Topic: Xbox - Not As Clever As You Think It Is... (Read 190 times)

speedypancake · « **on:** November 05, 2006, 01:09:00 AM »

I've spent a small fortune on various cables & HD packs and "wot not" for our modded Xbox since we got it about a year ago. I've read wonderful comments about how clever it is, and how it can upscale even average video to look amazing... I've messed about with all the possible settings, resolutions etc & finally come to this conclusion... it's not that good at playing DVD's (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

When it comes to playing DVD's my 6 year old, no-name DVD player beats it hands down for sharpness and clarity. Especially when hooked up to the projector. Whatever I do, the Xbox always ends up with image ghosting. Maybe the Xbox is just trying to be too many things. I love the box. And I really love XBMC. But I'll have to accept it as a handy bit of kit for streaming media from my PC. And if we want the best image quality from a DVD, we'll use the knackered old player (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

wdew123 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 05, 2006, 01:56:00 AM »

TheIrishLad · « **Reply #2 on:** November 05, 2006, 06:31:00 PM »

What projector do you have? Are you using component video cables? What are you using to play your DVDs with? XBMC?

Are you using the most updated version of XBMC? Have you enabled 480p/or the higher resolutions on the MS dash board?

I have watched many movies with XBMC and every time the quality has been superb, far superior to any DVD player I own...

There might be something wrong with your setup.

speedypancake · « **Reply #3 on:** November 06, 2006, 01:57:00 AM »

QUOTE(TheIrishLad @ Nov 6 2006, 02:38 AM)

What projector do you have? Are you using component video cables? What are you using to play your DVDs with? XBMC?

Are you using the most updated version of XBMC? Have you enabled 480p/or the higher resolutions on the MS dash board?

I have watched many movies with XBMC and every time the quality has been superb, far superior to any DVD player I own...

There might be something wrong with your setup. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

Thanks IrishLad. I've got an NEC LT175 projector with xga resolution.

The projector has a couple of VGA inputs which I converted to component in & S-video in (to match the TV). The component lead works very well with our old "Yelo" DVD player (so I figure it cant be the leads?) , but when hooked up to the Xbox via the official HD pack, I always get some degree of ghosting. This always looks worse when running in NTSC regradless of resolution. In XBMC, I've tried all different resolutions & have also tried the "best available" setting. Not sure what version of XBMC I'm running, but I'm about to intall the latest V2.0 build.

Thanks for your help. From reading your and other's comments around here I feel I must be doing something wrong.. just not sure what (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif)

TheIrishLad · « **Reply #4 on:** November 06, 2006, 04:49:00 PM »

I think I might know what is wrong.

You are using the Xbox HD pack, and connecting the three (Red, Green, Blue) prongs into the female sockets on your projector correct?

Try this->
1. Go into your Retail MS Dashboard, the one with four options.
2. When you go into the Video Options, enable 480p.

Then go back and load up XBMC and start up a DVD. It should display in 480p.

Does this make it look any better? Or eliminate the ghosting?

speedypancake · « **Reply #5 on:** November 06, 2006, 06:48:00 PM »

QUOTE(TheIrishLad @ Nov 7 2006, 12:20 AM)

I think I might know what is wrong.

You are using the Xbox HD pack, and connecting the three (Red, Green, Blue) prongs into the female sockets on your projector correct?

Correct (ish) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) they're running into a VGA socket I modded for 3 component input...

Try this->
1. Go into your Retail MS Dashboard, the one with four options.
2. When you go into the Video Options, enable 480p.

Then go back and load up XBMC and start up a DVD. It should display in 480p.

Does this make it look any better? Or eliminate the ghosting?

Ghosting still there on XBMC dash (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) & on DVD. Think it might be an improvement on where I'd got to before. But still not as good as the DVD player... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) I did what you suggested, enabled 480P ONLY in MS Dash, then set XBMC video & display settings to 480P also?

Then had another go messing about.. in NTSC, with all HD settings enabled in MS dash, setting to NTSC 4:3 in XBMC gives a bright, slightly fuzzy pic, but no ghosting. All other NTSC selections give better definition, but ghosting. Running in PAL actually seems the best option / match for the projector. No ghosting & a decent picture quality (just not as sharp as our DVD player (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Appreciate your help dude. It's no real biggie using the DVD player instead of Xbox, s'just from what I've read I feel I'm missing out on some amazing visual feast (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

This post has been edited by speedypancake: Nov 7 2006, 02:49 AM

spillage · « **Reply #6 on:** November 07, 2006, 10:32:00 AM »

I have played a couple of DVDs in XBOX and would compare it to a £30 DVD player. As a rule I don't bother using it as anything but a games console or of course media centre playing avi's etc etc.

FrostyTheSnowman · « **Reply #7 on:** November 07, 2006, 12:43:00 PM »

You guys are nuts, I have a 52" HDTV myself, and DVDs upscaled at 720p (I don't like 1080i) in XBMC beats any DVD player i've seen yet, INCLUDING $200+ upscaling Sony/Toshiba DVD players.

As far as the ghosting issue though, i'm almost positive it's caused my your projector not being fully compatible with XBOX component sync signals, especially considering that you are directly adapting them to a VGA port. I would perhaps consider using a VGA BIOS and see if it fixes the problem.

You can find a copy of my VGA patcher in my signature, and you can use it to patch any BIOS to output VGA colors and sync signals. I'm willing to bet that it will fix your ghosting problem.

This post has been edited by FrostyTheSnowman: Nov 7 2006, 08:44 PM

Foe-hammer · « **Reply #8 on:** November 07, 2006, 12:14:00 PM »

QUOTE(FrostyTheSnowman @ Nov 7 2006, 12:14 PM)

You guys are nuts, I have a 52" HDTV myself, and DVDs upscaled at 720p (I don't like 1080i) in XBMC beats any DVD player i've seen yet, INCLUDING $200+ upscaling Sony/Toshiba DVD players.

As far as the ghosting issue though, i'm almost positive it's caused my your projector not being fully compatible with XBOX component sync signals, especially considering that you are directly adapting them to a VGA port. I would perhaps consider using a VGA BIOS and see if it fixes the problem.

You can find a copy of my VGA patcher in my signature, and you can use it to patch any BIOS to output VGA colors and sync signals. I'm willing to bet that it will fix your ghosting problem.

Frosty is quite right.

I use watch dvd's in 720p on xbmc via vga and the image is perfect. No ghosting at all.

Try using the vga bios with your projector and i bet it runs a hell of a lot better.

spillage · « **Reply #9 on:** November 07, 2006, 12:52:00 PM »

Ok that's you valid opinion, but my old Pioneer DV717 £500 would slaughter an XBOX for A/V as would my £3250 TAG McLaren DV32FLR but then again I guess it would aye.

Scaling is another discussion altogether. Image improvements are in perseived clarity rather than actual detail. You can't turn shit into gold by scaling

speedypancake · « **Reply #10 on:** November 07, 2006, 02:55:00 PM »

QUOTE(FrostyTheSnowman @ Nov 7 2006, 08:14 PM)

You guys are nuts, I have a 52" HDTV myself, and DVDs upscaled at 720p (I don't like 1080i) in XBMC beats any DVD player i've seen yet, INCLUDING $200+ upscaling Sony/Toshiba DVD players.

As far as the ghosting issue though, i'm almost positive it's caused my your projector not being fully compatible with XBOX component sync signals, especially considering that you are directly adapting them to a VGA port. I would perhaps consider using a VGA BIOS and see if it fixes the problem.

You can find a copy of my VGA patcher in my signature, and you can use it to patch any BIOS to output VGA colors and sync signals. I'm willing to bet that it will fix your ghosting problem.

OK guys - I have noticed the VGA BIOS patching threads. Truth is, it scares me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)
If it's no more difficult than installing XBMC, then I'll give it a go & let you know how I get on... As long as there's an easy route back if everything goes "tits up" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

TheIrishLad · « **Reply #11 on:** November 08, 2006, 08:18:00 PM »

QUOTE(spillage @ Nov 7 2006, 01:23 PM)

....You can't turn shit into gold by scaling

No you can't, but you can make it look like gold.

Do you have a modchip installed into your Xbox Speedypancake? If so it's extremely easy to make the patch BIOS and test it out...

speedypancake · « **Reply #12 on:** November 09, 2006, 02:43:00 AM »

QUOTE(TheIrishLad @ Nov 9 2006, 04:25 AM)

No you can't, but you can make it look like gold. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Do you have a modchip installed into your Xbox Speedypancake? If so it's extremely easy to make the patch BIOS and test it out... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Yes I do. Think it's Xecuter 2.0?? Not sure though.. bought it off eBay! S'got 3 little swithes with Led's on the front - no idea what they do, except you switch one of them to boot up original Microsoft dash.. Used to boot up with Avalaunch, but I've installed XBMC as the default dash. It's an Xbox version 1.0, with 5032 de-bug? bios, Thomson DVD & connexant video chip if that makes any dif.

"If so it's extremely easy to make the patch BIOS and test it out..."

I can ftp stuff over easy enough, or burn a dvd if that's easier? I started reading the patch threads but got a bit scared / confused (I'm a bit thick) ... care to walk me through it? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif)

spillage · « **Reply #13 on:** November 09, 2006, 03:21:00 AM »

Just because bios manipulation is not your forte, it doesn't make you thick!!!!!

speedypancake · « **Reply #14 on:** November 09, 2006, 04:36:00 AM »

QUOTE(spillage @ Nov 9 2006, 11:28 AM)

Just because bios manipulation is not your forte, it doesn't make you thick!!!!!

Thanks Spillage

Author Topic: Xbox - Not As Clever As You Think It Is... (Read 190 times)