While attempting to play an Xbox 360 Game, your screen becomes black or distorted

Your Xbox 360 console is set to PAL 50 hertz (Hz) and you cannot play an Xbox 360 game on your console. You may experience the following issues when you play the game:

• The game is slow to start.
• You experience choppy gameplay or in-game video.

Additionally, you may receive an error message when you try to play the game.

This behavior occurs when you try to play an Xbox 360 game and the console is set to PAL 50 Hz. Some games may not support PAL 50 Hz.

Set your 360 console to PAL 60 Hz. For instructions about how to set your Xbox 360 console to PAL 60 Hz , see the "More Information" section.

Standard definition TVs

If you connect your Xbox 360 console to a standard definition TV, follow these steps to set the Xbox 360 display settings to PAL 60 Hz:

1. Turn on the Xbox 360 console.
2. In the Xbox Dashboard, select System, and then press the A button.
3. Select Console Settings, and then press the A button.
4. Select Display, and then press the A button.
5. Select PAL settings, and then press the A button.
6. Select PAL-60, and then press the A button.
7. When you are prompted to keep these new settings, confirm the settings, and then press the A button.

High definition TVs

If you connect you Xbox 360 console to a high definition TV set, follow these steps to set the Xbox 360 display settings to PAL 60 Hz:

1. Turn off the Xbox 360 console.
2. Find the HDTV switch on the AV Connector, and then set the switch to TV.
3. Turn on the Xbox 360 console.
4. In the Xbox Dashboard, select System, and then press the A button.
5. Select Console Settings, and then press the A button.
6. Select Display, and then press the A button.
7. Select PAL settings, and then press the A button.
8. Select PAL-60, and then press the A button.
9. When you are prompted to keep these new settings, confirm the settings, and then press the A button.
10. Turn off the Xbox 360 console.
11. Set the HDTV switch on the AV Connector to HDTV.

VGA cables

If you use VGA cables to connect your TV to your Xbox 360 console, you must use an Xbox 360 Composite AV Cable or an Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable to make the display setting change to PAL 60 Hz. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Switch from the VGA cable to an Xbox 360 Composite AV Cable or an Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Turn off the Xbox 360 console.
   2. Remove the VGA cable that connects the TV and the Xbox 360 console.
   3. Reconnect the TV to the Xbox 360 console by using the Xbox 360 Composite AV Cable or the Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable that came with your Xbox 360 system.
   4. If you use the Xbox 360 Component HD AV Cable, make sure that you set the HDTV switch on the AV connector to TV.
2. Configure the console to use PAL 60 Hz. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Turn on the Xbox 360 console.
   2. In the Xbox Dashboard, select System, and then press the A button.
   3. Select Console Settings, and then press the A button.
   4. Select Display, and then press the A button.
   5. Select PAL settings, and then press the A button.
   6. Select PAL-60, and then press the A button.
   7. When you are prompted to keep these new settings, confirm the settings, and then press the A button.
3. Connect the VGA cable again to play the game. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Turn off the Xbox 360 console.
   2. Reconnect the TV to the Xbox 360 console by using the VGA cable.
   3. Turn on the Xbox 360 console.

Here are some games that support PAL 60 Hz:

• The Outfit
• Elder Scrolls Oblivion
• NBA 2K6
• NHL 2K6
• Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter
• Top Spin 2
• Dead or Alive 4 (DOA4)

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: