360+PC monitor = HD ?

[TomViolence]

Hi, I'm thinking of getting a new console and am looking at getting the 360. If I hook it up to my PC monitor using the vga cable will I be able to play games in HD ? The monitor is a Viewsonic 20.1" widescreen (native resolution 1680x1050)
I wondered how it worked when the game is set at 720p will it automatically fill the monitor screen ?
I was just going to hook it up to my non HD tv with the component leads, but would the monitor give a big jump in picture quality ?
Thanks.

[kempez]

Yep you'll get some glorious HD from that nice monitor.

I run mine on a Dell 2405 FPW from Component and it looks swish

[Lee`]

You will only be able to use it at 1360x768, using the HD VGA cable, but it looks VERY nice.

[Neo_VR]

Originally Posted by Lee`

You will only be able to use it at 1360x768, using the HD VGA cable, but it looks VERY nice.

Didnt the latest dashboard update add full 1080p support on VGA? i remember reading something about that

[Digerati]

what do you guys use for sound?

I sometimes use my VGA for better quality (I've only got a pal50 15" LCD TV) and I wanted to use my X-FI fatality for the sound input but i cant get it working, do any of you use that or wire it to a Hi-Fi?

[TomViolence]

Originally Posted by Lee`

You will only be able to use it at 1360x768, using the HD VGA cable, but it looks VERY nice.

Does that mean black borders round the image ? : 1080p would almost fit perfect. One downer though is that my PC soundcard doesn't have an optical input so no 5.1.

[Odc]

720p will be fine on that monitor. You will get black lines at the top and bottom that are a few pixels thick though.

[TomViolence]

If it's only a few pixels I can live with that, thanks. I think it would do me fine though until I can afford an HD ready TV.
What resolution would I have to set the monitor to for best settings ?
Here's the specs sheet from my monitor, it states a supported 720p mode ?

[kempez]

Yep you should be fine then

[Lee`]

The highest resolution is 1920x1200, but for that screen the 1920x1200 would mean you would get part of the image cut off. I have a samsung that has the same native and I use the 1360x768 and it looks very nice.

For sound I have a 'creative inspire 5.1 digital 5700' so I can use the digital optical out straight into my decoder.

[moosehound]

I use mine in 1280 x 1024 and it looks wicked :O) I just hack min into my stereo or reverse the 2 RCA audios into a minijack and use headphones :O)

At £10 for a HD VGA cable it's mental not to do it

moose

[TomViolence]

Originally Posted by kempez

Yep you should be fine then

Don't know how that would work though as I can't select 1280x720 on my desktop.

[streetster]

^^ if you have an nvidia card, go to the advanced display properties and you should be able to add 1280x720 as a custom res... not that you need to for your Xbox to work tho

[TomViolence]

It says the custom resolution cannot be added. Might sound daft but could this be because it only supports it through vga (I am using DVI)
Streetster, why would I not need to select the resolution for the xbox to work ok ?
Thanks.

[streetster]

Originally Posted by TomViolence

Streetster, why would I not need to select the resolution for the xbox to work ok ?

The xbox will be plugged into the monitor, not the computer, hence the monitor will adjust to whatever resolution is being fed in (by the xbox - which i assume you will have to set to 720p, i don't own a 360), thus windows settings will have no effect

[TomViolence]

Ahh, I see. So in theory set the 360 to 720p and that should be it. I've got one on the way with a vga cable so I'll soon find out.