XBox360 and Screens A Little Help Please

[MacB]

If you're planning an Xbox and a PC in the same room, PC for usual stuff and console for games and DVD watching, what do you do about screens?

Do you need a big TV for the games and the DVDs and then a monitor for the PC?

Or can you get one that will do both, preferably connected to both and switchable?

If so what's better a TV or a dedicated computer screen and what type of either to look at, ie LED or something else?

Finally budget does matter...cheers....Al

ps, this isn't for general viewing it's for a bedroom, so massive screen not required

 

[fossyant]

Most TV's will take a PC input, but that depends upon your intended use.

PC in corner, then Xbox on the telly for us - then can watch down loaded movies stored on PC via the Xbox.

We're moving to main Pc in cupboard under stairs, then laptop for internet, then Xbox for other stuff, so I am informed by the missus. Main PC is a bit loud and runs RAID for security

 

[MacB]

The thing is the boys each have a games console and an old TV upstairs, all big old CRT ones, and we've negotiating about PCs for homework(Ha!!!!) etc. If I get a bundled deal on a PC it could include a monitor but I don't know if that would be adequate to play console games on, or what sort of connections etc. Plus the TVs are really old, bulky and heavy, you could fit a PC, flat screen and console all within the space one of them takes up, and with less weight.

I've tried searching online but it either seems to be over my level of understanding or a battle between PC gamers and console gamers.

 

[fossyant]

Ah, kids rooms.

Most reasonably priced TV's will have a VGA in and a HDMI (at least) for the Xbox (Xbox can use different TV/Monitor leads). TBH 22" should be more than enough close up for a games console. TBH if they are gaming on a CRT, they will be fine on a LCD TV - just possibly look at response rate - lower is better.

Many PC monitors will take a HDMI, but you can get a VGA out cable for the 360 - I'd say get a monitor that will take multiple inputs - or maybe the digital monitor output ? Are you looking at no TV signal in the rooms - monitor is best, if you want the lot, then a TV that will do the lot.

God, our 17" PC screen is very detailed for games.

We have our Xbox on our main TV - a older Panasonic 28" CRT 100hz via the RGB scart (better than the composite scart that comes with the Xbox, but not as good as HDMI - so the best pic you can get on a CRT - small text is easy to read, via normal Scart it isn't. HDMI would be perfect.

For a Kids room - I'd get a Flat TV of about 22" that will take PC VGA and a HDMI input for the Xbox. Everyone happy. 22" is very useable for a PC - just got one at work - ace for spreadsheets, much bigger and you'll not be able to see the full screen close up.

 

[MacB]

Feck Me Fossy...English would have been nice

Ok, I get the gist, no there won't be any TV input signals I'd guess only TV viewing would be online stuff. When I say these are old TVs, I mean really old, one was inherited 17 years ago the newest is about 11 years old(inherited as well so add a bit to that), actually our primary TV is about 8 years old.

How about if I go for a box only PC deal and invest seperately in a monitor/TV? Uses will be PC, gaming, DVD via games console and if TV watched via PC. would like a neat little switch to allow for input to be altered from console to PC and vice versa.

So come on which one? I guess the PC bit will look fine either way so it's how it looks for gaming and console DVD watching that's the key.

 

[Piemaster]

We bought a projector for family movie nights.

It now pretty much lives in the teens room connected up to the xbox. A 4' picture makes his room a very popular hangout.

 

[MacB]

So if I wanted both to run to the PC monitor then something like this VGA splitter with switch would do the trick?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/XBOX-360-PC-VGA-Switch/dp/B000ZBHXZ4

Monitor plugs in one side and you need to two more cables to attach PC and Xbox?

 

[david1701]

I do both on a 32" tv, does it nicely. VGA input for the laptop (I use it for editing with people so they can see what I'm talking about), have also run it with a pc just hooked up there and gamed on that. Then xbox connected via component video.

The real kicker is if you can have a dj type mixer on the desk running audio from the tv and the laptop into a decent stereo system (I ran a baby power amp and pair of floorstanders) and a decent set of headphones (Sennheiser)

and MacB if you're settled on a monitor then many have dvi (adapts to be hdmi) as well as vga inputs and can switch

 

[david1701]

btw a 32" tv will be cheaper than a decent quality decent size panel

 

[MacB]

btw a 32" tv will be cheaper than a decent quality decent size panel

cheaper, now cheaper I like

 

[gaz]

You can get a cable for the xbox that allows it to put the signal out via VGA.

 

[david1701]

£225-£250 for one with older tech, much like mine which is 4 years old ish. If you wanted to splash more cash though some very very sexy features are going round though I don't really know much about all of them. Worth budgeting for some cables too when you sit down to work out what to connect to it and how

 

[MacB]

Ok, I bought this today:-

http://emea.microsoftstore.com/UK/en-GB/Microsoft/Xbox-360-VGA-HD-AV-Cable

an XBOX 360 VGA HD AV Cable, paid a lot less than that though, and it works to hook the console into the monitor. But it doesn't get sound yet, this is a basic monitor and there's nowhere for the additional red and white plugs to go. The PC gets sound to a pair of basic speakers via a USD connection. I tried plugging the speakers USB straight into the Xbox but no joy. also the monitor only has one VGA input, so I guess we need a switcher like this:-


http://www.amazon.co.uk/XBOX-360-PC-VGA-Switch/dp/B000ZBHXZ4?tag=vglnk-uk-c61-21

and the image shows two holes for sockets in red and white, would this also solve the sound issues?

 

[gaz]

Ok, I bought this today:-

http://emea.microsof...VGA-HD-AV-Cable

an XBOX 360 VGA HD AV Cable, paid a lot less than that though, and it works to hook the console into the monitor. But it doesn't get sound yet, this is a basic monitor and there's nowhere for the additional red and white plugs to go. The PC gets sound to a pair of basic speakers via a USD connection. I tried plugging the speakers USB straight into the Xbox but no joy. also the monitor only has one VGA input, so I guess we need a switcher like this:-


http://www.amazon.co...vglnk-uk-c61-21

and the image shows two holes for sockets in red and white, would this also solve the sound issues?

You need some external speakers that either are 2x 3.5mm jack for left and right or 1x 3.5mm jack and you will need one of these

 

[MacB]

You need some external speakers that either are 2x 3.5mm jack for left and right or 1x 3.5mm jack and you will need one of these

which bits plug in to which in this setup?