Hey I've just bough a Xbox 360 Premium, which has HDMI support, but I'm unsure if I should buy an HDMI cable or VGA cable, because:

- My HD LCD TV, a Samsung LE40R72B, supports up to 720p, but has a native resolution of 1366x768.

- As it seems, HDMI cables are only able to output pre-defined resolution signals (720p, 1080p etc).

- VGA cables do not seem to have such limitation.

- It is known that LCDs show better image quality in their native resolution.

Knowing all this, considering nothing is false or that there are exceptions, which of the cables do you think I should choose for best image quality?

Thanks!

Ok, I've just found this through Google:
http://newsgroups.seducy.net/article/66086..._is_better.html

It seems the best option is an HDMI to DVI cable. Seems to allow HDMI quality + native resolution like when using VGA. But my TV only seems to have an HDMI input. If I used a DVI to HDMI converter I would end up still having restricted resolutions wouldn't I?

And what if I used an HDMI to DVI cable and then a DVI to VGA converter? Big mess eh? I guess I would end up having the same image quality if I simply connected it through VGA.

It seems my TV is HDCP compliant since it has HDMI Input. So if I go to the dashboard and set best resolution I can run it at native even with HDMI. Is this true?

Yes. My 27" Olevia allows me to run 1360*768 out of the 360 through an HDMI cable, and it will do 1:1 pixel map also, your set should do the same.

Lets go point by point here...

1. HDMI support does not mean it supports HDCP

There are many TVs with HDMI inputs that don't support HDCP and there are also many Monitors with DVI inputs that DO support HDCP.

you'll need to read the specs to find out what yours does and does not support... IIRC if it's an HDMI 1.2 or better it will definitely do HDCP but if it's 1.1 it may or may not.

2. For resolution, No matter what display type you have mapping the console output to the native resolution is the best senario... However the 360 doesn't support 1366x768 it does 1360x768... that's a 6 pixel difference and that could make or break the image.

as SphtKr76 said if your TV supports 1:1 pixel mapping (meaning you will have a 3 pixel wide black bars on either side) then you could go with this option over VGA.

Otherwise your best option is to go with 720p and let your TV scale it from there.

3. An HDMI -> DVI-D cable will not allow any different options then a regular HDMI cable. Your Xbox thinks it's just a regular old HDMI cable.

You cannot adapt HDMI ->DVI -> VGA
"DVI" is ambiguous and there are both analog and digital versions of DVI cables (though they look very very similar)

HDMI <-> DVI-D works
VGA <-> DVI-A works

DVI-D <-> DVI-A DOES NOT WORK

Most PCs use what's called DVI-I which is essentially like duct taping an HDMI and VGA cable together, it's two separate cables wrapped into one and just because you can plug HDMI in one end and VGA in the other doesn't mean it will magically convert the signal for you, it's still two separate cables.

Thanks for both comprehensive replies! And I see you updated the FAQ. Now it seems more complete.

I've just connected my laptop via VGA to my TV. I can set it to 1360x768 max and I do notice 3 pixels on each side, so does this mean it supports 1:1 pixel mapping? Or it only says it supports 1:1 pixel mapping with VGA?

I can't read anywhere in the manual or specifications if pixel mapping is supported or not, nor see if HDMI input is 1.1, 1.2 or anything else. But I suppose it is 1.2, I've bought it at the end of 2006.

if you don't see black bars and it doesn't have an option for "no scaling" or 1:1 mapping then it probably doesn't support it.

I see 3-pixel black bars on left and right. But I don't have an option for "no scaling" or 1:1 mapping.

Does it mean it automatically supports it or something? I can stretch the width to occupy those 6 pixels if I want, but by default it seems to leave 3-pixel black vertical bars on each side.

If you have the 3 pixel black on each side, then it is doing 1:1, I would recommend to leave it that way.

Hey it's me again. I've just got the HDMI cable for the 360 and I went to Video options and set Optimal Resolution. It chose 1280x720 instead of 1360x768... Why is that? The TV's native res is 1366x768 so shouldn't it choose a resolution closer to the native one or is the HDMI cable limiting the resolution as I feared??

Since you have all the stuff already set up, why don't you just try it and see how it looks on the different settings. Ultimately, who cares what is the ideal setup, its the one that you prefer to look at that matters.

Well I guess I should've borrowed both HDMI and VGA cables and tested before buying HDMI . I don't have any VGA for 360 so I can't test it to see if it looks better than HDMI in my TV. I was hoping I would be able to use 1360x768 with HDMI, but it doesn't seem like it.

I've been thinking... Is there really a difference running at 1360x768 or 1280x720 when playing games?

It's that games either support something lower than 720p for performance (Halo 3, CoD 4) or just 720p. At least most for 360 are like that.

So even if we were running the console at 1360x768 in a 1360x768 native TV (the 6 pixels in 1366 are negligible) the 720p and lower games would upscale to 1360x768, losing some quality.

If we were running the console at 1280x720 in a 1360x768 native TV the 720 and lower games would forcefully be upscaled by the TV to fill the 1360x768 screen.

So in both cases there is upscale, so in both cases quality should be the same?

I've played Halo 3 running at 1280x720 in my 1360x768 native Samsung and the jaggies are noticeable. Any of you running at 1360x768? Are there any difference in jaggies between 1280x720 and 1360x768?

I guess it'll differ from screen to screen but your input would still be welcome!