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[Antman1]

I made this cable without the LM1881N at first and it worked on my 42inch Vizio LCD but would not work on my Dell 19inch LCD Monitor.  So I decided I would add the LM1881N chip to it.  I went to radio shack and got a 680K resister and 2 capacitors and put everything together like this diagram: http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=213487 Instead of using switches I just put jumpers on the xbox scart in the switches place.   I am using FrostyTheSnowman and Xman954's X2 5035 VGA BIOS v1.0.   After making the cable I tested it on my 42inch and it came up in green and I set the resolution in MS Dashboard and it worked fine on it.  I hooked it up to the Dell 19inch and it did nothing.  My Dell monitor when it has nothing hooked up to it I will get a message that bounces from spot to spot on the screen that says to check cables until it sees something plugged into it.  When I hook the xbox up to the monitor that screen still stays on it and if I turn the xbox on I can hear it in the dashboard but no display the monitor acts like it sees nothing.  Anyone have any ideas on what I could have done wrong?  The cable does also work with an old Apple 20inch CRT Monitor as well.    Please help.

This post has been edited by Antman1: May 21 2008, 01:43 PM

[FrostyTheSnowman]

That link is seriously outdated, and that diagram is not compatible with any current VGA solutions because all current VGA solutions use video mode 2+3, not 1+3. (including my VGA BIOSes)

Use this diagram: http://www.360mods.n...cle/sid=38.html

NOTE: Or, you could also just modify the mode jumpers on your cable to be in mode 2+3, that would also fix the problem.

[Antman1]

I started off just using mode 2 and 3 from your diagram here http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?showtopic=597084 when I was hoping my monitor was sync on green.  This worked for my LCD 42inch because it supports SOG but the Dell did not.  I then ordered the LM1881N Chip and added it to what I already build but did not change the jumpers I had and they were 2 and 3.  When this did not work I added jumper 1 to it and still got same results.  Just to clarify, on pin 1 of the LM1881N chip it has a dot correct?  

and for resistor I got this:  
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...2062322&cp=

and for capacitors I got this:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.js...2062365&cp=


Are these wrong?  If so can you tell me what I am looking for at Radio Shack?

This post has been edited by Antman1: May 22 2008, 03:32 PM

[Antman1]

Also I wanted to point out that the diagram here: http://pictures.xbox...le/image007.png  looks different and is very confusing.

[Antman1]

QUOTE(Antman1 @ May 22 2008, 10:07 AM)

I started off just using mode 2 and 3 from your diagram here http://forums.xbox-s...howtopic=597084 when I was hoping my monitor was sync on green.  This worked for my LCD 42inch because it supports SOG but the Dell did not.  I then ordered the LM1881N Chip and added it to what I already build but did not change the jumpers I had and they were 2 and 3.  When this did not work I added jumper 1 to it and still got same results.  Just to clarify, on pin 1 of the LM1881N chip it has a dot correct?  

and for resistor I got this:  
http://www.radioshac...s...2062322&cp=

and for capacitors I got this:

http://www.radioshac...s...2062365&cp=
Are these wrong?  If so can you tell me what I am looking for at Radio Shack?

Does this look right?

Looks like the capacitors are good not sure about the resistor though.

[Antman1]

bump

[Antman1]

QUOTE(Antman1 @ May 22 2008, 10:07 AM)

I started off just using mode 2 and 3 from your diagram here http://forums.xbox-s...howtopic=597084 when I was hoping my monitor was sync on green.  This worked for my LCD 42inch because it supports SOG but the Dell did not.  I then ordered the LM1881N Chip and added it to what I already build but did not change the jumpers I had and they were 2 and 3.  When this did not work I added jumper 1 to it and still got same results.  Just to clarify, on pin 1 of the LM1881N chip it has a dot correct?  

and for resistor I got this:  
http://www.radioshac...s...2062322&cp=

and for capacitors I got this:

http://www.radioshac...s...2062365&cp=
Are these wrong?  If so can you tell me what I am looking for at Radio Shack?

bump

[FrostyTheSnowman]

Yep, those are the exact resistors that the diagram calls for, and you are correct pin 1 on the LM1881N chip has the dot in the corner.
 
Although, i'm actually using a 470k resistor on my personal VGA cable, try using one of those and see if it works better. The other possibility is that your LM1881N chip is faulty though, because your TV most likely accepts a SOG input which means that the LM1881N chip isn't even being used with your TV, however since your Dell monitor does not accept a SOG input it would lead me to believe that something is wrong with your circuit or perhaps that the chip itself is faulty.

Double-check that your pinout is correct on your LM1881N chip, and try using a 470k resistor instead, after those two options though you might be out of luck, as some monitors just simply don't work properly with the LM1881N-based VGA cables.

P.S. Sorry it took me a minute to respond, life has had me by the balls for a few days...

[Antman1]

QUOTE(FrostyTheSnowman @ May 29 2008, 02:26 AM)

Yep, those are the exact resistors that the diagram calls for, and you are correct pin 1 on the LM1881N chip has the dot in the corner.
 
Although, i'm actually using a 470k resistor on my personal VGA cable, try using one of those and see if it works better. The other possibility is that your LM1881N chip is faulty though, because your TV most likely accepts a SOG input which means that the LM1881N chip isn't even being used with your TV, however since your Dell monitor does not accept a SOG input it would lead me to believe that something is wrong with your circuit or perhaps that the chip itself is faulty.

Double-check that your pinout is correct on your LM1881N chip, and try using a 470k resistor instead, after those two options though you might be out of luck, as some monitors just simply don't work properly with the LM1881N-based VGA cables.

P.S. Sorry it took me a minute to respond, life has had me by the balls for a few days...

I understand life..    Well a quick update.  I checked and double checked the connections on my cable and made it look more pretty and then played with the HD setting in MS Dashboard.  I enabled 720P and 1080I and then was able to get the Dell monitor to click on like it is going in standby and out of it.  I disabled 1080I and it did same thing I enabled 1080I and disabled 720p and same thing but if I leave 420P On it doesnt do anything.  very strange.  you think that changing the resistor might correct this?

[xboxmods2977]

Antman, I may have found a possible cause for your problem. I was just browsing here because I am very interested in this project and happened to come across this post. I checked and re-checked and according to the link you posted above, the resistors you used are 680 ohm. The diagram calls for 680k ohm.



    Cheers.

[Antman1]

update.  I went back to radio shack and grabbed 470k resistors and hooked it up and now the Dell monitor gives me out of range message and it I put it just on 480p it acts like it is in power save mode.  if I flip the switch to load my normal BIOs (non VGA) it will act like it is in power save mode then I turn dell monitor off and back on and it shows the dash in all green.  if I do the same with VGA BIOs it never comes up.  I looked for 680k resistors but the guy at radio shack said they didnt have them and neither did the website.  

[FrostyTheSnowman]

Which VGA BIOS are you using?

The VGA BIOS in my signature that myself and Xman954 built has the 'Force Progressive' (Force480p basically) which usually has the best results. Or, you can also try using my VGA Boot Disc which is based on the same BIOS as above, which also supports Force Progressive.

NOTE: The 470k resistors seem to have the best results overall, I would recommend sticking with those.

NOTE 2: If all else fails Divineo.com offers the 'Frozen Cable' for $19.99 which is the based on the LM1881N VGA cable diagram, you might want to consider getting one simply for testing. I don't personally profit from the sales of these cables myself whatsoever, I actually always recommend people build things like this themselves simply for the experience, but it may be helpful in figuring out if it is truly your cable or the monitor. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif)

NOTE 3: 480p is required for VGA to function properly on the XBOX with any VGA BIOS (including my VGA patchers) (except for the BIOS that myself and Xman954 created, it is the exception as it forces progressive scan anyway), so always make sure that it is turned on in your Microsoft Dashboard. (I recommend though that you leave 720p and 1080i turned off until you are sure everything is working properly though.)

This post has been edited by FrostyTheSnowman: May 30 2008, 06:27 AM

[Antman1]

QUOTE(FrostyTheSnowman @ May 30 2008, 12:58 AM)

Which VGA BIOS are you using?

The VGA BIOS in my signature that myself and Xman954 built has the 'Force Progressive' (Force480p basically) which usually has the best results. Or, you can also try using my VGA Boot Disc which is based on the same BIOS as above, which also supports Force Progressive.

NOTE: The 470k resistors seem to have the best results overall, I would recommend sticking with those.

NOTE 2: If all else fails Divineo.com offers the 'Frozen Cable' for $19.99 which is the based on the LM1881N VGA cable diagram, you might want to consider getting one simply for testing. I don't personally profit from the sales of these cables myself whatsoever, I actually always recommend people build things like this themselves simply for the experience, but it may be helpful in figuring out if it is truly your cable or the monitor.

NOTE 3: 480p is required for VGA to function properly on the XBOX with any VGA BIOS (including my VGA patchers) (except for the BIOS that myself and Xman954 created, it is the exception as it forces progressive scan anyway), so always make sure that it is turned on in your Microsoft Dashboard. (I recommend though that you leave 720p and 1080i turned off until you are sure everything is working properly though.)

I am using "FrostyTheSnowman and Xman954's X2 5035 VGA BIOS v1.0" that I got from the usual places and flashed it to one half of my TSOP leaving the other half with X2 5035 Non VGA Bios.  I flip a switch to select between the 2.

not sure what else it might be.  seems that the LM1881N chip is working though because the status of my monitor is changing now.  It thinks it is in power save mode when I turn the 360 on with the VGA BIOs selected and then if I turn it on with the normal non VGA BIOs it acts like it is going to show something but doesnt just "Out of Range" but sometimes I was able to get it to show the dash in all green without the VGA Bios.  May just be that my Dell Monitor doesnt like the xbox on it.  My 360 is happy with it.  I dont even use the monitor for a PC anymore it is in my sons room for gaming.  I was going to get a switch box to switch between the 360 and the xbox.  For now I have a Apple Monitor 20inch and the Dell in their just that the Dell is a LCD and the Apple is CRT and very space consuming.  If you think of anything else please let me know.  Thanks a lot for all your help.

[FrostyTheSnowman]

As a last option you could also try a 320k resistor, people have also reported success using those too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy.gif)

NOTE: I've had great success using Acer LCDs, if you feel like replacing the Dell LCD I would recommend trying an Acer. My Acer AL1916 works perfectly with my 360 and my XBOX. Just a thought. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

This post has been edited by FrostyTheSnowman: May 30 2008, 10:34 PM

[Antman1]

Well I just swapped my 19inch Dell Monitor for a Emachines wide screen 17inch monitor and it works great now so I am all set.  sucks it didn't like my Dell though.  O'Well,  Thank again everyone.