720p to 1080i

[pdiscool]

Was wondering, i read in the egm that if you tv does not support 720p as some older hd sets dont it will scale it to 1080i automatically. Does anyone kno how this works? Would u have to set games in the 360 dashboard to 1080i or 720p? Also will it look as good as it would if it was in the original 720p mode capared to the 1080i scaled way, and would it affect the framrate or have bad cropping?

[shipwreck]

Was wondering, i read in the egm that if you tv does not support 720p as some older hd sets dont it will scale it to 1080i automatically. Does anyone kno how this works? Would u have to set games in the 360 dashboard to 1080i or 720p? Also will it look as good as it would if it was in the original 720p mode capared to the 1080i scaled way, and would it affect the framrate or have bad cropping?

Some TVs automatically convert 720p to 1080i, but some TVs don't have that function. I'm almost positive that I read that you could set your X360 to automatically convert 720p to 1080i if your TV didn't support 720p. As for which is better, it's almost a matter of opinion. Both are very good and you shouldn't have any problems since the X360 has the built-in conversion ability.

[doubledown]

Yep, I think Shipwreck has this right, since my TV only does 1080i, it's on the top of my list

[Zoglog]

It's very rare that a TV will support 1080i and not 720p. But I guess in the case that it does I'm sure any game will scale accordingly via the xbox or your TV. Either way, I'm hoping there will be some 1080p lovin for my lcd, though I doubt it.

[shipwreck]

It's very rare that a TV will support 1080i and not 720p. But I guess in the case that it does I'm sure any game will scale accordingly via the xbox or your TV. Either way, I'm hoping there will be some 1080p lovin for my lcd, though I doubt it.

It's actually not that rare for TVs to support 1080i and not 720p. A lot of the early HDTVs did not support 720p and most if not all of the CRT HDTVs do not support 720p. From what I've read, the X360 will not support 1080p unless there is a future hardware update. That would mean even more confusion for consumers, so I doubt that will happen. By the time enough people have TVs that support 1080p, Xbox 3 will be out.

[doubledown]

It's very rare that a TV will support 1080i and not 720p. But I guess in the case that it does I'm sure any game will scale accordingly via the xbox or your TV. Either way, I'm hoping there will be some 1080p lovin for my lcd, though I doubt it.

Not very rare at all....most early HDTV's only had 1080i (no 720p). Do a little research on what is out there. I still see TV's being sold that only do 480p and 1080i....no 720p

[Vinny]

It's very rare that a TV will support 1080i and not 720p. But I guess in the case that it does I'm sure any game will scale accordingly via the xbox or your TV. Either way, I'm hoping there will be some 1080p lovin for my lcd, though I doubt it.

Our HDTV has 1080i but not 720p... instead, it has 480p/540p which is weird since I've never seen it being support by any console.

Most TVs will convert 720p to 1080i if they can't support it, our's does. 1080i and 720p are way too similar- one might look better than the other but as someone already said, it's a matter of opinion. Now, 1080p... that's a different story.:)

[fivecardstud]

my tv only supports 1080i and does not convert 720p... which i found out when trying to run soul calibur 2 on Xbox in 720p. I was sad...

but this is the first I have heard of the 360 doing that conversion for me! That would be sweet... anyone know if the PS3 will do the same (i'm more of a PS fan that an Xbox fan)?

[doubledown]

Yep, I could never play 720p on my TV for XBOX games also...like MVP BAseball. So, no auto conversion. However, I think some NFL Football games come in at 720p on my HDTV, but they get converted to 1080i. So, not sure how things work.

[LinkinPrime]

Mine only supports 480p and 1080i. I thought i was SOL and was looking into buying another HDTV next spring with tax return but these news sound good to me. I'll have to try it when I get my 360. Thanks for the news guys.

[Deadpool]

It's very rare that a TV will support 1080i and not 720p. But I guess in the case that it does I'm sure any game will scale accordingly via the xbox or your TV. Either way, I'm hoping there will be some 1080p lovin for my lcd, though I doubt it.

What everyone else said.

[Megaten]

Well, I've searched a lot of other threads here at CAG about this, but I figured since there is already a discussion on it here, I might as well ask. I'm looking into buying an HDTV...but at the price range I can afford, it seems like I'll be stuck with 420p/1080i. (Not to mention I'm definately getting a CRT model...so I guess I'd be stuck with em regardless of cash) So since the Xbox 360 can upscale it, do you think I might as well get a TV that can't support 720p? I thought I had read a lot of people commenting on that when something gets upscaled, it isn't anywhere near as good as it would be if it was natively in that setting...I guess in this case 1080i.

[Zoglog]

well I was mostly refering to recent flat panel tvs, but yeah I can see how that works for CRT. as for 540p that's because it's just 1080i transferred over to progressive scan.

I was pretty sure the 360 would support 1080i. after all the regular Xbox already does 1080i (from hdtv arcade).

Enter the Matrix 16:9 480p 720p 1080i 5.1
MX vs. ATV Unleashed 16:9 480p 720p 1080i 5.1 Online
Atari Anthology 16:9 480p 720p 1080i 5.1 Online*
Syberia 16:9 480p 720p 1080i 5.1
Dragon's Lair 3D 16:9 480p 720p 1080i 5.1
MX Unleashed

Does anyone know if it will support 1080p at all though?

On another note the HDTV standard is almost enough to make me get a 360. lower resolutions just don't cut it on the higher resolution flat panels. Grainyness is more apparent and 480i makes me want to cry (Genji) =(.

[shipwreck]

well I was mostly refering to recent flat panel tvs, but yeah I can see how that works for CRT. as for 540p that's because it's just 1080i transferred over to progressive scan.

I was pretty sure the 360 would support 1080i. after all the regular Xbox already does 1080i. Does anyone know if it will support 1080p at all though?

It does not support 1080p.

[Zoglog]

It does not support 1080p.

Well that is the suck ><

[dreamvsps2]

the 360 itself will convert the signal from 720p to 1080i.

and soul calibur 2 is 720p but not widescreen. so everybody has black bars, not just you.

[shipwreck]

Here is some info from what developers were working with when programming for the 360.

According to the TCR's devs only need to target 720p. The outboard display chip is responsible for scaling the image. It can scale up to 1080i or down to 480i/p. MS made this decision in order to support ALL HDTV's without requiring specific developer support for each display mode, as was the case with XBox 1. Many older HD displays are limited to supporting only 1080i or only 720p.

Because it does its scaling in the analog domain, this display chip is incapable of digital outputs like DVI/HDMI or supporting 1080p. It was designed by MS's WebTV group. Right now it is limited to composite, s-video, component, and vga. The chip can be re-engineered and changed later since it is seperate from Xenos to support digital out, but that could create consumer confusion as to which XBox units do what.

[Zoglog]

yeah I found that kind of wierd how Soul calibur 2 had black bars, you would think they would support widescreen =/. But oh well it looks very sharp nevertheless. I've been kind of dissapointed at the lack of 720p games for the xbox. The last one I played was Xmen Legends

[heavy liquid]

To the people without 720p:

I wouldn't worry about buying a new TV just because your set doesn't do 720p. Have the 360 upscale it to 1080i (rather than having the TV do it, which may cause a bit of lag). Honestly, the difference is negligible unless you're someone who posts at avsforum. ;) With the prices of TVs dropping as fast as they are, and the quality improving as quickly as it is, I think it's a waste of money to buy a new set just for that, unless you're incredibly wealthy and have money to burn. But then if that's the case, why would you be here at CAG? Save your money and buy a new set in a few more years when they're REALLY improved.

[shipwreck]

What will be interesting is how this will handle original Xbox games. Will it upconvert those 720p games to 1080i? I can only hope, because I was never able to play Xbox games in 720p. I'm guessing the answer to this is "no", though.

[heavy liquid]

What will be interesting is how this will handle original Xbox games. Will it upconvert those 720p games to 1080i? I can only hope, because I was never able to play Xbox games in 720p. I'm guessing the answer to this is "no", though.

To add some more fuel to the fire, I've heard rumors about the 360 upconverting some games from 480p to 720p, such as Halo 2. I think that was an EGM rumor, but I'm not sure. Maybe someone can back me up on that. I guess we'll see whether or not this will be true soon enough. But I would think that if the 360 upconverted an original Xbox game to 720p, that it could kick it up to 1080i. I hope.

[Zoglog]

the funny thing about soul calibur 2 is it's only not widescreen when in 720p mode according to hdtvarcade.

[LinkinPrime]

It does not support 1080p.

Everywhere I've read about the X360 states that minmum support is 720 but it does support 1080

From Microsoft:

Games: Xbox 360 redefines what games look like, sound like, feel like, and play like to engage you like never before. With Xbox 360, epic worlds are alive with detail, from thunderous skies rumbling over a mountain range to tiny blades of grass rustling together in the breeze. Vibrant characters display depth of emotion to evoke more dramatic responses, immersing you in the experience like never before. You’ll see all Xbox 360 titles at 720p and 1080i resolution in 16:9 widescreen, with anti-aliasing for smooth, movie-like graphics and multi-channel surround sound.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xbox360/factsheet.htm

And read on GameStop.com:

Microsoft's second-generation video game console features a multicore 3.2GHz IBM PowerPC-based CPU, a custom ATI graphics chip, and multichannel surround sound. The unit has wireless controllers and offers 720p and 1080i support for all games. The system is Wi-Fi ready and has a detachable 20GB hard drive

http://hardware.gamespot.com/x-15016-O-4-4

[shipwreck]

Everywhere I've read about the X360 states that minmum support is 720 but it does support 1080

Microsoft's second-generation video game console features a multicore 3.2GHz IBM PowerPC-based CPU, a custom ATI graphics chip, and multichannel surround sound. The unit has wireless controllers and offers 720p and 1080i support for all games. The system is Wi-Fi ready and has a detachable 20GB hard drive

http://hardware.gamespot.com/x-15016-O-4-4

It supports 1080i. It does not support 1080p. There's a big difference.

[LinkinPrime]

Oh crap. My bad, didnt notice the "p" till you mentioned it. I didnt even know that 1080p was a resolution for HD i thought it was just 1080i

Sorry.

[shipwreck]

Oh crap. My bad, didnt notice the "p" till you mentioned it. I didnt even know that 1080p was a resolution for HD i thought it was just 1080i

Sorry.

Don't worry about it. The reason it doesn't support 1080p is because so few people actually have TVs that can output 1080p. Microsoft decided to cut costs on some features that not many people would take advantage of this time around.

[robot]

the funny thing about soul calibur 2 is it's only not widescreen when in 720p mode according to hdtvarcade.

Yea Namco screwed that up - it still looks pretty amazing. Amped 2 looks insane in 720p.

[doubledown]

Thanks for the good work everyone...Shipwreck mainly.

MX vs ATV looks good in 1080i. I was first playing it on 480p, until I switched my inputs to run through my receiver....I only have ONE Hi-Def Component input in my TV....so my receiver switches it between my HD-cable box and my XBOX.

[LinkinPrime]

Do you switch the TV or the XBOX? I have Hulk:UD which is in 720p but my tv changes it to 480p.

[doubledown]

There is a setting on the XBOX to enable 720p/1080i....they have to be turned on through the XBOX dashboard. Don't turn 720p on if your TV does not support it...you will get a BLUE screen or osmething to that matter :D

[Ruined]

Was wondering, i read in the egm that if you tv does not support 720p as some older hd sets dont it will scale it to 1080i automatically. Does anyone kno how this works? Would u have to set games in the 360 dashboard to 1080i or 720p? Also will it look as good as it would if it was in the original 720p mode capared to the 1080i scaled way, and would it affect the framrate or have bad cropping?

Not all 1080i TVs scale 720p up. Some scale it down or just display a blank screen.


However, even if your TV does not scale 720p, the XBOX360 has a builtin analog scaler that will scale the picture to 1080i. Just set the XBOX360 to display the ones your TV supports, and it will take care of the rest.

It will look spectacular either way, so don't worry its no problem! :)

[LinkinPrime]

There is a setting on the XBOX to enable 720p/1080i....they have to be turned on through the XBOX dashboard. Don't turn 720p on if your TV does not support it...you will get a BLUE screen or osmething to that matter :D

I do have mine setup like that, but my TV scaled it down to 480p instead of up to 1080i. I'll check my tv setups.

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

We have to wait for PS3 for 1080p......and HDMI. Part of the reason the shots we are seeing of the PS3 screens are so sick. This technology coupled with blu-ray is why Sony thinks it will win the "next generation war". I think they will both do just fine...........

[Indiana]

Not all 1080i TVs scale 720p up. Some scale it down or just display a blank screen.


However, even if your TV does not scale 720p, the XBOX360 has a builtin analog scaler that will scale the picture to 1080i. Just set the XBOX360 to display the ones your TV supports, and it will take care of the rest.

It will look spectacular either way, so don't worry its no problem! :)

Actually in order to convert 720p to 1080i most TVs take the image and scale down to 540p then up to 1080i.

[ArthurDigbySellers]

Actually in order to convert 720p to 1080i most TVs take the image and scale down to 540p then up to 1080i.

I was under the impression that most HDTVs don't do the scaling at all since most HD sets do not have in integrated HD tuner. All HD STBs that I know of have scalers built into them. I know with my Cox HD box, I set it's scaler options to 1080i and it handles the conversion.

[y2jrevolution]

We have to wait for PS3 for 1080p......and HDMI. Part of the reason the shots we are seeing of the PS3 screens are so sick. This technology coupled with blu-ray is why Sony thinks it will win the "next generation war". I think they will both do just fine...........

As of right now 1080p tv's only run at 30 frames a second. So if you have a 1080p tv that automatically upconverts any signal to 1080p you will be playing next gen games at only 30 frames a second. Just something to remember if you are shopping for a 1080p tv for gaming.

[himsahealer]

I know 1080p is the best, but those tv's are still a little too expensive, so I was wondering which is better, 720p or 1080i? Thanks!

[PenguinMaster]

They really are about the same, it's just a matter of taste. 1080i tvs are generally cheaper though.

[panasonic]

720P or 1080P only 1080i is ass

[wingeddragon]

720p

[himsahealer]

Ok thanks a lot guys. I think I may go for a 42" Samsung 1080p. It's a little expensive, but it is probably worth the investment.

[Msut77]

Ok thanks a lot guys. I think I may go for a 42" Samsung 1080p. It's a little expensive, but it is probably worth the investment.
360 only goes up to 1080i or 720p, ive done both and I prefer 720.

[paz9x]

Ok thanks a lot guys. I think I may go for a 42" Samsung 1080p. It's a little expensive, but it is probably worth the investment.
if youre going strictly for 360 gaming i dont think a 1080p set is needed. i think at 42" youre on the fence for being able to notice any difference with that resolution period.
a lot of people on the internet are going to say everything but the supposed best tech (for this topic its 1080p) is garbage, even though id bet half of these people dont have a hdtv of any res.
depending on the policy of whichever retailer, you can exchange a tv after viewing it in yoru home. i went into the store with a specific, well-reviewed tv i wanted and after seeing the picture in person i was doubtful, if not for the ability to return the tv after having it in my home i wouldnt have bought it with the way it was setup. after seeing the picture in home im very happy withg it.

anyway, hope that helps a little, dont get caught up in internet folk trying to live vicariously through your purchase.

[panasonic]

If you plan on a ps3 get the 1080p if not just get a 720p

[Liquid 2]

720P or 1080P only 1080i is assWhy exactly is 1080i ass?
I have my tv on 1080i and it looks great (but I'm going to have to see what it looks like on 720p now...).

[himsahealer]

if youre going strictly for 360 gaming i dont think a 1080p set is needed. i think at 42" youre on the fence for being able to notice any difference with that resolution period.
a lot of people on the internet are going to say everything but the supposed best tech (for this topic its 1080p) is garbage, even though id bet half of these people dont have a hdtv of any res.
depending on the policy of whichever retailer, you can exchange a tv after viewing it in yoru home. i went into the store with a specific, well-reviewed tv i wanted and after seeing the picture in person i was doubtful, if not for the ability to return the tv after having it in my home i wouldnt have bought it with the way it was setup. after seeing the picture in home im very happy withg it.

anyway, hope that helps a little, dont get caught up in internet folk trying to live vicariously through your purchase.

I agree. I have found out that many people who don't own a specific gaming console talk bad about it simply because they can not afford to have the experience. Anyways I did find your write up very helpful, thank you. What kind of tv do you use to run the 360 on? I played a PS3 on a set before I bought my PS3, and the person told me it was doing 720p, but my PS3 can only output either 480p or 1080p. I noticed that the LCD they had the PS3 running on looks great. I have never been very much into tv's, but I figured it was time to jump into a better resolution for my games.

I mainly want the HDTV for my Xbox 360, because I have my PS3 in another room, and my 360 is my main gaming hub. So I don't really plan on using my PS3 on the HDTV. I also don't plan on investing in Blu-Ray movies because I will stick to regular DVD until the Digital Distribution takes off everywhere. So this set will be strictly used for the 360.

[RedvsBlue]

Why exactly is 1080i ass?
I have my tv on 1080i and it looks great (but I'm going to have to see what it looks like on 720p now...).


Because 720p costs more than 1080i so people who own 720p have to justify why their TV cost more. ;)

[mtxbass1]

In my experience, 720p looks a little bit more fluid than 1080i. However, 1080i seems to be a bit sharper. I have the option to do either, but I run 720p on my projector and I'm pleased with the results.

[paz9x]

I agree. I have found out that many people who don't own a specific gaming console talk bad about it simply because they can not afford to have the experience. Anyways I did find your write up very helpful, thank you. What kind of tv do you use to run the 360 on? I played a PS3 on a set before I bought my PS3, and the person told me it was doing 720p, but my PS3 can only output either 480p or 1080p. I noticed that the LCD they had the PS3 running on looks great. I have never been very much into tv's, but I figured it was time to jump into a better resolution for my games.

I mainly want the HDTV for my Xbox 360, because I have my PS3 in another room, and my 360 is my main gaming hub. So I don't really plan on using my PS3 on the HDTV. I also don't plan on investing in Blu-Ray movies because I will stick to regular DVD until the Digital Distribution takes off everywhere. So this set will be strictly used for the 360.
the output of the ps3 doesnt sound right, i dont have one and havent paid too much attention but im pretty sure it outputs at other resolutions.
anyway, i use a westinghouse 32w6 for my 360 and ive had tons of compliments, ive also had it on a 57" dlp sony and it looked great on that as well, it looked a little more vibrant than the westinghouse but not as sharp (both tvs were at 720p). i currently have it set at 1080i but i looks about the same to me.
personally, if i had a ps3 (and i will when i an walk into a store and buy one) id have it hooked up to an hdtv.
good luck.

[guyver2077]

1080i looks better to me...

anyways dont forget 360 can do 1080p now via component...is there a list of tv's that accept 1080p via component?

[freezedried74]

I have used both and prefer 720p.

[getfckedx]

yeah, i just got my lcd, and i prefer 720p over 1080i

[CYRiX]

720p has a better framerates, but 1080i supposively looks better.

[s3v3n777]

720p looks better depending your set. Ony my TV interlaced images look bad, thus I'd rather use 720p.

[Koggit]

Guys, this is all about display type. Which you should use is just dependent of your display. Fixed-pixel displays (LCoS, DLP, LCD, plasma) only display progressive scan. If you have a set with 720 vertical pixels, you can input 1080i all day, but only 720 vertical pixels will be displayed. Likewise, tube-based sets (CRTs, tube projectors) will only display 480i, 480p and 1080i. You can input 720p, but it's going to display 1080i, artificially creating the extra lines. It will not display 720p, no tube can.

In short:
Fixed pixel displays ONLY display their native resolution, regardless of the inputs they support.

Tube-based projection sets ONLY display 480i, 480p and 1080i, regardless of whether they support 720p or not.

If you have a CRT or tube RP, use 1080i. If you have a fixed-pixel display that's not 1080p, use 720p. If you have a 1080p fixed-pixel display, use 1080i (or 1080p, if available).


As far as which source is better, that's the only question of preference. 1080i will offer more detail and clarity, while 720p will have smoother motion.

[-GoodFella-]

1080i looks better to me...

anyways dont forget 360 can do 1080p now via component...is there a list of tv's that accept 1080p via component?

The newer Samsung TVs can do 1080p over component.

[himsahealer]

The newer Samsung TVs can do 1080p over component.

That is great news. Thanks a lot. I guess I will pick up a new Samsung then.

[anomynous]

720P & 1080i are almost the same, depends on the TV for which gets better quality

[PenguinMaster]

Though plenty have mentioned that they prefer one or the other, it's only an accurate comparison if you compare a 720p TV to a 1080i TV. The picture will always look better when set to the TVs native resolution. If you set it to 1080i on a 720p TV the TV will scale the image to 720p and it will look worse than when set to 720p in the first place. Vice Versa is true of a 1080i TV.

[thrustbucket]

Though plenty have mentioned that they prefer one or the other, it's only an accurate comparison if you compare a 720p TV to a 1080i TV. The picture will always look better when set to the TVs native resolution. If you set it to 1080i on a 720p TV the TV will scale the image to 720p and it will look worse than when set to 720p in the first place. The same is true of a 1080i TV.


Going along with this, I haven't seen anyone mention that almost all 360 games are developed in 720p. So why would anyone want any resolution different than that, forcing a conversion?

[PenguinMaster]

Going along with this, I haven't seen anyone mention that almost all 360 games are developed in 720p. So why would anyone want any resolution different than that, forcing a conversion?

From what I've heard the 360 has an excellent scaler built-in. It's far better than what most TVs have in them. The primary reason to buy a 1080i TV is because they are cheaper, so if you can get a pretty damn similar image for much cheaper, why wouldn't you?

[jkanownik]

I'm running 1080i on a 32" CRT and I always, always get a big WOW out of anyone that comes over and doesn't have an HDTV. I wouldn't let native resolution of the TV affect my decision. I'd check reviews of any specific models I was looking at to see what 360 owners said.

[Wolve11]

Now I have a HD projector and I am getting ready to connect it now. I was wondering how it stacks up against HD televisions. I have a Hitachi CP-S318 and I don't really know anything about it. It is in working condition, but I just wanted to know if it will give me good quality compared to a 720p LCD screen.
Could anyone help me? I'm trying to find more info on my projector, but I'm not having much luck.

[PenguinMaster]

Now I have a HD projector and I am getting ready to connect it now. I was wondering how it stacks up against HD televisions. I have a Hitachi CP-S318 and I don't really know anything about it. It is in working condition, but I just wanted to know if it will give me good quality compared to a 720p LCD screen.
Could anyone help me? I'm trying to find more info on my projector, but I'm not having much luck.

It's not an HD projector. It has an 800x600 resolution, HD is 1280x720 or higher. It will be downscaling the 360s 720p down to 800x450 (to keep the widescreen ratio).

[rly723]

return the hd projector and get a legit HDTV

[Wolve11]

thanks man because i was really wondering about that and I have almost no HD knowledge. It will still make a fairly decent picture for the 360 that's better than regular tvs right?

[Koggit]

You gain a few more horizontal pixels and lose a few vertical pixels, or you can display it at 600x480 (standard definition). So no, you don't gain any picture quality from standard definition.

800x600 projectors are made more for business presentations than they are media and games. That projector is not HD.

Get a HD projector or get a different set. If money is a huge issue, check Craigslist for a cheap rear-projection set.

[thrustbucket]

return the hd projector and get a legit HDTV

Why?

You have no idea how many projectors have been purchased because people have come over and seen the image my InFocus 4805 that only does 854 x 480 can do.

I am retiring it this week though, as I just bought a Mitsubishi HD1000u 1280x720 projector, which just dropped $500 and I was able to get it for $860. Where else are you going to get a plasma like 108" HD image for $860?! I'm stoked.

[flybrione]

Depends on the HDTV you have. I have a CRT HDTV and I prefer 1080i. My Friend who has an LCD TV prefers 720P.

[nasum]

does the x360 require the vga cable to output better than 720i/p resolution? and if you go with just the component cable do you need to switch a setting on the tv too or does the tv just display whatever is coming out of the 360?

[thrustbucket]

does the x360 require the vga cable to output better than 720i/p resolution? For movies, yes. For games, no.

and if you go with just the component cable do you need to switch a setting on the tv too or does the tv just display whatever is coming out of the 360?

Depends on your tv, but usually no.

[jrutz]

I would suggest listening to the Major Nelson podcast where he breaks down HDTV. For once it's not littered with MS propaganda and spin - it really makes sense. Here's the link:

http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2006/02/20/show-163-wma-the-one-about-hdtv.aspx

My advice - try to set your Xbox 360 to display in your TV's native resolution. For example, if your TV is a native 720p set and you set your display to 1080i, your TV will have to convert the signal and can cause a slight lag. Not enough for movies and television broadcasts to notice, but it could mean life and death in Geometry Wars.

[monkeypox]

My advice - try to set your Xbox 360 to display in your TV's native resolution. For example, if your TV is a native 720p set and you set your display to 1080i, your TV will have to convert the signal and can cause a slight lag. Not enough for movies and television broadcasts to notice, but it could mean life and death in Geometry Wars.

seconded. if in doubt, i'd set it at 720p and forget it... since most games are (supposedly) optimized at 720p, that's where you'll probably get the best results for a smooth framerate anyway.

plus, in general terms, 1080i is best for still scenes (little movement), 720p is best for fluid action (the i is for interlaced/not every line is drawn on the screen at once, the p is progressive/every line on the screen is drawn). I don't know about you, but I don't play many games that have no movement.

[nasum]

looks like that episode has been taken down since I can't get it in either wma or mp3 format...

[mtxbass1]

Why?

You have no idea how many projectors have been purchased because people have come over and seen the image my InFocus 4805 that only does 854 x 480 can do.

I am retiring it this week though, as I just bought a Mitsubishi HD1000u 1280x720 projector, which just dropped $500 and I was able to get it for $860. Where else are you going to get a plasma like 108" HD image for $860?! I'm stoked.

I have to second this. I have a Panasonic AE900U which gives me 720p native at 16:9. Nobody can touch the screen size I have for the price paid.

[Big Papa]

Great info. Just to bring this up again it really depends on the TV. Everyone told me not to use the VGA cables on my 360 becuase it will wash the colors out, but on my Samsung DLP the VGA running at 720p looks ten times better then the component at 1080i.

The talk about "native resolution" is really interesting. I need to try running my HD cable box at 720p and see if the picture looks better than 1080i.

[PyroGamer]

Depending on your set, 720p looks better. If you're buying a set don't get a set that just does 1080i unless its REALLY cheap.

[ncibob]

Has anybody tried any aftermarket (Monster, Psyclone, etc) cables and if you did could you notice a difference over the MS cables that comes with the 360.

[Malik112099]

I've got the X360/HDDVD hooked up to my Samsung HL-S5687W with VGA set at 1080p ....all the games and movies are running at 1080p and look absolutely badass....

[io]

Likewise, tube-based sets (CRTs, tube projectors) will only display 480i, 480p and 1080i. You can input 720p, but it's going to display 1080i, artificially creating the extra lines. It will not display 720p, no tube can.

Be careful on that "extra lines" business -
If ONLY my HDTV created artificial lines (ie, had an upscaler). My Sony HDTV is a POS that downscales 720p to 480p. This, combined with the PS3's lack of an upscaler (and most of the games being 720p) is pushing me towards actually buying a 360 so I can finally have some HD content. I've had my HDTV now for 3 years (I did get it fairly cheaply at the time, about $1200 for a 51" in Oct 2003). To this date all it has been is a nice big SDTV, with some 480p gaming with the PS2 and GC thrown in (and of course pro scan DVD playback). I'd like to finally see some HD on it! That was *supposed* to be via the PS3, but now, who knows (if they revise that hardware or start mandating all games be 1080p, and thus i, I will be OK). But I'm seriously considering a 360 now.

Completely off topic - I waded into this forum looking for info on a revision for the 360 I heard about - a new chipset or something? Is this something I should wait for?

[-Never4ever-]

Why exactly is 1080i ass?
I have my tv on 1080i and it looks great (but I'm going to have to see what it looks like on 720p now...).

Ditto, everything looks awesome on 1080, but what the hey, I'll give it a shot.

[Malik112099]

Completely off topic - I waded into this forum looking for info on a revision for the 360 I heard about - a new chipset or something? Is this something I should wait for?

revision for what?

[xtchuh]

This isn't directed to people who can't get either one, or would just like to brag that they can get 1080p. This is to the people who can get either one. Which one do you prefer? I currently use 1080i, but I don't even know if 720p would be any better.

[nativetongue88]

i really cant noticed much of a difference using either on my set.

[whoknows]

1080p baby!!

Oh wait...my tv doesnt do 1080p.

Honestly, I can't tell the difference between them...nor do I even know which one my tv is currently set at :lol:

[DarkNessBear]

I really do not know. My TV supports both so I just throw it on at 1080i.

I can tell the difference easily between 1080p and 720p but not 1080i compared to 720p. It's weird.

[zewone]

To me, games and movies look better in 1080i, but reading text is better in 720p.

I prefer 1080i.

[tiredfornow]

My TV's an HD.. but it's not widescreen.. so 720p and 1080i automatically go into widescreen but I get the edges of the screen cut off. :(.. but I leave it at 1080i.

[nonrandomhero]

this has been done to death, but its a fun discussion


in 720P there are 720 vertical rows of high def pixels

in 1080I there are 1080 rows of pixels but only every other row is HD the ones in between are interlaced SD. therefore only giving you 540 (half) rows of HD pixels, while the other 540 SD rows appesr almost blurred compared to the HD ones.

720P looks better.
1080P looks best though.

[Will D Thrill]

I voted 1080i but you can't see a noticeable difference outside of still text between 720p and 1080i.

Oh and I have a 1080p TV (just don't have a 360 with HDMI out yet) so if I remember correctly the pixel mapping is easier on my TV than it would be with 720p. I could be wrong but whatever.

[ryanbph]

i prefer 720p on my tv

[mtxbass1]

720p is much more fluid, while 1080i is much sharper. I prefer higher framerates over improved sharpness.

[azortex]

I'll join in and vote for 720p. I prefer progressive over interlaced.

[Damian]

in 1080I there are 1080 rows of pixels but only every other row is HD the ones in between are interlaced SD. therefore only giving you 540 (half) rows of HD pixels, while the other 540 SD rows appesr almost blurred compared to the HD ones.
That doesn't make any sense. A pixel is not high or standard definition. You cannot have "high definition rows" and "standard definition rows" mixed in some sort of bizarre Frankenstein signal and you certainly cannot interlace "every other" row while somehow not interlacing the other half.

How it really works:
A 720p signal consists of 720 rows of pixels that are 1280 pixels wide. 60 times a second, all of these rows are updated.
A 1080i signal consists of 1080 rows of pixels that are from 1440 to 1920 pixels wide. However, these rows are updated in alternating fashion; first the odd rows are updated over 1/60th of a second, then the odd rows are updated over 1/60th of a second. Ultimately the entire frame is updated 30 times every second.

[xtchuh]

That doesn't make any sense. A pixel is not high or standard definition. You cannot have "high definition rows" and "standard definition rows" mixed in some sort of bizarre Frankenstein signal and you certainly cannot interlace "every other" row while somehow not interlacing the other half.

How it really works:
A 720p signal consists of 720 rows of pixels that are 1280 pixels wide. 60 times a second, all of these rows are updated.
A 1080i signal consists of 1080 rows of pixels that are from 1440 to 1920 pixels wide. However, these rows are updated in alternating fashion; first the odd rows are updated over 1/60th of a second, then the odd rows are updated over 1/60th of a second. Ultimately the entire frame is updated 30 times every second.

So after saying that, what do YOU think is better?

[ispeshaled]

I think 720p looks just a tad sharper.

[-GoodFella-]

For now I gotta go with 1080i. Before it was 720p for me but I recently got a 1080p set and with 1:1 Pixel Mapping enabled, the image looks very good.

[Vinny]

720p is noticeably better to me...

[drone8888]

Wow,... a lot of talking out of the old asses up there.

720p is ALWAYS going to look better than 1080i for games and movies.

The interlaced 1080 is for photos, still shots, webpages, and anything static or not moving.
When you stop your character ingame in 1080i, it will appear to look better, but when you're playing it's obvious that somethings not right.

Unless your set upscales everything into a progressive mode, you will notice the difference.

Progressive scan is a must for games, dvds, and anything else that moves faster than a normal pixel can be refreshed. If you seriously can't see ghosting, smearing, and oddities playing a game like Gears of War in 1080i, then you probably have a good set.

There is no debate,... just a placebo effect spawned from seeing 1080, knowing that it's bigger than 720.

[life.exe]

720p is my TV native, so I go with that.

[pinoy530]

Wow,... a lot of talking out of the old asses up there.

720p is ALWAYS going to look better than 1080i for games and movies.

The interlaced 1080 is for photos, still shots, webpages, and anything static or not moving.
When you stop your character ingame in 1080i, it will appear to look better, but when you're playing it's obvious that somethings not right.

Unless your set upscales everything into a progressive mode, you will notice the difference.

Progressive scan is a must for games, dvds, and anything else that moves faster than a normal pixel can be refreshed. If you seriously can't see ghosting, smearing, and oddities playing a game like Gears of War in 1080i, then you probably have a good set.

There is no debate,... just a placebo effect spawned from seeing 1080, knowing that it's bigger than 720.

Sounds like you're talking up your ass. The majority of people can't tell the difference between 1080i and 720p, I bet you can't. Have someone you know show you 20 different things at 720p or 1080i and I bet you wouldn't be able to guess which one was which 100% or even 66%, and if you can than you either have really good eyes or are an AV aficionado.

Sounds like you're the one suffering from the placebo effect, thinking seeing the "p" in progressive makes it better than anything with an "i".

To say there's no debate is ludicrous. Heck, look at the posts of several people in this thread stating they can't tell the difference.

[Ruined]

This isn't directed to people who can't get either one, or would just like to brag that they can get 1080p. This is to the people who can get either one. Which one do you prefer? I currently use 1080i, but I don't even know if 720p would be any better.

1080i is better for movies, 720p is better for games.

[Liquid 2]

I think 720p looks just a tad sharper.Yup, same here.

[FrankySox]

I have a 1080P set (it says it on the tv and in the owners manual. But when I set it to 1080P the screen goes black then makes me put it on 1080I or 720P. Does my set really not have 1080P or do I need an HDMI cable.

[Malik112099]

I have a 1080P set (it says it on the tv and in the owners manual. But when I set it to 1080P the screen goes black then makes me put it on 1080I or 720P. Does my set really not have 1080P or do I need an HDMI cable.

your set might not support 1080p through component cable...try VGA if your TV has that...as for 720p vs 1080i ive never really looked to see if there was a diff....all my HD satellite programming is in 1080i and i think it looks great...as for the 360 i have it set to 1080p and have the HD-DVD player with the vga cable so everything i watch is upscaled to 1080p....i would think that you really couldnt tell the difference between 720p or 1080i unless the screen was huge

[richierich]

I use 1080i because my Sony RP-CRT TV is 1080i native res.

[armyjon99]

It really all depends on your tv and how well it upscales or down scales a image. I prefer to use 720P due to the fact its my native res. on my tv. Though it can support 1080i it looks bad too me.

[Will D Thrill]

Wow,... a lot of talking out of the old asses up there.

720p is ALWAYS going to look better than 1080i for games and movies.

The interlaced 1080 is for photos, still shots, webpages, and anything static or not moving.
When you stop your character ingame in 1080i, it will appear to look better, but when you're playing it's obvious that somethings not right.

Unless your set upscales everything into a progressive mode, you will notice the difference.

Progressive scan is a must for games, dvds, and anything else that moves faster than a normal pixel can be refreshed. If you seriously can't see ghosting, smearing, and oddities playing a game like Gears of War in 1080i, then you probably have a good set.

There is no debate,... just a placebo effect spawned from seeing 1080, knowing that it's bigger than 720.LOL do you even have an HDTV let alone a newer 1080p TV? Speaking in general definitions of interlaced and progressive one WOULD ASSUME what you typed but that just is not the case.

I have a 1080P set (it says it on the tv and in the owners manual. But when I set it to 1080P the screen goes black then makes me put it on 1080I or 720P. Does my set really not have 1080P or do I need an HDMI cable.I have a 1080p TV that only does 1080p over HDMI. While I use to be bummed out about that I've learned that my TV has a line doubler to simulate 1080p when set to 1080i and (at least from what I hear) there isn't much of a difference. That's still not stopping me from getting a 360 with HDMI at some point (especially when the 65nm chips are abundent).

[Slate]

720p.

[drone8888]

I actually have 2 HDTV's... the Grand Wega 60" 1080i, and the Bravia 50" XBR 1080p.

I have a standard progressive scan mid-high end DVD player, a high end Faroudja chipped DVD player, an HD DVD player, and a Blu-Ray player. Not to mention my PC which is played on them.

I'm sorry YOU can't see the difference... perhaps you aren't into games and movies like I am. Watch an anime or play WoW in 1080i... then go to 720p.... if you can't see the difference,... your set is pretty good at compensating. Or, it's not doing much,... either of the 2 would apply.

This is a CAG thread, so if you wanna start posting links, and quotes from the industry,.. go right ahead. I really don't care that much. Just pointing out what the modes are for, and what you are supposed to see.... and what I see, on my calibrated, home theatres :)

[Damian]

So after saying that, what do YOU think is better?
I think it depends on your set. Most of the time 720p will look better for games, but if you have a very good 1080i set that doesn't ghost or tear or a set that upscales to 1080p then a 1080i input will look better.

Oh and I don't currently own an HDTV, but I'm in the market for one so I've been doing a lot of research and observation of sets. That's why I'm up on the various differences. I'm holding out for a killer deal or some eventual price drops on 1080p LCDs.

[Damian]

720p is ALWAYS going to look better than 1080i for games and movies.
[...]
Unless your set upscales everything into a progressive mode, you will notice the difference.
If you seriously can't see ghosting, smearing, and oddities playing a game like Gears of War in 1080i, then you probably have a good set.

So...what you're saying is that it will "always" look better unless you have a good set? That's an interesting definition of always.

[Kfoster1979]

Its a moot point... All TVs have a native resolution and no MATTER what you feed it 720p / 1080i / 1080p it will always scale to your TVs native. So if you have a TV thats native is 720p you throw it a 1080i the TV will scale it to 720p always. And on top of all that there is very little difference between them I would bet no one here could point out 1080i v/s 720p. You should always give your TV it's native feed when you can.

[gkrykewy]

Its a moot point... All TVs have a native resolution and no MATTER what you feed it 720p / 1080i / 1080p it will always scale to you TVs native. So if you have a TV thats native is 720p you throw it a 1080i the TV will scale it to 720p always.

You win the thread. The only thing I would add is that if your TV is 720p native, it is better to set your 360 to 720p rather than letting the TV scale it. This is because a) many 360 games are 720p-native, so no scaling would be necessary (resulting in the clearest possible picture), and b) if scaling does occur, it's usually better that the 360 do it, as the 360 has a better scaler than most TVs.

[Will D Thrill]

Its a moot point... All TVs have a native resolution and no MATTER what you feed it 720p / 1080i / 1080p it will always scale to your TVs native. So if you have a TV thats native is 720p you throw it a 1080i the TV will scale it to 720p always. And on top of all that there is very little difference between them I would bet no one here could point out 1080i v/s 720p. You should always give your TV it's native feed when you can.Agreed! This is the bottom line when you're wondering about these issues no matter that the resolution. If you follow this rule you can't go wrong. :applause:

[dmaul1114]

My TV is 720p so I set everything to 720p on it. I can't tell much difference, but 720p seems to look a bit more clear to me, which makes sense as the TV has to do less work to scale a 720p signal up to 768p (the actually resolution of most 720p sets) versus scaling a 1080i signal down to 768p.

[armyjon99]

Sucks for you guys that bought a 1080P for the ps3 and then find out some games do not support 1080P.

[dmaul1114]

You win the thread. The only thing I would add is that if your TV is 720p native, it is better to set your 360 to 720p rather than letting the TV scale it. This is because a) many 360 games are 720p-native, so no scaling would be necessary (resulting in the clearest possible picture), and b) if scaling does occur, it's usually better that the 360 do it, as the 360 has a better scaler than most TVs.

Well, there will still be a little scaling as pretty much all 720p sets are actually 768p so the set has to scale a 720p signal up to 768p. But that's minute and usually produces a better picture than having the set scale a 1080i signal down to 768p.

[gkrykewy]

Well, there will still be a little scaling as pretty much all 720p sets are actually 768p so the set has to scale a 720p signal up to 768p. But that's minute and usually produces a better picture than having the set scale a 1080i signal down to 768p.

Well, most LCDs and plasmas. I have a DLP set, which has a native res of 1280x720 (true 720p).

[DarkNessBear]

I enjoy this debate...

Because its no longer, "Who here has an HDTV?"

[elwood731]

Sucks for you guys that bought a 1080P for the ps3 and then find out some games do not support 1080P.
I don't follow your point. They can still play their games fine in it 1080i or 720p. Are you thinking of those who bought 1080i TVs to find some PS3 games don't support it and so it scales back to 480p?

[dmaul1114]

I don't follow your point. They can still play their games fine in it 1080i or 720p. Are you thinking of those who bought 1080i TVs to find some PS3 games don't support it and so it scales back to 480p?

I think he's saying the 1080p was a waste of money over a 720p just for hopes of playing PS3 games in 1080p (naturally, not scaled up).

Still kind of moot in my opinion, assuming they are buying 1080p bluray movies (which is the best use for the PS3 right now).

[PenguinMaster]

This is a stupid discussion. A natively 720p TV will display 720p better. A natively 1080i TV will display 1080i better.

[PolandMen]

??? victories ??

[Damian]

A winner is you!

[Liquid 2]

No real difference, especially on smaller sets.

[the3rdkey]

Unless you have a 50" you won't notice anything!!!

[pittpizza]

Unless you have a 50" you won't notice anything!!!

I have heard that too.

[dmaul1114]

If you're talking what to set it to, I find that it looks better at whichever is the native resolution of your TV (or closest).

If you have a 720p put it at 720p rather than 1080i. The TV will just scale the 1080i down to 720p (technically 768p on most sets) anyway, and I find they less scaling involved the better the picture.

If you have a 1080i or 1080p set, put it at 1080i so the TV isn't scaling 720p up to 1080.


If you're talking about which to buy in a new TV, as others said, it doesn't matter much unless your sitting very close to a large screen. Even on a 50" screen you have to be closer than 8-10 feet for most people to be able to tell the difference between 1080p and 720p.

[Maklershed]

??? victories ??

!!! failures !!

[dallow]

PolandMen is awesome, nice find Mak.

[lawlflip]

I use 1080p.

:]

[PolandMen]

720p=720 1080i=540 im poland więc nie rozumie troche rzeczy