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[nachomans]

well.....booting directly into avalaunch at 720 or 1080 and get something like pink and blue colors, when launch xbmc from ava, xbmc is all green.
Ill try to launch xbmc from ava 480p...to see what happens...

There are a lot of diagrams, lot of them using diferent pins!  
The metal avip connector isn´t connected to anything?

And in http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/Xbox_VGA_HOWTO  they bridge pin4 and 5 on vga connector.....

So confused...

[nachomans]

Well...nothing better than a few pictures...
I test the cable too many times, all is connected acorded to last diagram posted here...

Crazy taxi 480p launched from ava:
http://img206.images...dsc00046og5.jpg

(seems pink and blue)

Ava just after booting xbox:
http://img182.images...dsc00047hm6.jpg
(green, pink....)



Xbox 1.4 focus encoder, using flash tsoped with vga patched bios (x2 based)



XBMC in 480p...seems to look ok, too bright, but colors are almost accurate
XBMC in 720p   green
XBMC in 1080p green

[FrostyTheSnowman]

Interesting, those are some funky colors.

The diagram you NEED to follow is the one that I posted a few posts back. It is the correct one to use.

Also, what BIOS are you using? X2 4981? X2 5035?

Did you follow the tutorial in the readme exactly?

NOTE: I was getting some similar results from a user called dav-coms who was also using a Focus encoder too, but then other people have also told me that Focus encoders work just fine with my patcher. Can any other Focus users confirm this?

[nachomans]

Yes.....I did the cable according to your diagram a few posts back.

bios x2 4983, patched exactly like the readme says.

The only diference is that Im using tsop instead of modchip...

I cant use 5035 because of 256k tsop..

I though that x2 4983 was encrypted and cant be patched...but the readme says it can be patched.

What other vga patches or vga bios could I test? (only 256k)

[FrostyTheSnowman]

You might also want to try the X2 4981 BIOS.  The X2 4983 BIOS is encrypted, and may or may not work properly with my patcher. But I have personally tested the X2 4981 (The X2 4981 BIOS is not encrypted.) on my XBOX, and it works perfectly with my VGA patcher using my Conexant XBOX. (Focus should work fine too though.)

[nachomans]

Yup...more testing!!!

480p....looks weird...but.....turning on/off the monitor 2-3 times...and I get perfect picture!!!!!

At 720p or 1080i there isnt anything I can do....

With other patch (rgb.bios.patcher.v0.1)....the same thing happen....

BTW your patch is more stable..

So...I have nothing more to test....

[FrostyTheSnowman]

QUOTE(nachomans @ Dec 10 2006, 06:02 PM)

Yup...more testing!!!

480p....looks weird...but.....turning on/off the monitor 2-3 times...and I get perfect picture!!!!!

At 720p or 1080i there isnt anything I can do....

With other patch (rgb.bios.patcher.v0.1)....the same thing happen....

BTW your patch is more stable..

So...I have nothing more to test....

So, you're using the X2 4981 BIOS now, correct? And 480p looks great then, but 720p/1080i don't look correct... strange. I have had very few people use my VGA patcher with a Focus encoder, so I haven't been able to do much testing.

I will see what I can do about Focus encoders, but for now, I hope only using 480p will be okay.  

[nachomans]

Sorry...Im still using 4983.
480p with turning on/off the monitor, works perfect.

Tomorrow Ill patch a 4981, but I dont know if its the bios......seems like  an encoder problem....

[Metasparks]

Anyone been able to get this going with any of the DEBUG bioses?

[StompSC]

Hi,

I've got one problem in understanding the right settings...

XMBC is istalled as my dashboard.

Must the resolution be set only in the XMC Screen section of the Appearance Settings,
or must I start the MS Dash to make the setup there too,
like it is told in the XBMC Online Manual:

" Resolution: Changes the resolution that the User Interface is dasplayed. If your desired mode is not available, make sure you are using a compatible AV pack and have the modes enabled in the Xbox dashboard."

Thanks,

StompSC

PS I've net completed my cable yet, a friend has, and it seems he got only 480i in XBMC.

[Hoyt]

Howdy all,

I've been following the subject of Xbox VGA setups with great interest over the past few days.  Unfortunately I never learned the nuts and bolts for softmodding once I found out about the DuoX 2 GS modchip (I LOVE that cheap little dual bank setup).

I found something interesting that I have not seen mentioned in any of these threads and I thought I would post my findings in case it rang a bell with anyone that is tinkering with this (keep in mind that until six months ago I had never touched a game console before, so a lot of this is beyond my current level of understanding).

I have a Sony CPD-520GS 21" Trinitron monitor that has the RGB BNC connectors on the back of it.  I have connected the cables from a standard Microsoft HD pack to these using BNC to RCA adapters and the picture seams sharp and clear with correct colors when VGA is enabled properly on the box.  Someday I would like to build my own cable but for now this seems to work as far as the connection goes.

I first tried Frosty's VGA BIOS on a bank of the DuoX 2 on a 1.0 box and found it to work in the same pattern as a lot of folks (lots of games show up green).  The games that did work looked so good I wanted to find out how to get the rest going.

I then read that softmod VGA patches worked more reliably; unfortunately I just do not understand how to configure a softmod (all the dodging around copyrighted material gets me lost quite a bit).  I followed the method described by Textbook in this link on post #118:

http://forums.xbox-s...o...8396&st=105

Unfortunately I can not figure out the Ndure installs.  I got a couple of them to work but they only set up Evox as a dashboard and I HATE Evox (I have loved UnleashX since I first got a box modded and want to keep using it).  What I was able to figure out how to do was launch the out.xbe manually from the File Explorer.  For some reason though when the box booted from the on board Microsoft BIOS everything was still green, and I mean everything, even games that worked right with the VGA BIOS.

Here's where it gets interesting though.  I downloaded Frosty's patched 5101 BIOS for 1.0 boxes and flashed it to a bank of the DuoX 2 modchip, knowing that this BIOS was supposed to be a stock BIOS just with some visual glitches fixed.

Once I booted from the 5101 BIOS and clicked on out.xbe EVERYTHING WORKED.  And I mean EVERYTHING, even the MS Dash was not "too green" when I booted into it from the UnleashX menu.

There is one odd behavior that my shed some light on things.  When a game is launched that would always be green using the VGA BIOS from Frosty, it would switch to green during level changes.  The games I have that did this are Counter Strike, Unreal Championship and I believe MechAssault.  Once the level loaded though the green went away and the picture looked brilliant.

The softmod I installed was just off of the Auto Installer Deluxe 3.02 disc I created.  I selected "One Click Install" with UnleashX selected as the dashboard.  This is all I know about the type of softmod this is.

*If anyone knows how to get the out.xbe to launch automatically I would greatly appreciate that info!*

Also I wanted to mention that if I tried Frosty's VGA BIOS the out.xbe did not work, everthing that was normally green stayed green (I was hoping that would work).

So I guess what I am thinking is that there is a component in Frosty's 5101 BIOS for 1.0 boxes that when mixed with a component of dr_oldschool's patch makes a solution that seems to my eyes to be almost perfect.  When I did get one of the Ndure patch setups working the colors were way too dark.  The method in the above mentioned post gave pretty much perfect color rendition in all games and dashboards, the color even stayed perfect after hitting IGR repeatedly.

Sorry for the long winded post, but this subject has caught my attention just as good as when I first learned to upgrade an Xbox hard drive!

Also if anyone would like for me to test something I have several 1.0 and 1.6 boxes laying around in various states of modification (I collect them broken from pawn shops and fix them in my spare time).  From what I have seen as far as VGA work goes I should hang on to the 1.0s.

Thanks to everyone for their hard work, these things look incredible in VGA!

Hoyt

[FrostyTheSnowman]

QUOTE(StompSC @ Dec 11 2006, 05:42 AM)

Hi,

I've got one problem in understanding the right settings...

XMBC is istalled as my dashboard.

Must the resolution be set only in the XMC Screen section of the Appearance Settings,
or must I start the MS Dash to make the setup there too,
like it is told in the XBMC Online Manual:

" Resolution: Changes the resolution that the User Interface is dasplayed. If your desired mode is not available, make sure you are using a compatible AV pack and have the modes enabled in the Xbox dashboard."

Thanks,

StompSC

PS I've net completed my cable yet, a friend has, and it seems he got only 480i in XBMC.

In order to enable the 480p/720p/1080i settings you will need an XBOX HDTV cable, and you can only enable them through the Microsoft Dashboard. However, once they are enabled in the Microsoft Dashboard you can also enable/use them in all other applications.  

QUOTE(Hoyt @ Dec 11 2006, 06:21 AM)

From what I have seen as far as VGA work goes I should hang on to the 1.0s.

Thanks to everyone for their hard work, these things look incredible in VGA!

Yep, the v1.0 XBOXes are definately the most 'VGA Friendly' of all the versions, and VGA is absolutely beautiful on the XBOX.

QUOTE(Hoyt @ Dec 11 2006, 06:21 AM)

I then read that softmod VGA patches worked more reliably; unfortunately I just do not understand how to configure a softmod (all the dodging around copyrighted material gets me lost quite a bit).  I followed the method described by Textbook in this link on post #118:

http://forums.xbox-s...o...8396&st=105

If you want a 'perfect' softmod VGA solution, you just need to use NKPatcher v10-vga10. I would be more than happy to set you up with a customized version of NKPatcher if you'd like, all you need to do is tell me some information about your XBOX:


1. Which type of softmod are you using? (UDE2, NDure, etc.)

2. Do you only use the 'F' drive, or do you use 'F & G'?

3. Where is your dashboard located? (Example: 'E:\Dashboard\Default.xbe')

4. Do you have a directory on your 'E:' or 'C:' drive called 'shadowc'? (Not necessary, don't worry if you don't have it.)


If you would like you can simply send me a PM and I would be happy to help.  

[nachomans]

Well....tried x2 4981 patched....and the same thing happen.
480p with the on/off trick works perfectly.
720p and 1080i, looks bad, colors changed...

So.....Im almost sure that is a compatibility problem (with the focus encoder)


   

[Hoyt]

Thanks for the reply Frosty!

How can I tell what type of softmod I have?  Like I said I have always used auto installer discs that I download (this one is from Auto Installer Deluxe v. 3.02).  I have heard many say to use NKPatcher v10-vga10, but when I open it up there are just a bunch of files that I don't understand what to do with.  The only Ndure package I could figure out how to install only had Evox as a dash (I hate that thing - only use it for BIOS flashing).  I would greatly appreciate help in that area!  Also I am not sure if I have the exact NKPatcher v10-vga10 file you mentioned now that I think about it.  Where is it available?  I searched on the usual place and didn't see that exact version number.

I usually use just F unless the drive size is very large.  Funny thing is, before I launch the out.xbe, there is no G  drive, when I launch it it shows up with the programs in their "proper" places.  How large can F be?

My dashboard is located at c:\default.xbe as far as I know.  I do not use Xbox Live so stealth is of no concern to me.  I want to be able to boot into the MS Dash when I have the need, but I do not have to worry about a lot of the tricks that folks that play on Live have to deal with.

In all my Xbox moddings (which are few compared to most here) I have never dealt with a "shadowc" directory.

If this gets too long winded I'll be glad to PM you, but I figured you already had a ton of folks shouting in your ear as it is!

Thanks again,

Hoyt

[nachomans]

Remember lazy people out there....
You can activate HD resolutions with avalaunch (with composite or svideo cable)
There is no need to connect HD pack to activate this.



By now.....best results.....ava as dashboard...launch dvd2box from ava.....and launch games and xbmc from dvd2box.

Better launch xbmc from dvd2box and launch games from xbmc...

Launching xbmc from dvd2box never give me green screen....