Xbox 360 1080p – Why Not?

[helvetica bold]

Could MS allow developers to program 1080p games? It's rumored on the net that Sega's Virtua Tennis for PS3 will run in 1080p. Why can't developers make 1080p games for the 360, is it a hardware limitation?

Will it ever happen?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

AFAIK it's an output limitation. Developers are free to set whatever sized framebuffers they want, and could render at 1080p (or 4320p for that matter) if they choose, but the machine can't output a 1080p signal.

 

[Farid]

AFAIK it's an output limitation. Developers are free to set whatever sized framebuffers they want, and could render at 1080p (or 4320p for that matter) if they choose, but the machine can't output a 1080p signal.

That's the answer.

 

[AlNom]

Just as a side note... there are very few games that actually render an interlaced image e.g. Kung Fu Chaos. >99% are rendered to a progressive frame and then it's up to the hardware in the console to convert the progressive image into an interlaced signal for regular TVs.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Though it should be noted that the majority of 1080p TV's on the market have the functionality to de-interlace the 1080i signal upon recieving it.

 

[helvetica bold]

Never? For example, PS2 Grand Turismo 4 runs at 1080i – did anyone think that was possible? Could MS update the
system like they did with the up scaling (720p VGA) DVD player? It's really no big deal, I was just wondering. I can't tell the difference on my 1080p LCD between 720p and 1080i programming.

I'm more concerned that MS doesn't have HDMI output!!!!

 

[ERP]

Never? For example, PS2 Grand Turismo 4 runs at 1080i – did anyone think that was possible? Could MS update the system like they did with the up scaling (720p VGA) DVD player? It's really no big deal, I was just wondering. I can't tell the difference on my 1080p LCD between 720p and 1080i programming.

I'm more concerned that MS doesn't have HDMI output!!!!

Sure MS could update the scaler on later units.
In most cases 1080i should be perfectly de-interlaced by a 1080p TV set. Unless the game is 60Hz 1080 and you have a set that supports 1080p/60.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Never? For example, PS2 Grand Turismo 4 runs at 1080i –

That's one of the very few.

 

[NavNucST3]

Though it should be noted that the majority of 1080p TV's on the market have the functionality to de-interlace the 1080i signal upon recieving it.

Which is what the current Blu-Ray and HD DVD drives do.
There is a battle between the software guys and the CE mfrs. about this very thing.

 

[DuckThor Evil]

That's one of the very few.

Uh oh, it seems that I must once again... point out that it wasn't real 1080i what they used!
Maybe I should put that in my sig. It wasn't real 1080i!! I'm going grazy about that honestly.

 

[helvetica bold]

I have a Sharp Aquos 1080p LCD (LC 37D90U).
The 360 outputs a sharper image via (VGA) 720p than 1080i (component) on my TV.
720p (VGA) beats 1080i (component) even when it's 1:1 mapped!

example NFS:Most Wanted VGA 720p > 1080i...

go figure, does that make sense??

I let the TV upscale the 720p image to 1080p.

Anyway, in the end, I would rather see 720p games with more effects than
spare 1080p games...

 

[ERP]

I have a Sharp Aquos 1080p LCD (LC 37D90U).
The 360 outputs a sharper image via (VGA) 720p than 1080i (component) on my TV.
720p (VGA) beats 1080i (component) even when it's 1:1 mapped!

example NFS:Most Wanted VGA 720p > 1080i...

go figure, does that make sense??

I let the TV upscale the 720p image to 1080p.

Anyway, in the end, I would rather see 720p games with more effects than
spare 1080p games...

Your just comparing the 360's built in scaler to the TV's scaler.
Clearly you prefer the one in the TV.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Uh oh, it seems that I must once again... point out that it wasn't real 1080i what they used!

I know that, and I assume helvetica bold appreciates that too. Though the horizontal resolution was still 640, the vertical resolution was an interlaced 1080 - it's one of the few games that renders an interlaced image.

 

[Pugger]

NucNavST3, are you saying that the Hi Def players output at 1080i and then deinterlace the picture?

 

[Hardknock]

From my understanding component cables technically have the bandwidth for a 1080p signal and the Xbox 360 could output the signal, but very few TVs will accept it over component. Since the Xbox 360 doesn't have HDMI it's kinda pointless...

 

[helvetica bold]

Is it the scaler in question or the fact that VGA > component?
Well I guess that a $3000 TV would have a better scaler and
the $400 360.

Anyway, sorry, didn't know about the PS2 1080i info, interesting!
I'm a tecch noob – Art Director by trade...

 

[scooby_dooby]

NucNavST3, are you saying that the Hi Def players output at 1080i and then deinterlace the picture?

Yup. The problem is all the 1080p TV's are not actually 1080p, go figure!

 

[Pugger]

Cheers Scooby.

 

[Bobbler]

Yup. The problem is all the 1080p TV's are not actually 1080p, go figure!

Since when?

There were some early 1080p TVs that only accepted 1080i (which are now in the minority), but any that you get now days (that got released in the last couple years) should accept 1080p just fine.

There is little reason for any 1080p TV to accept a 1080p signal, convert it to 1080i, and then back to 1080p inside the TV, if that's what you're implying actually happens in today's 1080p sets.

 

[scooby_dooby]

There is little reason for any 1080p TV to accept a 1080p signal, convert it to 1080i, and then back to 1080p inside the TV, if that's what you're implying actually happens in today's 1080p sets.

No the problem as I understand it is that they don't accept 1080p signals. The newest models do, like the 2006 models and onwards...but 1080p sets have been selling for a couple years. I don't think your statement that TV's bought in the last 'couple years' support 1080p is accurate at all, it's been a while since I looked at this, but earlier this year, you could count the models of true 1080p TV's on one hand.