xboxscene.org forums

OG Xbox Forums => Hardware Forums => Xbox Audio/Video Technical => Topic started by: fretster on April 02, 2004, 10:08:00 AM

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: fretster on April 02, 2004, 10:08:00 AM

are you sure that its not displaying them correctly? because your tv is a 16:9, which is widescreen...

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: ChrisF on April 02, 2004, 10:22:00 AM

There are 3 options:

Normal (4x3 standard TV)

Letterbox (you said you selected this - this is 4x3 with black bars on top and bottom to show 16x9 in the middle)

Widescreen (this is the one you want to select, it is true 16x9 - keep in mind not all widescreen movies are 16x9.  There are other ratios and you will still end up with black bars a good amount of the time)

That should fix your problem.


Here is a good thread on how Xbox stacks up as a DVD player if you are interested:
http://www.avsforum....threadid=385371

EDIT: also be aware that some DVDs say widescreen but are in fact non-anamorphic which means they are letterboxed.  A 4x3 image with black bars.  Getting rarer these days but they are out there occasionally.

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: jesterrace777 on April 02, 2004, 10:24:00 AM

I would personally just get a DVD Player.  You can get a progressive scan DVD Player for $60USD or less now and it will be much better (and put less wear and tear) than your XBOX.

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: ChrisF on April 02, 2004, 11:49:00 AM

Widescreen games will display in 16x9 (some cutscenes weren't programmed for 16x9 on all games)

If a game is 4x3 the Xbox will stretch it to 16x9 ( looks ok most of the time)

There is a link somewhere to an HDTV games list that shows compatible widescreen games and resolution support.  It's in a few people's sigs here - look for Foehammer's posts I think he has one (sticky on hex code edits in this forum).

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: menchi on April 04, 2004, 01:45:00 PM

Ninja Gaiden supports 16:9 ingame when you set your dashboard to widescreen, and will play the prerendered cutscenes as 16:9 if you set the option on.  If you want a list of widescreen compatible games, do a search for 16:9 on hdgames.net

I'm not really sure why your xbox refuses to do 16x9, but that game is definately compatible.

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: spillage on April 04, 2004, 02:19:00 PM

Try this one.

Games in 16:9

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: ChrisF on April 05, 2004, 08:07:00 AM

QUOTE (scream360 @ Apr 5 2004, 03:17 AM)

I run my X-Box using the Advanced AV-Cable through my Projector (Sanyo 16:9) & all my games look perfect in 16:9. Scream

If you are running the advanced A/V pack (S video/composite video), you aren't getting 480p or widescreen from the Xbox as these require the component cables and the HD pack.  The widescreen you are seeing may be stretched by your projector.  Then again, maybe you are using the HD pack and just called it the Advanced pack?

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: Korgun on April 10, 2004, 07:34:00 PM

sorry i was sick and just didn't get a chance to pay attention

basically i'm still not sure whats goin on, on my TV there are the following options

Wide Mode:
Wide Zoom/Normal/Full/Zoom - I have it on Normal
I have it on Normal

4:3 Default:
Wide Zoom/Normal/Full/Zoom/Off
I have it on Off

When i put in a 16:9 movie (for example Fargo; it states 16:9 on the DVD) and on my TV I set it to Normal it looks 4:3 and if I do Full it stretches to all 4 corners fo the screen - but oddly enough the movie doesn't look stretched... it looks normal

Am I going crazy?

I bought a sony DVD player just to try out and that one seems to be the same case, when i have that playing if i put it on Normal it looks 4:3 and if i put it on Full it looks 16:9

but I don't get it, isn't Normal supposed to be just the default of the source?

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: itsjustme on April 11, 2004, 06:56:00 PM

should buy a dvd player that upconverts the 480 to 1080 through your dvi connection.

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: Chancer on April 12, 2004, 02:01:00 AM

QUOTE

I work with 16:9 & 4:3 Video Images all day long...I think I know if my image is streched or not!!

Absolutely correct. same here with mine if the aspect ratio of 16:9 is selected on the box it don't make any difference what cables you have.
16:9 displays fine on my Panasonic 32inch widescreen nothing more than an RGB cable.
If the TV Aspect is set to Auto it also displays "WIDE2 for a few seconds on start up of a DVD.
I would get a seperate player anyway as the quality is likely to be quite an improvement. Saves the Xbox drive as well.

Title: Should I Buy A Dvd Player Or Just Use The Xbox?
Post by: ChrisF on April 12, 2004, 08:02:00 PM

QUOTE (Korgun @ Apr 13 2004, 12:49 AM)

which one would you say upconverts from 480 > 1080i? that would e sweeeeet

Samsung makes one - there are others.  It requires a DVI connection on your television.  Keep in mind that the original image is still 480p resolution - it's not like it's going to add resolution to the actual picture.  XBMC can also upscale DVD to 1080i as well as all other video files (it was broken last time I tried it but maybe a new CVS has it back in order by now).