Xbox 360 DVI to LCD monitor question

rawwrbag

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I'm new here, but I'm always visiting Tom's Hardware for various things so I figured I'd register and ask the experts...

Sorry if this is in the wrong category, feel free to move it or suggest a move.

I'm considering buying an LCD monitor to use with my HDMI-enabled Xbox 360 as a cheap alternative to an HDTV. I have read various tutorials regarding monitors and the 360, but most involve the older VGA cable. I was thinking that since I paid the extra $170, why not go for an HDMI to DVI?

I understand that with the VGA cable, special resolutions are available from the 360 display menu. It's unclear to me if this is also available with an HDMI to DVI cable. Will the DVI connection allow computer resolutions or just the standard 480/720/1080 i/p? If it only allows the HDTV resolutions, will an LCD monitor correctly interpret them, or is this dependent on the monitor? Do some monitors accept TV resolutions from DVI and others not?

I'm am considering buying an Acer AL2016 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824009108) and I'm basically wondering if it will be able to display 1080p via DVI. Notice the vertical resolution is only 1050. I've read success stories with the VGA cable where 1080p can be displayed with only minor downscaling. Will this work over DVI as well?

Any advice would be appreciated. Also, if you can suggest a better choice of monitor in the price range, please do!

Thanks!


EDIT: I registered my name with caps in it but now they are gone :(
 

3Ball

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I Believe it would work, but unfortunatley I do think you would be stuck with the standard 480/720/1080 i/p resolutions! I have been using the VGA cable since it came out and it looks great. Side by side my 360 games that are also on the ps3 connected to the same tv with HDMI my 360 has looked considerably better. Hope this helps!

Best,

3Ball
 

rawwrbag

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*Sigh

It's very, very complicated I guess. I've been reading about it all day. Some monitors will take a TV HD signal via DVI, others won't, and sometimes they perform poorly if they do.

Apparently the VGA adapter (which I am considering now) supports up to 1080p, and also supports computer monitor resolutions, but I can't find a list of resolutions so I don't know what sort of monitor to pick up.

I'm going to take a break, it's giving me a headache. Here's the situation: I've got an Xbox 360 elite and I'm looking for a cheap HD solution (hopefully with a computer monitor). What should I do?
 

3Ball

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Well I have hooked it up to the monitor below as well as a 4:3 19" LCD monitor. On the LCD monitor I ran @ 1280x1024 and on this monitor below I run @ 1280X768 because it doesnt have a higher wide screen option that I can use. But it does support all the way up to 1920x1080. I will turn on my box and look at the different res's for you! Remember that you now need to think about how you will be getting sound from the box!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824001095

Best,

3Ball
 

3Ball

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Here are the supported resolutions:

640x480
848x480
1024x768
1280x720
1280x768
1280x1024
1360x768
1920x1080

There ya go, that is what it shows on mine!

Best,

3Ball
 

rawwrbag

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Thanks for the list! That will help a lot in picking out a monitor, especially if I can find one with one of those as a native resolution. 1920x1080 is actually just the 1080p resolution, interestingly. I guess this makes sense, because I also see 720 and 480 in there.

When you run it at the 1280x768, you say it looks pretty decent on your monitor? Not too squished or anything? I was kinda worried about buying a monitor like yours, with a res of 1680x1050 and then running at a lower resolution, but it seems that's what a lot of people are doing.

As far as sound goes, I'm running a Logitech 2.1 setup on my computer, and I'll share it with my consoles once I get the new monitor. I've even got the adapter and stuff, just got to get this display business ironed out :p

Once again, thanks for the help!

Also, just something I noticed when looking at the available resolutions and their aspect ratios:
16/9 ratio = 1.778
16/10 ratio = 1.6

Your monitor, and possibly mine, has a ratio of 1680/1050 = 1.6

But the listed resolutions vary:
1280/720 = 1.778 (16:9)
1280/768 = 1.667 (????)
1360/768 = 1.73 (????)
1920/1080 = 1.778 (16:9)

Interesting. Looks like your right, that the 1280/768 is probably closest.
 

3Ball

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Yea the monitor is a 16:10 monitor, which most widescreen monitors are while tv's are mostly 16:9. 1280x768 is right in between the two 1280x720 which is obviously 16:9 and 1280x800, which is 16:10. The games and movies all look great on my monitor when I do use my 360 in my room there is no problem with stretched pixels or blocking from lack of pixels like you would see in a typical PC game. I cant really expain this other than alot of games they are designing nowadays have AA in it to cut those edgies off. So everything looks great and I would say that you can buy in confidence. My monitor even has a button to let me switch between analog and digital so I can be on my comp and 360 at the same time which is kinda cool to just switch in between the two who I have them both going...just thought I would add that in. Hope all this helps!

Best,

3Ball