going to be a theoretical and dynamic contrast ratio. A dynamic contrast ratio is a slightly cheaty method of darkening dark scenes, thus vastly increasing the theoretical contrast. This is not the true contrast ratio available on the TV, but lots of manufacturers list it as the contrast ratio without stating that it's dynamic. 10k:1 is also almost certainly a theoretical value, IE in a real room the actual contrast between the brightest and darkest luminosities would be considerably lower.
Again, contrast ratios should only be used as a method for comparing TVs against ones made by the same manufacturer. And in a real room, non theoretical situation, 800:1 is pretty good.
You really do want to use HDMI if it's available, it's just far superior to anything else... should it be unavailable, plump for component.
People also seem to be under the impression that because 1080i supports more vertical lines it's superior. This is not necessarily the case. Of course, a TV that only supports 720p will display HD media using progressive scan rather than interlacing. This is a bit of a toss up; lower FPS but less ghosting while gaming and far fewer artifacts. 1080i on the other hand is faster, but more prone to mistakes if you like. 1080 can also have a progressive scan mode but is used far less often. For those with the option of both, would definitely suggest using progressive scan mode when playing HD DVDs as the XBOX360 is a bit famous for it's dubious interlacing under extreme CPU load.
That's enough HD nerding for now.
Ok thanks for the info everyone, so basically i have either got to get a hdmi cable or a vga cable or the tv will look like a normal tv? Just one more problem, where's the hdmi slot at the back of the 360? theres the a/v the ethernet, usb and power, but no hdmi =/
edit: Ok so after a bit of googling it seems to me that the only cable that the 360 is compatible with is the component one that you get with the 360 premium package, but i don't see how this is true because almost all 360 games support higher than 480p yet i can only get the tv to display 480p...
Tiggs
10-07-2007, 09:27 AM
Only the 360 Elite (which isn't out in the UK yet) has HDMI, the core and premium 360's don't support any digital video out.
To get HD working properly you'll need to get a componant (http://www.play.com/Games/Xbox360/4-/742126/Joytech-XBox-360-Digital-AV-Component-Cable/Product.html) or VGA (http://www.play.com/Games/Xbox360/4-/741485/Joytech-XBox-360-Digital-VGA-Cable/Product.html) cable. Double check that your TV can take these first (most should, but always best to check)
Well i think its just my tv, because i have that 360 component cable plugged in, and there isn't a slot for vga so it looks like im going to be using 480p =/. Not that that's a bad thing though. Thanks alot for the help everyone.
Splush
10-07-2007, 04:15 PM
Hitachi's site (http://www.hitachidigitalmedia.com/DMG/viewProduct_1.jsp?productid=498) certainly suggests that your tv does have VGA (15-pin D-sub) input. And it still seems baffling to me that it won't accept HD over component.
It's worth making sure, playing games in 720p really is awesome.
Well today i forked out for a vga av microsoft cable thing and it appears to have worked but i'm not sure, when i use 680x 420 or something like that there are black bars above and below the picture like its a film or something, yet if i change it to 1080x 768 there are black bars above and below one of my other games, but not on the first one that had problems =/. Is there anyway to check if the picture is hd or not? it looks like it but i wouldn't be sure unless both the tv's where displaying the same image.
Splush
11-07-2007, 03:08 PM
Neither of those resolutions are widescreen, try setting it to 1360x768, which is nearest to your TV's native resolution.
On my TV you press the "info" button on the remote to get it to tell you the current display mode, maybe there's something similar on yours.
NemesisXposed
11-07-2007, 05:08 PM
OK. So let me get this straight. You have your 360 plugged into a HDTV but it looks crap.
Is the 360 set to 60Hz?
This sounds a lot like what happened to my uncle when he set up his 360 with his HDTV. Luckily in his situation I found out what was wrong.
Plug it into a SDTV (Standard Def) and set it to 60Hz. Plug it back into your HDTV and it should be OK.
Sorry if this isn't what you were looking for.
Ok Splush thanks ^_^.
NemesisXposed: Yeah just before i took the sd tv out i made sure it was 60 ^_^.
Well will try 1360x768 and get back to you.
edit: Ahh looks perfect, thanks alot. Plusses are coming your way (HeavyT, Mna, Timmeh, Martinus, Tiggs, Splush)
NemesisXposed
12-07-2007, 09:13 AM
Glad to hear you got it sorted :).
Soapie
12-07-2007, 05:22 PM
Some of the specs they come up with for TVs are quite funny. The new Pioneers have an 180º viewing angle and 16000:1 contrast ratio, apparently. Also, the demo things they use to show you the difference between standard definition and high definition, or 100Hz and shit like that are often utter rubbish. The Panasonic ones are the worst. They have a camcorder that when you put it in demo mode, it shows you what it looks like without image stabiliser on, and it's shaking like anything, even though the camera is actually on a tripod. Useless.
They also gave my place of work a photo album to show to customers to demonstrate what their cameras can do, and they're all blatantly photoshopped.
Anyway, that went well off topic.
EDIT: Also, do you know what annoys me? People who come in wanting a TV and they're all like "1080, 1080, it HAS to be 1080" even though if you put two progressive panels next to another, one 720, one 1080, you would probably not be able to tell for sure which is which. Oh, and they don't have any HD stuff at all. Not even something like a DVD upscaler. And they don't want to spend more than £1000.
Splush
12-07-2007, 06:15 PM
They have a camcorder that when you put it in demo mode, it shows you what it looks like without image stabiliser on, and it's shaking like anything, even though the camera is actually on a tripod. Useless.
That's hilarious! (and awful)
Oh, and they don't have any HD stuff at all. Not even something like a DVD upscaler. And they don't want to spend more than £1000.
Lol thats pretty much me.
Soapie
12-07-2007, 10:19 PM
Oh, and they don't have any HD stuff at all. Not even something like a DVD upscaler. And they don't want to spend more than £1000.
Lol thats pretty much me.Hey, at least you've got an HD console.
empty_head
13-07-2007, 09:30 AM
Only the 360 Elite (which isn't out in the UK yet) has HDMI, the core and premium 360's don't support any digital video out.
To get HD working properly you'll need to get a componant (http://www.play.com/Games/Xbox360/4-/742126/Joytech-XBox-360-Digital-AV-Component-Cable/Product.html) or VGA (http://www.play.com/Games/Xbox360/4-/741485/Joytech-XBox-360-Digital-VGA-Cable/Product.html) cable. Double check that your TV can take these first (most should, but always best to check)
exatctly what that person said but hd is not what its all cracked up to be
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