Madcatz HDMI kit promises 1080p for original 1st gen Xbox 360's

[Zeus]

XCMLive kicked off the trend by releasing a cable that provided HDMI on non HDMI enabled first generation Xbox 360's (limited to 1080i), but this latest peripheral by Madcatz promises to go one better by enabling HDMI 1080p outputs on the original Xbox 360 consoles. It seems like a pretty simple plug and play solution, but with a retail price of $89.99, one has to question if its worth it? But we'll know for sure when it is released early next year!

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[Rockman_Joey]

$90?! Thats cheap considering if your in the UK importing, otherwise its a ripoff but good for those who got fucked over when Microsoft added HDMIs into 360s!

[RuneEdge]

Nice design.

[whorse]

are you smoking pot?
360s can output 1080p all right through component.
Its just not digital :rolleyes:

[BJH088]

your better off selling your xbox 360 on ebay for $300 then paying an extra $50 for a brand new premium with hdmi port. $90 is a rediculous price especially for madcatz brand. Have you ever tried their VGA Cable!! Complete crap with major bluring.

[dopamine]

I already ahve an HDMI upscaler (albeit only to 1080i)

If i were to get rid of that, and buy this, would i notice much difference ?

as i recall, the resolution would be the same, just the audio wouldnt be laced through the video... at least, thats what i assume from my dvdripping days.

[dalezer]

where are the RED & WHITE audio outputs??

HDMI is nice and all but not a lotta people have digital recievers.

So it makes no point for me to buy this.

[XxBigP123xX]

$89.99? god damn

[confused_dude]

Whats the point?? If you have an HD Ready TV then more than likely you have a spare VGA socket on the back, just go buy a VGA cable for the 360 which is about 9 quid set your res to whatever the max of the TV is capable of and hey presto you have HD at 1280x 720 if you have a TV that supports 1920 x 1080 then set the resolution at that and whoosh band there you have 1080p. Bloody scam if you ask me.

[Tarv]

where are the RED & WHITE audio outputs??

HDMI is nice and all but not a lotta people have digital recievers.

So it makes no point for me to buy this.

sounds like a lotta people have other upgrades to consider besides running HDMI.

[whackawookie]

Whats the point?? If you have an HD Ready TV then more than likely you have a spare VGA socket on the back, just go buy a VGA cable for the 360 which is about 9 quid set your res to whatever the max of the TV is capable of and hey presto you have HD at 1280x 720 if you have a TV that supports 1920 x 1080 then set the resolution at that and whoosh band there you have 1080p. Bloody scam if you ask me.

most newer tv's have 1080p capable component slots so unless your trying to cut down on the wires behind your tv you may not care for this

[Hootermancs]

Whats the point?? If you have an HD Ready TV then more than likely you have a spare VGA socket on the back, just go buy a VGA cable for the 360 which is about 9 quid set your res to whatever the max of the TV is capable of and hey presto you have HD at 1280x 720 if you have a TV that supports 1920 x 1080 then set the resolution at that and whoosh band there you have 1080p. Bloody scam if you ask me.

Not all 1080p TV's support 1080p over VGA. I've run into this limitation a couple different times.

Even if it could HDMI would still be the better signal transfer, VGA is analog.

[SSChevy2001]

If it's another component to HDMI conversion then it's just crap. VGA to HDMI conversion I could see being a good solution. Glad my HDTV supports 1080P over all 3 connections.

[newsance]

Not all 1080p TV's support 1080p over VGA. I've run into this limitation a couple different times.

Even if it could HDMI would still be the better signal transfer, VGA is analog.

First off, I have yet to spot any quality difference between VGA, HDMI, and component. VGA worked just fine at resolutions higher than 1080P on computer monitors, and component is very similar to VGA.

Second, you have to be nuts if you think a box that makes an HDMI signal from an analog signal will be cleaner than the unmolested analog signal itself.

[Hootermancs]

First off, I have yet to spot any quality difference between VGA, HDMI, and component. VGA worked just fine at resolutions higher than 1080P on computer monitors, and component is very similar to VGA.

Second, you have to be nuts if you think a box that makes an HDMI signal from an analog signal will be cleaner than the unmolested analog signal itself.

First, sure VGA works for computer resolutions higher than 1080p, but try looking at the differences on a 52" lcd, or a 120" projector rather than a 20" lcd monitor. And you're right, component is very similar to VGA, they are both analog signals.

Second, I never said that I'm supporting this box at all. Actually I find these types of product a joke. Just like "upconverting" DVD players. I was just stating VGA/HDMI differences.

[Skyline34]

I wonder if it would've been easier for M$ to just add HDMI to the first load of 360's... but then I remembered... they're dumbasses that just copied the idea from the PS3!

[Maurik]

tbh, as others have mentionned, a lot of HDTVs only have up to 720p, so the VGA port often suffices, and even if your TV doesnt have a VGA port, you can use the component, or possible Analog over DVI.

[Soldiers On LSD]

I wonder if it would've been easier for M$ to just add HDMI to the first load of 360's... but then I remembered... they're dumbasses that just copied the idea from the PS3!

Yes this is true. The PS3 was the first and only device in the market with an HDMI port. Sony should sue M$ for copyrights!!!

dumbass. :o

Still $90 is too expensive. This is a bit less than half of what a whole new 360 arcade with HDMI cost. :rolleyes: When it gets reduced to $40-$50 then will be worth it.

[Steve-O 2006]

has anyone tried the Madcatz VGA cable.... Its a load of crap (made ghosty images)!!!. Hope this is not the same

[Skyline34]

Yes this is true. The PS3 was the first and only device in the market with an HDMI port. Sony should sue M$ for copyrights!!!

dumbass. :o
Umm I didn't say the PS3 was the source device for HDMI technology, but you have to admit, do you think it was a coincidence the 360 being out for a year, then 3 months after the PS3 release, they just happen to want a HDMI port included with the "El33t" 360?

I don't fucking think so!

There was even reports of M$ thinking about joining the Folding@Home program, again copying what the PS3 already has just to say "look at us, we can do whatever the PS3 can do *blah*blah*"

[ChiGGz]

There was even reports of M$ thinking about joining the Folding@Home program, again copying what the PS3 already has just to say "look at us, we can do whatever the PS3 can do *blah*blah*"

I understand your example. Just like my example of how the PS3 controller has motion sensing ala Wii right?

just stfu hypo

[Hootermancs]

Umm I didn't say the PS3 was the source device for HDMI technology, but you have to admit, do you think it was a coincidence the 360 being out for a year, then 3 months after the PS3 release, they just happen to want a HDMI port included with the "El33t" 360?

I don't fucking think so!

There was even reports of M$ thinking about joining the Folding@Home program, again copying what the PS3 already has just to say "look at us, we can do whatever the PS3 can do *blah*blah*"

When the 360 launched HDMI was not as prevalent as it was a year later when the PS3 launched. Microsoft said that when the market was ready for it they would offer it, which is what they did. Plus Sony didn't really have a choice but to offer HDMI out of the box, without it the Blu-Ray drive would have been a complete waste.

Oh, and to play your stupid game; I believe that Microsoft was the first to offer divx streaming over the 360, and then right after that Sony released that on the PS3. OMG WTF WHY DOES $ONY WANT TO TAKE ALL OF MICRO$OFTS IDEAS?!?1?

[Skyline34]

@Hootermancs: DivX was CONFIRMED on both PS3 and 360 at the same fucking time, only difference was that the PS3 was CERTIFIED!

@ChiGGz: The PS3 was in development a long time before the Wii was!

[des]

If I get it for 30-40$ I would buy it, otherwise buying a new box is much cheaper...stupid idea from them.

[Hootermancs]

@Hootermancs: DivX was CONFIRMED on both PS3 and 360 at the same fucking time, only difference was that the PS3 was CERTIFIED!

@ChiGGz: The PS3 was in development a long time before the Wii was!

360 shipped divx support first, ps3 was 2nd
360 shipped first, ps3 was 2nd
360 has so many exclusive titles, ps3 has crap
omg xb0ts rule, ps3 sucks, who would want it?!?!?!



see how dumb that is, now stop it

[faceless]

where are the RED & WHITE audio outputs??

HDMI is nice and all but not a lotta people have digital recievers.

So it makes no point for me to buy this.
i don't mean to be insulting, but who owns a HDTV and doesnt have a receiver with optical in?

[Steve-O 2006]

i don't mean to be insulting, but who owns a HDTV and doesnt have a receiver with optical in?

Lots of people as most people when buying a HDTV get one of them built in DVD player Surround sound packages thrown in which usually has no optical / digital inputs ;)


Personally I have a Yamaha surround sound setup which has 2x Optical and 1x Coax and the sound kicks ass!!! Honestly its like playing a completely differetn game when you have Dolby Digital Surround sound on!! :D

[newsance]

@ChiGGz: The PS3 was in development a long time before the Wii was!

Yeah, but the motion control sure as hell wasn't. That got tacked on only after the Wii wowed people with it.

[newsance]

First, sure VGA works for computer resolutions higher than 1080p, but try looking at the differences on a 52" lcd, or a 120" projector rather than a 20" lcd monitor. And you're right, component is very similar to VGA, they are both analog signals.

Second, I never said that I'm supporting this box at all. Actually I find these types of product a joke. Just like "upconverting" DVD players. I was just stating VGA/HDMI differences.

The post you replied to was talking about how this box was a waste as people could just get a VGA cable. You then replied saying that HDMI was better. In this case it isn't- it will almost certainly be worse.

My 360 is connected through HDMI to a 42" 1080P LCD. Yep, looks great, but it also looked great running component before I got the HDMI cable in. HDMI looks *slightly* crisper, but it is not the awe inspiring end all be all that some make it out to be.

In comparing the difference, if I didn't have an HDMI Xbox, I wouldn't sweat it at all. The difference is minor.

And, even if you have a set that won't do 1080P without HDMI (which is crap IMO), I doubt the conversion degradation from using a box like this will make the picture better than 720P or 1080I.

[AndrewLeon]

its like trying to make a Ho into a housewife

it just dont fit...

let the thought of 1080p go

[Hootermancs]

The post you replied to was talking about how this box was a waste as people could just get a VGA cable. You then replied saying that HDMI was better. In this case it isn't- it will almost certainly be worse.

My 360 is connected through HDMI to a 42" 1080P LCD. Yep, looks great, but it also looked great running component before I got the HDMI cable in. HDMI looks *slightly* crisper, but it is not the awe inspiring end all be all that some make it out to be.

In comparing the difference, if I didn't have an HDMI Xbox, I wouldn't sweat it at all. The difference is minor.

And, even if you have a set that won't do 1080P without HDMI (which is crap IMO), I doubt the conversion degradation from using a box like this will make the picture better than 720P or 1080I.

HDMI is the better connection. But adapters and boxes like this that simply let you use the HDMI cable are crap.

And again, try comparing component and HDMI on a big screen. 42" is not a big screen.

[DEDDOA]

The only reason I can see for getting one of these is if your component slots are full and but you have a free HDMI port. Personally even with an Elite I use component, but mainly because my 22" game/PC TV seems arse backwards with the PS3 and 360. It supports 1080p fine via component but doesn't like it via HDMI (the PS3 gives a dodgy picture and the 360 doesn't even give you the option for 1080p) even though it supports 1080p.

Anyway, back on subject, if this is anthing like other madcats cables, the picture will likley have really bad ghosting (how the hell that passes quality control is a mystery to me). Maybe they should pay attention to other manufacturers, they have shorter leads for a reason and longer leads like theirs cost a hell of a lot more as they need to be of much higher quality to maintain picture quality especially with analogue signals (a 5m vga lead sounds nice but anything over 1.8-2m is just a bad idea picture wise)