Xbox 360 Makes High Definition Simple

Published May 2, 2007

Buying an HDTV is an educational experience. It gives you the opportunity to learn all new kinds of technical terminology describing HD connection cables, supported resolutions, and so on. Making sure that you purchase the right set—and the proper supporting components—can be a challenge for those of us who just know the size of the TV screen we want.

The good news is that, unlike TVs, every Xbox 360™ supports HD output at resolutions up to 1080p, so there's no looking for the "HD model" of the console. In fact, Xbox 360 offers a variety of cable connections that will allow you to get the best possible image no matter what kind of TV you're using, whether it is a standard or a high definition TV.

The composite cable, is designed for standard-definition television sets, and is the only cable that doesn't support HD output. Both the Component HD AV Cable and the optional VGA HD AV Cable also fully support true HD gaming. The newest Xbox 360™ consoles add support for an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface). HDMI's primary advantage is ease of connection—a single cable carries both video and audio signals.

The Component HD AV Cable comes with Xbox 360 and Xbox 360 Elite.

Which connection you'll want to use depends on your display: which connections aren't currently being used on your TV or monitor? The component connection is the most common, but there are plenty of other options. If you have an open HDMI port on your TV, Xbox 360 Elite's included HDMI cable makes for the easiest connection. If your TV's component connectors are already occupied by your DVD player and other devices, the VGA cable might make sense.

Here's the full scoop on the connections available for each Xbox 360 model:

A common buzzword in 3-D circles nowadays is "1080p," which refers to the highest possible HDTV resolution available: 1,920 x 1,080 pixels at 60 frames per second (fps). Only a portion of today's HDTVs even support this resolution, but if yours does, Xbox 360 can display games, HD DVD**, and even upscaled DVD video in full 1080p glory+. Of course, other resolutions such as 1080i, 720p, and a variety of LCD monitor resolutions are available as well. The maximum available resolutions for your set depend on how you connect it to your Xbox 360:

* Upscaled from 480p

It doesn't matter whether you're connecting a new Xbox 360 Elite to a 10-foot projector via HDMI, or connecting an Xbox 360 Core unit to the VGA port on your dorm room's computer monitor. Either way, you can enjoy content in full, high-definition glory.

**Sold separately

Article by Denny Atkin