Quick Xbox 360 Question

KNiVES · 2 Oct 2006 at 13:10

I am considering getting a Xbox 360 VGA AV Cable, so I can use my PC monitor for HD gaming. However, I am worried about the picture quality, because the monitor is a Syncmaster 172x TFT LCD display - the native resolution is at 1280x1024.

This means that any resolution but 1280x0124 looks blurred and distorted a little. Would the same happen to the Xbox 360 image if I hooked the monitor with it? As far as I know, the HD resolution that the console uses is not quite the same as what the monitor normally displays.

Any clarification guys?

Nismo · 2 Oct 2006 at 13:22

You can select 1280x1024 when you are using a VGA lead via the 360 display options, and it should look fine

KNiVES · 2 Oct 2006 at 13:40

Wow, that's great. I'll definitely go and splash out on one now

Nismo · 2 Oct 2006 at 13:41

Just make sure you buy the official lead

neverender · 2 Oct 2006 at 13:51

Bit of a hijack, but can someone tell me if the 360 will support my monitors 1680x1050 native res using a VGA cable? Hoping to pick up my console in the next few days

KNiVES · 2 Oct 2006 at 13:56

Another question, how would the sound work? The lead has the L and R audio connectors, would it be possible to say, plug those into my Creative Inspire 6.1 box and get sound out of the speakers?

neverender · 2 Oct 2006 at 13:59

KNiVES said:
Another question, how would the sound work? The lead has the L and R audio connectors, would it be possible to say, plug those into my Creative Inspire 6.1 box and get sound out of the speakers?

That would indeed be exactly what you would do. Presumably you would only get stereo sound though

KNiVES · 2 Oct 2006 at 14:02

I'll be happy with any form of sound to be honest :-)

I use headphones 90% of the time you see, so stereo sound would be ok.

L33 · 2 Oct 2006 at 14:03

neverender said:
Bit of a hijack, but can someone tell me if the 360 will support my monitors 1680x1050 native res using a VGA cable? Hoping to pick up my console in the next few days

No, there is no 1680x1050 option. I use a 2405FPW with a native res of 1920x1200, and either 1280x720 or 1366x768 look brilliant, you should have no problems

Anything over 1280x720 is just scaled by the console anyway, all games are rendered internally at this resolution.

neverender · 2 Oct 2006 at 14:08

Cheers dude, good to know

nimz · 2 Oct 2006 at 14:08

KNiVES said:
Another question, how would the sound work? The lead has the L and R audio connectors, would it be possible to say, plug those into my Creative Inspire 6.1 box and get sound out of the speakers?

You can use the L and R connectors, or if your speakers support Optical, the VGA cable has an optical input too. I use optical and sounds sweet. :cool:

sparkymark75 · 2 Oct 2006 at 14:24

Nismo said:
Just make sure you buy the official lead

I've seen this a few times now, can I ask why? I have a Joytech lead and have never had any problems with it although I've read that the colours washed out compared with the official MS one.

Has anyone seen the difference between the two?

Nismo · 2 Oct 2006 at 14:26

mparter said:
Has anyone seen the difference between the two?

Yes, me

On a Samsung LCD TV, the Joytech lead was washed out (even after the dash update) and on several resolutions wouldnt centre the image properly on the screen, shifting it over to the left. Manually adjusting wouldnt sort it out either.

MS lead gave a much better picture on the same TV, and every resolution I tried put the image perfectly on the screen.

sparkymark75 · 2 Oct 2006 at 14:33

Thanks.

I have a Samsung LCD TV and whilst never having had any problems with the Joytech lead, I'll think about getting an official MS one.

KNiVES · 3 Oct 2006 at 13:23

nimz said:
You can use the L and R connectors, or if your speakers support Optical, the VGA cable has an optical input too. I use optical and sounds sweet.

Sorry for asking, I'm so very clueless at this kind of thing

But where would the L and R audio connectors go - into the speaker box (the subwoofer), or the PC?

Can some-one also explain what optical input is too please, thanks

~J~ · 3 Oct 2006 at 13:25

TOP TIP #7836354

BEFORE you plug in your VGA cable, be sure to plug the Xbox360 into your TV first and select 60Hz. It will save time when playing games like Hitman, DOA4, or others that require a 60Hz setting even though you're playing through VGA.

Herminator · 3 Oct 2006 at 13:35

KNiVES said:
Sorry for asking, I'm so very clueless at this kind of thing But where would the L and R audio connectors go - into the speaker box (the subwoofer), or the PC?

Can some-one also explain what optical input is too please, thanks

Just plug them into you speakers, as long as they have the same big style connections. If they only have the little pc type, then you can get a simple little adapter (MS VGA pack has one in it) so you can plug the two leads into the one small socket.

KNiVES · 3 Oct 2006 at 14:13

So the official Xbox 360 VGA HD adapter would come with those speaker adapters? Because my speakers are weird - all the speakers go into the subwoofer, which then goes into the PC.

DaveyD · 3 Oct 2006 at 15:48

All the 360 VGA cable comes with is the 2x Red/White phono connections (both male).

To connect your spears/sub to this, there are two ways you can do it. The first, directly using a "phono to 3.5mm" convertor. Then a "3.5mm Coupler". Googling both those you should get an idea of what you need. I've got a pic somewhere, I'll have a look.

Edit: So for the above, you'd want:
This:

The VGA cable used to come with the above, but apparently newer ones don't have it any more.

Plus:

Then connected to the speakers.

The other way, is by using said "phono to 3.5mm" convertor, into your PC line-in, then it would come out of your PC speakers via your PC, but would mean you'd have to have your PC on all the time.