360 as upscaling DVD player

billybob476 · December 27, 2007, 06:40:09 AM

Hey all! Question!

I bought myself a 360 for Christmas. I've been watching some DVDs on it (didn't get the HD DVD drive just yet) and i was thinking. I haven't bought an upscaling DVD player as of yet for my Samsung 40" LCD. Is my 360 upscaling my DVDs? I'm connected via component (bundle came with component cables, I may buy the HDMI but this'll do for now) and I set the console to 1080i in the initial setup. I *think* my dvds look nicer but it might all be in my head.

Thoughts?

Rico · December 27, 2007, 06:49:59 AM

The short answer is yes, it does upscale DVD's. As long as you are hooked up via HDMI and your Samsung can do 1080. You will find some DVD's don't upscale. If your TV has some type of display status while playing a DVD via the XBOX 360 check that while watching. Watching upscaled DVD's on a good display is a noticeable improvement over standard DVD resolution (which tops out at 480).

billybob476 · December 27, 2007, 07:03:34 AM

Hm...doesn't seem to be, I tried Jarhead and Star Wars episode 4 and my tv is reporting 720 x 480 but when I'm in the xbox dashbaord it reports 1920x1080i. I'll play with it a bit more, maybe I need the HDDVD drive and the software update it comes with.

billybob476 · December 27, 2007, 07:12:24 AM

Hmm...from my quick research it looks like the 360 will only upscale DVD's over VGA or HDMI. Maybe I'll pick up the HDMI cable.

Rico · December 27, 2007, 07:18:48 AM

Yeah, I think you might be correct. Our XBOX 360 is hooked up via HDMI. I think if you hook it up via VGA it will also upscale, but I would just use an HDMI cable.

billybob476 · December 27, 2007, 07:21:50 AM

As usual with consoles, I find this a bit dumb since component video is 100% capable of outputting 720p/1080i/1080p. Oh well, what's 60 more dollars?

Blackride · December 27, 2007, 08:11:23 AM

Yes you need the HDMI cable. The only thing you will not get out of the 360 HD-DVD player is True DTS,Dolby. Correct me if I am wrong on this but I am 99% sure.

Rico is totally correct on how good it looks. I have been re-watching DS9 on the BluRay and it looks awesome!

billybob476 · December 27, 2007, 10:11:48 AM

Ordered my HDMI cable off of Amazon. Someone over on another forum I frequent mentioned something about licensing regarding upscaling not applying to component connections, that may be why it only works over HDMI/VGA. However VGA is also an analog connection so it stikes me as odd.

billybob476 · December 31, 2007, 08:21:03 AM

My cable *should* be getting here today, getting excited!

billybob476 · January 02, 2008, 10:37:15 AM

Ha ha ha, wonderful. Got my HDMI cable, turns out the 360 I have (the holiday bundle) doesn't actually have an HDMI output on it. Time for a return. No upscaling for me I guess.

Blackride · January 02, 2008, 10:47:00 AM

Quote from: billybob476 on January 02, 2008, 10:37:15 AM
Ha ha ha, wonderful. Got my HDMI cable, turns out the 360 I have (the holiday bundle) doesn't actually have an HDMI output on it. Time for a return. No upscaling for me I guess.

Your 360 HD-DVD player does not have a HDMI out?

billybob476 · January 02, 2008, 10:57:40 AM

I hadn't purchased the HDDVD player, I wanted HDMI coming right out of the console.

Rico · January 02, 2008, 11:29:34 AM

Yeah, they have a few versions of the 360 that don't have an HDMI. That's why I suggest to most people to buy the 360 Elite now. Bigger hard drive, HDMI out, etc.

But billybob you can buy a fairly inexpensive DVD player that will upscale (less than $100). Or go for about $200 and get a nice HD-DVD player (and upscaler) along with 6 free movies!

billybob476 · January 02, 2008, 11:57:36 AM

Yeah I was just trying to consolidate the devices I had hooked up to the TV. No biggie.