Fix for 360's 1080p troubles is being worked on

Having read your article, i did some research on the subject. I work For Tweeter and i was able to contact my Sony Rep and a few others to ask about 1080P and component video as well as VGA(D-sub15). The error with the Sony sets and this feature is NOT a fault of the XBOX 360 firmware or software. The error has to due with component video and the video processing pipeline of Sony's TV sets With the Bravia, Wega, and XBR video engines (which by the way is all of them.) 1080P is output as a progressive signal at 60 cycles per second, that is 60Hz. The component video processing section of the Sony engines have a maximum bandwith capability of 1920X1080I at 60Hz. Component video on these sets cannot handle 60 cycles of a progressive image, only interlaced. Which is why the image comes up garbled on the set. This is the same for the PC input. Only the HDMI input has the reserved bandwith for this process. The Same is true For Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Samsung, and Pioneer. THe only one of these manufacturers that can even accept 1080P thru a PC input is Mitsubishi's Diamond line of DLP sets. The VGA inputs of the other manufacs' can only handle 1080I thru this input. However, there is a solution, and i have tested it at my store on the above mentioned brands. To achieve this you will need a combination of the following:

1. THe XBOX 360 VGA Cable.
2. A VGA to HDMI conversion plug.
3. A VGA to DVI conversion plug + a DVI to HDMI conversion plug.

The second item (#2) is hard to find but a combination of all three will allow you to plug in the VGA Cable into the HDMI inputs of these sets and be able to decode 1080P at 60Hz Thru your HDMI. (Please hold your applause until the end...) The only warning is do not allow alot of stress to fall on the HDMI cable. The two adapters combined with the VGA cable makes it hang off the set about 4 inches. If your TV has an HDMI input that faces directly back of the set, then check it for stress and if necessary brace the cable. However some LCD's HDMI inputs are parallel with the set. Meaning it plugs in at a side angle. If this is true for you do not worry, there is a solution for you (and for the other to reduce strees on the input). AudioQuest makes a 90 Degree HDMI adapter for stress reduction, and it is available at Tweeter. Now you can applaud :)

-Mark FitzGerald

wow..BMWM3P really though, before you speak learn to do so first. not for nothing but i kno you guys have seen the reviews for GOW. it looks and probably is better than anything sony will be offering in the first 6 months of the ps3's life. im not gonna say anything much about sony sinces its been done but to say that the 360 is a flawed machine with anything but hd??? i dont kno bro, hd isnt just grafics and visual immersion or else no one would buy consoles period. they'd just stick to pc gaming since its been hd for some time now.

I'm pretty angry at Microsoft.

They should NEVER have released the Fall Update without proper bug testing.

A major update from such a major company shouldn't include bugs that make one of the features unusable and consoles bricked.

Yeah, my console did break down after the update.

@KaneRobot
"he issue is with Microsoft, not the panel manufacturer. The Microsoft VGA signal does not conform to any industry standard, while most panels (the Sony included) do."

How exactly does the VGA signal not conform to any industry standard? Do you have links to any technical documents detailing exactly how the VGA signal doesn't conform? I've had no issues on my HDTV or my LCD monitor with the VGA connection. Both detect the proper resolution with a refresh rate of 60Hz. Perhaps are the voltage levels below spec or something? I'm an electrical engineer so I would really like to know exactly what the issue is.
Anyone who has some data on the problem can email it to me at ee469@hotmail.com

ONE MORE TIME..!

If you have an LCD screen that accepts 1080i, then the output that you see on your screen WILL BE 1080p. This is because it is impossible for LCD to be interlaced; It's just not how that technology works. Interlacing is really only an issue on tube (CRT) HDTVs.

When your HDTV says it "accepts 1080p" then that's all well and good, but chances are you won't see any difference between that and 1080i input on an LCD, because the 1080i input is converted to progressive-scan for display. It is, in effect, 1080p.

Finally, Joystiq- If you spent $50 on a VGA-HD cable, you're fools. It retails for $39.95 and most big-box stores sell it for that, and then on top of that you could use the famous Best Buy gamer gift card coupon to get an additional $5.00 of the price. Spending any more than $34.95 for this item is just lazy shopping.

Unless you're not telling us something, like you purchased a third-party "premium" cable (Cyclone, Monster, etc.) and paid a high price for it. In that case, I understand why you're having problems. Third party junk may not be supported- don't you know that?

Finally, I've been on VGA-HD since launch. My HDTV is older, and accepts 768p over VGA (out of the 360's offerings, that is. If it did 1080i output via VGA, I'd be fine) Since the first major update, I've been watching movies upscaled to 768p and they've looked glorious- Far better than component. The colors are richer, the resolution is better (component won't upscale) and there's no ghosting or tearing like you described. Games and movies look awesome.

My verdict? You have a bad/faulty cable, or a stupid HDTV.

I have a Samsung LN-S3251D television and I bought it with the intention of using the VGA cable for my 360 hookup. I had even purchased a better Monster 360 VGA cable because after trying the MS one the colors were washed out and not nearly as rich and bright as when using the component connection on the 360. I have previously tried a different Phillips LCD television before buying my Samsung and experienced the same problem but I wrote it off as probably being a VGA problem on a cheap TV.

Since I've had this TV, I got it in March when it came out, I've never used the VGA connection for my 360 because of the "washed out" effect and although it does look very sharp and smooth I just don't get the rich bright color I get with the component connection. I even hooked up my PC in order to check if it wasn't my VGA input on my TV and my PC looked great on my TV with the VGA connection.

I really need to start using the VGA connection for my 360 because the 360's using the only component input on my tv which I want to soon use for a Wii. Does anyone have any more information on the "washed out" problem and any other workarounds. I'll tell you now that I've messed with every setting for color and brightness on my tv with no success in getting the VGA 360 hookup to look as good as component.

I have an HP 58" DLP 1080p monitor. It takes the 1080p vga signal from my computer but not from the 360 using the monster cable VGA cable. The highest resolution it allowed was 1300x768 or something to that extent. I returned my cable and resumed using the Monster component which looks great. So the moral to my story is: You people with your puny monitors being all excited you are getting 1080p is just a shame. Like you can really tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p on a 30" screen. It's sad that Microsoft has let down the people with larger screens. Even my tv may not be large enough to see a real difference between 1080i and 1080p. I'm just sad that it didn't work.

A thread about getting the DELL monitor to work with the XBOX 360: http://hushedcasket.com/node/1419