Best solution for Xbox on VGA monitor?

[Daybona]

I originally found out about this place on Neo-geo.com where I'm a regular poster.  I've used this place alot for reference but now I've got some specific questions I can't find answers for.

I was wondering what was the best way to connect my Xbox to my VGA monitor.  I know of a couple of VGA boxes for the Xbox.  Which one do you think is the best?  

Also, I have all of my systems connected to an X-RGB2 plus upscan converter.  I was hoping to get a VGA box for my xbox and connect that to the VGA input on my X-RGB2.  I heard that when sending signals about 640X480 through it however you get a ghosting image, but I don't think the xbox will be sending anything above that resolution.  

Would it be better for me to get a vga switchbox to switch between the xbox vga box and the X-RGB2 plus?  If so, what is the best VGA switch box?  

Sorry for all of the questions, and thanks for your help!  

[Endymion]

The real use of the XRGB2+ is to convert non-VGA signals into VGA signals. If you get a VGA converter for your Xbox, you really won't need to use your XRGB2+ with it. I would suspect the reason it is there is rather to be used as a passthrough with your computer--because most folks don't use a monitor only for games, so it's nice to have a multipurpose unit.

Most folks here seem to like the transcoders for Xbox, although I don't recall what the current favourite is. This takes the Component video signal and converts it into RGB at 31KHz (VGA); if the component signal is progressive, then it should work just like it were a VGA device. Games that are interlaced have more problems and so something like the XRGB2+ may be more desirable because that device can fake scanlines for interlaced signals. Almost every Xbox game can create a progressive signal so you will only wind up with a handful of games that require some tweaking. (If any.)

A VGA switchbox would be the way to go; in a perfect world any switchbox would be as good as another but you may find the cheap ones (sub-$50) may have interferance at high resolutions. In my opinion this probably won't be a problem unless you use the switchbox with your computer also, or if you run into the handful of games that actually use higher resolutions in progressive mode.

[MeatWagon]

In my opinion the X2VGA or the VD-Z3 are the best Xbox transcoder right now. I have both of them and they are amazing. Hope this helps.

(((MeatWagon)))

[dj898]

I had used XVGA box from X-Digital which is German site.
It's one of early true VGA box made for Xbox unless I'm mistaken and it works well. Sure it has the same issue with interlaced signal - i.e. no dashboard unless upgraded to prog signal version and handful of interlaced only titles. Mine was one of very early and had an issue with 720p and 1080i signals but later revisions fixed that issue.

I used it to play my then unmod'd Xbox on my Plasma display before I moved to YUV route.
Sold the unit on eBay for a nice price to a chap in Canada.

cheers

[Daybona]

Thanks for all the responses!

I should have mentioned however that I got the XRGB2+ mainly for my Neo Geo.  I was hoping the cables included with the unit would display the component signal from my xbox adequetely, but the result were less than satisfactory.

It seems like the X2VGA is my best bet however I should note that my VGA monitor is from 1996 so I'm not sure that it will work.  

Anyone know how old of a monitor this thing will work on?

[Endymion]

VGA = progressive

Component can work either interlaced, or progressive. So the XRGB2+ will work as well as it can with your interlaced consoles, like the Neo, but won't do the progressive-capable ones justice. I wasn't aware the XRGB2+ could even work with a Component signal though--isn't that what the XSelect D4 is for?

X2VGA is nice and lots of people like it but realise that one will only work with your Xbox. If you ever want to try other progressive consoles with your monitor you'll need something else.

VGA is VGA, no matter how old it is. Your old monitor should work just fine. Most Xbox games, in progressive, have 480 vertical lines, so 640x480 is all you need. That's standard VGA. (Actually I think it's "Super" VGA, but nobody bothers to say the word anymore.)

[Martin]

0mG liek da get Da Component Capture Cards 0mG liek it is da l33tZ!11!!!1!!one!11!one  

[Daybona]

X2VGA is nice and lots of people like it but realise that one will only work with your Xbox. If you ever want to try other progressive consoles with your monitor you'll need something else.

I just orded the X2VGA+.  I hope it will work with the vga pass thru on my XRGB2+, as no one has been able to say for sure how the two work.   I am somewhat anxious about it because the XRGB2+ doesn't support progressive scan inputs.

All my other consoles are covered as far as component is concerned as my XRGB2+ has  a D-terminal input for sony and nintendo consoles.  But because XBOX is a non entity in japan, no D-terminal cable exists for it (afaik).

I wish I knew more about this stuff.

[Darklegion]

Another option could be to use a vga bios along with a modified high-def cable and a modchip(or software solution).As far as 480p goes the quality cannot be beat,and it is much cheaper then a x2vga.Only problem is that some games don't work properly in vga mode,because of the fact everyone is using the same buggy vga code that has been around for more then 2 years and thus some games will have a green tint on them.That being said I just play those games in RGB mode if they don't won't in vga mode,while eagerly awaiting someone to do a better vga bios
I recommend the iND-vga bios at the moment since it has much more features then the other bioses and it works on both conexant and focus video chips(despite the readme).There is also a xcalibur bios in beta,which may or may not work.I can't test myself without a 1.6 box and most of the people on xbox-scene are either not game or not interested.

[Daybona]

Well, I got the X2VGA and it works wonderfully with my XBOX via the passthrough on my XRGB2+.

The game I got it for, Outrun, looks AMAZING as do the rest of my games save Halo and Halo 2.

For some odd reason the last two are very dark on my screen. I know its not the adapter because CVS2, PDO, and Outrun all look great.

Why would Halo and Halo2 be darker and how can I brighten them up?

p.s. the brightness on my monitor is at max afaik.

[Guest]

No one plays Halo on an X2VGA?

[illazz1own]

No one plays Halo on an X2VGA?

yea i play it on x2vga+ on my 19" flat screen crt 20 dot pitch moniter..looks amazing

[Lesmot]

VGA = progressive

I am running a computer thru my RGBHV port on my big screen television at 1080i. Straight VGA and interlaced, though I am using a program to force the resolution on the computer, so I don't know if that makes a difference.

I use an Innovation GameCube/Xbox two-in-one VGA box and on most CRT computer monitors, it works very well, however, on my televisions RGBHV port, I get no signal. This particular VGA box runs the syncs on the green I think, so it's not a REAL RGB H and V signal, but it will work on most CRT monitors.  

[Jopapa]

I just picked myself up a video scaler from Viewsonic called the Nextvision N6 that supports any resolution (progressive and interlaced) of input from a component connection, along with S-Video and composite (ptooey) inputs, and outputs a beautiful progressive scan signal via a VGA connector. The output resolution is user selectable, and there's a good writeup on it here. It cost me 170 bucks US, and so far I've just been fiddling with it, and have yet to hook up my XBox to it. I've also got my S-Video modded (added an actual S-Video connector so I could use high quality cable) N64 to try with it too. I'm very intrigued to see how it'll perform with an S-Video source. I did the mod before I knew about the N64 RGB mod, so next I need to get one I can do the RGB mod on, and get an RGB SCART transcoder to connect to the component input.
Woops, got off on a tangent. Basically this looks like it'll be the best solution since it supports progressive and interlaced component video signals and has a nearly flawless (I say nearly since I hace yet to see how it'll handle cable and HD TV signals) picture on the monitor.

[Darkman]

Sorry to revive an old thread, but is it possible to get VGA from a PAL Xbox?