ExtremeTech: Xbox 360's Seriously Flawed DVD Playback Options

[Xbox-Scene]

ExtremeTech: Xbox 360's Seriously Flawed DVD Playback Posted by XanTium | January 31 14:22 EST

From extremetech.com: [QUOTE] Frankly, the Xbox 360 is a terrible DVD player. Yeah, we know it's primarily a game console. We know DVD movie playback is essentially a "free" feature. But it is a feature nonetheless, and an important one. After all, many of our TVs only have so many inputs, and we only have so much room for boxes in our TV cabinets or stands. If you have an Xbox 360, you have no reason to believe that you shouldn't be able to use it as your primary DVD player. Except that you can't, because it's awful. Honestly, we have seen sub-$100 DVD players and PC graphics cards perform better than this. Don't believe us? Think the 360 plays back DVDs "fine?" We've got proof! [see all HQV tests: Xbox360 got a score of 20 out of 130] To say that the Xbox 360 is a "decent" DVD player, as we have seen reported in so many places on the 'net, is giving it way too much credit. Frankly, it's a terrible DVD player. Hopefully, this article has provided you with enough evidence to compare Xbox 360 DVD playback with other consumer electronics (and even PCs) and see what you're missing. The million dollar question is this: Will Microsoft fix DVD playback? The Xbox 360 is updated regularly with new system software that adds features and improves existing functions. There's no reason this game box couldn't be one of the best DVD players around, scoring over 120 on HQV's benchmark. The processing power in the CPU and GPU combined is well in excess of the combined might of many PCs and video card combinations that we have seen score 100 or more. The only thing necessary is the will to make it happen--for Microsoft to expend the resources to write vastly improved DVD playback code. [/QUOTE] Full Story: extremetech.com (5 pages)

[Xx The 0ne xX]

wowww, this better get fixed or m$ is gonna get a bitch phone call from me

[drewberg111]

mine looks far from that awful. infact my 360 does a much better job than the dvd player included with my 500watt insignia sound system. my picture is perfectly clear. maybe there are just faulty drives? that picture comparo on the main page just looks awful, could also be tv settings maybe. all i know is mine has looked great since i got it a week after launch day.

[epsilon72]

When I had a 360 playing dvd's through vga @ 1080p, I did notice jaggies, but not anything as bad as that picture, especially the bottom one.

This post has been edited by epsilon72: Jan 31 2007, 07:55 PM

[gerzand]

mine looks far from that awful. infact my 360 does a much better job than the dvd player included with my 500watt insignia sound system. my picture is perfectly clear. maybe there are just faulty drives? that picture comparo on the main page just looks awful, could also be tv settings maybe. all i know is mine has looked great since i got it a week after launch day.

I agree. I have a 84'' Hi-Def Projector system that looks fantastic over VGA or Component using the 360's DVD playback. It looks like they have simply caught it in mid-frame with some shitty settings on their tv/monitor

This post has been edited by gerzand: Jan 31 2007, 07:58 PM

[Tha]

yeah yeah bladiebladiebla.

so if thats true hows it possible that i always use my 360 for watching movies, instead of my 700 euro panasonic one of my home theater set, wich display my movies more crapier

[DoTsTeR]

whoever wrote that article is a goofball..

my 360 does as good or better a job than 2 different progressive scan higher end players I have and the picture looks great on my 42 lcd..

I mean as good as it's gonna look on a screen like that for being a regualr dvd and only being 480p and not upscaled

[Landlocked]

Is it me or does that dude in the church robe look like Ned Flanders?

Holy Hi-diddly-DVD-woes, neighbor!

[HamSandwhich]

Mine doesn't look like that neither, the noise is a tad loud but it doesn't vibrate my eyes to make it look like that.

[gehx]

I'm of the opinion that the 360 shouldn't be used for watching movies...just use a stand alone player. the less strain on the system the better. why would anyone wanna risk having to send in the 360 for repair when you weren't even playing games. we've all heard about the failing hardware in the 360. I've experienced it 3 times so far. in short, don't use your 360 for anything other than playing games if you want it to last.

[Maverick0984]

I'm of the opinion that the 360 shouldn't be used for watching movies...just use a stand alone player. the less strain on the system the better. why would anyone wanna risk having to send in the 360 for repair when you weren't even playing games. we've all heard about the failing hardware in the 360. I've experienced it 3 times so far. in short, don't use your 360 for anything other than playing games if you want it to last.

lol, I think this is just a silly viewpoint.

In any case, my 360 plays DVDs great...article is written by a Sony fanboy .

[gnutellafan]

My 360 is pretty awful as well. Especially since my xbox w/ XMBC has such a drastically better picture!

[drewberg111]

this article is craziness. my roomate has a 42" plasma and purchases a $200 samsung upconverter. i grabbed some vga cables for my 360 and it looks much better than the samsung player he purchased. hes returning it and getting a 360 in a few weeks so he can game and have a great dvd player

[xboxSlayer]

DVD playback is fine here. Watched Disney's Dinasaur a few nights ago. Looked awesome on my 52" RCA. Dunno what the problem is.

[thax]

Gehx is correct, the laser in your DVD drive has a limited lifespan, about 10,000 hours. If you watch lots of movies it is a much better idea to go to Walmart or Costco and buy a 50 dollar player that you can burn out every 3 years.

If you just watch the odd movie then it's not a big deal.