Spring Update: Xbox 360 games now look better than ever in VGA

rik1471

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Xbox 360 games now look better than ever in VGA :clap:

Although the new Windows Live Messenger integration and improved Achievements system are the more widely advertised new features of the Spring Update, a little known new feature has crept its way into the latest Dashboard version – improved image quality when using the Xbox 360 VGA output.

A long-standing complaint of the VGA output on the Xbox 360 is its “washed out” picture quality, where colors on the screen would not appear as bright and vibrant as compared to running the console to the TV using component cables.

The culprit for this problem is the difference between how HDTV and PC displays interpret black levels. A correctly calibrated HDTV typically expects a black level to be at 7.5 IRE (with anything below that to be “blacker than black”), while a PC display has its black set to zero. The Xbox 360, which is tweaked for televisions, has its IRE tuned for the HDTV norm of 7.5 IRE.

However, due to the fact that most HDTVs manufacturers expect that VGA inputs are for use with PCs rather than the Xbox 360, most televisions have its IRE for VGA at zero to accommodate a PC video card’s output. The result of this is that while the Xbox 360 is sending out a 7.5 IRE for calling for black, the HDTV is interpreting that as a call for something less than black, like a pleasant shade of grey.

The Spring Update adds a new feature allowing users to tweak the IRE setting that the Xbox 360 sends out to the television. “Both Xbox 360 Elite and current Xbox 360 units will have a spring (console) update which adds support for different video levels for VGA output (“7.5 IRE vs 0”) ... using this setting you should be able to use computer monitors in addition to TVs with resolutions all the way up to 1080p with high fidelity and no issues with HDCP handshaking,” explained Amir Majidimehr, VP of Microsoft’s Consumer Media Technology Group. “So for current users, I highly recommend trying this update with your VGA connection to see if it does the job for you. Note that this is a console update and will work for both games and of course, HD DVD.”

Surprisingly, instead of giving the user direct control of the IRE setting, the Spring Update added three non-descriptive options to the Xbox 360 display settings – standard, intermediate and expanded – with no indication of which setting represents what level of blackness. DailyTech decided to put each of the three levels to the test. Presented in the images to the right is a comparison of each of the three reference levels using Need for Speed Carbon as the test game and King Kong as the test HD DVD. “Standard” appears to retain the same black level setting (7.5 IRE) as it was before the update, and the “expanded” setting looks to present the blackest blacks (0 IRE), with the “intermediate” setting being somewhere in between.

While the increased richness and color in Need for Speed Carbon is noticeable, the more appreciable difference of the new IRE settings comes when watching movies. In all parts of King Kong, but especially the dark scenes where accurate black levels are essential, the new “expanded” reference level produced images that were far richer and less washed out, providing a significantly improved picture.

http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/4681_large_referencelevels.jpg

http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/4685_carbon1.jpg

http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/4686_kongboat.jpg

Taken from: http://www.ps3forums.com/showthread.php?p=1396706&posted=1#post1396706
 
How does it compare with component now?
 
How does it compare with component now?

That's what I would like to know.

I don't have a VGA cable yet, but I'm sure someone on here could oblige and let us all know if VGA is better than component now :)
 
ive always prefered the vga over component anyway,but since the update i must say on the last setting it looks amazing,plus u get the added bonus of upscaling your dvds just a bit of a shame i cant use the 1920+1080 option seeing as my tv s a 1080p screen but it seems to upscale internally well ,spose its down to evry one to there own but vga 4 me alot crisper pic seems to be less jaggies to me aswell
 
IMHO yes. Sharper and now with the update, the colours are as rich and possibly better than component.
 
ive always prefered the vga over component anyway,but since the update i must say on the last setting it looks amazing,plus u get the added bonus of upscaling your dvds just a bit of a shame i cant use the 1920+1080 option seeing as my tv s a 1080p screen but it seems to upscale internally well ,spose its down to evry one to there own but vga 4 me alot crisper pic seems to be less jaggies to me aswell

Couldnt agree more with that, the colours are so much more vibrant and the picture is even sharper now, i think its gonna take a while to get used to the picture but im loving it, cant wait to try out Batman Begins!
 
The colours are better, but it seems to dark, maybe its a matter of getting used to it, or making some adjustments to the tv.
 
is there any chance of some comparison shots between vga and componant, thought i shold ask before i buy the vga cable
 
That's it I'm sold. VGA here we come.

Can anyone recommend a nice discrete switcher that would work with 360 and PC?

Cheers
 
Oh dear, that could cause problems...!

My mate litarally couldn't play GOW through component because it was too dark, and no matter how much the tv was adjusted you still couldn't. Same for games like TDU, driving in tree's was near darkness making seeing traffic somewhat awkward.

Step forward VGA and all is revealed. Except this update will put him back where he started!

Needless to say it may just be him that has the problem on his 37" LG LCD but maybe not.
 
Your mate will be fine, there are 3 different VGA madoes to select from, the first of which is the same as it was.
 
i turned expanded off and gone back to normal, was playing TDU and now it makes it to hard to see the cars on your side of the track because its darker, one of the reasons i went from component to vga cos it was abit brighter
 
clarky78 said:
Step forward VGA and all is revealed. Except this update will put him back where he started!

He needn't worry...

rik1471 said:
Surprisingly, instead of giving the user direct control of the IRE setting, the Spring Update added three non-descriptive options to the Xbox 360 display settings – standard, intermediate and expanded – with no indication of which setting represents what level of blackness. DailyTech decided to put each of the three levels to the test. Presented in the images to the right is a comparison of each of the three reference levels using Need for Speed Carbon as the test game and King Kong as the test HD DVD. “Standard” appears to retain the same black level setting (7.5 IRE) as it was before the update, and the “expanded” setting looks to present the blackest blacks (0 IRE), with the “intermediate” setting being somewhere in between.
 
I noticed quite a few tearing issues watching DVDs and HD-DVDs with the VGA cable - and I was wondering if any progress has been made on this issue?
 
are people using this with LCD or plasma?

does it make a diff?

i want to test vga again using my hitachi but im really unsure on what res to use and how it will look

before when i used vga i wasnt really that impressed
 
VGA looking amazing now on my Hitachi PJ-TX200 Projector at 1280x720 (the PJ's native resolution).

Monsters Inc in HD has to be seen to be believed - almost 3D like it's that good. Blacks darker and colours more vibrant than component but the overall pictue just looks sharper and more cinema like IMHO.

Component cable has just been packed off to the loft.
 
Hi i have not got my xbox360 connected online,is there any otherway i can get update,i would like some of the new features
 
Hi i have not got my xbox360 connected online,is there any otherway i can get update,i would like some of the new features
Please read the main thread first - it's in there. (The answer is the update isn't up on Xbox.com yet, but will be at some point in the future when you can burn it to a CD).
 
I have a Panny PWD7 via VGA and using the expanded settings with 1280x720 with colours are now 'monstrous'.

Everything about the picture has been improved - colours, sharpness, contrast and even brightness. A new lease of life has now been released.

Who needs HD ready / HD displays - long live SD.......until I can afford a projector!
 
I have a Panny PWD7 via VGA and using the expanded settings with 1280x720 with colours are now 'monstrous'.

Everything about the picture has been improved - colours, sharpness, contrast and even brightness. A new lease of life has now been released.

Who needs HD ready / HD displays - long live SD.......until I can afford a projector!

Same here, I was really surprised at the improvement. I love my PWD7.:D
 
I am kinda stuck between intermediate and expanded. Blacks on expanded are superb but it seems to add a bit too much colour, so i think its intermediate for games and enhanced for movies. Great update though.
 
hooking up the 360 through vga is still a little bit disappointing for me, the colours still seem washed out, the blacks are better, but its really soft and as i said, the colours aren't very vibrant compared to component.

i can't think why as everyone else seems really impressed?
 
anybody else tried the update with a Samsung r74 over VGA? if so what settings are you using? did you readjust the service menu?
 
People are re-calibrating brightness/contrast after changing the vga level right?

It'll be too dark otherwise.
 

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