| | Console Settings for Xbox 360 From the Console Settings screen in the System area of the Xbox Dashboard, you can configure the video output of your Xbox 360 console for a widescreen, high-definition TV, determine your audio options, and check your console's serial number and Xbox Dashboard version. Console settings encompass the following categories: Change your display output settings from this screen. Display settings include screen resolution and screen dimension (or aspect ratio, either standard or widescreen). For high-definition viewing you'll need a high-definition TV or monitor, as well as the Xbox 360 HDMI Cable, the Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable, or the Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable. For more information, see Connect to TV or HDTV. - HDTV Settings: Choose between 480p, 720p, 1080i, or 1080p output resolution, depending on the native resolution of your TV or monitor. The default setting is 480p (enhanced definition, or EDTV).
In some cases you can select an "Optimal Resolution" button, which appears only when Xbox supports the native resolution of the TV or monitor and automatically applies the best setting.
If you are using VGA or DVI, you must choose from among the following output resolutions: 640 x 480, 848 x 480, 1204 x 720, 1280 x 720, 1280 x 768, 1280 x 1024, 1360 x 768, and 1920 x 1080.Important If you're using the Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable, any HDTV resolution that you select requires that you connect the cable's red, blue, and green RCA connectors to corresponding inputs on your TV or monitor. If you're using the cable's composite-video (yellow RCA) connector, you'll see only standard-definition images—not high-definition—irrespective of the HDTV output setting you select.
- Screen Format: The default setting is Normal (a standard 4:3 aspect ratio); select Widescreen to change the output aspect ratio to 16:9 if you have a widescreen TV or monitor.
When using the Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable, you have the option to select a widescreen output even if you're using the composite-video (yellow RCA) connector instead of the high-definition component-video (red/blue/green) connectors. - Reference Level or Black Level: If you're using the Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable, the Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable, or the Xbox 360 HDMI Cable, then screen format options include Reference Level. The default setting, Standard, delivers the normal range of white and black levels that your TV or monitor supports. Select Intermediate to increase the level of white and black in the video output. Select Expanded to maximize black level. Reference level is sometimes used to make a picture sharper, and you can experiment with what format suits your viewing pleasure.
If you're using a composite cable, the Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable, or the Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable, then screen format options include Black Level, a setting that applies only in the U.S. and only when the display output is 480i or 480p, such as when watching a DVD. Black level options include Standard, Intermediate, and Extended.
Note In most cases, Xbox 360 does not support full-screen, high-definition output to HD screens with standard 4:3 (non-widescreen) aspect ratios. (Some HD resolutions are in a 4:3 format and you have the option of choosing an aspect ratio.) If you set the Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable's switch to HDTV, a connected console will automatically have widescreen output.
Change your audio output settings for games from this screen. These audio settings do not affect DVD movie playback. For DVD audio settings, refer to an individual DVD movie's setup screen. Settings consist of: - Sound Effects Settings: Turn on or off sounds in the Xbox Dashboard, Xbox Guide, and for Notifications. This setting does not affect or disable audio in games, music, video, or voice.
- Digital Output Settings: Configure this setting only if you'll be using the Toslink optical digital-audio output from one of the following compatible Xbox 360 AV cable (optical digital-audio cable sold separately):
- Xbox 360 HDMI Cable
Note HDMI carries digital video and audio on the same cable, but the Xbox 360 HDMI Cable includes a port that supports Toslink. Connect a Toslink cable to the HDMI cable if you want to send video to the TV and audio to a separate sound system.
- Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable
- Xbox 360 S-Video AV Cable
- Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable
Digital-audio output settings consist of:- Digital Stereo Select this option to fold any Dolby Digital multichannel audio program down to two channels (left/right) for a direct digital connection to an audio receiver. The console will not collapse multichannel DTS (Digital Theater Systems) output to 2-channel DTS.
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Select this option to pass multichannel surround sound—either Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1—to a compatible audio surround receiver and multichannel speaker system. Most, but not all, games and DVD movies offer 5.1-channel surround sound.
- Dolby Digital with WMA Pro Inactive at this time, this setting will allow a connected Windows Media Center PC running Media Center Extender to pass audio from WMA Pro–encoded media through the Xbox 360 console and on to a WMA Pro–compatible audio surround receiver. Selecting Dolby Digital with WMA Pro will keep the WMA Pro audio signal in its pure digital form all the way from your PC to your audio receiver for the best possible sound.
Note This feature has not yet been implemented in Media Center Extender.
The default digital-audio setting is Dolby Digital 5.1. If this is your preference, you do not have to make a selection from this screen.
For more information about digital-audio connections, see Connect to Digital Audio.
Change the look of the Xbox Dashboard and Xbox Guide. Select a premade theme, like Xbox 360, Carbon, or Glass. Additional themes are available on the Xbox 360 Hard Drive or from Xbox LIVE Marketplace. To customize your theme, select Customize. Select Dashboard Trim to change the edges of the Xbox Dashboard. Select Guide Background to change the background of the Xbox Guide. If you have an Xbox LIVE Vision camera connected, select Camera Effect to change the Xbox Dashboard background effect. You can also add your own picture to the background of the Xbox Dashboard. For information about that, see View Pictures with Xbox 360. Note Themes are stored by profile. You must be signed in to change your theme.
Change your console's language setting. Options include English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Japanese, Korean, and Traditional Chinese. Set the date, time, and other clock settings. When connected to Xbox LIVE, the clock is set automatically and can't be changed. Settings consist of: - Date and Time: Set month, day, year, hours, minutes, AM/PM.
- Time Format: Select a 12- or 24-hour clock (default is a 12-hour clock).
- Time Zone: Choose a time zone from a list of zones and representative major cities.
- Daylight Saving: Select Off if you do not want your console to automatically adjust for daylight saving time (default is On).
Specify the country you live in. You can't change locale if Family Settings are enabled. Changing locale does not change the console's DVD region code. Tip Changing your locale may modify your wireless network settings and is not recommended if you've already configured your wireless home network.
Select whether your console starts a game from the disc or goes straight to the Xbox Dashboard when you turn it on. If there is no disc in the disc tray, your console will always start in the Xbox Dashboard. You can also choose to launch Media Center Extender on startup. Enable Auto-Off to automatically turn your console off after six hours of inactivity. The default setting is Auto-Off Disabled. Enable background downloads to let your console finish your active downloads after you've turned your console off. The default setting is Disable. This feature helps prevent damage to TV or monitor screens during periods of console inactivity. Select Disable Screen Saver if you don't want your console to automatically dim the screen after 10 minutes of inactivity. The default state is Screen Saver Enabled. Change your Xbox 360 remote control settings. Select Xbox 360 Media Remote if you want your console to respond only to commands from the remote control supplied with your Xbox 360 system. The default setting, All Channels, lets you operate your console with either the supplied Xbox 360 Media Remote or a Windows Media Center Edition remote control, such as the Xbox 360 Universal Media Remote. Tip If you don't want your console to turn on every time you use your Media Center remote to access your PC's Media Center features, select Xbox 360 Media Remote.
View your console's system information, which consists of a console serial number, a unique console ID, a copyright statement, and the console's Xbox Dashboard version. |
