Getting an xbox360 and...

smurfdude · Apr 29, 2008, 05:19 AM

I'm wanting to hook it up to my 22" widescreen monitor. I know i need one of those vga cables, but a thought crossed my mind...how will i get sound? The only connections on my monitor are DVI and VGA

Also i'll have both my pc and xbox connected to the monitor at the same time, will i be able to switch from one to the other easily or will have i to turn one off while i use the other?

Oh and my monitor is a
Samsung SyncMaster 226BW 22"

PS I have GTA 4 in my hands and no xbox yet...arghhh!!

**dj_stick** · Apr 29, 2008, 06:18 AM

if the only connections on your monitor are DVI and VGA then it has no speakers, so get a seperate set

hook your pc up via DVI, exbox up via VGA (you may need a converter) and use the monitors input source to switch between the two

BlueMak · Apr 29, 2008, 07:24 AM

If you have a set of speakers and you have the premium version of the xbox 360, then it comes with a dongle that you can use, IIRC. Also, if you have an Xi-Fi soundcard with the front panel "panel', you can plug in the sound output of the xbox to the 2 in connections there (red and black). That's what I have done.

smurfdude · Apr 29, 2008, 10:50 AM

I have an audigy 2 zs panel which has a red and a white connection at the back (left and right speaker) and i have 7.1 speakers around my room. Would that mean i'd need my PC on all the time to play the xbox? (seeing the the sound card panel is connected to my pc)

Tipstaff · Apr 29, 2008, 12:06 PM

Either way you look at it you will need something as an interface that you can plug the audio cables into so that you can then get audio out, and adjust the volume. My main machine is on all the time, so at the moment I'm using an RCA to 1/8th 3.5mm mini jack converter (came with my Logitech X-230s, but you can get one for $2) to my PCs LineIn, and have the 360 VGA cable hooked up to my monitors 3rd input (mine has 2 D-Sub, 1 DVI).

There's all sorts of things you can try. The top 2: get speakers that allow for multiple inputs (such as ones that allow for an MP3 or iPod to connect via a 1/8th plug hookup), or grab yourself a cheap stereo whether it be used or new (the great thing about this is that you don't need anything fancy, just something basic to act as an interface). You can also get a pocket amplifier (or even build one of those CMoy amps) as that would give you volume control, or get yourself an audio switch that has a volume control on it (like the old Microsoft Game Commander).

Personally I'd go with the top 2 options as anything else you get won't allow for treble/bass adjustments, and will sound flat.

CDsDontBurn · Apr 29, 2008, 01:15 PM

dude, i have the same exact monitor as you do, and i have my sexbox hooked up in the manner you are looking for. except that with me, i have a VGA based KVM switch, so i can't hook up my PC to my monitor's DVI port. so, it's a hassle with me whenever i want to hook up my 360 to my SyncMaster 226bw.

my thing though, is that i have an equalizer that i can split the audio signal out between my PC sound output and my 360's sound output by the press of a button.

here are some pix of what my set up looks like. sorry for some of these pictures being blurry.

The gray VGA cable is from the 360 adapter. Not showin in the pic are the Red/White composite audio cables.

Here are the composite cables i was talking about. The 360's cables are hooked up to "Audio In" and my PC speakers are hooked up through "Tape In." From there, the sound is routed through "Main Out" and goes to my PC speakers.

I am using two RCA to 1/4 converters. One set is going from my KVM switch (It would be PC in your situation here) to the equalizer ("Tape In"). The other set (the other one being female though as the PC speaker 1/8th jack is male) is going from the equalizer ("Main Out") to my PC speakers.

Here is the reason why i cannot use the DVI input for my samsung monitor. otherwise, i wouldn't need to be plugging in and unplugging the VGA cable for my 360 and my PC. For me this gets annoying and is the reason why i don't play my 360 as often as i would like to.

smurfdude · Apr 29, 2008, 05:30 PM

Very helpful posts, although slightly confusing because i've never done anything like this before obviously but im sure ill figure something out, i like learning. Big thanks

**dj_stick** · Apr 29, 2008, 11:17 PM

audio switching is your only real problem, as your monitor should have an input switching button, so there's no need to get any converters/switches for that

something like this should help you with audio switching, they're available at most electronics/entertainment stores - switches like this have 2 or more inputs, one output, and you switch between the source

Tipstaff · Apr 30, 2008, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj_stick

audio switching is your only real problem, as your monitor should have an input switching button, so there's no need to get any converters/switches for that

something like this should help you with audio switching, they're available at most electronics/entertainment stores - switches like this have 2 or more inputs, one output, and you switch between the source

Good suggestion. Simply go from the PC to the switch, 360 to the switch, and then from the switch to PC speakers. Switch should run you $10-15 (maybe even cheaper), but you will need to get the proper cables to hookup the PC to the switch, as well as the speakers to the switch. In the end you can get it all setup for $20-25.

smurfdude · May 3, 2008, 10:20 AM

I've sorted it all out. I bought some new slim speakers with a small subwoofer. Sounds, looks, plays brilliantly, great game. Oh and with 1 push of the button on my monitor i can switch between digital/analog (ie, between PC/xbox)

CDsDontBurn · May 3, 2008, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smurfdude

Oh and with 1 push of the button on my monitor i can switch between digital/analog (ie, between PC/xbox)

i'm jealous

lol

OmegaRED · May 3, 2008, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smurfdude

I've sorted it all out. I bought some new slim speakers with a small subwoofer. Sounds, looks, plays brilliantly, great game. Oh and with 1 push of the button on my monitor i can switch between digital/analog (ie, between PC/xbox)

That's exactly the setup I'm gonna do one day...

24" Samsung LCD with Xbox360 and some logitech 5.1 system

One day...

Judas · May 3, 2008, 12:56 PM

*sigh*

i would have gotten another x360 but i did something in my haste of stupidity and bought a retail box of vista hp and now i want to take it back lawl....

CDsDontBurn · May 3, 2008, 04:32 PM

it would be nice though if the 360 supported 1650x1050 resolution. althought it plays nice on the monitor, it looks a bit off.

Tipstaff · May 3, 2008, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CDsDontBurn

it would be nice though if the 360 supported 1650x1050 resolution. althought it plays nice on the monitor, it looks a bit off.

Me too, but I've found something that can accommodate for that lack of rez support.

The gaming rig I alluded to in another thread that was going to a friend, he also picked up the Samsung 2253BW 22" LCD, and hooked up his 360 to it. And man, the first thing I saw shocked the hell outta me. Have you ever seen how some LCD TVs display a 4:3 image on a widescreen TV, but it displays it as a 4:3 image with black bars on the sides in order to keep the images aspect ratio correct? Well this monitor does exactly that. It's the first time I've ever seen an LCD monitor have this feature. Basically, any resolution that is not the monitors native 1680x1050 will be displayed as is in the resolution you want. In this case I had set the machine up on an LCD using a rez of 1280x1024, and when I switched over to the new screen it displayed that exact rez on the screen, yet it was nice and sharp because it was 1280x1024, and not a scaled 1280x1024.