How to fix Xbox One TV integration picture judder problems
Image refresh rate mismatch means all UK Xbox One models suffer from image judder and dropped frames
The TV integration feature of Microsoft’s Xbox One is causing considerable judder on fast-moving content here in the UK, because it uses a higher refresh rate than our 50Hz set-top boxes.
The successor to the company’s highly popular Xbox 360, Microsoft’s Xbox One has had a slightly troubled launch. First, a small number of users have reported problems with the console’s Blu-ray drive which cause it to emit grinding noises and refuse to read games or films – something Microsoft has admitted and says it is addressing. While this affects only a small number of users, a software bug has been discovered which affects all Xbox One units sold in the UK.
One of the biggest differences between the Xbox One and its predecessor, aside from the increase in processing power, is its HDMI input port. Designed to put the Xbox One at the centre of a user’s home entertainment setup, the HDMI input port allows a gamer to connect a satellite, cable or freeview set-top box to the Xbox One and watch TV through the console. Sadly, in the UK, that feature isn’t working as well as it should.
Audiovisual specialist HDTVtest has reported that all Xbox One consoles sold in the UK are running at a 60Hz refresh rate. When fed with a 50Hz HDMI signal from a set-top box, the standard for UK equipment, the result is a picture that jerks and judders. In the US, where the Xbox One was developed, a 60Hz refresh rate is standard.
Until Microsoft addresses the issue with a software update, Xbox One owners who use the TV integration feature are advised to try the following workaround: in the console settings, go into the display settings and have the Xbox One automatically detect the TV’s capabilities. When the list of resolutions appears, manually select 720p then reject that setting by answering ‘No’ on the resulting pop-up. This forces the console into a hidden 50Hz mode – one that, ideally, the console should automatically use when the HDMI input is activated in the UK and other 50Hz countries.