Xbox 360: Component, Composit, VGA... no DVI/HDMI

[DuckThor Evil]

i think two hdmi is necessary for 1080p (hdmi is 1080i max on classic model)

That is false.

 

[Berak]

I have a related question. Has Sony explicitly stated anywhere that they will be supporting a VGA connection from the start?

I ask because I plan to use my Sony 24" GDM-FW900 monitor for gaming. If anyone is interested, this monitor can be bought refurbed now for about $800 (I payed over $2K years ago) and it will do well over 1920x1080p (goes up to something like 2200x1800 or something ridiculous like that). It's a flat CRT that Sony no longer makes, it's big and heavy (90lbs) but IMO blows away and LCD at twice the price. I think it's the perfect computer / gaming / HD monitor for a single user.

 

[gamepower]

Supports: Component, Composit, S-Video (but not out of the box...), and VGA (woot!); SCART adaptor(s) in Europe

Does not support: DVI, HDMI

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1817024,00.asp

ET: What sort of connections can we expect to our TVs, out of the box? The original Xbox comes with just composite video, and you have to go buy another pack if you want S-video, or another pack if you want component.

TH: With the Xbox 360 you'll be able to connect to composite or component out of the box. There will be other things that we support like VGA.

ET: So you will support VGA this time around?

TH: Yeah. We'll also support some of the SCART type adaptors in Europe. It will support S-video, but not out of the box.

ET: What about DVI or HDMI? Those are popular connections on HDTVs these days.

TH: We believe that we have the right set of outputs right now to meet the requirements of people who have HDTV sets today. We're continuing to look at what's going on in the future, and as things change, we've developed a very flexible system, so we can adapt to the different demands that are out there. Continued...

The entire interview is worth a read: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,1817022,00.asp

e.g. It is WiFi ready and will be available at launch but not out of the box (you need a small addon). Mixed reaction on that... obviously current Xbox owners with LIVE have the connection deal figured out and personally not an issue for me... but I can see this being a detourant. Well, then again, a lot of people have their Cable boxes not far from their TV... but for ease of use WiFi would have been better (but I wonder about pings)

Has the X360 Scart-RGB output like XBOX1 with deflickered picture in
Pal60 mode?????

 

[Nite_Hawk]

I have a related question. Has Sony explicitly stated anywhere that they will be supporting a VGA connection from the start?

I ask because I plan to use my Sony 24" GDM-FW900 monitor for gaming. If anyone is interested, this monitor can be bought refurbed now for about $800 (I payed over $2K years ago) and it will do well over 1920x1080p (goes up to something like 2200x1800 or something ridiculous like that). It's a flat CRT that Sony no longer makes, it's big and heavy (90lbs) but IMO blows away and LCD at twice the price. I think it's the perfect computer / gaming / HD monitor for a single user.

Often times DVI connections will include the analog signals for vga on some of the pins. I don't know if HDMI includes this feature.

I think the Dell 2405 is a reasonable replacement for he GDM-FW900, but as always there are still a coule of advantages that CRTs still enjoy.

Nite_Hawk

 

[wco81]

That's what I'm saying. If the majority of people who buy Xbox360 don't have DVI equipped HDTVs, then it makes sense to just include the composite cables. It's better to have one port that works with any type of connection than to have a DVI port that doesn't work with the composite cable that's included in the box.

Most of the HDTVs being sold in the last 2 years or so, when HDTV sales volume has really ramped up, include DVI.

A lot of owners of older HDTVs with just components are upset because new set top boxes and Blu-Ray and HD-DVD will only support DVI/HDMI. But they are likely outnumbered by those with DVI/HDMI-equipped sets.

Of course there are more sets which support composite and even more which support RF (most VCRs are probably still connected this way).

 

[therealskywolf]

No Hdmi or Dvi output? Wow.....thats kinda lame.

 

[PC-Engine]

That's what I'm saying. If the majority of people who buy Xbox360 don't have DVI equipped HDTVs, then it makes sense to just include the composite cables. It's better to have one port that works with any type of connection than to have a DVI port that doesn't work with the composite cable that's included in the box.

Most of the HDTVs being sold in the last 2 years or so, when HDTV sales volume has really ramped up, include DVI.

A lot of owners of older HDTVs with just components are upset because new set top boxes and Blu-Ray and HD-DVD will only support DVI/HDMI. But they are likely outnumbered by those with DVI/HDMI-equipped sets.

Of course there are more sets which support composite and even more which support RF (most VCRs are probably still connected this way).

I think it's better to cater to the lowest common denominator to a certain extent out of the box.

 

[Ty]

You can use much longer VGA-cable and still get a picture whereas DVI-cable has to be fairly short, especially if it's only single link, so the situation is just the opposite.

Perhaps I worded it incorrectly then. I was trying to say that I thought for Digital cables, quality of the cable mattered less than for analog.

I think it's better to cater to the lowest common denominator to a certain extent out of the box.

Hmm, maybe. Certainly there is a cutoff point. For me, it's just a shame because I'm going to need to buy another accessory.

It's better from MS' POV certainly because they aren't ponying up the cash for it but I'm not certain the savings is necessarily passed along to us.

It's kind of akin to your argument that the PSP isn't a good MP3 player because of the chintzy 32Meg MS. Likewise the Xbox360 isn't that good of a next gen media center if it doesn't support HDMI/DVI out-of-the-box, imo. Maybe I'm an elitist.

 

[wco81]

Support the LCD but also support the high end for the people willing to spend for it. Like I said, most of the HDTVs sold for the past 2 years or so have DVI or HDMI. And sales are only growing more and more with time.

That said, I think a lot of these interfaces may turn out to be as redundant as iLink or the PC Card interface in the Japanese PS2. In the later revisions of the PS2, they removed the iLink and the PC Card.

I can see a future PS3 model with just one HDMI, one or two gigabit ethernet (or maybe just 100BaseT), maybe fewer USB ports, maybe no Compact Flash, etc.

1080p will become significant if in the next 5-6 years, 1080p displays with 1080p60 inputs and 1080p60 performance are available under $2500. (EDIT: And that's a BIG if)

And of course, the PS3 is capable of outputting 1080p30 and up and games actually have this kind of performance (a wide number, not like the handful of 720p Xbox games now).

The problem is, at least in the immediate timeframe, most 1080p displays seem geared towards 1080p24 for film sources. And I believe these have only 1080i inputs and cost a fortune.

So 720p may be the de facto resolution for both X360 and PS3 games. Could it be that the free 2x AA or cheap 4x AA of X360 could result in smoother looking games?