Optimal Method of Connecting Xbox 360 to HD TV

I have decided to start playing my Xbox 360 more now that Halo 3 has came out, so I need to know how to configure it with a 1080i HDTV. So far, the only cables I have are the ones that came with the Xbox 360. If someone can simply tell me how to get the best quality, that would be great.

do you have hdmi ports? If not go with component...

[quote467fc43155="manOFice"]do you have hdmi ports? If not go with component...[/quote467fc43155]

Oh okay, my Xbox 360 is old so it doesn't have a HDMI port. I guess I am stuck with component then.

Edit Will I notice a difference if I plugged in my Xbox 360, that does not have a HDMI port, into a HDTV and use the component cable that came with the 360? The cable has a switch that allows you to choose TV or HDTV, but will I notice a difference without HDMI?

[quote831aa90498="Daggoth"][quote831aa90498="manOFice"]do you have hdmi ports? If not go with component...[/quote831aa90498]

Oh okay, my Xbox 360 is old so it doesn't have a HDMI port. I guess I am stuck with component then.

Edit Will I notice a difference if I plugged in my Xbox 360, that does not have a HDMI port, into a HDTV and use the component cable that came with the 360? The cable has a switch that allows you to choose TV or HDTV, but will I notice a difference without HDMI?[/quote831aa90498]

I would assume there would be a big difference between component and hdmi?? But component still outputs a great picture

Yah, there probably is a big difference but only the newer Xbox 360s have a HDMI port. Is there a reason I should hook up the 360 to a HDTV if I don't have a HDMI port on the 360?

If you don't have the new 360 w/ hdmi you have to go w/ the components, which are still really great.

Not there is NOT a big difference between HDMI and Component in terms of image quality. Both will output 1080i just fine. HDMI also carries digital audio if you care about such things, but if your HT gear isn't compatible with it, then it gains you nothing. It's a digital signal compared to Component being analog, but at the bandwidth needed for 1080i, you'd have to have a really crappy cable or an electrically noisy HT environment to impact the analog signal quality.

How come only the VGA cable allows for DvD upscaling ?
This is something I always wondered.

[quote089b14da44="samz465"]How come only the VGA cable allows for DvD upscaling ?
This is something I always wondered.[/quote089b14da44]
A design decision by Microsoft, or a consequence of the components they chose.

The MPAA and most movie studios oppose any sort of analog upconversion beyond 480p, because it can't be DRM'd. They put a lot of pressure on DVD player manufacturers to eliminate component upconversion to 720p/1080i and especially 1080p. By now nearly all have complied. For awhile Samsung made component-upconverting players, but I don't think they do any longer. 480p is about the best you'll find over component nowadays. VGA is also analog, but I expect Microsoft was able to slip it under the radar without much argument, since VGA is not so simple to record from, at least without a PC or expensive converters in the mix.