SOOT: Xbox 360 HD-DVD plans and upscaling DVDs..

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SHEATH013

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#1 SHEATH013
Member since 2005 • 446 Posts
Rumors have been circulating (yes, that's passive voice and you'll like it) that the upcomming HD-DVD drive software update for the 360 would also upscale regular DVD to 720p. This appears to be impossible due to copy protection law, at least for Microsoft. However, apparently everything is "upscaled" to 1080p using the VGA connection, and this can be adapted to DVI.

Provided your HDTV accepts either VGA or DVI, I'd say that this is actually a problem solved. What do those of you with HD equipment think about this?


http://www.joystiq.com/2006/09/23/microsofts-1080p-lets-you-read-the-fine-print/

Microsoft's 1080p lets you read the fine print

Posted Sep 23rd 2006 3:25PM by Ludwig Kietzmann
Filed under: Microsoft Xbox 360
Much like looking both ways before crossing the road, remembering to read the fine print is a valuable life skill that will inevitably save your existence at one point or another. Some even consider HD resolution to be a matter of life and death, especially when the money spent on a 1080p television could have been used to purchase New Zealand instead. When Microsoft announced earlier this week that an update would automagically enable 1080p resolution ("true" or "full" HD if you believe in such things) for the Xbox 360, they neglected to mention any specifics regarding component output and that pesky issue of copyright.

A Microsoft insider (with handle "amirm") provides some clarity on the AVS forums, explaining what types of content are allowed over a component connection. If you insist on watching your HD-DVDs at full resolution, it appears you'll have to invest in a VGA cable (and not an HDMI cable).

If your 360 is hooked up via component cables:

* Xbox 360 games can be upscaled to 1080p. Titles that run in 1080p natively (none of which currently exist) will also display without a problem.
* HD-DVDs will display at 1080i maximum -- you can thank AACS for that.
* Normal DVDs will play at 480p. CSS prevents anything higher (though some upscaling DVD players conveniently ignore it).

If your 360 is hooked up via VGA cable:

* HD-DVDs, Upscaled DVDs and games can all display at 1080p with no copyright hassles.

If your 360 is hooked up via RF Adapter:

* You have bigger problems.

In the discussion:

10. DVDs are already upscaled with a VGA cable. 2405WFP DVD goodness FTW!

Then down the list a bit...

14. Just so everybody can stop freaking out, you can buy VGA to DVI adapter, and yes, in that order

http://sewelldirect.com/DVIAMTOVGAF.asp

$10
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203762174820177760555343052357

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#2 203762174820177760555343052357
Member since 2005 • 7599 Posts
When it comes to this stuff I am completely clueless. Right now I have a 1080i HD set that I bought about 2 years ago -- does this help me at all, or am I already experiencing the best video output that is possible for my TV?
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gmsnpr

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#3 gmsnpr
Member since 2004 • 4242 Posts
Aspro, I think that you'll probably be able to get VGA output at the max your TV can display, which is 1080i; I think that I'm in the same boat. So far I haven't ever hooked up a video source that would have to be downconverted for display on my screen, so I am curious how this will work. My upscaling DVD player convenienty ignores whatever laws there are, and it looks great. I think that the term "true HD" is laughable, actually. Any resolution that is greater than 480 lines is technically high-definition, so subdividing the term into regular HD (which I guess means 720p and 1080i, but could also be 540p) and true HD (1080p) is garbage. Not only does this serve to confuse the issue, it serves to piss me off, since I only bought a "lowly" 1080i-capable TV, rather than wait 2 years to get the 1080p model for $500 more. Most video sources, HD sources mind you, are in 720p natively, so as to cater to a lot of the LCD HDTVs out there that max out at that resolution. Only 2 of the 10 HD channels that I receive are in 1080i, and there is currently no broadcast in 1080p whatsoever. As fractured as the HD format defintion seems, the kinds of video inputs on the back of the sets are as well. My set has an HDMI port, and some component inputs, but no DVI or VGA. DVI isn't a big loss, but I'd really like to have a VGA input, since my PC, DC, 360 and Atomiswave can all take advantage of it. I am left with having to convert VGA signals into component signals with my GrandTec Hi-Wire, which is fine since it allows for some video conversion options (sizing, centering, aspect ratio adjustment) that aren't possible w/o it. I will have to get the VGA-to-DVI converter and then a DVI to HDMI adapter, unless there is a single device to do that.