480i 480p confusion.

[Pugger]

I have an American Xbox and a PAL machine, the US box I have connected up via component to my Panasonic PD30 TV. I have set the Xbox in its menu setting to support 480 and 720 (although I have no idea if the pd30 supports it) and when I have done this the menu screen resolution has certainly improved. The problem I have is i really don't understand what 480 and 720 are. Are they they the scanline resolution and if so wouldn't just playing the PAL machine through component giving 520i be just as impressive as 480p? If the games dont support High Def are they displayed in 480i and again isn't PAL 525i more impressive?

 

[EffTee]

Pugger,

According to the Panasonic website the PD30 does support progressive scan, so you should see a significantly better picture using your US Xbox compared to your UK one.

I can't give you a good definition of progressive - e.g. 480p or 720p - over PAL interlaced @525i. With technology such as projectors and plasmas they have less work to do presenting individual whole frames in one one pass, without having to de-interlace them. Hence progressive will give you better definition, smoother lines and sometimes the appearance of deeper colours. I'm assuming that the same applied for your PD 30.

An unmodified UK Xbox will only output either PAL 50 or PAL 60 - both interlaced. The US one will output 480p, 720p or 1080i - depending on what you set in your menu options. I believe that all US games support 480p, a handful 720p and none 1080i.

A bit garbled, but I can vouch for how good 480p looks on my plasma compared to PAL.

EffTee

 

[Pugger]

Cheers Efftee. I was just worried that many US game I have dont say anything about 480p support so I assumed that if the games hadn't been programmed to support 480p they are played in 480i. In which case you may as well play it in pal 525i through component on the pal machine. If they are 480p thats great. The TV does support progressive scan, and very impressive its to in fact picture wise I haven't seen another TV to touch it. Playing Pirates of the Carabean through PS is a sight to behold.