XBOX 360 HD-DVD???

By golly, of course it is worth it if you have a 360.

re: can you get 1080p from the analog/component output ports on an X-Box 360 with an external HD-DVD?

Short Answer: Yes.

Using The (seperately purchased $40'ish right now) Xbox 360 VGA HD Cable: Yes.

Yes, you can transmit 1080p from your 360 to your monitor or HDTV provided it has a VGA input port.

Alternatively, if you're handy with a soldering gun, you can modify a standard 360 AV cable and add a VGA connector to it and skip spending the $40.

instructions here: http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/14/how-to-turn-a-standard-xbox-360-video-cable-into-a-vga-cable-fo/

Over the (standard) 360 Analog AV cables: The Maximum allowed by HD-DVD copy-protected movies is currently force set limited to 1080i.

but newer HDTVs (check your TV specs) up-convert 1080i to 1080p.

Resulting in a 1080p picture anyway.

it's a bit of a complex question though, I'll try to break it down as best I can:

Loooooooooooooong Answer:

1. Most Important: Your HDTV controls whether it can receive 1080p and/or 1080i over its analog/component input port.

Some can take 1080i/1080p over analog/component, some can't. Check your HDTV specs.

If The HDTV can't, well that's your answer, you won't get 1080i or 1080p over analog/component cables on your HDTV, but if it can, then here's the technical breakdown:

There's good news and there's not-so-good-but-still-not-terribly-bad news too.

The Good news is that The X-Box 360 HD-DVD technically _can_ send 1080p over the XBox 360's analog/component output ports.

The sort-of bad-but-not-horrible news is, it doesn't matter that it _can_ because HD-DVD's are copy-protected and part of the AACS copy-protection stipulates that it must -not- send 1080p over the analog/component cables.

(the real reason for HDMI digital ports is the new and hard copy-protection that comes with it, that's why they decided to force analog/component connections to a max of 1080i, incase any smart-alecs try to bypass the HDMI accompanied copy protection altogether by using the analog port to copy movies)

ergo, the maximum (controlled by the AACS copy-protection on your HD movies) over standard analog cables is force set limited to 1080i.

Still, you have two workarounds/choices given that the XBox 360's analog AV cables are limited to 1080i by the AACS copy-protected movies themselves.

1. If you have a HDTV that takes 1080i)nterlaced and up-converts it to 1080p)rogressive scan, then you are good to go, because the 360 component cables will send 1080i and the HDTV will xfer it to 1080p on the fly.

The result is a 1080p display on your HDTV.

2. or you can use a loophole in the AACS copyright protection which is that the X-Box 360's VGA cable is -not- stipulated as a standard analog output cable, ergo the 360's VGA cable -will- send 1080p.

(you'll need the VGA cable and the latest 360 firmware upgrades)

Summary:

Over X-Box 360 Analog AV cables: The Maximum (for copy-protected HD-DVD movies) is currently force set limited to 1080i

Over the X-Box 360 VGA cable: Maximum (for HD-DVD copyright protected movies) is 1080p.

michaelmaelstrom.

And once again, we 'ave forgotten that the comments aren't displayed in the way they were originally entered. um. sorry about that! --(next time use periods instead of paragraphs MM! - Ed)--

Hey Ed, stand on the spot marked X and pull on this rope would you please.

--MM.