How do you attach a console to a monitor?

kirbymixmasta

Member
Jul 11, 2005
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I haven't done much research hehe. But since I had to take my TV out of my room due to space I was wondering how this is done?
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
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1. some like my Dell 2001FP have S-Video and composite ports
2. you apparently can buy VGA adapters for some consoles
3. ?- viewsonic? acer? makes TV adapters for monitors that do S-vid/comp conversion
4. some software-based TV tuner cards. The hardware ones are much better for recording TV, but they add too much lag for gaming.
 

Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
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The Nextvision N6 video processor, can accept 480i(as well as 320x240 which I think most older systems used), 480p, 720p, 540p, and 1080i and output it in a pc resolution ranging from 640x480 to 1280x1024. There are transcoders which will directly convert the signal, but many monitors are unable to accept an HDTV resolution and will just blank. It will also accept regular TV input so you can use your monitor as a TV.

Note you need component cables and progressive scan for best quality.
 

Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
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Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
For the xbox: http://www.x2vga.com/

Even better, with this:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/

uh..but that is more than 3x the cost, and if you just have an xbox, doesn't really help much.

But it works for everything, including HDTV content, whereas the X2VGA is likely to only work with 480p in most monitors, so old and new content can be played on your monitor, and not just your xbox.
 

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
For the xbox: http://www.x2vga.com/

Even better, with this:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/

uh..but that is more than 3x the cost, and if you just have an xbox, doesn't really help much.

Please explain.


You can get a less capable N5 and watch TV on yout PC Monitor. Viewsonic's webpage says (for the N6):
You can view your own video content in multiple resolutions up to 1280x1024.
meaning any resolution below 1280x1024 can be displayed. Lower Resolutions are de-interlaced and upconverted to 1280x1024.

Notice that I did not recomend the HD12 with the HDTV tuner installed. It would do the same as the N6 but do it a little bit better.
 

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
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Last time I checked most monitors sold in the last 8 years can display 1280x1024.
 

Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
5,957
7
81
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
For the xbox: http://www.x2vga.com/

Even better, with this:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/

uh..but that is more than 3x the cost, and if you just have an xbox, doesn't really help much.

Please explain.


You can get a less capable N5 and watch TV on yout PC Monitor. Viewsonic's webpage says (for the N6):
You can view your own video content in multiple resolutions up to 1280x1024.
meaning any resolution below 1280x1024 can be displayed. Lower Resolutions are de-interlaced and upconverted to 1280x1024.

Notice that I did not recomend the HD12 with the HDTV tuner installed. It would do the same as the N6 but do it a little bit better.

I wouldn't get an N5, the quality is much worse.
 

vailr

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
5,365
54
91
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
4. some software-based TV tuner cards. The hardware ones are much better for recording TV, but they add too much lag for gaming.

A "software-based TV tuner card" is probably the easiest solution. Such as an ATI TV Wonder (Pro or non-Pro), Hauppauge Win TV, Leadtek Expert, and many other similar TV tuner cards.


 

trapper700

Member
May 5, 2005
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Originally posted by: vailr
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
4. some software-based TV tuner cards. The hardware ones are much better for recording TV, but they add too much lag for gaming.

A "software-based TV tuner card" is probably the easiest solution. Such as an ATI TV Wonder (Pro or non-Pro), Hauppauge Win TV, Leadtek Expert, and many other similar TV tuner cards.


I have a Leadtek winfast tv2000xp expert (46 shipped from newegg) that I bought last week so that I can connect my xbox/ps2/gc at the dorms when i move there this weekend. So far it's been pretty good, I'm still trying to get the video quality to be a bit better, but I still need to go out and buy some svideo cables. The quality with composite isn't too bad and the games are playable, and as long as they are, I'm happy. I haven't been using dscaler too much yet to try and increase my quality, but you can look here to see examples of the card with svideo and dscaler.
 

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
Originally posted by: Fox5
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
For the xbox: http://www.x2vga.com/

Even better, with this:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/

uh..but that is more than 3x the cost, and if you just have an xbox, doesn't really help much.

But it works for everything, including HDTV content, whereas the X2VGA is likely to only work with 480p in most monitors, so old and new content can be played on your monitor, and not just your xbox.

On the N6 HDTV is downconverted. To view in full 720p or 1080i you will need the Viewsonic HD12. But for XBOX and general USE the N6 is the smart buy.
 

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
Originally posted by: Fox5
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
For the xbox: http://www.x2vga.com/

Please explain.


You can get a less capable N5 and watch TV on yout PC Monitor. Viewsonic's webpage says (for the N6):
You can view your own video content in multiple resolutions up to 1280x1024.
meaning any resolution below 1280x1024 can be displayed. Lower Resolutions are de-interlaced and upconverted to 1280x1024.

Notice that I did not recomend the HD12 with the HDTV tuner installed. It would do the same as the N6 but do it a little bit better.

I wouldn't get an N5, the quality is much worse.

The price differance between n5 and n6 is not much. Either one is great but the N6 is the best bang.
 

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
Originally posted by: ShadowBlade
try a TV tuner card
a good one can be had for <$100 and then you also have a dvr if you want to buy the software http://www.pcalchemy.com for software or tv tuner/mce2k5/remote control bundles

Not quite as good of a solution as the Nextvision from Viewsonic. A tuner card will require you to leave your PC Turned on 24/7. Then you will have to worry about frame rates dropping because the AV Scanner comes on (or something like that). The N6 does not have to worry about that. It (the N6) is a much more elegant and proper solution.
 

Excelsior

Lifer
May 30, 2002
19,047
18
81
Originally posted by: Fox5
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
For the xbox: http://www.x2vga.com/

Even better, with this:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/

uh..but that is more than 3x the cost, and if you just have an xbox, doesn't really help much.

But it works for everything, including HDTV content, whereas the X2VGA is likely to only work with 480p in most monitors, so old and new content can be played on your monitor, and not just your xbox.

Are you on drugs?

"he X2VGA+ High Definition VGA Pack by Neoya unleashes the full video performance of the Xbox. With the X2VGA+ and a standard VGA monitor, users can play their favorite Xbox games at 480p, 720p, or 1080i resolutions"
 

Excelsior

Lifer
May 30, 2002
19,047
18
81
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
For the xbox: http://www.x2vga.com/

Even better, with this:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/

uh..but that is more than 3x the cost, and if you just have an xbox, doesn't really help much.

Please explain.


You can get a less capable N5 and watch TV on yout PC Monitor. Viewsonic's webpage says (for the N6):
You can view your own video content in multiple resolutions up to 1280x1024.
meaning any resolution below 1280x1024 can be displayed. Lower Resolutions are de-interlaced and upconverted to 1280x1024.

Notice that I did not recomend the HD12 with the HDTV tuner installed. It would do the same as the N6 but do it a little bit better.

I stand by my claim...if someone wants to simply hook their xbox up to their computer monitor, nothing more than the X2VGA+ is needed. Agree?

If they would like to do more, sure, I bet the Nextvision N6 is a wonderful piece of hardware.
 

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
For the xbox: http://www.x2vga.com/

Even better, with this:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/

uh..but that is more than 3x the cost, and if you just have an xbox, doesn't really help much.

Please explain.


You can get a less capable N5 and watch TV on yout PC Monitor. Viewsonic's webpage says (for the N6):
You can view your own video content in multiple resolutions up to 1280x1024.
meaning any resolution below 1280x1024 can be displayed. Lower Resolutions are de-interlaced and upconverted to 1280x1024.

Notice that I did not recomend the HD12 with the HDTV tuner installed. It would do the same as the N6 but do it a little bit better.

I stand by my claim...if someone wants to simply hook their xbox up to their computer monitor, nothing more than the X2VGA+ is needed. Agree?

If they would like to do more, sure, I bet the Nextvision N6 is a wonderful piece of hardware.

the N6 or HD12 is much more flexible and does the same thing as the X2VGA and is not application specific. The Nextivision will still be in use when XBOX2 comes out and you will not need a new adapter. And Imagine all of the other possibilities you could do with an N6 or HD12.

The X2VGA certainly is better than the TV Tuner Idea someone mentioned earlier.
 

Fox5

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
5,957
7
81
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Fox5
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
For the xbox: http://www.x2vga.com/

Even better, with this:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/

uh..but that is more than 3x the cost, and if you just have an xbox, doesn't really help much.

But it works for everything, including HDTV content, whereas the X2VGA is likely to only work with 480p in most monitors, so old and new content can be played on your monitor, and not just your xbox.

Are you on drugs?

"he X2VGA+ High Definition VGA Pack by Neoya unleashes the full video performance of the Xbox. With the X2VGA+ and a standard VGA monitor, users can play their favorite Xbox games at 480p, 720p, or 1080i resolutions"

No, I'm not, it's because the X2VGA+ directly converts from component to VGA, many monitors(especially LCDs) do not have native support for 1280x720 and 1920x1080, and thus won't display anything. Most xbox games are only 640x480, but xbox 360 will be 1280x720 standard, and likely won't use the same cables as xbox anyhow, so you'd have to buy a new vga adapter for x360.
 

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
Originally posted by: Fox5
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Fox5
Originally posted by: Excelsior
Originally posted by: Googer
Originally posted by: Excelsior
For the xbox: http://www.x2vga.com/

Even better, with this:
http://www.viewsonic.com/products/accessories/tvvideoprocessors/nextvisionn6/

uh..but that is more than 3x the cost, and if you just have an xbox, doesn't really help much.

But it works for everything, including HDTV content, whereas the X2VGA is likely to only work with 480p in most monitors, so old and new content can be played on your monitor, and not just your xbox.

Are you on drugs?

"he X2VGA+ High Definition VGA Pack by Neoya unleashes the full video performance of the Xbox. With the X2VGA+ and a standard VGA monitor, users can play their favorite Xbox games at 480p, 720p, or 1080i resolutions"

No, I'm not, it's because the X2VGA+ directly converts from component to VGA, many monitors(especially LCDs) do not have native support for 1280x720 and 1920x1080, and thus won't display anything. Most xbox games are only 640x480, but xbox 360 will be 1280x720 standard, and likely won't use the same cables as xbox anyhow, so you'd have to buy a new vga adapter for x360.

Yes!

That is what makes the N6 the better buy: You can use it for so much more than playing XBOX. It can be used for PS1, NES, PS2, VCR's, GameCube, SNES, Atari 2600, Comodore64, DVD, TiVO, Hi8, TV Viewing, Camcorders, CCTV, ETC. The list of things you can do with the N6 (or even better HD12) can go on forever, but you cannot say that about the X2VGA because it is only capable of doing one thing.