When you use your Xbox 360 console, the image on your TV is unclear

When you use your Xbox 360 console, the image on your television is unclear, flickers, or has other display issues.

This article contains step-by-step guidance to help you determine your situation, and then this article guides you through the appropriate methods to resolve the problem.

When you use the Xbox 360 console with a television, you may experience one of the following symptoms:

• The display is not clear.
• The screen flickers.
• The screen fades to black.
• The screen strobes or displays polygons.
• Incorrect colors are displayed.

This issue may occur for several reasons. The issue is most likely related to a setting on your television or to the connection between your Xbox 360 console and your television.

Note If the symptom occurs only during game play, the issue could be a feature of the game.

Game-related display issues

Some games have features that may appear to be a display issue but are actually part of the game's special effects. To determine whether the display issues are specific to a particular game, try playing a different game to see whether the same symptom occurs.

Note Some Xbox original games that were released for the original Xbox console may show some display issues when you play them on the Xbox 360 console. Please see the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article for more information about issues with the Xbox original games, and then return to this article if your issue is not addressed:

Check the AV cable connection

You will want to make sure that AV cable is connected correctly to the Xbox 360 console and to the TV. Make sure that the AV cable is not loose or incorrectly seated in both the Xbox 360 console and the TV. Also, make sure that you have the correct AV cable for your TV.

To verify that the AV cable is connected correctly to the Xbox 360 console and to the TV, you can disconnect the AV cable and then reconnect the AV cable to both devices. For more information about how to disconnect and reconnect the AV cable, please see the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base that best matches the type of AV cable that you are using. Then, return to this article after you perform this task. Click the one of following article numbers to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

• 906144  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906144/ ) Xbox 360: How to connect the Xbox 360 console by using the Xbox 360 Composite AV Cable
• 906303  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906303/ ) Xbox 360: How to connect an Xbox 360 console to a TV by using the Component HD AV Cable
• 906202  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906202/ ) Xbox 360: How to connect the Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable
• 906203  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/906203/ ) Xbox 360: How to connect the Xbox 360 S-Video AV Cable
• 937898  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/937898/ ) Xbox 360: How to troubleshoot Xbox 360 HDMI video and audio issues

Note If you are using composite cables, do not try to set any HDTV settings. If you try to set HDTV settings, you may lose the picture. Even though you may be able to set HDTV settings on the console, this will not work with composite cables. You must have either the Xbox 360 VGA HD AV cable or the Xbox 360 Component HD AV cable to correctly view HDTV content from the console on your HDTV.

Check your TV's settings

Some display issues can be caused by how the TV is set up. To make sure that this is not the case, please check your TV's settings. For more information about how to check your TV's settings, see the owner’s manual for your TV.

In your TV's settings, you should check the following:

• Make sure that your TV is set to the same video broadcast system as your Xbox 360 console (PAL or NTSC). For example, if your Xbox 360 console is an NTSC console, make sure that your TV supports NTSC.
• If your Xbox 360 console is a PAL console, set your PAL settings to PAL 60.
• If your TV has a type of picture compensation enabled, disable it. Examples of picture compensation include the following:
  • Dynamic contrast
  • Automatic compensation
  • Contrast detection
  • Light detector
  These features may have different names depending on the make and the model of your TV.

If your TV's settings are correct, you may want to try using a different TV, if you have one available. Try connecting your Xbox 360 console to another TV to see whether the same display issues occur.

Reset your Xbox 360 console

Finally, if the issue is still not resolved, reset the display settings of your Xbox 360 console. To reset the display settings to the default settings, follow these steps:

1. Remove any discs from the disc tray.
2. Turn off the console.
3. Turn on the console.
   
   Note If you are using an Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, turn on the console by using the Xbox Guide button on the controller. Make sure that you use the player 1 controller when you do this. The player 1 controller will have the upper-left quadrant light illuminated.
4. As the console starts, press and hold the Y button, and then pull the right trigger at the same time.
   
   The Xbox Dashboard resets the display settings to the default settings and then automatically restarts the console.

Note Do not take your Xbox 360 console or its accessories to your retailer for repair or for service unless an Xbox Customer Support representative asks you to do this.

Additional support

If the steps in the previous section did not resolve your issue, your console may have to be repaired. For more information about how to start the online repair process, please visit one of the following Web Page links: For more information about how to contact Xbox Customer Support directly, please visit the following Microsoft Web site:

For more information about Xbox 360 settings and PAL settings, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: