Top 10 HD myths, in full resolution

by Christopher Grant { Nov 29th 2005 at 9:00PM }

Now that gamers can dip their toes in the High-Def waters with the Xbox 360, there seems to be a great deal of confusion out there. While they're not specifically gaming related, PCWorld's thorough list of the top 10 HD myths offers the HD aspiring gamer plenty to mull about. The myths are:

An HD set is all you need to get high-def programs.
The bigger your HDTV set, the better it will look.
The higher the screen resolution, the better the image quality of an HDTV.
You have to relinquish the fluid motion of a CRT screen when you move up to HDTV.
Burn-in will wreck your plasma HDTV within a year.
Bright LCDs look beautiful everywhere, and they use much less power than plasma or CRT sets do.
These pricey TVs look so great out of the box that it's a waste to pay a small fortune to have a professional calibrate your set.
All true HDTV programming looks equally great.
Standard-definition TV is unwatchable on HDTV.
I'll have to toss all my current analog sets when the digital conversion kicks in.

Prepare to have your HD preconceptions shattered, or reaffirmed.

[Via HDBeat]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Kamalot @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Here's another myth...

A Plasma or LCD TV is better than a projector.

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

now i have one big question that's been bugging the shit out of me..

ok, i want and HDTV. chances are, since i'm still paying off body work on my car and i want to invest in an Xbox 360 shortly thereafter, i won't be getting an HDTV.

how will Xbox 360 games look on my standard TV? what will i be missing, in all honesty?

amiga_tone @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Another interesting question is will all games on the XBox 360 be HD? Will there be any SD games?

Bob Dole @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Would plugging my xbox 360 into a computer monitor be easier (and cheaper) than purchasing an hdtv? and would the quality be the same?

Frank @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

to #1 you will be missing resolution
to#2 yes it would be cheaper and easier and the quality should be the same if not better, my moniter can push a lot higher res. than an hdtv(well 720p and 1080i i don't know what they have higher than that i haven't looked much into hd tv's yet) as soon as i get mine i'm hooking it up to my moniter

Jeff @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Bob Dole: It wouldn't be *easier* (if only because the Xbox 360 doesn't come with the right cables) and it likely wouldn't be cheaper either, all else being equal.

Of course, you probably have a computer monitor lying around that you can use. But not many people have, say, a 37" computer monitor lying around. Or even a 27". *Maybe* you have a 20", but it probably doesn't support real HD resolutions (unless you've got an Apple Cinema Display HD or equivalent), meaning you're going to need to scale. And scaling destroys picture quality at least somewhat on an LCD, and it causes a loss of sharpness on a CRT.

So, you can do it, but it's basically a kludge. The best way to get HD resolutions on a game console is to buy an HDTV. Prices are falling through the floor anyway; I bought my 26" CRT for $600 a few months ago and already I feel like I overpaid. You can get a similarly sized LCD for practically the same price these days.

Brandon @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

I don't claim to be an expert, but from my understanding here are my replies to #1 and #2:

#1
You'll be missing the clarity that comes with a high resolution image. The best comparison that I can think of would be to compare an original Xbox game that was in 720p on someones HD screen and then look at it on your tv setup. The game will probably still look good, but the image quality and the crispness of the image will definitely benefit from being on a tv/monitor that can display 720p (or whatever HD resolution you are on).

#2
Definitely, you can get an Xbox 360 VGA adapter for 39.99 and plug your computer monitor into the adapter and get a high resolution image from your X360. Its going to the same quality almost assuredly, as computer monitors (most good units) are made to display resolutions that exeed the 1080i/720p/480p HDTV standards that the X360 supports.

Depending on the monitor you will obviously be giving up the size that often comes with a HDTV set, but the image quality will be just as good on a monitor.

NOTE: I have the VGA cables myself, you should know that the audio outputs are standard red/white stereo RCA jacks. You can't just jack headphones into the adapter, so unless you have a speaker/tuner that you plan to run these to, you may want to pick up an stereo RCA jack to stereo plug adapter at a radio shack or something to use headphones.

Hope this was helpful...

Peace

Mullinator @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

@Rare Hare

It isn't the same thing but to get a good idea of what the difference is like you can play a game on a PC with a high resolution to represent HD and then turning it down to represent the decline into regular TV.

Polygon counts, shader details, texture details are the same, it's just the resolution that changes.

Brandon @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

A followup, I think these two articles are pretty good in talking about pros/cons in both cables, and HDTV sets.

http://www.gamespot.com/features/6139690/index.html

http://www.gamespot.com/features/6140186/index.html

Smiling Assassin @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

The quality on a computer monitor could actually be far superior. Most HDTV's can't even come close to monitor resolutions. CRT monitors are by far the best with resolutions easily exceeding an HDTV. When you buy the VGA cable for your Xbox 360 the Video setup will automatically change in menu to allow resolutions far greater than a standeard HD Plasma or LCD television. As an owner of all formats I can honestly tell you there is no greater picture than my 21" NEC multisync CRT monitor. Then there is the LCD projector which is cable of 1280 x 1024, followed by the standard HD HP projector followed by the enhanced definition (480p) LCD in my kitchen. The resolutions on the Xbox 360 in VGA mode will not max out any high end LCD monitors but the picture will look far better than any 10,000 HD plasma display guaranteed, it just may not be as big. Be careful if you are purchasing a new LCD monitor for said purposes. You need a very fast refresh rate (look for 8ms), good brightness, and good contrast ratio. But, for now, use any monitor you have with a VGA cable and you will probably have a far greater experience than with any HDTV on the market, you just probably won't have the size.

EatingPie @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

I think it's somewhat irrespponsible to list the "Plasma Burn-In in 1 year" as a myth. Plasmas DO suffer burn-in, and how much you play your 360 (or any other console), and how much you play a specific game, will effect the equation drastically.

As I said, burn-in is an issue on Plasmas, and to call it a myth -- even as worded -- is highly irresponsible.

-Pie

John @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Does anyone know, if I were interested in buying the VGA hookup, what I'd have to buy or do to get my typical computer speakers working well with the system?

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

but is it worth the cost of an HDTV at this time to make the upgrade just to enjoy my next gen games?

gozer @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

how would you go about hooking a 360 to a 30" cinema display from apple?

gjd @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

The two big points in the list to me are:

*All true HDTV programming looks equally great.
*Standard-definition TV is unwatchable on HDTV.

As it relates to the Revolution it means that those games can look beautiful, just as Xbox 360 games can be ugly. The Revolution will almost certainly output at the same as your standard DVD player, and let me tell you DVDs look great to me on a nice Best Buy flat TV they have set up in the store. Graphics from a video game that look like that will absolutely blow any Xbox 360 release games out of the water.

Matt Burns @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

EatingPie

Yes, plasmas can suffer burn-in but it is very unlikey in modern panels. Most manufactures have technoldgy that shifts the pixels when a static image is presented. Also, the phosphorus that makes up the panel have been improved.

If you do play a lot of Xbox 360, or any game system like that, you should not have to worry about burn-in.

Plus, an image can be burned out of a plasma by presenting the screen with a white image that will wash away any ghosting. Samsung and Hitachi have this ability built in but a good service tech will have the tools as well.

Digital Life TV just had a videocast that talked about HDTV and covered burn-in on plasmas. Check it out if you doubt what I am saying.

sscooterguy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

With respect to the burn in, yes, it is an issue, but burn in is avoidable (by playing everything widescreen or streched for the first 100 hrs, or by having grey bars up when playing standard TV (my cable TV signal does this for me)). Also, burn in is not as bad as it sounds. My parents bought a 50" plasma two years ago, and before I knew it, they "ruined" it by allowing burn in because they didn't know. The TV has now fallen into my hands, because they moved, not because they didn't want it, and no one in my house (of 4 med students) really realizes the burn in except when there is a full white screen, and even then its not that bad. I play video games wide screen (regular xbox right now, no xbox 360 for me...unlike my parents, I can't afford it just yet), watch HBO HD, Showtime HD, as well as ESPN HD, and I forget that the burn in is there.

If I were to buy an HDTV now, yeah, I'd be careful of burn in, but I wouldn't worry about it too much. Here is what I think is THE source for HDTV burn in and all around HDTV info: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?forumid=40
Good luck in your HDTV endeavors. If any of you are in Columbus Ohio and don't have an HDTV but have an xbox 360, shoot me an email, maybe we can help eachother out for a few hours. hehe

Milton Bradley� @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Just want to add...
that PC World magazine article is worth reading and very interesting, comparing the three different formats of HDTV out there.

It's worth a shot but is there any plans or current HDTV/PC monitor hybrid in the market? I thought of getting a new PC monitor as well as a HDTV so might as well kill two birds with one stone. Then again...how would that look? My desk is already cluttered up as is with two computers, two monitors, two mice and a laptop.

Any other tips about getting a LCD HDTV? I thinking of getting one next year but I want to do some research first. LCD is my best bet being in my price range. Is there any LCD HDTVs in the market that I should pay attention to?

Lex @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

First off, I think the myth about plasma burning in, well is a bunch of bullshit and you might be able to smell it. I use to sell tvs, they last longer in lower altitude, but in higher altitude areas, well they have a shorter life span. To me I think the LCDs are the best, even though they have a slower refresh rate but they are getting better than that, and hopefully the cable companies will have channels that are 1080p and movies in the future will be in 1080p, fuck 1080i. 1080i is not the best.

EatingPie @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

#7 Take that HDTV link with a grain of salt. They get the MOST RELEVANT stuff about CRT RPTV entirely wrong!

It's not the least expensive.
It's not the only display that requires calibration to look its best (indeed, ALL TVs do).
It can be beefed up with Avia DVD just like any other display.

It DOES suffer from burn in.
It DOES NOT look the best for gaming, resolution-for-resolution -- go DLP or LCD in this case.

The last two are terrible omissions, as they are highly relevant to gamers in particular.

-Pie

Buyers Guide @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Higher quality TVs tend to be more resistant to burn-in -- though not entirely immune to it, of course. Of the plasma displays I've owned and/or tested extensively, NEC, Sony, Pioneer, and Panasonic seemed least prone to burn-in once their pictures were properly broken in. Even so, I would NEVER leave a static image on any plasma TV screen, regardless of quality, for more than hour.

The Bottom Line on Burn-In: Plasma TV burn-in is not an issue that should cause undue concern in the average user. With a modicum of caution, most plasma TVs will probably never have a problem with image retention. A viewer may experience temporary ghosting, but this is certainly not cause for alarm. In truth, carelessness -- i.e., not paying attention to what your TV is displaying and for how long -- is really the leading "cause" of permanent burn-in.

Paranoised @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

The xbox 360 GPU scales the image to whatever TV set you're using, but is rendered in all cases at 720p internally.

Yes you can connect the 360 to a monitor, but most monitors are 4:3 rather than 16:9, the aspect ratio is really key to the overall experience. Its as important (at least to me) as the resolution increase. So if you've got the option, get a 720p compatible HDTV set. If you're really into pixels hook it up to your computer.

Angelcurio @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

This part was the most important for me:
*Standard-definition TV is unwatchable on HDTV."

So, that means that if a buy a HDTV set, i won�t be able to watch SD programing, and won�t be able to use the normal air antenna????

doshin @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Burn in won't wreck your plasma in a year, but until Manufacturers start removing warnings from their manuals, it's not a total myth either.

LCD4LYFEYO, oh god, another thing to be a fanboy about.

Dario @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Angelcurio, this article is listing myths, therefore "Standard-definition TV is unwatchable on HDTV" is listed as a myth, not a fact. You could always try reading the article, you know.

Raffi @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Just to let you guys know, you linked to the third and last page of the article instead of the first...

GD @ Dec 18th 2005 9:13PM

Did anyone else notice that Microsoft changed its tune regarding what the VGA cable can and cannot do? Apparently, it no longer supports 1080i. The specific URL on xbox.com that use to report support for 1080i for both the Component and VGA cables, but now apparently the VGA cable no longer supports 1080i.

I'm confused. The rendering engine does so in RGB. VGA is ananlog RGB. If the 360 can output in 1080i Component (YPbPr) its doing so by transcoding from RGB colorspace to YPbPr colorspace. Yet, not-transcoding handicaps the output capabilities of RGB?