Experience using XBox 360 with PC monitor/speakers?

[Alex_P]

So, I bought an XBox 360 in order to game with some coworkers.

My PC monitor is a lot nicer than my TV (well, duh -- pretty much any decent monitor is better than anything other than the most ridiculously expensive of TVs). I want to be able to use the awesome monitor with the XBox. And, y'know, I'll need sound, too.

I've already done some research. The standard method to do this is...
0. Check that your monitor can support a resolution that the XBox also supports.
1. Buy 360-to-VGA cable ($30-40 from MS, $15-20 for a knock-off that might have some ghosting problems). This changes the 360's output to VGA plus red/white stereo.
2. For speakers that don't accept red/white stereo, buy red/white-stereo-to-mini-audio-jack adapter (can't be more than $5).

However, there's all kinds of other stuff floating around, like $10 HDMI-to-DVI cables. If there's a cheaper or more reliable approach, I would love to hear about it. (Not having a lot of luck with Internet and forum search at the moment.)

So, if you're the 360 with a computer monitor, please share your knowledge!

-- Alex

 

[Joeshie]

I run my 360 off of my 22" LCD monitor and it's great. Even though the 360 doesn't naively support 1680x1080 (it supposedly will with the new Fall update), I can still run a really nice HD resolution off of it. You might have to experiment a bit to get the right resolution.

I also have red/white to audio jack for my computer and it works great. The only real annoyance is that the PC and monitor have to be somewhat close to each other, say around 2-3 feet since I have to plug the audio into the back of my PC and the video into the monitor. I have to scoot my monitor over closer to the PC so that it will actually fit. A minor annoyance though. I'm sure if you had the right speakers, you could probably fit the audio jack into them instead of the back of the PC.

 

[Alex_P]

Went and set it up today using the Microsoft VGA cable. I'm actually very pleasantly surprised.

The cable allows for significant separation between the monitor and speakers, usually enough for most desktop setups (although I'm plugging mine in through an extension cable, anyway).

That red/white-stereo-to-mini adapter I was so worried about? One of those ships with the cable! (Also you get a female-female VGA thing.) I already bought one at RadioShack, but, still, it's nice to know the manufacturer actually thought things through. Unfortunately the presence of those two convenient little pieces is not well-advertised on the package.

-- Alex

 

[error17]

I think there are some cords that connect into the monitor's digital port (or manual, if u want), and the digital port can hold the sound, otherwise get the mini port for the sound.

 

[Novajam]

I remember trying to buy a VGA cable for my 360 once. Stupid eBay user took my $15 and never shipped the damn thing.

Anyway, nice to people here have had better experiences.

 

[corporate_gamer]

I bought a computer monitor specfically to play my xbox 360 on. Its cheaper and better than buying a tv. even when you include the rip-off prices of the adapter.

 

[Virgil]

I actually use the VGA adapter to connect to my television - it's the only connector other than HDMI that allows DVD upscaling.

One other option for the audio, if your computer supports it, would be to use the optical connector on the Xbox 360 VGA cable (where it plugs into your 360). It really depends on your speakers or PC, but you'll get 5.1 channel audio through it instead of just stereo. I've really been appreciating the surround audio with Fable II - it's helped me track down those annoying gargoyle heads.

I have an old set of Cambridge Soundworks 5.1 speakers hooked up to my PC that have a digital control box with optical jacks, but I believe that most current Soundblaster X-Fi cards have optical jacks that can be used as inputs.

 

[Droshi]

I also have a widescreen HD monitor, 22" running at 1680x1050. Is yours an LG?

When I GET a 360 I'm planning on hooking it up like this.

 

[Virgil]

Unless your monitor has a scaler, I wouldn't suggest hooking your Xbox 360 up to it.

The Xbox 360 will allow you to select the output resolution from a variety of options if it's connected using a VGA cable. While it doesn't have all the 16:10 options common to LCD monitors (more are coming with the next update), virtually all of them have scalers or can center a native-resolution display if the output resolution is smaller than the display screen.

Try setting your PC display settings to a lower resolution and see what happens - it won't look fantastic, but you'll still be able to see the display.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

I was using the VGA cable into my 24" computer monitor. It produces a great picture! I got fed up with the xbox hogging desk space though so now it is back on the tv, still using the VGA cable.

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

I run my 360 off of my 22" LCD monitor and it's great. Even though the 360 doesn't naively support 1680x1080 (it supposedly will with the new Fall update), I can still run a really nice HD resolution off of it. You might have to experiment a bit to get the right resolution.

I also have red/white to audio jack for my computer and it works great. The only real annoyance is that the PC and monitor have to be somewhat close to each other, say around 2-3 feet since I have to plug the audio into the back of my PC and the video into the monitor. I have to scoot my monitor over closer to the PC so that it will actually fit. A minor annoyance though. I'm sure if you had the right speakers, you could probably fit the audio jack into them instead of the back of the PC.

My bro has done the same thing. It was a pain in the arse to connect but he eventually got it working.

 

[shadow skill]

I ought to hook up mmy ps2 to my computer for some classic gaming, I need to get a tuner card first though. What do you do about sound though? I knid of wish these modern consoles at least ame with VGA ports or better yet DVI.

 

[Droshi]

I ought to hook up mmy ps2 to my computer for some classic gaming, I need to get a tuner card first though. What do you do about sound though? I knid of wish these modern consoles at least ame with VGA ports or better yet DVI.

I hooked my PS2 to my computer with an Adaptec Gamebridge. It's a USB thing with inputs for S-Video and audio, like a standard TV. It isn't the greatest in quality but it still looks quite nice, and you can record footage. Cost me about 11 bucks.

As for tuner cards, I thought they also had audio-in? Am I wrong?

 

[Nimbus]

Why would you use analouge? Most good monitors come with HDMI nowadays, and every xBox from the premium upwards has HDMI, right? VGA is way outdated.

 

[shadow skill]

Why would you use analouge? Most good monitors come with HDMI nowadays, and every xBox from the premium upwards has HDMI, right? VGA is way outdated.

I haven't seen too many PC monitors (Not the TV's) with HDMI, I have seen more gpu's and even mainboards with HDMI ports though.

Droshi thanks for the gamebridge suggestion.

 

[insectoid]

In the same vein, has anyone had any experience with these?
http://i6.ebayimg.com/05/i/001/11/fc/5889_1.JPG