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Xbox 360ing on a 5:4 monitor.

LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
edited June 2008 in Games and Technology
I just recently got an Xbox 360.

Yay!

I am playing it on my monitor at 1280 x 1024 via VGA.

Seemingly the vast majority of games run in what looks like 16:9 widescreen letterboxed mode. Am I missing some option to change this, or does it vary on a game by game basis? Is there a list of which games are 5:4 compatible, or I guess 4:3 compatible too (with letterboxing, but much less of it)

Also, I tried the demo of Hitman Blood Money, and it wouldn't run, because that game is 50hz only, and aparently my monitor won't go to 50hz. Is there a setting to force 60hz or something, or is that just exclusive to the demo? If there are a significant number of 50Hz only games, again, is there a list for them? Mercanaries for the oxbox won't run for the same reason. Any solution there?

I am having some issues setting up networking via my PC, but that's another thread I think.

Cheers.

LewieP on

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    TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    go to the system blade, then console settings, then display, then screen format, and choose standard instead of widescreen.

    then sign up for xbox live, go to the xbox live blade, go to friends, hit A, select "add friend" and type in "The Perfect K" without quotes and hit send.

    TheSonicRetard on
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    LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Yeah, I should have said, I did that, but seemingly most games I have tried, and most demos, are in widescreen only.

    PGR3 is not widescreen only.

    Perfect Dark Zero, Stunman Ignition, Tony Hawk American Wastland (OMG how the hell did they get away with calling that an Xbox 360 game, it looks like a PS2 game with next gen effects added), Kameo and Blue Dragon are all Widescreen only.

    Edit: As I said, issues connecting to Live atm, I don't understand DNS and every tutorial google sends me to doesn't work, but you can add "Savygamer" in the meantime ;D

    LewieP on
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    The DeliveratorThe Deliverator Slingin Pies The California BurbclavesRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    there are a bunch of 360 games that letterbox when the console is in standard mode. It's kinda lame, and a copout by devs. Also, the 360 only really supports two aspect ratios properly: 4:3 and 16:9. Regardless of the aspect of the resolution, the actual image will be one of those two. It's a somewhat sore point with me since i use a 16:10 monitor, which means everything is stretched vertically a tiny bit.

    The Deliverator on
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    Zilla360Zilla360 21st Century. |She/Her| Trans* Woman In Aviators Firing A Bazooka. ⚛️Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    LewieP wrote: »
    Edit: As I said, issues connecting to Live atm, I don't understand DNS and every tutorial google sends me to doesn't work, but you can add "Savygamer" in the meantime ;D
    Try putting these into the 360's network settings:

    208.67.222.222
    208.67.220.220

    They're OpenDNS's servers. :)

    Zilla360 on
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    LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Zilla360 wrote: »
    LewieP wrote: »
    Edit: As I said, issues connecting to Live atm, I don't understand DNS and every tutorial google sends me to doesn't work, but you can add "Savygamer" in the meantime ;D
    Try putting these into the 360's network settings:

    208.67.222.222
    208.67.220.220

    They're OpenDNS's servers. :)

    Nope, still nothing...

    LewieP on
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    LeztaLezta Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    I'd give up on most OxBox games on a monitor, if I were you. For some reason it's a problem MS don't seem to bothered about fixing. No 50hz via VGA and you can't force 60hz mode to things that didn't have it.

    It really, really sucks, honestly.

    Lezta on
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    HashyHashy Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    What 360 games don't support 60hz? I would've thought that would be a Microsoft imposed quality standard along with widescreen and achievements.

    edit: didn't pick up that "OxBox" meant original xbox

    Hashy on
    :winky:
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    LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Lezta wrote: »
    I'd give up on most OxBox games on a monitor, if I were you. For some reason it's a problem MS don't seem to bothered about fixing. No 50hz via VGA and you can't force 60hz mode to things that didn't have it.

    It really, really sucks, honestly.

    Luckily for me, the two games I wanted to work already do, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, which I love to replay, and Ninja Gaiden, which I picked up but never got around to playing, work great. It's just a shame Mercenaries doesn't.

    I should test more of my games now.

    LewieP on
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    LeztaLezta Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Hashy wrote: »
    What 360 games don't support 60hz? I would've thought that would be a Microsoft imposed quality standard along with widescreen and achievements.

    Afaik all 360 games do.

    Lezta on
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    DixonDixon Screwed...possibly doomed CanadaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    DNS - dynamic naming system...what sorta router are you using lewiep?
    You'll want to make sure dhcp is on on your router and open these ports
    UDP 88
    UDP 3074
    TCP 3074

    Then you'll want to make sure that no other program is using these ports...I had a terrible time with this at first where my MSN on my laptop was fucking me over...

    Dixon on
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    LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    It's a belkin wireless router, plugged into the phone line downstairs, and then a USB adpapter in my PC, then a wire from the Xbox to my PC.

    LewieP on
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    DHS OdiumDHS Odium Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    When I first got my 360 I played on a monitor at 1280x1024. Yes, most games letterbox, don't feel bad though, you're getting 720p. For those games that support and display in full screen, you are actually seeing less than if you played them on a true widescreen, just like fullscreen and widescreen DVDs.

    In short, enjoy the letterboxing, either way, your games will look good.

    DHS Odium on
    Wii U: DHS-Odium // Live: DHS Odium // PSN: DHSOdium // Steam: dhsykes // 3DS: 0318-6615-5294
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    DaedalusDaedalus Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Many 360 games only do letterboxed widescreen on any 4:3 display, including 1280x1024 monitors and SDTVs. It sucks, but that's the way it is.

    Daedalus on
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    LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    DHS Odium wrote: »
    In short, enjoy the letterboxing, either way, your games will look good.

    Yeah, they all still look great, I was just wondering if I was maybe missing something. It's really annoying when FPSs, of all games, don't support non-widescreen resolutions, it would take like 5 minutes to throw together a different viewing angle.

    It's ironic too. I went from having a Gamecube on a widescreen telly and hating Nintendo for not forcing devs to support 16:9, and now it's the other way round with my 360.

    So, is there a list anywhere that shows which games are which? I would like to know before I buy, as it would probably have some bearing on purchase decisions.

    LewieP on
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    DixonDixon Screwed...possibly doomed CanadaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    LewieP wrote: »
    It's a belkin wireless router, plugged into the phone line downstairs, and then a USB adpapter in my PC, then a wire from the Xbox to my PC.


    Not sure how familiar you are with computers but if you log onto your router you can check how things are running. Most likely your computer is setup as a bridge to handle the xbox and it's not passing a long the DNS information usually it does but it may be some weird combination things that have caused it to not do this like that particular Belkin model along with the fact that your hooking up a Xbox, now you should be able to manually assign an IP and DNS for your 360 which would fix this problem.

    To logon on to your router you need to open up a browser window like Internet explorer and type in the address bar 192.168.2.1 This is the defualt gateway it called of the router. You may know how to do this but just making sure as I'm at work and can't post as often as I would want so I'm getting it all in now.

    If that number doesn't bring up any page, you'll have to open a command prompt window which is done by going to the start menu, then to 'Run' and typing 'cmd' in the window. This brings up a small black dos like window and in here type 'ipconfig' this lists your ip address as well as the DNS and default gateway. Now there dns numbers you can try typing in manully into your xbox but I doubt this will work, what you can do instead is take that default gateway number and type that in your internet browser page and that should bring up the belkin page, now only do this if the number I already posted doesn't work.

    I'm just leaving work now so i'll post the rest when i get home :P

    Dixon on
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    LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Yeah, I got about that far, got the DNS number from my router, but that doesn't work, I just fail at DNS.

    Oddly enough, my internet access on my PC breaks whenever I turn the 360 on...

    LewieP on
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    DixonDixon Screwed...possibly doomed CanadaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    hmm...wish i had a wireless adapter so i could bridge over the connection, but I'm pretty sure you'll have to estup some sort of dns translation to get it to go over to the xbox...OH what you can do is go to the network connections thing in control panel. Then right click on the adapter go to properties then go to status and see if it gives you the DNS there...

    But I'm pretty sure your going have to setup some static IP and set a DNS in the router for the xbox specifically, just because of how you have it setup, I don't think DNS goes over to well on something being used as a bridge, especially since its a xbox

    Dixon on
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    LewieP's MummyLewieP's Mummy Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    you know, I read the words, but...

    you guys amaze me:
    a) what you know, and
    b) your willingness to help each other out.

    Its beautiful.



    So, Lewie, you bought the 360? And you can't get the aspect ratio right cos you're a noob? Shame, but I bet the games have mint cell shading.

    LewieP's Mummy on
    For all the top UK Gaming Bargains, check out SavyGamer

    For paintings in progress, check out canvas and paints

    "The power of the weirdness compels me."
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    Shooter McgavinShooter Mcgavin Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    AWWWWWWWW

    Shooter Mcgavin on
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    TM2 RampageTM2 Rampage Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    there are a bunch of 360 games that letterbox when the console is in standard mode. It's kinda lame, and a copout by devs. Also, the 360 only really supports two aspect ratios properly: 4:3 and 16:9. Regardless of the aspect of the resolution, the actual image will be one of those two. It's a somewhat sore point with me since i use a 16:10 monitor, which means everything is stretched vertically a tiny bit.
    That's the reason I returned my 16:10 monitor and am getting one that supports proper 16:9 with black bars on the top and bottom.

    TM2 Rampage on
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    SchideSchide Yeoh! Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Ok, this is related so I have a question. What would provide the best picture on a widescreen monitor with a 360 among the following connections: VGA, DVI-D, and S-Video.

    Schide on
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    ginguskahnginguskahn Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Schide wrote: »
    Ok, this is related so I have a question. What would provide the best picture on a widescreen monitor with a 360 among the following connections: VGA, DVI-D, and S-Video.

    Vga unless you have an Xbox with a HDMI port then u can convert HDMI to DVI and that will be (slightly) better).

    Lewie, are your bridging your connection from your PC to the Xbox? I presume the PC is running XP? If you loose the internet on the PC when the Xbox is on your issue is probably with the connection sharing on the PC.

    ginguskahn on
    ginguskahn360.png
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    ErchamionErchamion Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Crossover cable might fix it, unless I'm completely off.

    edit: After thinking more, this is definitely the issue if you're trying to use a standard patch cable.

    Erchamion on
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    SchideSchide Yeoh! Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    ginguskahn wrote: »
    Schide wrote: »
    Ok, this is related so I have a question. What would provide the best picture on a widescreen monitor with a 360 among the following connections: VGA, DVI-D, and S-Video.

    Vga unless you have an Xbox with a HDMI port then u can convert HDMI to DVI and that will be (slightly) better).

    Ok, so then I'll have to get a 360 VGA cable to get the best picture. Great, thanks.

    Schide on
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    GyralGyral Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    I love have Lewie's Mum on the boards. She's like his own personal burn unit.

    Gyral on
    25t9pjnmqicf.jpg
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    TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Gyral wrote: »
    I love have Lewie's Mum on the boards. She's like his own personal burn unit.

    She's basically my favorite poster.

    TheSonicRetard on
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    Shooter McgavinShooter Mcgavin Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Gyral wrote: »
    I love have Lewie's Mum on the boards. She's like his own personal burn unit.

    She's basically my favorite poster.

    Basically.

    Shooter Mcgavin on
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    TheSonicRetardTheSonicRetard Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Gyral wrote: »
    I love have Lewie's Mum on the boards. She's like his own personal burn unit.

    She's basically my favorite poster.

    Basically.

    Essentially.

    TheSonicRetard on
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    Shooter McgavinShooter Mcgavin Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    Gyral wrote: »
    I love have Lewie's Mum on the boards. She's like his own personal burn unit.

    She's basically my favorite poster.

    Basically.

    Essentially.

    I should build her a cake.

    Shooter Mcgavin on
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    LewieP's MummyLewieP's Mummy Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    a chocolate one! (woken up, playing Phalla in D&D, sad woman that I am, I know.)

    LewieP's Mummy on
    For all the top UK Gaming Bargains, check out SavyGamer

    For paintings in progress, check out canvas and paints

    "The power of the weirdness compels me."
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    Shooter McgavinShooter Mcgavin Registered User regular
    edited June 2008
    a chocolate one! (woken up, playing Phalla in D&D, sad woman that I am, I know.)

    Dang, she plays DnD. I'm not even that hardcore.

    Guess I'll get to that cake now.

    Shooter Mcgavin on
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