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[Relix]

So I have been trying to come up with a cheap alternative to playing Mass Effect, GTA4 and upcoming Ninja Gaiden 2 on HD, and I finally settled for my monitor. It's a Samsung SyncMaster204b and it's 4:3. I want to hook the Xbox 360 to the VGA input... how would the Xbox display pictures? Would it forcefully make it widescreen (which would cause black bars to appear on bottom and top) or does the 360 recognize someway, somehow it's 4:3 and displays it with the correct aspect ratio?

Also, what's the max resolution over VGA? This has a DVI input so I could try a HDMI-DVI adapter, but it would be a hassle as my PC is plugged to the DVI that's why I want to do VGA first.

Plus.... are these knock offs any good: http://cgi.ebay.com/VGA-LCD-CRT-Hig...yZ139969QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The VGA cable is very fucking expensive and that tempts me, but I fear of future troubles and image quality.

 

[bran]

1280x768, 1280x720, 1920x1080, 1280x1024 are your choices

Note that 1280x1024 is an afterthought and many games are programmed to default to 480p and then stretch to 1280x1024. Looking terrible. Get a 16:10 monitor if you want any kind of "HD" experience.

 

[spermatic cord]

It depends on the game if it plays full screen or widescreen. For me, Halo 3 played in full screen while Dead Rising played in widescreen.

 

[Tain]

Note that 1280x1024 is an afterthought and many games are programmed to default to 480p and then stretch to 1280x1024. Looking terrible. Get a 16:10 monitor if you want any kind of "HD" experience.

Really? I think I've been lucky so far. A good amount of games just throw on the black bars and look like 720p.

The fullscreen games definitely look upscaled, but not 480p bad. Maybe I should mess with it.

 

[madmook]

VGA resolutions: 1024x768, 1280x720, 1280x768, 1280x1024, 1360x768, 1920x1080

How a 4:3 or 5:4 display shows up is sometimes dependent on the game.

Some have proper 4:3/5:4 support.

Some force a widescreen aspect ratio so if you're using a non-ws resolution the image is letterboxed with top and bottom bars.

Some have problems with the 5:4 resolution (1280x1024), and you'll get a distorted aspect ratio.

 

[Relix]

So what you are all saying is... I can connect the VGA cable, set the resolution (or does the console do it automatically?)... and then hope the game was programmed full screen or widescreen. Which means... some games will have black bars, other's won't... right? =P

 

[Tain]

You set the resolution yourself, and yes, you hope for black bars or you don't.

 

[Ekgar]

I use the official MS VGA cable and it works fine. I use a CRT that has a max res. of 1280x1024 and that's the setting I use. For most of the games I have, it displays a 1280x720 picture w/ black bars on the top and bottom because of my monitor, not the VGA cable (true widescreen, not RE4 on Gamecube). CoD4 displays a full 1280x1024 with correct aspect ratio like a PC game would. PGR3's menus are 1280x720 but gameplay seems to be 1280x720 stretched to 1280x1024 with incorrect aspect ratio.

 

[Xabora]

1280x768, 1280x720, 1920x1080, 1280x1024 are your choices

Note that 1280x1024 is an afterthought and many games are programmed to default to 480p and then stretch to 1280x1024. Looking terrible. Get a 16:10 monitor if you want any kind of "HD" experience.

1280x768 = 16:10
1280x720 = 16:9

So if you have a 16:10 monitor set it at 1280x768.

 

[Relix]

You set the resolution yourself, and yes, you hope for black bars or you don't.

Well... I can live with some black bars. Is there any database with this information? Which games play FS? Which ones WS? or which ones just fuck up everything?

1280x768 = 16:10
1280x720 = 16:9

So if you have a 16:10 monitor set it at 1280x768.

Its not a widescreen monitor.

 

[Stop It]

1280x768 = 16:10
1280x720 = 16:9

So if you have a 16:10 monitor set it at 1280x768.

No it isn't, 1280 x 800 is 16:10 (This was pointed out to me by someone here by the way after I claimed the same thing), 1280 x 768 is 16:9.6, the 360 still doesn't support 16:10 via VGA (I want 1680 x 1050, but MS doesn't listen! :/)

Anyway, try 1280 x 1024, is there a list of games that upscale from 480p when using that res? I only ask because I use it with a 16:10 monitor and most games look better with it (No scaling issues somehow, either the 360 or my monitor is awesome.

 

[madmook]

1280x768 is the closest the 360 will get to 16:10, so that's why people with 16:10 monitors will recommend using that (to most closely maintain aspect ratio). People have been clamoring for 16:10 VGA support ever since the 360 fucking launched, its a fucking mystery why Microsoft won't implement it.

 

[Relix]

Man the aspects ratios are driving me mad. My monitor is not 16:9 or 16:10 as its not widescreen, its 4:3... right? I feel so fucking confused its not even funny =P

 

[madmook]

Looked up your model #, your native (max) resolution is 1600x1200, which is 4:3. So er... I'd recommend 1024x768.

 

[clav]

My Sceptre 20.1" monitor is mysteriously 16:9 (advertises on the box), so I have had no issues with the resolutions...

Aside from 1680x1050, if you force it to a 16:10 resolution, it will only display 16:9.

For your 4:3 monitor, it'll just add black bars to keep the 16:9 ratio for most games.

I think a Gears of War patched change it to the run full screen.

 

[Xabora]

No it isn't, 1280 x 800 is 16:10 (This was pointed out to me by someone here by the way after I claimed the same thing), 1280 x 768 is 16:9.6, the 360 still doesn't support 16:10 via VGA (I want 1680 x 1050, but MS doesn't listen! :/)

Blarg, my mistake...
Doubled checked this just now. >_>

 

[Relix]

Looked up your model #, your native (max) resolution is 1600x1200, which is 4:3. So er... I'd recommend 1024x768.

Losing interest on this :lol Bah

 

[madmook]

Losing interest on this :lol Bah

I'm guessing you're familiar with how 1024x768 looks on your screen. :lol

 

[GaryD]

The ebay spec cables are fine

 

[Relix]

I'm guessing you're familiar with how 1024x768 looks on your screen. :lol

Yah, sometimes my father uses my PC and since I have it on 1600x1200 he switches to 1024x768. I can't even dare look at my screen :lol