Xbox 360 HDMI Conversion Kit review

The adapter let us set any of the five standard TV resolutions via the Xbox 360 Dashboard--480i, 480p, and HD 720p, 1080i, and 1080p. In terms of picture quality, however, we didn't see a discernable difference between the HDMI adapter and using the original included component cables: games, DVDs, and Xbox Live Marketplace videos all looked pretty much the same (which is to say quite good). In other words, don't buy the adapter--or an HDMI-equipped Xbox 360--if your only ambition is to have a better-looking gaming experience. Instead, the Mad Catz adapter is all about reducing clutter; you're getting just one or two cables, instead of the octopus of wires that is the Xbox 360 component adapter.

Priced at $90, the HDMI Conversion Kit for Xbox 360 may seem a bit expensive, but this certainly beats shelling out $350 for a new Xbox 360 with an HDMI port. To repeat: skip this unit if you're looking for "digitally enhanced" picture quality--on most TVs, you won't see a noticeable difference versus component. But if you've got an HDMI-centric home theater system--say, something like the Sony HT-CT100, which has several HDMI and optical ports, but no component video inputs--this accessory may be just what the doctor ordered.