GTA IV is also a good one that will keep you busy for a very long time.

below is the one i returned, but may get again bc i think i just need to set up in Dashboard ---> settings to get to work. i think now TV manual said 480i (if that makes a difference). either way i saw completely scrambled pic and no way to see a menu. but XBOX also says to plug Y cable into (yellow/video) composite port and then do the settings, though not sure how that can work...

don't think it has the switch. but maybe i should get what you pictured. do i switch to HDTV even though my tv is not HD?

http://www.target.com/Component-Vide...ponent%20cable

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Compo..._ob_vg_title_2

this one has the switch, but also has the yellow composite video connection. why would it need that if these are supposed to be for component hook-up? i don't want to get these only to use them as composite. if i use the switch set to TV, will i be able to hook up the R,G,B and get the better pic quality?

A Guitar Hero Demo is pretty useless without any instruments, isn't it?

bottomline, what i need to know is:

Can i use my SDTV component hook up to play XBOX 360 with? and if so, how?

thanks again to all for this amazing help and patience.

Without knowing your specific TV model, my guess is that if it's 480i only then the composite cables (the ones that came with the xbox) are your best route. If your TV supports 480p then the component cables should work, microsoft brand or those monster cables. I've never seen a TV that had component video connections that wasn't at least 480p capable.

Just bought a second system 360 for system link play but having some network issues. Plugged both into my router and tried GOW2 and Borderlands. With both games i could create a system link game and the other system would see the other system and player id. Unfortunately, when i would go to start the game i would get a " Host disconnect error."

Just to isolate the problem i grabbed a rj45 cable and connected both systems to each other and it worked right away.

Now I know it is a router issue, any ideas?

Plenty of SD TV's that can't do progressive have Component inputs (at least in my experience).

And yes, in my opinion it will look better even at 480i than Composite.

I had my 360 hooked up that way before I purchased HDTV's, with no issues using the component cables that used to come with 360's. I did have to make sure the switch was set to standard def on the cable, but again that was the cable that came with the 360's previously.

I'm wondering if the Monster cables don't allow that option and is trying to pass progressive to the set.

I'm not in a place to check, but I'm wondering if you could hook it up with the composite cables, and override the display on the 360 menu, and then hook it back up with the component cables. I can't remember all the options under display settings on the dashboard.

Update:

Try this with the component cables connected:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911059

thanks sniper.

that is what i suspected with the Monster cables. i ordered the Mircosoft one with the switch and will try hooking it up, making sure the switch is in the SD position.

xbox.com also said to take Y(green) connection and put it into the composite port to at least see the display and change settings, but doing it this way i am not sure how the XBOX would detect a component connection unless the red, green in component, combined with blue in composite would register in order for me to even see the HDTV settings in display.

as it is when you have the composite hook-up you can't even get into the HD menu setting in Dashboard.

i just hope that works because as it is, i have the composite hooked into VCR and need to turn VCR on and select input 1 to make XBOX work. it isn't a bad picture at all, but you can see very light wavy lines and kinda flowing pattern in background. just simply not the way to hook it up.

do the points cards at Target and such give you a better deal then if you bought a game/content outright on Live?

when it says $25.00 plus applicable taxes for say 2,000 points...how much are the taxes? and when you purchase points is there a way to see exactly how much you were charged in "My Account"?

and why are normal games that you can still buy in stores so expensive? wouldn't they be cheaper since it is just a download and not the physical media? i looked into GTA IV and it is $29.99. i would rather pay cheaper for a used disc...

Just get GTAIV off Fleabay, there's a ton of brand new ones selling for less than $19.99.

1600 Point Cards are $19.99 everywhere. Taxes would be whatever your state tax rate is. Are they $25 through MS?

That's the million dollar question that no one has an answer for.

You shouldn't need to see the HDTV settings on the TV if its an SD TV, even with the component cables. There's nothing for it to detect as far as I know, since you are just passing an analog signal. You're just using a better analog connection that separates the bandwidth of the colors, much like hooking up a DVD player via S video or Component instead of Composite. You should just be able to hook it up component and if you are using the component connections and seeing a picture, it will be as clean as you are going to get on an SD tv.

I'm curious, did you try this with the Component cables that you have connected: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/911059 ?

I think its your TV rejecting those overpriced Monster cables. I heard those require a Bose surround sound setup to work properly ;-)

If you buy MS points through the console you don't have to pay taxes.

Downloading the full game is simply for convenience. It's not cheaper. And if you don't like the game you can't sell it or even let a friend borrow it. Just buy used or at least wait until the game drops in price. There are so many games you can get that are cheap that you'll be busy for a long time.

i didn't try anything actually. i bought the first Monster cable (which is actually cheaper then the MS ones from Amazon) and it didn't work and then i returned them without checking into all this first. i have the MS component cable coming tomorrow and hope for better success.

the TV is 480i, so that should work when i do the settings. one of the links mentioned i had to get into the HDTV settings on Dashboard to change to 480i or something. i figured that was why the Monster's didn't work because it wasn't set or i didn't do the reset thing like you posted. with the switch on the actual cable with the MS ones i think/hope/pray that will do the trick. if not i am coming for you sniper, coming for you in a big painful way that will rock your core till the end of days!!!!!

what about buying them on xbox.com? why would they charge online and not through console?

it is $25 for 2,000.

All I can tell you is, I've connected a 360 via component cables to an SD TV without a single issue. Of course now that I've got one of the 360's hooked up to a 50" Plasma, and the other 360 connected to a 37" LCD (I make my son use that one ;-) I'll never have to worry about connecting a 360 to an SD TV again.

Dude, when are you going to start playing an actual game? Plug that shit in, slap in a disc, and go at it.

i just haven't had the time. School wipes me during the week. waiting for the "big break" and looking very forward to it.

i did download the full game for Bionic Commando: Rearmed and played like one minute, literally. loved it. this was my favorite NES game and i am so happy to have it in its full color glory with updated graphics. the controller was shaking in my hand and everything. i had no idea it did that!

really can't wait to play RE 5, Batman, Ghostbusters, etc...

very big ups to 'sniper308'!!!

i was having a fine day. only 3 classes today, then it all went south, a bit anyway. last class of day i had to write a kid up which i hate doing. had to stay late and e-mail home, write up, etc...

got in my car and the "Maintenance Req'd" light stayed on. it was blinking for a few days now and didn't know why because usually it just means i need an oil change (Honda Accord), but i just had an oil change not more than a month ago.

so it was on and i got nervous. with school 40 mi from home didn't know if i should go home and take somewhere after school and see if they could even see it or wait til the morning and take it to a place i know near work and cab it back and forth or whatever. was just giving me a headache. called a place at home, but they were booked and mentioned it might need just a light reset because oil change place might not have done it.

then called Honda dealer near my home and they said it was probably not reset and that i could do it and easily. the service lady told me how, i got home and sure enough it is gone.

knew i was getting the component cable from Amazon today and just didn't think i would have the strength to hook it up and wonder if it would work and fret and be agitated if it didn't. but, i sucked it up, changed from work clothes and just did it. took me a few minutes to move the tv and hook it all up. then...i turned the XBOX on.................................................................................................. .................................................................................................... ....... i saw a picture!!!!

and what a picture it was. it worked and it looked amazing. gone was the hazing and ghosting i saw with the composite hooked into VCR. gone was the shadowy black colors and wavy green and white. the blacks looked brilliant. it all looked amazing.

put on the demo of Lego Indiana Jones for a few seconds and it just looked breathtaking. as you can see with Lego and BC, i am just amping to actually view a next-gen game, i view these old-school games as i am an old-school gamer by nature and then looked forward to being wowed with the graphics of next-gen.

with this new hook-up working perfectly and looking better then anything i had viewed with a game before i am, in a word, psyched!

i feel so relieved, so calm, and winding down to finally relax for the night. all the pieces are now in place for maximum enjoyment. this load off the mind i have renewed enthusiasm for fun with gaming.

i won't go crazy, but it is nice to know i will finally be able to experience and enjoy what all you all have been talking about for years now.

i will have more questions, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps in a few days, but thanks to all for getting me started with XBOX 360 and thanks again to 'sniper308' for hand-holding me through this "what i made out to be more of a dilemma then ever should have been"!

Even GatorDeb thinks this thread is self-indulgent.

I am so glad I limited this to just topics only.

Despite our 10.25% sales tax here, Best Buy does not charge me tax on points cards. I think they ring up like gift cards -- you pay the actual price (I guess you can't tax the purchase of virtual cash)

I think jeffbase34 might have competition for thread of the year...I was sure he would run away with it this year...

but seriously I look forward to your reaction to Bioshock.....

What the what