OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

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ASDR
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OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by ASDR »

Sorry for two threads, but I thought it's best to put this in its own place. I just posted about replacing some of the caps in both of my OG XB units. While doing this I noticed my just repaired 1.6 kinda looks like crap compared to the 1.4 I've been using for a while.

I use it with a Monster component cable and one of those interposer optical out thingies into a mechanical component switch into the OSSC with 480pX2 + Upsample2X. 1.4 looks good, no complaints. 1.6, not so much. Specifically, compared to the 1.4:

- Seems like there's a bit more noise in dark colors. I get a tiny bit on the 1.4, probably due to the switch, rats nest of wires and god knows what else, but I'd say it's worse
- A bit more 'jitter'. In vertical UI lines etc. things jiggle a bit. Not too much, might not even notice it at viewing distance, but it's there
- Probably most noticeable, there's some kind of ringing going on. Like oversharpening or the echos from a crap PS2 component cable
- It just looks less sharp. I want to turn off the Upsample2X just to get back some extra sharpness

I've heard that the 1.6 is supposed to have worse image quality once or twice, but that looks rather severe. I wonder if my recap job did cause this, but then again the 1.4 looks exactly the same after swapping the same caps for the same replacements. Hmm.
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ASDR
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by ASDR »

For what it's worth, the replacement caps I used are used are these:

https://docs-emea.rs-online.com/webdocs ... e4e9bf.pdf

3300uF, 6.3V, 10x25mm, 105C, Low ESR. All the same as the original Nichicons. The 1.4 looks the same with the replacement caps. Since the 1.6 was broken for a long time I don't have a direct before/after comparison, but it sure looks bad compared to the 1.4. For instance on the right edge of the picture there's a brighter vertical strip, looking like echos from a poorly made cable with missing caps or like a crappy oversharpening upscaler. I think really the 'ringing' type artifact is the most noticeable. I know that the 1.6 uses a different kind of video encoder chip and that it even has some compatibility issues, but I can't imagine it's that bad. I also don't think the recap job could cause this, it's same-spec quality caps that worked fine in the 1.4 console. Maybe there's something else broken in the 1.6, maybe some caps on the analog output side need replacing.

Anybody who has a 1.6 and an earlier model to compare or knows about video output faults on the OG XB, please share :D
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citrus3000psi
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by citrus3000psi »

IIRC their are two different video dacs. Perhaps you could pop your consoles apart and see if they are different or the same.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by nmalinoski »

It looks like the 1.6 uses the Xcalibur video encoder, which reportedly has some compatibility issues.

The Xcalibur chip is supposedly a custom design, and I expect the dev kits were all based on the Conexant chip used in the 1.0~1.3 models; so I would think it's not out of the realm of possibility that the 1.6s would have 1CHIP Syndrome.
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ASDR
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by ASDR »

Yeah, I said in the OP that they're using totally different video encoders!

I'm just surprised by how crap the 1.6 looks compared to the 1.4. It's like how my PS2 looked with 5$ china component cables vs official Sony ones. Noise, ringing/echos, blurryness. I also noticed while boxing it up today that the 1.6 xbox seems to get warm on the idle/off on the PSU side. My 1.4 does not do that either (maybe it's charging that clock capacitor real good...). Maybe mine's just crap or maybe that entire revision of the console is bad. No idea, let's wait for the MyLifeInGaming shootout video! If I had to buy another xbox I'd definitively try to get a <1.6 one. No 480p in Panzer Dragoon and no TSOP Flash possibility should be reason enough. Also, on the 1.6 you'll have to replace 5 3300uF caps, on the 1.4 it's just three :D
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by Ikaruga11 »

Good
1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

Average
1.4, 1.5

Bad
1.6a
1.6b
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ASDR
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by ASDR »

GeneraLight wrote:Good
1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

Average
1.4, 1.5

Bad
1.6a
1.6b
Good to have that confirmed :D How do you know that? Personal experience or is there some actual comparisons / captures somewhere (couldn't find any)?
Ikaruga11
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by Ikaruga11 »

ASDR wrote:
GeneraLight wrote:Good
1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3

Average
1.4, 1.5

Bad
1.6a
1.6b
Good to have that confirmed :D How do you know that? Personal experience or is there some actual comparisons / captures somewhere (couldn't find any)?
Nothing scientific. My list is based on reading the anecdotes of various forum posts and compatibility with certain games.

1.0, 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 all use the original Conexant video encoder, which will play all XBox games perfectly.

1.6a and 1.6b both use the XCalibur video encoder, which has issues displaying Fable, Gunvalkyrie, Jet Set Radio Future, and Panzer Dragoon Orta in 480p.

I've read that YPbPr output is best on the Conexant XBoxes, while RGB output is actually best on the XCalibur XBoxes.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by ASDR »

GeneraLight wrote: Nothing scientific. My list is based on reading the anecdotes of various forum posts and compatibility with certain games.

1.0, 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 all use the original Conexant video encoder, which will play all XBox games perfectly.

1.6a and 1.6b both use the XCalibur video encoder, which has issues displaying Fable, Gunvalkyrie, Jet Set Radio Future, and Panzer Dragoon Orta in 480p.

I've read that YPbPr output is best on the Conexant XBoxes, while RGB output is actually best on the XCalibur XBoxes.
Ok, I've read about the compatibility issues but didn't see anything on actual video quality.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by daskrabs »

GeneraLight wrote:I've read that YPbPr output is best on the Conexant XBoxes, while RGB output is actually best on the XCalibur XBoxes.
This. If you're using RGB, 1.6 Xcalibur are the only ones that produce a clean image.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by thebigcheese »

The best option, since Xboxes are so cheap right now (I've bought two with games and controllers for $20 each), is to buy an early model and a late model and steal the optical drive out of the later one :) Best of both worlds!
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by ASDR »

thebigcheese wrote:The best option, since Xboxes are so cheap right now (I've bought two with games and controllers for $20 each), is to buy an early model and a late model and steal the optical drive out of the later one :) Best of both worlds!
Didn't know they were interchangeable between models, that's good to know!

Long-term all those optical drives are going to die, so we should probably prepare for loading games from the HDD. The default build-in drive is of course too small for more than a game at a time, but I'd just recommend that people soft-mod and zero out the HDD key right away. This way if years down the road either the optical or HDD dies you can easily fix things and keep playing games.

If you can really just swap drives it's good to know that even if you get a console with a dead drive you only need to swap one in for 5min to softmod it and can then play games from the HDD.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by thebigcheese »

ASDR wrote:Didn't know they were interchangeable between models, that's good to know!

Long-term all those optical drives are going to die, so we should probably prepare for loading games from the HDD. The default build-in drive is of course too small for more than a game at a time, but I'd just recommend that people soft-mod and zero out the HDD key right away. This way if years down the road either the optical or HDD dies you can easily fix things and keep playing games.

If you can really just swap drives it's good to know that even if you get a console with a dead drive you only need to swap one in for 5min to softmod it and can then play games from the HDD.
Yup! I think the mounting may technically be slightly different, but I swapped them in mine and it works great. Have the more reliable drive from the newer one in the more hack-friendly (and more compatible) older revision. The only bummer with the old revision (and it's very minor) is that the menu is in 480i and can't be set to 480p. Games all run at the correct resolutions, though. Oh well.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by Ikaruga11 »

thebigcheese wrote:
ASDR wrote:Didn't know they were interchangeable between models, that's good to know!

Long-term all those optical drives are going to die, so we should probably prepare for loading games from the HDD. The default build-in drive is of course too small for more than a game at a time, but I'd just recommend that people soft-mod and zero out the HDD key right away. This way if years down the road either the optical or HDD dies you can easily fix things and keep playing games.

If you can really just swap drives it's good to know that even if you get a console with a dead drive you only need to swap one in for 5min to softmod it and can then play games from the HDD.
Yup! I think the mounting may technically be slightly different, but I swapped them in mine and it works great. Have the more reliable drive from the newer one in the more hack-friendly (and more compatible) older revision. The only bummer with the old revision (and it's very minor) is that the menu is in 480i and can't be set to 480p. Games all run at the correct resolutions, though. Oh well.
What XBoxes have 480i-only menus?

Also, can I place a 1.1 motherboard inside a 1.2 case?
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by thebigcheese »

The ones with the earlier graphics chips. Literally just the system menu, not the in-game menus. So again, really minor complaint. But the later chip changed that. Regarding motherboards, that I don't know.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by nmalinoski »

thebigcheese wrote:
ASDR wrote:Didn't know they were interchangeable between models, that's good to know!

Long-term all those optical drives are going to die, so we should probably prepare for loading games from the HDD. The default build-in drive is of course too small for more than a game at a time, but I'd just recommend that people soft-mod and zero out the HDD key right away. This way if years down the road either the optical or HDD dies you can easily fix things and keep playing games.

If you can really just swap drives it's good to know that even if you get a console with a dead drive you only need to swap one in for 5min to softmod it and can then play games from the HDD.
Yup! I think the mounting may technically be slightly different, but I swapped them in mine and it works great. Have the more reliable drive from the newer one in the more hack-friendly (and more compatible) older revision. The only bummer with the old revision (and it's very minor) is that the menu is in 480i and can't be set to 480p. Games all run at the correct resolutions, though. Oh well.
My Xbox is a 1.0 with a Thompson drive. I've only heard bad things about the Thompson drives, but mine works fine, probably because it has very few hours on it for its age. I don't think the guy I bought it from really used the console all that much, and the first thing I did when I got it home was softmod it, so it still works fine.

I also swapped the GPU heatsink/fan with one of the larger, passive heatsinks from a latter console and swapped out the rear case fan with one of those silent 70mm ones (which I didn't really need to do; just needed to oil the original), so now the loudest thing in it is the clunky, old IDE hard disk, which I'm prepared to swap with a newer SATA disk.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by Link83 »

thebigcheese wrote:The only bummer with the old revision (and it's very minor) is that the menu is in 480i and can't be set to 480p. Games all run at the correct resolutions, though. Oh well.
I think all Xbox's can support 480p in the dash, but the option was only added in one of the later dashboard updates (Included on the game disk with some later Xbox Live enabled games, like Halo 2) The latest 5960 dash definitely supports 480p - to enable it you must first be using component cables, then make sure that 480p is enabled in the video settings, and finally you need to pull both triggers and click both sticks on the controller at the same time whilst in the dashboard (and do the same again if you ever want to switch back to 480i)
Last edited by Link83 on Fri Mar 08, 2019 4:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by ASDR »

thebigcheese wrote:The only bummer with the old revision (and it's very minor) is that the menu is in 480i and can't be set to 480p. Games all run at the correct resolutions, though. Oh well.
On a (soft)modded xbox the only possible use for the original MS dash is setting the audio/video options, so you'd never even see it in normal operation.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by ASDR »

nmalinoski wrote:so now the loudest thing in it is the clunky, old IDE hard disk
haha yes, when messing with my two units it was a total, oh, yes, that's what HDDs used to sound like for me... I guess I'll do the whole HDD upgrade at some point.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by thebigcheese »

Link83 wrote:
thebigcheese wrote:The only bummer with the old revision (and it's very minor) is that the menu is in 480i and can't be set to 480p. Games all run at the correct resolutions, though. Oh well.
I think all Xbox's can support 480p in the dash, but the option was only added in one of the later dashboard updates (Included on the game disk with some later Xbox Live enabled games, like Halo 2) The latest 5960 dash definitely supports 480p - to enable it you must first be using component cables, then make sure that 480p is enabled in the video settings, and finally you need to pull both triggers and click both sticks on the controller at the same time whilst in the dashboard (and do the same again if you ever want to switch back to 480i)
Huh, I'll have to try that. I don't have the Halo 2 disc, so I'm not sure what I have, but didn't know about the button combo. My newer system just did it automatically when you changed the setting AFAIK.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by Link83 »

thebigcheese wrote:
Link83 wrote:
thebigcheese wrote:The only bummer with the old revision (and it's very minor) is that the menu is in 480i and can't be set to 480p. Games all run at the correct resolutions, though. Oh well.
I think all Xbox's can support 480p in the dash, but the option was only added in one of the later dashboard updates (Included on the game disk with some later Xbox Live enabled games, like Halo 2) The latest 5960 dash definitely supports 480p - to enable it you must first be using component cables, then make sure that 480p is enabled in the video settings, and finally you need to pull both triggers and click both sticks on the controller at the same time whilst in the dashboard (and do the same again if you ever want to switch back to 480i)
Huh, I'll have to try that. I don't have the Halo 2 disc, so I'm not sure what I have, but didn't know about the button combo. My newer system just did it automatically when you changed the setting AFAIK.
If you purchased the newer system second hand then perhaps the previous owner had already enabled 480p in the dash with the button combo?
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by TrantaLocked_ »

I have an Xbox 1.6 and I can't figure out what is supposed to be wrong with the 1.6 picture quality on component at 480p vs older models. I see comments about ringing and noise but I don't really see any of that on my console, and then confirmed after running the same game at 480p/YCbCr601 on my X360 that picture quality is the same, other than the X360's anti-aliasing. Are there any good comparison images to show a Conexant/Focus vs 1.6 Xcalibur? Does it have to do with cable quality, or even power supply?

If there's solid evidence of any differences I would like to see it. I've read things like the 1.6 has internal YCbCr 4:4:4 processing while older models have 4:2:2, but despite that the 1.6 still ends up looking worse (???). And then stuff like 480p component looks good but not 480i component. It's always the same old 1.0-1.5 component = good, 1.6, RGB SCART = good, but I can never find actual evidence or the context/conditions that may explain why something looks the way it does.

The only thing I can corroborate is that I think I can see the same noisy vertical strip on the right side of the screen that ASDR mentioned, but only when sending the signal to my monitor which shows the full 720x480 signal in improper 3:2 aspect ratio (it does at least reveal the problem, while my TV's proper aspect ratio adjustment to 4:3 hides the strip). My monitor also reveals that there are elements being rendered that shouldn't be there, like in Ninja Gaiden where the menu elements at the very top right side are not aligned, but I'm not sure if this applies to all Xbox revisions. The picture shifts to the left 1 line on 480p vs 480i as seen in the dashboard, though also not sure if this is all revisions or just 1.6. Could it be misaligned rendering on the Xcalibur? Maybe. But I can't seem to find those other picture quality issues people mention. Maybe the whole power supply / cap issue with the Pound HD Link and Xbox 1.4 could be a clue? And still I have no idea about the differences in internal YCbCr processing between the 1.6 and older revisions.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by TrantaLocked_ »

ross wrote:
TrantaLocked_ wrote:I have an Xbox 1.6 and I can't figure out what is supposed to be wrong with the 1.6 picture quality on component at 480p vs older models. I see comments about ringing and noise but I don't really see any of that on my console, and then confirmed after running the same game at 480p/YCbCr601 on my X360 that picture quality is the same, other than the X360's anti-aliasing. Are there any good comparison images to show a Conexant/Focus vs 1.6 Xcalibur? Does it have to do with cable quality, or even power supply?

If there's solid evidence of any differences I would like to see it. I've read things like the 1.6 has internal YCbCr 4:4:4 processing while older models have 4:2:2, but despite that the 1.6 still ends up looking worse (???). And then stuff like 480p component looks good but not 480i component. It's always the same old 1.0-1.5 component = good, 1.6, RGB SCART = good, but I can never find actual evidence or the context/conditions that may explain why something looks the way it does.

The only thing I can corroborate is that I think I can see the same noisy vertical strip on the right side of the screen that ASDR mentioned, but only when sending the signal to my monitor which shows the full 720x480 signal in improper 3:2 aspect ratio (it does at least reveal the problem, while my TV's proper aspect ratio adjustment to 4:3 hides the strip). My monitor also reveals that there are elements being rendered that shouldn't be there, like in Ninja Gaiden where the menu elements at the very top right side are not aligned, but I'm not sure if this applies to all Xbox revisions. The picture shifts to the left 1 line on 480p vs 480i as seen in the dashboard, though also not sure if this is all revisions or just 1.6. Could it be misaligned rendering on the Xcalibur? Maybe. But I can't seem to find those other picture quality issues people mention. Maybe the whole power supply / cap issue with the Pound HD Link and Xbox 1.4 could be a clue? And still I have no idea about the differences in internal YCbCr processing between the 1.6 and older revisions.
This post might help explain some of what's going on internally.
I've seen this and it doesn't go into detail on component differences, and why people say 1.6 component is bad.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by Dochartaigh »

TrantaLocked_ wrote:I've seen this and it doesn't go into detail on component differences, and why people say 1.6 component is bad.
My 1.6 looks perfect too - as seen on multiple CRT BVM's and such. I compare it all the time to my earlier one with custom VGA BIOS and Frozen VGA cable (RGBS output via LMH1980) and I can't tell a difference even with my face a foot from the screen...

My Wii via official Component cables also looks great - that's another system they say the component output is trash on... still don't know what they're talking about.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by djc5166 »

Link83 wrote:
thebigcheese wrote:The only bummer with the old revision (and it's very minor) is that the menu is in 480i and can't be set to 480p. Games all run at the correct resolutions, though. Oh well.
I think all Xbox's can support 480p in the dash, but the option was only added in one of the later dashboard updates (Included on the game disk with some later Xbox Live enabled games, like Halo 2) The latest 5960 dash definitely supports 480p - to enable it you must first be using component cables, then make sure that 480p is enabled in the video settings, and finally you need to pull both triggers and click both sticks on the controller at the same time whilst in the dashboard (and do the same again if you ever want to switch back to 480i)
You can also just edit the resolution flags MS Dash xbe to always force 480p. That's what I did.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by Syntax »

Funny no one has really mentioned that RGB from an xbox is sync on composite video, which looks horrible.

I see lots of mention of early Conexant and late Excalibure encoders but not much on the mid Focus encoders.

If you HV sync mod the xbox, run some custom VGA firmware to remove sync from green you get a crispy RGB picture.

Or just run a sync on green monitor and the VGA firmware.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by Spacemonkey »

Syntax wrote:Funny no one has really mentioned that RGB from an xbox is sync on composite video, which looks horrible.
What are you running RGB on? I use CRT monitors and the picture looks great.
Have noticed depending on the model either RGB or Component look better on my CRTs but didn't write down model numbers/haven't tinkered with in a while.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by TrantaLocked_ »

Spacemonkey wrote:Have noticed depending on the model either RGB or Component look better on my CRTs but didn't write down model numbers/haven't tinkered with in a while.
And that's the thing, because on my 1.6 I can clearly tell the interlaced signal over component to my HDTV looks washed out/color reduced compared to progressive which looks fine, which is why I think people say component looks worse on the 1.6 (because they're sending interlaced to CRTs). But I'm trying to figure out if there's something wrong with progressive on the 1.6.

I'm gonna be testing a few things over component to OSSC soon but I want to ask, is it even worth buying a SCART cable for 480i on my 1.6 if my aim is really for 480p to an HDTV? What about the CSYNC one from retrogamingcables (which costs $50 including shipping, so it's not a purchase I want to make lightly). I wanted to buy one at least to test differences but if It's gonna look basically the same image quality as component 480p besides very slightly better color then I don't want to spend the money.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by nmalinoski »

TrantaLocked_ wrote:I'm gonna be testing a few things over component to OSSC soon but I want to ask, is it even worth buying a SCART cable for 480i on my 1.6 if my aim is really for 480p to an HDTV? What about the CSYNC one from retrogamingcables (which costs $50 including shipping, so it's not a purchase I want to make lightly). I wanted to buy one at least to test differences but if It's gonna look basically the same image quality as component 480p besides very slightly better color then I don't want to spend the money.
In my opinion, no, because SCART is going to limit you to 480i/576i/PAL60. The only way you're going to get 480p out is through a component cable with YPbPr or, with the right board revision and mod, RGsB/RGBHV.

The CSync cable would only strip sync from composite video (maybe luma); it wouldn't necessarily get you a cleaner picture over a properly-shielded sync-on-composite cable, and it would likely lock you out of being able to get 480p+ output. I would only get it if I was intending to hook my Xbox directly to a 480i/576i-only PVM/BVM or something like an Extron Crosspoint that won't accept sync-on-composite or sync-on-luma.
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Re: OG Xbox 1.4 vs 1.6 picture quality

Post by PixelPhoenix »

TrantaLocked_ wrote: I've seen this and it doesn't go into detail on component differences, and why people say 1.6 component is bad.
Curious, where are you seeing this?

I don't think anyone is claiming component on 1.6 is bad, just that using RGB Scart on a 1.6 produces a much better image than RGB scart on a pre-1.6 Xbox.

Also, one thing I have noticed with 480p mode in Halo: CE (via component Monster cables, 1.3 softmodded) is that the image is considerably darker. I always figured this to be a case of me forcing 480p in a game that I always thought did not natively support it, but apparently Mark (Try) from MLiG is having the same issue, and I'm not sure what could be the cause.

For reference, this is on a 20L5, properly calibrated. 480i is just fine. You can reproduce the same results on an LCD.

I figure this either has to do with cable quality (though Monster cables are pretty solid) or the encoder, but I really can't say.
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