Don't panic: NXE will stream Netflix HD via component cables
by Randy Nelson 
on Oct 30th 2008 4:16PM
For those of us with HD displays, the revelation that the
Netflix component of Xbox 360's
New Xbox Experience would stream HD video via the intertubes was just spiffy. Then came various reports that said feature would only be available in situations where the 360 was connected to an HDCP-compliant display via HDMI. Even then, the scuttlebutt was that older 360s might not be up to snuff. Not true, as our pals at Engadget
have found.
They've tested a 360 connected via component cables and confirmed that it displays the Netflix HD content just fine, as you can see in the above photo. It should be noted that those with older HD sets, which only have DVI inputs, may encounter problems using HDMI-to-DVI converters, since the 360 can't make the necessary HDCP "handshake" in that configuration. As Engadget points out, it's still possible to use the 360's optional VGA output in this case. For most HD display owners, though, insert a big sigh of relief here.
