PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

Hi, I'm about to build a new PC, and I can't seem to find a PCi card
that says exactly what I need: I need to be able to play my Xbox (or
other games console) through the monitor, with no time lag. I know a
friend who bought one, and he had about a second delay, which was no
good for gaming. I have considered a VGA adapter, but they are far too
expensive (see the Avermedia TV Box 9): I am interested in a card that
is under £50.

I have found the Compro VideoMate DVB-T200, but I'm not sure whether it
makes any time lag. if I buy it, and it's incorrect, it means the
hassle of taking apart the PC, buying a new one, and paying £10 at
OcUK for re-stocking fees.

Can anyone either find a card that does what I need, or say if they
have any cards I should buy or avoid?

Thanks,

Pix

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

There is no need to include the PC just to use the monitor. You need an RGB
to VGA convertor and a switch, preferable combined.

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"John Russell" wrote in message
...
There is no need to include the PC just to use the monitor. You need an
RGB to VGA convertor and a switch, preferable combined.

This is the kind of thing I mean:-
http://www.dealclick.co.uk/product/1...erter-Xbox.php

I'm not commenting on the quality as I don't have an Xbox!

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"John Russell" wrote in message
...

"John Russell" wrote in message
...
There is no need to include the PC just to use the monitor. You need an
RGB to VGA convertor and a switch, preferable combined.

This is the kind of thing I mean:-
http://www.dealclick.co.uk/product/1...erter-Xbox.php

I'm not commenting on the quality as I don't have an Xbox!

This looks even better
http://www.darkplanets.co.uk/product_info.asp?pid=1008

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

Sorry, I've already looked at those two: the first has got bad reviews,
and there's even more revies complaining about the quality. In my first
message, I said that I had considered them, but if I get a decent one,
I'll be forking out about £110. :(

Also, there's a possibility that I will be getting a widescreen
monitor, as the prices are rapidly dropping: those only have a maximum
of 1024x768 resolution, which would leave the picture blurred.

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

(I'd also like to record using it, so they simply can't do.)

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

Never the less, this is the logical way to do it. It's purely a question of
finding one that suites your needs.

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"John Russell" wrote in message
...
Never the less, this is the logical way to do it. It's purely a question
of finding one that suites your needs.

Here is one which supports HDTV
http://www.x2vga.com/

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

In article . com,
Pixellated says...
Sorry, I've already looked at those two: the first has got bad reviews,
and there's even more revies complaining about the quality. In my first
message, I said that I had considered them, but if I get a decent one,
I'll be forking out about £110. :(

Also, there's a possibility that I will be getting a widescreen
monitor, as the prices are rapidly dropping: those only have a maximum
of 1024x768 resolution, which would leave the picture blurred.


You will never be happy no matter what solution you use.

--
Conor,

Same ****, different day.

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"Conor" wrote in message
t...
In article . com,
Pixellated says...
Sorry, I've already looked at those two: the first has got bad reviews,
and there's even more revies complaining about the quality. In my first
message, I said that I had considered them, but if I get a decent one,
I'll be forking out about £110. :(

Also, there's a possibility that I will be getting a widescreen
monitor, as the prices are rapidly dropping: those only have a maximum
of 1024x768 resolution, which would leave the picture blurred.


You will never be happy no matter what solution you use.

The quality of a £50 capture card might be an issue!

Horses for courses. Get the best solution for playing, and then for
recording.

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"Pixellated" wrote in message
oups.com...
(I'd also like to record using it, so they simply can't do.)


Normal recording devices are designed for PAL/NTSC broadcast video
standards, and don't need to bother about lag with the direct signal.

A HDTV capture card to allow game console resolutions to be captured is not
going to cost £50, more like £500!

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

The X2VGA was already ruled out of my search: it doesn't support some
channels and HDTV in PAL.

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"Pixellated" wrote in message
oups.com...
The X2VGA was already ruled out of my search: it doesn't support some
channels and HDTV in PAL.


I.m afraid to say that only the US is seen as big enough to justify the
production of niche products!

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

But aren't PAL Xbox's limited to the basic video resolution? To generate
HDTV quality you need an NTSC mod, which would then allow you to use the
NTSC VGA convertor.

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"Pixellated" wrote in message
oups.com...
The X2VGA was already ruled out of my search: it doesn't support some
channels and HDTV in PAL.

You might try hear for the view of other Xbox users.
http://www.worldxbox.co.uk/

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

I've been setting up posts all over t'internet, and I've found that (I
hope) Hauppage do suitable cards. I'm not 100% sure, but I think I'll
go for the WinTV HVR-1100. Thanks for helping, guys.

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"Pixellated" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been setting up posts all over t'internet, and I've found that (I
hope) Hauppage do suitable cards. I'm not 100% sure, but I think I'll
go for the WinTV HVR-1100. Thanks for helping, guys.


I'm not sure how much help we've been, but it's nice that you acknowledge we
tried!

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"Pixellated" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been setting up posts all over t'internet, and I've found that (I
hope) Hauppage do suitable cards. I'm not 100% sure, but I think I'll
go for the WinTV HVR-1100. Thanks for helping, guys.


I'm not sure how much help we've been, but it's nice that you acknowledge we
tried!

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"Pixellated" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been setting up posts all over t'internet, and I've found that (I
hope) Hauppage do suitable cards. I'm not 100% sure, but I think I'll
go for the WinTV HVR-1100. Thanks for helping, guys.


The 1100 only supports software encoding of analogue video, which won't do
much for your lag problem.
The 1300 supports hardware encoding, which should reduce lag,but even them
lag is not considered a problem when capturing video, only audio/video synch
Lag is introduced because the capture process is a pipeline of stages. Each
stage has to operate at video rate, but by the time you add all the stages
together you get a delay.

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

In article .com,
Pixellated says...
I've been setting up posts all over t'internet, and I've found that (I
hope) Hauppage do suitable cards. I'm not 100% sure, but I think I'll
go for the WinTV HVR-1100.

THe problem is it'll be displaying on a LCD monitor.


--
Conor,

Same ****, different day.

PCI Card for Xbox Gaming
 

"John Russell" wrote in message
...

"Pixellated" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been setting up posts all over t'internet, and I've found that (I
hope) Hauppage do suitable cards. I'm not 100% sure, but I think I'll
go for the WinTV HVR-1100. Thanks for helping, guys.


The 1100 only supports software encoding of analogue video, which won't do
much for your lag problem.
The 1300 supports hardware encoding, which should reduce lag,but even them
lag is not considered a problem when capturing video, only audio/video
synch
Lag is introduced because the capture process is a pipeline of stages.
Each stage has to operate at video rate, but by the time you add all the
stages together you get a delay.


Thinking about the little VGA converters are working at the scan line level.
They just process each line as an electrical signal and change the format to
one suitable for VGA. They can't change resolution, but the lag is measured
as a fraction of a scanline, not fractions of a video frame which occurs
using PC video digitisers.

I would seriously consider chipping your Xbox so it supports both PAL and
NTSC, then use NTSC when working with a high quality NTSC/VGA scan line
converter.