UPDATE! Madcatz HDMI conversion kit for non-Elite Xbox 360

[jovherye]

Updated:

http://www.madcatz.com/Default.asp?Page=411&CategoryImg=Xbox_360_Accessories

[ryanbph]

I wonder how well the visuals will look using it

[Malik112099]

PASS...this is coming from the same people who made the adapter so you can use PS2 controllers and a mouse/keyboard combo and it got crap reviews....

you wont see a difference between 1080p over component/vga and 1080p over HDMI much less HDMI originating from an analog source....

does no one remember the reviews for the Elite and how no one could tell the diff between the elite over hdmi and the regular 360 over component/vga?

[CokeCola]

This wouldn't be advantageous from an image quality point of view (though theoretically, you could have interference that screws with the VGA signal). It would just be useful for TV compatibility, since some TVs don't handle or accept 1080p over VGA or component, or for people that are out of analog inputs. Still, a generic VGA-HDMI transcoder would be more useful.

[Apossum]

can't you already buy something like this from monoprice? a VGA to hdmi cable does the same thing. and it'll probably cost $20 less.

[MetalGator]

PASS...this is coming from the same people who made the adapter so you can use PS2 controllers and a mouse/keyboard combo and it got crap reviews....

you wont see a difference between 1080p over component/vga and 1080p over HDMI much less HDMI originating from an analog source....

does no one remember the reviews for the Elite and how no one could tell the diff between the elite over hdmi and the regular 360 over component/vga?

M$ should be glad this 3rd-party cable is coming out. While it has little impact on gaming visuals, it should allow for the non-VGA crowd to watch HD-DVDs at 1080p, thus leading to more sales. My guess is there are a lot of 1080p HDTVs without a VGA input, and the AACS won't allow 1080p over component for HD DVDs.

It's a non-factor for me, I'd want my HD-DVD player to transmit the new HD codecs over HDMI, but it's a useful cable for those who don't mind getting SD-DVD sound.

[CoffeeEdge]

Before people get excited, be aware that this WILL NOT GIVE YOU A BETTER PICTURE THAN THE COMPONENT CONNECTION. Non-Elite 360's are INCAPABLE of outputting a true digital signal, so no matter what you connect it with in the end, it'll be the same quality as a component connection.

This thing is a useless piece of shit, basically.

[dallow]

Stupid.

[MetalGator]

Before people get excited, be aware that this WILL NOT GIVE YOU A BETTER PICTURE THAN THE COMPONENT CONNECTION. Non-Elite 360's are INCAPABLE of outputting a true digital signal, so no matter what you connect it with in the end, it'll be the same quality as a component connection.

This thing is a useless piece of shit, basically.

If, and I'm sure this name is frowned upon at CAG, Monster came out with a similar cable I would consider solely because I'm looking into AV receivers that output HDMI 1080p. Microsoft's cables aren't that great to begin with, I'm hesitant to trust a 3rd party for something like this.

[CoffeeEdge]

If, and I'm sure this name is frowned upon at CAG, Monster came out with a similar cable I would consider solely because I'm looking into AV receivers that output HDMI 1080p. Microsoft's cables aren't that great to begin with, I'm hesitant to trust a 3rd party for something like this.
You're a sucker if you're falling for the Monster Cables scam. Exactly the sort of customer they're looking for.

[nyprimus4]

If you actually own a 60+ inch TV that supports 1080p and HDMI where HDMI looks better you can probably just afford the Elite.

[MetalGator]

You're a sucker if you're falling for the Monster Cables scam. Exactly the sort of customer they're looking for.

I buy my HDMI cables from Blue Jeans Cable and Monoprice. However, when it comes to analog (component, VGA, etc) Monster cables are better than Microsoft, Psyclone, Mad Catz etc. I would be a sucker if I walked in to Best Buy and put down $85 for Monster cables. There's a lot of great deals on Ebay, I've gotten Monster cables (component and the hook up for optical) for Xbox1($17) and Xbox 360 ($25), they're well worth it compared to M$'s analog cables.

Because this new HDMI cable for the "white 360" involves conversion of analog, I would definitely rather buy Monster than XCM. HDMI, DVI, Optical, and Coax, you can go for the no name brands, but when it comes to analog the cable actually matters and Monster makes the best component console cables I've seen.

[Doom5]

Monster does not make the best quality analog cables, not even close. Are they made with broadcast quality wire and connectors from Canare or Belden? I didn't think so.

Bluejeans cable is the way to go if you want high-end, quality cable. Will you see a difference in picture quality vs a standard monoprice cable? Probably not. Most people suffer from a placebo effect, or want to believe they didn't spend money on high-end gear and have no real results to show for it.

[VipFREAK]

VGA cable ftw!

[MetalGator]

Monster does not make the best quality analog cables, not even close. Are they made with broadcast quality wire and connectors from Canare or Belden? I didn't think so.

Bluejeans cable is the way to go if you want high-end, quality cable. Will you see a difference in picture quality vs a standard monoprice cable? Probably not. Most people suffer from a placebo effect, or want to believe they didn't spend money on high-end gear and have no real results to show for it.

As far as console gaming component cables, Monster is better but not worth retail. I notice a difference, worth the $25 I paid on Ebay. With my TV being 61 inches, minor differences in image quality are more noticable. If Blue Jeans made console gaming component cables I'd definitely purchase them. I do realize calling Monster "best" was a slip on my part, but their component console gaming cables are definitely better than Microsoft's. As someone on TeamXbox put it "it's not that Monster cables are that great so much that Microsoft's are that bad."

Monoprice sells good hdmi/dvi and coax/optical cables, I'm a very loyal customer there. Unfortunately some other bargain brands occasionally make cables that are shitty after a couple meters, but there's always Blue Jeans reliable up to 50 feet.

[Malik112099]

M$ should be glad this 3rd-party cable is coming out. While it has little impact on gaming visuals, it should allow for the non-VGA crowd to watch HD-DVDs at 1080p, thus leading to more sales. My guess is there are a lot of 1080p HDTVs without a VGA input, and the AACS won't allow 1080p over component for HD DVDs.

It's a non-factor for me, I'd want my HD-DVD player to transmit the new HD codecs over HDMI, but it's a useful cable for those who don't mind getting SD-DVD sound.

considering that it will be converting an analog signal to digital instead of originating from a digital source I'm pretty sure the AACS won't allow the 1080p signal for HD DVD's

[doubledown]

Seems like a gimick.

Also, hasn't it been said that the component vs HDMI on the Elite produce essentially the same picture?

[Malik112099]

Seems like a gimick.

Also, hasn't it been said that the component vs HDMI on the Elite produce essentially the same picture?


yes....component 1080p, vga 1080p and hdmi 1080p all look the same ... the only upside to hdmi is the uncompressed audio which you are a liar if you say you can tell the difference

[doubledown]

yes....component 1080p, vga 1080p and hdmi 1080p all look the same ... the only upside to hdmi is the uncompressed audio which you are a liar if you say you can tell the difference

Isn;t component only 1080i though? I think I tried setting my 360 to 1080p with component and it went haywire. *NEVERMIND* only certain TV's accept 1080p over component.

[TC]

Interested to hear the feedback on this once it gets delayed and then finally shows up in stores.

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

The real discussion should be over audio. Non-elite 360's with the hd-dvd add on will not do HD audio, leaving us feeling a little jipped. My question is this, with the elite, can we now get the other half of the fucking HD experience?

[Malik112099]

The real discussion should be over audio. Non-elite 360's with the hd-dvd add on will not do HD audio, leaving us feeling a little jipped. My question is this, with the elite, can we now get the other half of the fucking HD experience?

the HDMI in the elite carries audio..it is the 1.2a spec....thus the elite can output Dolby DIgital, DTS, WMA Pro and 2 channel PCM via the HDMI port....it doesn't support the full uncompressed audio of the 1.3 spec which, if you say you can tell the difference you are a liar

[PenguinMaster]

can't you already buy something like this from monoprice? a VGA to hdmi cable does the same thing. and it'll probably cost $20 less.

Monoprice has no VGA to HDMI cables. They have VGA to DVI-A (analog to analog) and DVI-D to HDMI (digital to digital).

As others have stated this is more for compatibility for those who don't have VGA ports. VGA does provide higher quality picture than component and this (if done right) should allow those without VGA ports to get VGA quality picture out of there HDMI ports.

[zman73]

My tv will not accept 1080p over component and certainly not over VGA... its intriguing although my tv does a good job in upconverting 1080i to 1080p by itself...

if I need another component slot open as opposed to HDMI, I might think about it... but Ill probably be happy with what Ive got

[THE DARK KNIGHT]

the HDMI in the elite carries audio..it is the 1.2a spec....thus the elite can output Dolby DIgital, DTS, WMA Pro and 2 channel PCM via the HDMI port....it doesn't support the full uncompressed audio of the 1.3 spec which, if you say you can tell the difference you are a liar

I answered my own question after some digging. I guess the spring update updated the audio as well. So, the Elite officially escapes my brains wants.

[jovherye]

$80! Expensive! And 1080i only?!

[Malik112099]

$80! Expensive! And 1080i only?!

FAIL!! I can do 1080p through Component and VGA on my TV...this product is basically useless

[PenguinMaster]

This product is definitely worse than using either a Component or VGA connection and I doubt anyone only has an HDMI connection.

[jovherye]

FAIL!! I can do 1080p through Component and VGA on my TV...this product is basically useless

Exactly! Who's gonna buy this! I was hoping for 1080p!

[Kendal]

Exactly! Who's gonna buy this! I was hoping for 1080p!

Dumb people. Also, who is that hot female in your avatar?

[RESmonkey]

Epic fail. It's not a digital signal, nor does it have any features of HDMI (or so I assume).

Don't waste your time with this. Stick with component or VGA. If you want HDMI, get an elite.

[Staind204]

Thats got to be a joke.. $80??

[Malik112099]

hey! Ive got an optical to composite audio adapter that I'll sell to you for $75. It works perfectly except you can only get stereo sound out of it!

[jovherye]

Updated w/new Madcatz product. I wonder if this will alow the HD-DVD player to output in 1080p. Anyone know?

[guyver2077]

wow what a waste of $$$

use vga cable if you got an oldie system.

i recently had to send my elite back to cc (died) and im using my old 360 via vga. Quality is identical to hdmi..

In fact im so impressed i dont know if i want to spend the cash on a new hdmi system

[jovherye]

For me, this sounds promising. I just bought a new Sharp 52" LCD, but it doesn't have a plug for VGA. Although it does support 1080p over component. I just want to use it for my add-on HD-DVD player. But I do agree, it is expensive. It also come w/HDMI and optical cables!

[guyver2077]

you shouldnt have a problem outputting 1080p via component..

i have an older 360 as well without hdmi. If i didnt have vga id probably try to sell the 360 and just rebuy..

does the sharp tv have dvi or something?

[klwillis45]

$90...yeesh. My HDTV has HDMI but not VGA and for that price I think I'll stick with component.

[PenguinMaster]

For me, this sounds promising. I just bought a new Sharp 52" LCD, but it doesn't have a plug for VGA. Although it does support 1080p over component. I just want to use it for my add-on HD-DVD player. But I do agree, it is expensive. It also come w/HDMI and optical cables!

The question lies in whether the 360 recognizes it as a VGA cable or a Component cable. If it recognizes it as a component cable then it obviously won't help with your HD-DVD player.

[jovherye]

True dat. By the way, it comes out today.