S-Video Vs. Composite Jacks On Xbox 360

[Redline13]

I have an Xbox 360 and a standard (non HD) TV. I currently have the 360 hooked up to the TV via the standard composite jacks that come with the 360 but I was playing around with the idea of picking up the S-video cable. How much of an improvement would I see? Would it be noticeable or would I just really be fooling myself?

[robbieduncan]

Assuming we are talking composite (1 video (yellow) and 2 audio (red and white)), not component, then it should be noticable. I certainly noticed the difference doing this on my PS2. If we are talking component then svideo would be worse.

[Redline13]

Assuming we are talking composite (1 video (yellow) and 2 audio (red and white)), not component, then it should be noticable. I certainly noticed the difference doing this on my PS2. If we are talking component then svideo would be worse.

Yes. composite not component. Who comes up with these names anyway? :rolleyes:

[CubeHacker]

S-video is a small, but noticeable improvement over composite (the yellow cable). The colors are usually richer, and the screen is sharper and the textures appear more defined and less blurry. Its certainly worth it if you care about graphics, though i'm sure that some people wouldn't even be able to see the difference.

I picked up s-video cables for both my GC and my Dreamcast, and have been very happy with both. I'd never be able to go back to composite!

[Abulia]

You will see a difference. S-video passes the video signal over multiple wires (2) while composite only uses one. It's a cheap way to get an instant picture upgrade.

[combatcolin]

In Europe you should use RGB Scart, rest of the world RGB component.

Unless you have a big spare HD monitor and you can use VGA.

[Redline13]

I went ahead and picked up an S-video cable. I do have to say it makes a small but noticeable difference. There is less noise on the screen and the the text in particular looks tighter. I bought a third party cable made by Pelican. It was $15 which was half the price of the M$ cable.

[MacRumorUser]

In Europe you should use RGB Scart, rest of the world RGB component.

Unless you have a big spare HD monitor and you can use VGA.

Actually slightly misleading!!!!

Composite = Worse picture quality and open to a lot of interference.

America = S-Video as a comparable performance to
Europe's = RGB Scart.

Both of these offer similar performance. RGB slightly better. However...

Component Y-Pr-Pb is worldwide and is far and away better picture quality and it supports HDTV.

VGA cable on the 360 offers about the same quality as Component, but to VGA enabled devices Montiors/LCD TV's....

But then of course there's DVI & HDMI which are better again but 360 is not compatable with those.

[robbieduncan]

But then of course there's DVI & HDMI which are better again but 360 is not compatable with those.

Yet. HDMI is coming I think...

[jdechko]

Composite = Worse picture quality and open to a lot of interference.

Unless you count RF/Coaxial which is worse still.

[MacRumorUser]

Unless you count RF/Coaxial which is worse still.

I dont :) as the 360 doesn't support RF/Coaxial...


Guy with 360's help me out.

Last night I was watching a dvd movie (BBC smoking room - season 1) and noticed a shi* load of banding on the image. This was connected via Component cable.

Flipped over to VGA cable and the issue had gone.

So changed DVD (Howl's Moving Castle) and problem occured yet again with component.... It's the first time I've used the 360 for watching movies on and was surprised by the banding..

Wierd thing is there is no banding in games with the component cable, only in movies...
But like I say with VGA the image is perfect... Thankfully my HDTV has the extra VGA otherwise I'd be pissed.

But has anyone else got this problem?

[clayj]

I dont :) as the 360 doesn't support RF/Coaxial...


Guy with 360's help me out.

Last night I was watching a dvd movie (BBC smoking room - season 1) and noticed a shi* load of banding on the image. This was connected via Component cable.

Flipped over to VGA cable and the issue had gone.

So changed DVD (Howl's Moving Castle) and problem occured yet again with component.... It's the first time I've used the 360 for watching movies on and was surprised by the banding..

Wierd thing is there is no banding in games with the component cable, only in movies...
But like I say with VGA the image is perfect... Thankfully my HDTV has the extra VGA otherwise I'd be pissed.

But has anyone else got this problem?Let me ask you a question: How is the Xbox 360 connected to the TV when you use the component cables? Is it:

Xbox 360 -> VCR -> TV

or something else?

[MacRumorUser]

Let me ask you a question: How is the Xbox 360 connected to the TV when you use the component cables? Is it:

Xbox 360 -> VCR -> TV

or something else?

Xbox 360 component directly to TV (my TV has two set's of component inputs, both result in the same thing.

I have an Xbox, Modded SlimPs2, DVD player all connected via component output and when a dvd is played through them it clear and without problems...

This effects 360 for me only when connected via component. I just tried it on my projector as I planned to watch War Of The Worlds with a 72" screen and DTS in my bedroom but same thing.

I'm guessing my cable could be fecked, but I want to make sure no-one else has this problem before I go out and spend 30-40 Euro on a new cable...

[Onizuka]

Yeah, it could be your cable, or a glitch or something wrong with the Xbox itself. Try another cable first, it may jsut be that cable, and that's the cheap way out!

[clayj]

Xbox 360 component directly to TV (my TV has two set's of component inputs, both result in the same thing.

I have an Xbox, Modded SlimPs2, DVD player all connected via component output and when a dvd is played through them it clear and without problems...

This effects 360 for me only when connected via component. I just tried it on my projector as I planned to watch War Of The Worlds with a 72" screen and DTS in my bedroom but same thing.

I'm guessing my cable could be fecked, but I want to make sure no-one else has this problem before I go out and spend 30-40 Euro on a new cable...The reason I asked about your hookup path is that if you run the output from a DVD player through any sort of recorder (such as a VCR), the Macrovision copy-protection on the DVDs can cause image distortion problems. Since you're going straight to the TV, that shouldn't be an issue.

As for myself (bedroom setup = Xbox 360 with component cables straight to Sony LCD TV), I've had no problems with a setup similar to yours, so I'd guess you've got a bad cable or a loose connection. See if you can borrow a cable from someone and try it again.

[MacRumorUser]

The reason I asked about your hookup path is that if you run the output from a DVD player through any sort of recorder (such as a VCR), the Macrovision copy-protection on the DVDs can cause image distortion problems. Since you're going straight to the TV, that shouldn't be an issue.

As for myself (bedroom setup = Xbox 360 with component cables straight to Sony LCD TV), I've had no problems with a setup similar to yours, so I'd guess you've got a bad cable or a loose connection. See if you can borrow a cable from someone and try it again.

I'll try and get a cabke later. The wierd thing is, if it's the cable, why does it only effect DVD?

[clayj]

I'll try and get a cabke later. The wierd thing is, if it's the cable, why does it only effect DVD?What DVD region are you in? And what region is/are your DVDs?

[MacRumorUser]

What DVD region are you in? And what region is/are your DVDs?

2 :) I've tried region free and region 2 disc's. Both have same problem with it.

[clayj]

2 :) I've tried region free and region 2 disc's. Both have same problem with it.Well, the unit itself could be defective... don't forget, DVD playback is NOT the same as playing a game that's stored on DVD.

The next thing to try (besides the cable) is to connect the 360 to someone else's TV and see if the problem repros there. If it does, that eliminates pretty much all factors at your place (interference, TV, etc.) and places the problem square in the 360 itself.

[MacRumorUser]

Well, the unit itself could be defective... don't forget, DVD playback is NOT the same as playing a game that's stored on DVD.

The next thing to try (besides the cable) is to connect the 360 to someone else's TV and see if the problem repros there. If it does, that eliminates pretty much all factors at your place (interference, TV, etc.) and places the problem square in the 360 itself.

Yeah I'll try that in a few minutes to see. When using VGA the problem is not there.