Ask Tecca: How do I make my Xbox 360 look amazing?

Logan asks Tecca:

I own an Xbox 360, and I want to make the picture on my new 46" HDTV look the best. What can I do?

A good question! It all comes down to the kind of signal you're sending to your TV. In order to send this signal to your TV, you need to connect a cable up from the back of your Xbox 360 to your TV. This might mean plugging in an adapter (which comes with your console) or using the connections directly from the back of the box. Either way, there are three types of cables you can hook up, each one giving you a progressively better picture.

The Worst: RCA video out
The worst kind of cable you can connect your 360 to your TV with is a standard RCA video cable. This has one video out plug accompanied by two audio plugs. This signal was great for the Nintendo and ColecoVision, but it isn't any good for a high-definition gaming device like the 360.

The Mediocre: Component out
In a component out cable, which comes standard with the majority of Xbox 360 consoles, you hook up red, green, and blue connectors to the corresponding inputs on the back of your TV (along with two audio inputs). This picture is pretty good and looks okay for a lot of stuff, but you can still notice a difference when compared to the next option, the HDMI cable.

The Best: HDMI out
Newer Xbox 360s allow you to connect an HDMI cable right from your console to the TV, delivering you the best digital video and audio signal possible. HDMI cables usually sell for quite a bit in stores, but if you check online at a place like Newegg or Amazon, you can usually find an inexpensive 6' HDMI cable. It's important to remember that you don't need an expensive HDMI cable — any one will do.

If the connections on the back of the Xbox 360 confuse you, don't despair. Check out our visual guide to video game system connections for more information.

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