Archived from groups: alt.games.video.xbox (
More info?)
"Anne Cramer" <anne_cramer@nospam.home.com> wrote
> I've got a quality big-screen TV for my xbox - so I'm wondering if people
> find buying the high-end pricey connectors that EB sells really enhance
the
> quality of the picture?
> The new connectors cost almost as much as a new game. Is it worth it?
Not worth it at all. Just get Microsoft (or, hell, even Mad Catz's) cables
for whatever the best input for this TV is.
Is it an HDTV? If so, the Microsoft HDAV Pack will work just fine. No need
to replace the component cables that come with it. Even Mad Catz's $10
XBox/PS2 combination component cables work just fine. I used that
particular $10 set of cables to be able to have both XBox and PS2 hooked up
to same component port on my HDTV without having to change cables. I've
since went to using the Microsoft HDAV Pack with XBox (not for "better"
video, as I note no difference in PQ between the Mad Catz cable and MS HDAV
Pack) but to be able to get digital audio out for my DD5.1 receiver.
Even if the TV isn't HD, but still has component inputs for 480-progressive
resolution, the Microsoft HDAV Pack will definetly be worth it. If it isn't
capable of 480p, yet does have component inputs (there are a few strange
animals out there), you probably won't see much of a difference between
S-Video and Component Video with 480-interlace.
The main improvement with 480-progressive over 480-interlaced (at least to
my eyeballs) is that onscreen text becomes vivid and well defined. All of
the "artificating" around text is virtually eliminated with 480p. With
DVD's, I can usually tell right away if the output is 480i or 480p from
looking at the "FBI Warning" screen.
If this is an HDTV, you'll probably be considering HDMI/DVI for your
cable/satellite/HD OTA/ect STB soon as well. Everyone with an HDTV can't
help but looking at that HDMI (or DVI) port and irresistibly want to put it
to some use. Its natural -- and the mortar and brick retail stores know
this. HDMI/DVI is even a bigger markup scam than component cables at retail
stores, including Radio Shack -- but you can find such cables for less than
$10 online (http://www.monoprice.com). I bought my DVI-HDMI cable from
there for $9 and it works just fine. As for PQ, I found using HDMI to be a
slight improvement against artificating over component for 720p and 1080i,
however found the contrast be slightly less "rich" than component. Going to
HDMI for the cable HD STB did free up one set of component inputs though, so
that was an advantage.
Cheers!
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