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[Big HDD]

ok, i have found five different ways to convert xbox output to VGA, but also they have spawned questions......here they are:
1.  Buy the Neoya X2VGA box or the others like this.
2.  Buy an M$ HD Pack and buy a cable with compoent male ends on one side and a 15-pin VGA mae connector on the other....like this:  http://cgi.ebay.com/...&category=32835
3.  Buy an adaptor that converts component to VGA like this one:  http://shop.system-m...oduct.asp?3=120
4. Take your original cables and buy a VGA extension cable and make your own with tutorials such as these:  http://xbox-scene.co...s/vga-cable.php    or this one:  http://xbox-linux.so...s/howtovga.html
5.  Hardwire(solder) the VGA output directly to your motherboard and drill the back of your xbox and put it there.
Here is an AWESOME MODDERS job: http://forums.xbox-s...T&f=60&t=117473

Also, off of these, i have got some questions.....
1.  OF course, which one is the best, reliable, cheap, and others.
2.  I have a 36 inch Sony trinitron flat tv wega, and it has component in, but it aint a HDTV(720P or 1080i), but i am pretty sure it'll do 480P for me, and since most games are only 480P anyways, that works out.....should i just get a HD pack and use that on my TV and be done with it, or should i get a monitor(don't got one yet, but will get one with my computer in the next couple months, and might as well just buy it earlier), either a samsung 19 inch flat from Sam's Club for around 160-180, or a refubished viewsonic e90fb+ i think for 170 b4 shipping from there site(retails for aroung 310 i think), which one should i get also, and then do one of the methods above. I am not going to buy the Neoya X2VGA or one of those, and i am not going to solder my own on the mobo, and i wont get an external adapter either, so I will either make my own cable or buy a HD pack and a two ended cable, one component and the other end VGA 15-pin.
any help would be appreciated to any of the questions above
thanks

[Big HDD]

bump....??

[spillage]

The cable adaptor method is the best I think if you aint drilling and willing. The linux mode seems simply and will work so long as you follow the circuit build diagram for the sync stripper. The box cannot do H&V sync for VGA so it has to be made by stripping them off the green signal using a chip called an LM1881 (cheap) that is what is installed in mine. Bear in mind that VGA does not work all the time with all games and definately not M$ dash. You still need retail cables to start. I noticed whilst on 'the usual place' the other night that a new new vga bios offering better performance is out and a better one again will follow. My advice would be to hang on a mo' and wait to see what the boffins come up with. You can still build a cable though.

[gerzand]

I purchased a HD pack from MS , and I had a spare VGA extension cable lying around. So I used this Guide to make my own VGA male ------> Y Pr Pb RCA cable as seen Here . I connected it to my Dell LCD screen but i doesnt detect a signal. I know its wired correctly because i double checked the pins Pr = 1/6(gnd) , Y = 2/7(gnd) , and Pb = 3/8(gnd) . Is this correct?  Also, is it necessary for a LCD Display to be receiving a Vsync and Hsync from the xbox for it to work? How would I wire that? I've heard about using a lm1881 chip in a AVIP ------> VGA cable to create a vsync off of the Y (green), but is this necessary when using a MS HDTV pack? Thanx alot guys!
                                                                        Gerzand

[Foe-hammer]

QUOTE (Big HDD @ Nov 2 2003, 07:24 AM)

ok, i have found five different ways to convert xbox output to VGA, but also they have spawned questions......here they are: 1.  Buy the Neoya X2VGA box or the others like this. 2.  Buy an M$ HD Pack and buy a cable with compoent male ends on one side and a 15-pin VGA mae connector on the other....like this:  http://cgi.ebay.com/...&category=32835 3.  Buy an adaptor that converts component to VGA like this one:  http://shop.system-m...oduct.asp?3=120 4. Take your original cables and buy a VGA extension cable and make your own with tutorials such as these:  http://xbox-scene.co...s/vga-cable.php    or this one:  http://xbox-linux.so...s/howtovga.html 5.  Hardwire(solder) the VGA output directly to your motherboard and drill the back of your xbox and put it there. Here is an AWESOME MODDERS job: http://forums.xbox-s...T&f=60&t=117473 Also, off of these, i have got some questions..... 1.  OF course, which one is the best, reliable, cheap, and others. 2.  I have a 36 inch Sony trinitron flat tv wega, and it has component in, but it aint a HDTV(720P or 1080i), but i am pretty sure it'll do 480P for me, and since most games are only 480P anyways, that works out.....should i just get a HD pack and use that on my TV and be done with it, or should i get a monitor(don't got one yet, but will get one with my computer in the next couple months, and might as well just buy it earlier), either a samsung 19 inch flat from Sam's Club for around 160-180, or a refubished viewsonic e90fb+ i think for 170 b4 shipping from there site(retails for aroung 310 i think), which one should i get also, and then do one of the methods above. I am not going to buy the Neoya X2VGA or one of those, and i am not going to solder my own on the mobo, and i wont get an external adapter either, so I will either make my own cable or buy a HD pack and a two ended cable, one component and the other end VGA 15-pin. any help would be appreciated to any of the questions above thanks

1. The x2vga and the xboxvga are the best trancoders (converts component to vga) around, and give true perfect vga image.  You can use these adapters to get vga out of the xbox without modding it.

2. The only way this will work is if combined in conjunction with the vga bios.  If the vga bios do are not on, the picture will be green.  And, not all games support the bios.  Games like morrowind, splintercell, and KOTOR pictures turn green after the first save is booted up.  So, modding the xbox is required to run the vga bios.  IMPORTANT: This will only work with monitors that sync on green.  If the monitor doesn't sync on green, a sync seperator will also have to be installed.

3. This is the shittiest transcoder around.  Colors are not vibrant, and picture is too dark.

4. Same question as #2.

5. Same process as question #2, just a lot more envolved.

Also, your tv more than likely doesn't support 480p.
And, a monitor will give the sharpest, vibrant, cleanest picture possible.  Even better than any hdtv.

[gerzand]

Can anyone help with my dilemma?

[Foe-hammer]

QUOTE (spillage @ Nov 2 2003, 04:01 PM)

I noticed whilst on 'the usual place' the other night that a new new vga bios offering better performance is out and a better one again will follow.

I just checked at xbins, and just the two old beta vga bios are there; Pixel8's and TATX.  What are you talking about?

[Foe-hammer]

QUOTE (hessian @ Nov 3 2003, 09:07 PM)

QUOTE (gerzand @ Nov 4 2003, 07:05 AM) Can anyone help with my dilemma? Foe-Hammer explained the answer. All you have made is a component extension cable, with a VGA connector on on end. It is still only a component signal and is not VGA. This cable is used for people that have projectors that accept a component signal, but do not have the connector, such as the Infocus X1.

Explain what?

As far as getting a true vga signal (not component; we are not transcoding the signal here like the x2vga which converts compnent to vga) by just using a ms hd pack, you can in conjuction with the vga bios.  Just seperate the red, green, and blue wires (along with their respected grounds) and connect them to the correct pins in a 15pin vga cable.  It's really that simple.  Now you'll have to use the vga bios to view the picture in full color; ms decided to not allow vga support in their bios which makes the screen all green, but without the vga bios colors are perfect .

[gerzand]

Foe-hammer,

Ok, i understand what you are saying about it being that simple as long as you have the VGA bios. But why does it not need H & Vsyncs? what is the purpose of the LM1881 chip in non-HD Pack homemade VGA cables then if its not needed?

[Foe-hammer]

QUOTE (Foe-hammer @ Nov 3 2003, 07:23 PM)

IMPORTANT: This will only work with monitors that sync on green.  If the monitor doesn't sync on green, a sync seperator will also have to be installed.

Read my above quote.

[Foe-hammer]

[Lifter]

Damn.  This sucks.  I just got a new CRT front projector and it's like such a frickin tease.  My Xbox is in a seperate room from the theater so playing off the harddrive is pretty crucial.  But the TATX doesn't work w/ the new media check and my two fav games (Morrowind & KOTOR) go green.

I was using a Viewsonic N6 transcoder/scaler.  The thing is absolute shite.  Everyone, stay away from it.  The improvement from going RGB straight out of the Xbox is so much better it's like night and day.