I need some advice/help!!!

[GiantsFan80x]

Hello,

I am a new poster/xbox 360 owner.

I have been playing my 360 on a standard TV for a couple of weeks now. It is very good, but i know it is alot better with an HDTV. I really want to upgrade, but i dont know where to start. I need some help. I am looking for a HDTV around 27 inches for my bedroom. Best buy has them for around 400-500 dollars. Now here are the questions i have...

Do i just need an HD ready TV, or are there other things i need to buy?
Can i just buy an HD ready TV, switch my xbox cable to HD and be on my way, or is there something that i am missing?

Also, what is the best resolution to play 360 games on?

Thanks for your advise.

[lilschass]

If you just want to hook the Xbox 360 up in HD then yes all you have to do is purchase and HDTV ready TV along with the Xbox 360 HD cables. Making sure you us the RGB section of that cable and changing that switch to HD. There maybe some additional setting needed to make to the TV depending on what you buy.

[GiantsFan80x]

Thanks alot for your help man.

What about resolution?

What is the best, 720P, 1080I, or 480P?

[tcrews]

You'll want an HDTV with component inputs since that's what the X360 uses. Make sure it's 16:9 as well (widescreen) and supports 720p/1080i inputs. More than likely in that size you are looking at either a direct view tube or LCD display. The tube will have a native display of 1080i and the LCD will be 720p. As long as they accept 720p and 1080i you'll be fine...they'll just convert to their native display internally. You can get one that is an HDTV monitor (requires an additional HDTV tuner for HDTV broadcast) or one that is fully HDTV that has a built in HD tuner. The Xbox360 doesn't require the TV to have a tuner at all....

If you have the Xbox360 premium system then the cables are ready, just flip the switch on the side to HDTV. Once everything is connected you need to go to the system section of the dashboard and change the settings to 1080i or 720p, depending on your preferences and/or HDTV type. That's it. And the X360 looks absolutely amazing in Hi-def!

720p and 1080i, stay away from something that claims to be hi-def and is only 480P :)

Tom

[GiantsFan80x]

Tom thanks for the reply, ive been waiting for one for a while.

I have a few more questions...


An LCD Tv really isnt in my price range right at the moment. I am looking for one around27-29 inches.

I found one on best buy.com. its a

Samsung 27" Flat-Tube HD-Ready TV with 1080i Capable Display

so it has a 1080i capability, not sure about the 720. I am pretty sure it is not 16:9. Does that matter?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7045477&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat31800050031&id=1099396991085

please comment back

[tcrews]

well all HD is 16:9 (widescreen) and so is the Xbox360. I personally wouldn't buy a 4:3 TV that can only display hi-def letterboxed. Spend a little more and get something 16:9.

Samsung has a 32" (I think...might be 30 or 34"), flat tube (slimfit design) TV that is HDTV (built in tuner, 16:9 display and 1080i) for under $1000.....less if you can find one open box. My sister and her husband picked up one at Circuit City for a little over $600 and usually they are running 12 months 0% interest so you can make payments (with CC's card).

Tom

[GiantsFan80x]

If i did get the 4:3, would it be really bad, or will it still be great high def???

[Ratman]

It'll still be great HD, but you'll always have back bars at the top and bottom of the screen with HD materials and while playing HD games and possibly the majority of DVD's.

With a CRT... this could be a problem with burn-in over time.

[GiantsFan80x]

So i would be better off with a 16:9 LCD TV?

[Ratman]

For HD... any 16:9 TV.

[kevinw]

So i would be better off with a 16:9 LCD TV?
Don't sell yourself short. If you can not afford the "right" tv now- wait.
There are deals out there for 42-50 inch rear projection CRT TV's that do 1080i. While 720p is nice, so far most of the 360 games support both 720p and 1080i. These TV's can be found for less than a 1k.
If you feel the need for 720p you will pay the price for either DLP or LCD technology- closer to the 2k range for a larger TV.
Gaming is much more fun on the large screen. BUt please make sure it is a 16:9 TV.

[lilschass]

The standard for Xbox 360 games or the native resolution for all games is 720p. And this seems to be more and more the standard across the board. So I would look for a versital tv but make sure it has this option for sure. My tv does 480i, 480p. 960i and 1080i and my brothers does 480i, 480p and 720p and the 720 looks alot better then my 1080i.

[57U]

My tv does 480i, 480p. 960i and 1080i and my brothers does 480i, 480p and 720p and the 720 looks alot better then my 1080i.By "does", it means "accepts". You need to look at the native format of the TV to see what's actually displayed, although in most cases the TV will do a better conversion to the native format than a STB or X-box.

BTW, your brother's TV also accepts 1080i since that is a "must" for any HDTV. There are no consumer HDTVs that don't accept 1080i.

All consumer CRT-based HDTVs display HD in 1080i, while pixel-based TVs display in their native format only, be that 720P, 768P, 788P, 1024P or 1080P depending on the model.

[dustinadams5]

I have an RCA 26" LCD HD ready tv hooked up to my Xbox 360 and I couldn't tell any difference between 720p and 1080i is it something with my tv or are they just that close?

[mikehbkwm]

Your probably not going to notice a difference because your tv probably takes all resolutions and scales it to 720p. Also all xbox 360 games from what I understand are designed at 720p.

[K_Enyon]

I found one on best buy.com. its a

Samsung 27" Flat-Tube HD-Ready TV with 1080i Capable Display

so it has a 1080i capability, not sure about the 720. I am pretty sure it is not 16:9. Does that matter?
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7045477&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat31800050031&id=1099396991085

please comment back

GiantsFan80x,

Last Sept I bought a Samsung 26" HD, 16:9 for around $500, and I'm quite proud of it.
It's for my bedroom and couldn't be better. It accepts the 720p and 1080i, and whether I'm playing movies or watching video games (wait, is that right?) it looks great. If you're going to buy an HD set at all, it's best to get a 16:9. Firstly, the X360 supports it, and secondly, most DVDs are Widescreen, so you're getting a bit more screen for your dollar. ('Least, that's the way I see it.:)

I haven't had any problems with the set, and was rather surprised at the quality and colors it produced over my (admitedly old) 4:3 set.

Look around, choose what you think is best, yet still won't break you.
Good luck, and happy hunting!

Just my thoughts,
K_Enyon

[breitak]

How do you feel about Westinghouse? They have a 27" 16:9 LCD tv (LTV-27w2) that supports 720p for about $600. I have one in my home office. The main drawback of this TV is that it does not have a hidef tuner, only a standard tv tuner. The hidef media must come through either HDMI or component inputs.