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So I'm Getting a 360...Now I need the setup...

887 Views 12 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  Sunkist, 
I
Okay folks...first off let me start off by saying this site is hardcore! I'm not ashamed to admit i'm sort of a noob when it comes to these things but I've run into a dillemma here. I was hoping you good folks could help me sort it out and help me make the right decision.


I am planning on buying an Xbox 360 soon in leu of the Gears of War release which frankly i've got a hardon for. Now...problem is...I don't have a single monitor; tv or computer that can come even close to displaying 360's power anywhere near its full potential.


Now I have a couple choices here...I can go with a 20.1" PC monitor...Or I can go with a 19/20" HDTV Tv...My budget in this area is limited, however. I don't think i can afford more than 350-400 or so. So far it seems doable in the monitor department...although the TV's are a wee bit more expensive.


Now..I've done my research, and I've figured out if i want to go the PC Monitor route...I'd go with something like the ViewSonic VX2025WM. With this route...I can also take advantage of the monitor as something I can use to view movies on my pc, or play PC games etc...so it would not exclusively serve as an Xbox 360 monitor. Now since I'd be going to a PC monitor i'd have to do something about the sound right? Well, my only choice is to first of all, purchase the 360 HD VGA Cable and find a RCA -> baby jack converter in order to be able to use my pc speakers..which are decent...at least for now. Well, just with these extra cables, i'm looking at around 60 bucks...not to mention the monitor being around 320 bucks, so we're looking at almost 400 dollars in this route. PROBLEM is...it says on the Xbox 360 website that the HD VGA Cable only supports these resolutions: 640 x 480, 848x480, 1024 x 768, 1280 x 720, 1280 x 768, 1280 x 1024, and 1360 x 768.

The highest end of those resolutions comes no where close to what the PC monitor can handle...which then leads me to ponder about my next choice....


I could just go with a 19" HDTV monitor which comes ready with okay speakers (my pc speakers are not much better, except they at least have some bass from the subwoofer). The only reasonable choice I can come up with is the Samsung 19" LN-S1951W. Now this unit is 500 bucks! But really it's only a hundred bucks more than my previous choice, but i'm wondering is if this will just use the regular component HD a/v cable that comes with the 360 without hassling with extra adapters etc.. ALSO, this monitor can sport up to 1440x900 resolution...which is a better deal than what I'd be getting using the PC monitor...(assuming I've done the correct research in adaptation).


Now last ditch effort, is convincing a family member to give me their old HDReady set. This Set is pretty big at 40" but I believe it only supports up to 852x480 SVGA (native mode). This set i'm talking about is the Viewsonic VPW425...a pretty old set and not necessarily good...but it would be free.


Of course like i said...I am probably willing to cough up 400 or so bucks to get a very decent display in order to not have those 360 graphics go to waste...


If you folks have better advice for me, or just wish to input on my situation...any help would be GREATLY appreciated. I apologize for such a long winded post but I just want to get all that info out there for you good folks to analyze and help me make the right decision...as I am a college student who is up to his knees in debt, and I am just looking for the best deal without compromising quality. I also am just a gaming nut and hate to see good graphics go to waste on my current POS standard def. TV.


Again, in advance, your advice and input is greatly appreciated!
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A
Quote:
purchase the 360 HD VGA Cable and find a RCA -> baby jack converter in order to be able to use my pc speakers..which are decent...at least for now. Well, just with these extra cables, i'm looking at around 60 bucks
you can get the vga cable for under 20 bucks used at gamestop. It comes with the dongle you are speaking of.
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kevin g.
Quote:
It comes with the dongle you are speaking of.


he/he you said dongle....


Seriously, would you be happy with the smaller display? I would think it would get very annoying swapping out the cable from pc to 360...unless there is some sort of adapter.

and really if the monitor only supports 720 or 768, so what? as I understand it the max the 360 can produce is 1080i so why not just set it at 720 and be happy?

Have you ever thought used? Many members here and on HTF are always upgrading. I would imagine you could come up with a nice low hour 720 set that will last, from a fellow member, that you just know will have taken very good care of it.

I can't stand ebay, but it works great for some people. And there's always Audiogon.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kevin g.
I would think it would get very annoying swapping out the cable from pc to 360...unless there is some sort of adapter.
Most new LCD monitors have inputs for both DVI & VGA, so as long as he has a DVI capable video card then it shouldn't be a problem to switch between 360/PC video sources.
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I
Quote:
Originally Posted by kevin g.
he/he you said dongle....


Seriously, would you be happy with the smaller display? I would think it would get very annoying swapping out the cable from pc to 360...unless there is some sort of adapter.

and really if the monitor only supports 720 or 768, so what? as I understand it the max the 360 can produce is 1080i so why not just set it at 720 and be happy?

Have you ever thought used? Many members here and on HTF are always upgrading. I would imagine you could come up with a nice low hour 720 set that will last, from a fellow member, that you just know will have taken very good care of it.

I can't stand ebay, but it works great for some people. And there's always Audiogon.
honestly I don't have much of a choice. Any other way using my current SDTV's which are some years old would be wasting the point of even having a 360. As far as the monitor, yeah it's not that big a deal but still I feel it'd be a waste buying a monitor which is capable of beyond 1080i be restricted to only 768.


As far as buying a used one, well I dunno I guess I can do that but...how much guarantee am I getting that the system will work. I won't have a warranty if anything goes wrong and it's just a huge risk factor that i'm looking at here.


Smaller display at this point I think would be better than high-quality video being displayed into a big screen with 300 resolution.
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G
Nothing less than a 45inch 1080p display. Seriously. Halo 3 is gonna be in 1080p, plus the fall update to the 360 is going to allow the 360 to output 1080p. This generation is heading towards 1080p and the next gen definately will be pure 1080p. Buy a TV for years, not months.
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I
lol that's not an option. If I had the option of buying that high end of a TV I wouldn't be here saying I'm in a dillemma. My budget for a new monitor...TV or PC is MAX 400 bucks. It will cover at least the 768 which is respectable.


So rather than stray from my budget can we just stick to that? I just simply cannot afford a high end tv so I am trying to come up with the best deal for myself. A 19" HDTV or a 20.1" PC monitor seem like the best choices to also accompany other utility rather than just video game entertainment. (dvd viewing, television, PC games, etc)
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M
Quote:
Originally Posted by gamelover360
Nothing less than a 45inch 1080p display. Seriously. Halo 3 is gonna be in 1080p, plus the fall update to the 360 is going to allow the 360 to output 1080p. This generation is heading towards 1080p and the next gen definately will be pure 1080p. Buy a TV for years, not months.
the last i heard halo 3 will not be in 1080p that was just a x06 rumor maybe im wrong but im 99% thats wasnt stated

edit: why not look at hd tube tv's did not read ur whole post maybe u already considered this
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MJ DOOM
Sony gdm fw900 (or the HP A7217A rebadge) 24 inch flat widescreen crt monitor. 1 vga input and 1 bnc input. max resolution 2304x1440p. with the 1080p update and being properly calibrated, this monitor would probably monkey crap on any 360+hd screen combo out there. search ebay u might can get a refurb for $400 shipped. i'm gaming with my 360 on this thing now all i can say is :cool: . only cons is screen real estate and weight. but i know those will go away when i watch serenity in 1080p on this thing ;)
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I
Those monitors are pretty nice...but how old of a model is that? Also keep in mind, the VGA cable for xbox360 only supports up to 1360 x 768. Ideal max resolution in a monitor in my opinion would be a 1680x1050. That way i'd have minimal waste of resolution power through cash etc.


I dunno, more and more I think about it, the monitor route seems the best. Although I guess I also keep hoping I can come across a nice 20" HDTV that just covers it all with enough resolution to support up to 1080i or hell even 720p. Closest i've come to, again, is the Samsung LN-S1951W. Problem, again, is this is 500 bucks for a 19" monitor; both pricier and smaller than just buying a 20.1" widescreen monitor.


Again what doyou guys think? 20.1" PC Monitor, like the Viewsonic one? (VX2025WM) Or, the Samsung I just posted above...or if you have other suggestions keep em coming, very informative so far...(keep in mind i'd like to avoid refurbished, used products because I'd hate for the thing not to be working in a few months after purchase and stuck without a warranty)
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MJ DOOM
these monitors were made in 2000. pound for pound the best pc monitor ever made. cost about 2.5k when releashed.....soon microsoft will release a patch to allow 1080p (1920x1080p, true hd) output for games and regular dvds via vga. also 1080p output for hd dvds if u buy the add on. this monitor max resolution is 2304x1140p @ 80Hz. it can handle 1080p easily with no lag or ghosting.
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I
You know...someone mentioned HD Tube Tv's...I decided to look at what best buy might have or something...and look what I found. Insignia NS-27HTV 27" HD Tube. Supports 1080i. and it's priced at 415 bucks. This now I can consider an option. What do you folks think in comparison to my other choices?
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S
I have one of those Viewsonic VPW425 plasmas around with a 360 hooked up to it and even though it is an EDTV it looks awesome when properly calibrated, if you can get it free then get that. Playing on a large TV will be much more gratifiying (especially if you cant to play split screen with other people) and you can use the money you save to buy a good sound system.
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