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[MasqUAP]

have a v1.4 aussie xbox w/ xecuter 2.2 chip, evox dash, a component cable, and panasonic rptv w/ 1080i support, yet i can't seem to get hdtv support, after much hunting on the net for the answer (along with MS's ever so helpful, connect to xbox live to update your dash, if you don't have xbox live.... get it!...) i finally sent through an email to MS support and got the following response:

Thank you for writing to Xbox regarding high definition output concerns.

We understand that you wish to enhance your HDTV output when playing games. In order to do this, you will need to have the Xbox High Definition AV Pack.

However, this adaptor is only available for NTSC and NTSC-J consoles and unfortunately, this is not available for PAL consoles.

Also, the Xbox console is a dedicated video game system. It does not share the same functionality of a personal computer so there is no bios version of the system.

Unfortunately, you will not be able to upgrade your console. Do not try to open it or repair it yourself. Doing so voids your warranty.

We apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced and in the meantime, we will take this as a feedback. Be assured that we consider all comments sent in by our members, and we maintain an internal database of suggestions that we consu lt and prioritize.

In case you have other Xbox concerns, feel free to write back. We take feedback on Xbox and our Customer Service very seriously and review customer comments daily.

Sincerely,

Jacqueline
Xbox Customer Care Team

my question is, is it simply a case of getting a us msdash.xbe with hdtv support, or, like removing svideo support from the gamecube, is the aussie xbox simply unable to output the signal?

any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks

[ntloser]

Hi,

You would need to get the HiDef pack and change your BOX to NTSC. Since you already have a mod chip you should be able to change it with one of the video mode switcher programs(enigmah video mode switcher).

Once you are NTSC and have a HD pack hooked up your games that support hidef will work fine as well as other 3rd party dashes that support 480p and up. But, in order to see the msdash in 480p you will need to hex edit it. See here

http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=317771

[MasqUAP]

enabling NTSC did indeed open the options to allow high def, and Halo2 looks all the nicer for it!

my response the the less than helpful xbox personel:

So it looks like if I get my xbox modded, and use a video mode switch disc to convert the signal to ntsc I can get hdtv support from my xbox…. Kinda a big selling point for voiding my warranty that no longer exists…

Perhaps removing features from the xbox is something you should use as feedback as it certainly pushes people to do things like mod their xbox’s to get features they may well have assumed they would have got, and spent a lot of money on to get…

*shrug* something to consider

let's hope she doesn't try and get into an argument about the legality of mod chips... i believe only ps2 modchips are illegal here in australia

[fahrenheit]

You can't really blame the MS personal. MS are not going to tell you precisely why HDTV support (or the ability to switch from NTSC to PAL) was not included with PAL Xbox's. They just expect you to accept the way things are.

The ability to change modes would cause them problems with people who don't know what they are doing, leading to complaints and wasted time with people who can no longer see their displays.
This forum regularly gets people with modded boxes, who have changed modes and don't know how to reset. Now if that was the case for the average Xbox user, you can see what MS would be faced with.

They are just trying to minimise problems, but as long as there is a modding scene, there will be good people around to put things right. Warranty be damned.

[ozgamer]

Actually, let MS and other such companies be damned.

You buy a product and you have the right the get the best out of that product. e.g. pretty pointless to play PC games like Far Cry, Doom3 and Half-Life 2 on a system that can only handle 800 x 600 resolution. Have a PC with high-end specs and a decent enough monitor and you're laughing. That's correct ........ this costs money but at least it's easily doable.

Same goes for console games and DVDs. The consumer misses out big time and "may" only be getting 10-70% of the full potential of their product.

I've only just purchased a HDTV the other day, one which supports 480p, 720p and 1080i and with the appropriate connectors, (which should be available locally regardless) I am only just starting to realise the full potential of my games.

How the Dreamcast can have official VGA support while all the latest-gen consoles don't is absolute blue murder. And since May '04 or thereabouts they have been manufacturing Gamecubes w/o the Digital output. WTF is up with that?!

From their website

Nintendo GameCube Component Video Questions

Q. Why have you removed the component video feature from the Nintendo GameCube?
A. On newer models of the Nintendo GameCube, we opted to remove the digital A/V out port from the system because we found that less than one percent of all Nintendo GameCube players used this feature.

NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

This is another case in a long line of the companies telling their customers to "get screwed". Here is me, the customer telling these companies that, "you just make the sh!t, and let us decide if we want to buy it."

At the end of the day it should always be the customer's choice not the companies.

My 2 cents.

[Dreamcazman]

And again, you can still enable the HD modes without modding your Xbox.

[Trevante]

True, but considering all the advantages of modding your Xbox (linux, Xlink UI's on Xbox, XBMC, etc), the ability to enable HD on PAL Xboxes is only the tip of the iceberg.