Which Xbox?!

[steven182]

Looking to buy one but I really don't get what all the packages do, will the £130 one plug into my TFT screen via DVI cable? that is all I need.

[Steve Evil]

No, don't think you'll find a DVI connector for one, you can get a VGA cable for it which you'll need to buy seperately, unless you use an adaptor dongle.

I really would spend the extra money and get the premium one though, you'll regret not having a HDD after a while.

[steven182]

Steve Evil said:

No, don't think you'll find a DVI connector for one, you can get a VGA cable for it which you'll need to buy seperately, unless you use an adaptor dongle.

I really would spend the extra money and get the premium one though, you'll regret not having a HDD after a while.

http://www.optimization-world.com/details/prodid/53.html


What do I need a HDD for?

[Steve Evil]

steven182 said:

Steve Evil said:

No, don't think you'll find a DVI connector for one, you can get a VGA cable for it which you'll need to buy seperately, unless you use an adaptor dongle.

I really would spend the extra money and get the premium one though, you'll regret not having a HDD after a while.

http://www.optimization-world.com/details/prodid/53.html


What do I need a HDD for?

I would check and see if your monitor is HDCP compatible before buying that adaptor, otherwise you may end up seeing nothing.

You'll need the HDD for game saves, any downloads you make and from November 19th the ability to install games on it to improve loading speeds. You also get a wireless controller thrown in with the premium pack which is nice to have.

[Jonny671]

steven182 said:

Steve Evil said:

No, don't think you'll find a DVI connector for one, you can get a VGA cable for it which you'll need to buy seperately, unless you use an adaptor dongle.

I really would spend the extra money and get the premium one though, you'll regret not having a HDD after a while.

http://www.optimization-world.com/details/prodid/53.html


What do I need a HDD for?

Demos, Updates, Extra Download Stuff for games (Maps, Tracks, Cars etc) Films, Theres loads.

It's quite easy to fill up the 60gb you get.

[steven182]

Steve Evil said:

steven182 said:

Steve Evil said:

No, don't think you'll find a DVI connector for one, you can get a VGA cable for it which you'll need to buy seperately, unless you use an adaptor dongle.

I really would spend the extra money and get the premium one though, you'll regret not having a HDD after a while.

http://www.optimization-world.com/details/prodid/53.html


What do I need a HDD for?

I would check and see if your monitor is HDCP compatible before buying that adaptor, otherwise you may end up seeing nothing.

You'll need the HDD for game saves, any downloads you make and from November 19th the ability to install games on it to improve loading speeds. You also get a wireless controller thrown in with the premium pack which is nice to have.

I see Thanks =]. the monitor is a 19" Samsung TFT which is fantastic quality I get HD gaming through it out of my PC but want to get the xbox too just don't want to pay for a TV I don't need. Will buy the cable and try it out on my brothers xbox first, if he will let me borrow it that is.

[Steve Evil]

steven182 said:

I see Thanks =]. the monitor is a 19" Samsung TFT which is fantastic quality I get HD gaming through it out of my PC but want to get the xbox too just don't want to pay for a TV I don't need. Will buy the cable and try it out on my brothers xbox first, if he will let me borrow it that is.

If you know what model the monitor is we can check and see if it's capable of receiving a HDMI connection. Basically the HDCP thing is just to confirm it is capable of receiving a copyrighted signal via HDMI, and although you're converting it to DVI it will still need to be capable of unscrambling the signal at the other end.

[steven182]

Steve Evil said:

steven182 said:

I see Thanks =]. the monitor is a 19" Samsung TFT which is fantastic quality I get HD gaming through it out of my PC but want to get the xbox too just don't want to pay for a TV I don't need. Will buy the cable and try it out on my brothers xbox first, if he will let me borrow it that is.

If you know what model the monitor is we can check and see if it's capable of receiving a HDMI connection. Basically the HDCP thing is just to confirm it is capable of receiving a copyrighted signal via HDMI, and although you're converting it to DVI it will still need to be capable of unscrambling the signal at the other end.

copy and pasted from my order confirmation email,

Samsung 19" LCD Syncmaster 930BF TCO-99
Monitor, DVI-D, D-sub, 4ms

[Steve Evil]

steven182 said:

Steve Evil said:

steven182 said:

I see Thanks =]. the monitor is a 19" Samsung TFT which is fantastic quality I get HD gaming through it out of my PC but want to get the xbox too just don't want to pay for a TV I don't need. Will buy the cable and try it out on my brothers xbox first, if he will let me borrow it that is.

If you know what model the monitor is we can check and see if it's capable of receiving a HDMI connection. Basically the HDCP thing is just to confirm it is capable of receiving a copyrighted signal via HDMI, and although you're converting it to DVI it will still need to be capable of unscrambling the signal at the other end.

copy and pasted from my order confirmation email,

Samsung 19" LCD Syncmaster 930BF TCO-99
Monitor, DVI-D, D-sub, 4ms

Ok, that one doesn't appear to support HDCP, so you won't be able to connect it via HDMI/DVI, I take it you're already using the VGA connector for your PC? You could look into getting a switcher box which will let you plug in two VGA connections to the one monitor and switch between the two, this will save you unplugging each one every time you want to play the XBox or use the PC.

[steven182]

Steve Evil said:

steven182 said:

Steve Evil said:

steven182 said:

I see Thanks =]. the monitor is a 19" Samsung TFT which is fantastic quality I get HD gaming through it out of my PC but want to get the xbox too just don't want to pay for a TV I don't need. Will buy the cable and try it out on my brothers xbox first, if he will let me borrow it that is.

If you know what model the monitor is we can check and see if it's capable of receiving a HDMI connection. Basically the HDCP thing is just to confirm it is capable of receiving a copyrighted signal via HDMI, and although you're converting it to DVI it will still need to be capable of unscrambling the signal at the other end.

copy and pasted from my order confirmation email,

Samsung 19" LCD Syncmaster 930BF TCO-99
Monitor, DVI-D, D-sub, 4ms

Ok, that one doesn't appear to support HDCP, so you won't be able to connect it via HDMI/DVI, I take it you're already using the VGA connector for your PC? You could look into getting a switcher box which will let you plug in two VGA connections to the one monitor and switch between the two, this will save you unplugging each one every time you want to play the XBox or use the PC.

Thanks for the info, hmm I am running it off the DVI-D port it has as I use it to watch films and play games on pc so I think it has a vga free.

so how come it will not work through DVI-D but will through VGA? I'm not very good with electronics sorry. Will I notice a severe difference in graphics quality?

My brother plays through his CRT TV, and comparing his CoD4 graphics with the ones coming out of my PC his are st. and I don't want to play an xbox that looks like that.

[Steve Evil]

I play mine with VGA on my HDTV and it looks fantastic, my brother plays his on his Samsung 19" monitor via VGA and that looks great too.

Basically you can't run it via HDMI and convert it to DVI at the monitor as the HDMI signal carries with it a built-in copyright protection (hence High Definiton Copyright Protection - HDCP) and the TV/Monitor it is being sent to will need to be able to unlock this copyright protection, currently only the more expensive computer monitors and HD TVs are capable of doing this.

The VGA cable is about £12 I think and there are various settings you can tweak on the xbox to improve the output.

[steven182]

Steve Evil said:

I play mine with VGA on my HDTV and it looks fantastic, my brother plays his on his Samsung 19" monitor via VGA and that looks great too.

Basically you can't run it via HDMI and convert it to DVI at the monitor as the HDMI signal carries with it a built-in copyright protection (hence High Definiton Copyright Protection - HDCP) and the TV/Monitor it is being sent to will need to be able to unlock this copyright protection, currently only the more expensive computer monitors and HD TVs are capable of doing this.

The VGA cable is about £12 I think and there are various settings you can tweak on the xbox to improve the output.

nice one.

looks like I shall be in curries when I finish work

tbh my brothers set up looks terrible!!! think he is running through scart leads or just the red white and yellow? cable.

[Riknos]

steven182 said:

tbh my brothers set up looks terrible!!! think he is running through scart leads or just the red white and yellow? cable.

I tried hooking my 360 up to my flatmate's 45" rear projection tv through the composite leads, and it looked awful. 10 times worse than my 1080p 37" tv.

With regards to 360 premium packages, I'm trying to get my dad to buy one (Tight git though is taking his time) Best deal I've found is www.play.com 60gb premium deal + COD4 for £185 delivered.
paying only £15 extra for COD4 (Half price) and free delivery, can't beat that!

[The_Jackal]

Dont even bother using the composite leads.
Does your monitor have component input? If so use that with you 360 and you will get HD quality.

[steven182]

bought one, from blockbuster, premium package with 60gb HDD and halo3 and PGR4 169.99

not bad!

also got an HDMI to DVI cable and it looks fantastic on my TFT only trouble is I have no sound now =[ monitor has no speakers built in so trying to figure out a way of getting sound out of the thing. would usb speakers work?

[Steve Evil]

steven182 said:

bought one, from blockbuster, premium package with 60gb HDD and halo3 and PGR4 169.99

not bad!

also got an HDMI to DVI cable and it looks fantastic on my TFT only trouble is I have no sound now =[ monitor has no speakers built in so trying to figure out a way of getting sound out of the thing. would usb speakers work?

Nope, I run mine via VGA or Component, both of which come with the proper inputs for speakers, or a plug so you can hook it up to speakers via an optical cable.

[Silverbullet767]

I wish I got here sooner, xbox369 60gb with pes2009 and fable 2 £167 in ASDA, think it ends today though.

[steven182]

Silverbullet767 said:

I wish I got here sooner, xbox369 60gb with pes2009 and fable 2 £167 in ASDA, think it ends today though.

nice deal, but football games are crap. =p

[Drop Test b3nxj]

Steve Evil said:

You also get a wireless controller thrown in with the premium pack which is nice to have.

you get a wireless controller with the arcade xbox too
but you will miss the HDD, i did and i had to get one off tt-bay.

[Steve Evil]

Drop Test b3nxj said:

Steve Evil said:

You also get a wireless controller thrown in with the premium pack which is nice to have.

you get a wireless controller with the arcade xbox too
but you will miss the HDD, i did and i had to get one off tt-bay.

Should have waited, Microsoft are practically giving them away now that you pretty much need one for the latest update.