Xbox 360: change to PAL 60hz

Tags: xbox 360, TV, television

After getting back my Xbox 360 from repair I was reminded of an awkward bug in the system. I couldn't play two of my games, DOA and Crackdown, because they only run in PAL 60Hz. The default setting for my Xbox system is PAL 50Hz. Seems ok right? just go to settings > video and make the changes. But its not so simple. My Xbox is running in HD mode through component input to my TV. This completely removes the options for choose PAL settings from the system menu leaving (I presume) many users lost.

The solution is to turn off your Xbox 360, change the switch on the video cable from HDTV to TV and then turn back on. This usually involves digging out the video block, connecting it up and finding a scart input to your TV. Now you can access the PAL settings to make the change to 60Hz. Then you can unplug all your cables and put it back as it was!

This is incredibly annoying. It seems these games are detecting a system setting and refusing to run, even when you're running in high-def mode and that setting (I assume) doesn't figure in to the equation as the Xbox doesn't even let you access it when in HD mode.

Update: Thanks for the comments. If your picture is coming up in black and white it's likely that your TV doesn't support 60hz and this is the best picture it can make from the signal.

Comments welcome!

Comments (40)

9 Jan 2009 08:12 by huderz04

what settings system

8 Jan 2009 05:13 by Mathias

Hi. I have a xbox 360 Elite and when i change to 60pal it just be white and black :(

PLZZZ Help!

5 Jan 2009 01:48 by JoetheElephant

I have an Arcade 360. No matter what I do the screen is in Black and White. If I hook it up to a High Def TV the picture is in color but it will not play games that are rated for 60 hertz. I am a Missionary in Madagascar and I bought it in South Africa. I am now in the USA and it these are the problems that I am encountering. Can anyone help?

30 Dec 2008 05:32 by Deano

Tried all this. Problem for me is when I select PAL 60 screen goes black for a bit and then comes back with it still in PAL 50 mode. Frustrating. TV Is HD but using AV cable. Any ideas

29 Dec 2008 11:20 by Rick

yeah i have the same problem

-when i set my tv to pal 60hz for my xbox360 its in black and white :/

can anyone help please? as most of my games require 60 pal setting

17 Dec 2008 08:54 by Peter

I have an arcade 360 and when i change 2 PAL 60 everything goes blck and white so i cant play well on PGR4. Wot do i do????
PLEASE HELP

28 Nov 2008 12:14 by jammy doja

yeh mate helped me loads,

6 Nov 2008 08:36 by jacobb164

THAKZ ALOT I GOT MINE WORKIN NOW

5 Nov 2008 07:05 by Dan

Thanks, can play blood money now!!!

4 Oct 2008 12:58 by Kevblog

The switch is on the xbox end of the cable which connects to your TV. So its actually ON the cable itself on the large plastic lump bit sticking out of the xbox.

1 Oct 2008 07:11 by gfd

i cant find this switch ur talkin about

22 Sep 2008 05:16 by phil

my xboxs paly setting is at 50 n i cnt fnd how to change to 60

14 Sep 2008 07:25 by jonnerEIRE

this worked like a charm thanks

the heart of a horse this man has ! haha

6 Sep 2008 05:50 by nextgladiator

Thanks fella

4 Aug 2008 01:35 by Janitsi

Richard, you asked ''does anyone reckon or know if gta4 will be in 50hz??''

And i can gladly tell, that Grand Theft Auto 4 supports 50hz.

13 Jul 2008 05:47 by Billthedonkey

You are a legend

10 Jul 2008 11:57 by timmo

cheers bud

27 Jun 2008 09:57 by Suder

Thanks for the help. 10/10

13 Jun 2008 03:06 by StevenMcmurray

Thanks Man (y) ! ..
Ive Been Soo Annoyed Trying To Work it Out :L
Legend ;) !

13 Jun 2008 02:20 by Polack Jack

Man Graphics look shit now.

Cheers for the info dude was on the verge of taking a crowbar to my 360.

24 May 2008 12:20 by skafa

top 1000 tanx from me mate youre the best
now i can finnaly play HITMAN BLOODMONEY Again

19 May 2008 09:59 by Jim

Thanks mate, you have just saved me smashing my xbox up!!! lol

15 May 2008 05:53 by Bomben

fuck i was getting aggravated, just wanted to play, but NO.
Thanks for this!

14 May 2008 05:37 by poopy

yeah couldnt believe this setting was hidden and i was in bloody 50hz all the time now i have 60hz which is what it should be, just need to shutdown then flick the switch on cable-boot up set for 60hz shutdown flick switch again (yawn) and bootup, now all we need is a setting like ps3 so you dont autoboot any disc you put into console that would be sweet.

21 Apr 2008 07:12 by richard

my telly isn't crazily old, maybe between 10-15 years (ok its no spring chicken) but it doesn't take 60hz, which means i'm fucked, after buying an xbox360 and realising this fundamental flaw, half of my games are going to be in fuzzy black and white, furious! does anyone reckon or know if gta4 will be in 50hz??

8 Apr 2008 01:52 by Hicky

Fantastic been farting around for hours some games worked like gears of war which is supposed to be pal60 only.very strange glad to have now sorted it.YOUR AN ANGEL cheers

31 Mar 2008 04:33 by oioi

thanx 4 the help bbe love u long time

30 Mar 2008 01:24 by Rowley

Cheers mate!

7 Mar 2008 03:06 by joker

nice i was trying for like 30 mins
thanks

2 Mar 2008 07:10 by Shadow Bat

You just saved me shit loads of time! Thanks very much mate!

10 Dec 2007 09:45 by waheey

oh thank god mate i was buggering around for ages with it lol

26 Nov 2007 10:57 by Zoomy

year m8 if u got Xbox 360 u are well cool

3 Oct 2007 03:04 by Ryudo Masamune

Excellent!! Thanks a lot!

29 Sep 2007 01:54 by danno1no1

legend Thanks very much

7 Sep 2007 01:02 by matty.s

nice one mate i thought it was going to be my t.v that would allow the xbox to run in 60hz.

5 Sep 2007 11:15 by Halo3 Addict

Thanks for the info. Shame there isn't any mention of this on xbox website or in the manual, could have saved me a lot of trouble.

14 Aug 2007 05:29 by Spud

Cheers dude - i was lucky, your site was the first hit on my Google search and your insutructions saved me a lot of time!

One small thing i noticed - you don't even have to find a scart input to your TV after you switch the video cable from HDTV to TV; i just left the component cable connected as it was and that enabled me to access the PAL settings under System - Console Settings - Display.

Big thanks for the instructions dude!

10 Aug 2007 12:35 by Yaab

thx mate!
very helpful! :-)

26 Jul 2007 10:51 by WS85

U just saved my xbox from being thrown out the window! it was really starting to annoy me!

Cheers dude.

3 Jul 2007 09:04 by jonah

U just saved me hours mate. top work!