Xbox Audio/Video Technical FAQ, Helpful information. Options

[brahm2]

New dedicated section for questions about how to get sound in, sound out, video in, video out!

Here are a bunch of "starter" links.

Adding coaxial digital AND Toslink (fiber optic) outputs to Xbox
Zip File Download

Adding a digital output to your Xbox
http://www.xbox-scene.com/articles/digital-output.php

Xbox VGA-cable tutorial - play Xbox on a computer monitor.
http://www.xbox-scene.com/articles/vga-cable.php

Guide to Modding your XBOX for advanced A/V
http://www.xbox-scene.com/articles/advanced-av.php

Adding SPDIF Audio Output to the Xbox
http://wrongcrowd.com/xboxspdif/

Comlete Guide to Cables (thanks sparkac)
http://forums.xbox-scene.com/index.php?act...60&t=116389

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Q: Can I make a DVI cable for my xbox?
A: No. The xbox's video encoder chip does not give the correct outputs needed for the DVI standard. However you can make a VGA cable and buy a VGA to DVI adaptor. There are NO benefits of this whatsoever, apart from being able to plug into a DVI port. All the adaptor does is pass through analog VGA signals to a DVI connector. The DVI standard is designed to be used with digital signals. (Adaptor can be found here)

Q: How do I know if my monitor supports sync on green (SOG)?
A: Check the manual, contact the manufacturer, but firstly check if your monitor is listed here

Q: My monitor supports sync on green, what do I do next?
A: Build the VGA cable as described in my guide, without the sync seperator circuit.

Q: I do not have a sync on green monitor, what can I do?
A: There are a few options. Either build your VGA cable with a sync-seperator circuit which will seperate the H & V sync signals required from green (see my guide) or you can buy an aftermarket VGA adapter such as the X2VGA by Neoya.

Q: Is the redant/other cheap VGA adapter any good? / What is the difference between X2VGA and these cheap VGA adapters?
A: The redant and other cheap VGA adapters use composite or s-video input. They are nasty line-doublers, will leave a blurry, washed out, poor quality image on your monitor and you will feel ripped off. The X2VGA converts TRUE HDTV signals into TRUE VGA output, thus giving the best possible picture. The X2VGA also supports high-resolution output (480p, 720p, 1080i) Cheap adapters DO NOT!

Q: Can i display my xbox on 2 different TV's using S-video and RGB Scart?
A: No. You can display using both modes, but not simultaneously. Either use composite scart connections (see my guide for scart pinouts), put 2 composite/svideo connections on your A/V cable, or switch between the 2 modes.

Q: What A/V output types are available, and can i put them all in one cable / breakout box?
A: You can put EVERY type of output in one cable / breakout box, however you will need to switch between the modes (see my guide for more info). The output types are as follows:
Video outputs:
RGB Scart
HDTV
S-Video
Composite (& Composite scart)
VGA
RF
Audio outputs:
SPDIF (Toslink / Coaxial digital)
Phono audio
RF (mono audio)
Scart (can use digital or phono audio)

Q: Do I HAVE to have a HDTV / Advanced AV pack to make a VGA cable?
A: No. All you need is the AVIP connector from ANY Xbox AV cable. The main reason I would choose an Advanced A/V or HDTV pack is because it has a small box a few inches from the AVIP connector end which can be used to house new connections such as a female VGA connector easily.

Q: I've built a VGA cable and I get a picture on my monitor but everything is green! What is wrong?
A: You need to use the TATX_DEBUG_VGA or PiXEL8_DEBUG_VGA bios to correct the colours. If you are already using one of these, try launching applications / games from Xbox Media Center or Player.

Q: What Versions of Xbox will work with a VGA cable?
A: So far, there are only BIOS's for v1.0 and v1.1 xbox'es. If you have a 1.2+ you can try the TATX bios at your own risk, or buy a VGA adapter such as the X2VGA.

Q: Is it not easier to capture the H/V sync signals between the GPU and the Video encoder?
A: Not reallly. The LM1881 Circuit works fine, and is very easy to make. However it IS possible to capture H/V sync signals here, but it is beyond the scope of this FAQ.

L33's tutorial: http://www.freedomforce.co.uk/xbox/HTML/Xb...0AV%20Cable.htm
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Thank you L33 for letting me copy a HUGE post of yours onto this FAQ

This thread will eventually turn into a nice big FAQ, please post all Q&A type questions here, and I will add them to the main post. Also, post any links to good tutorials that I might of missed!

Thanks

This post has been edited by xboxgamer733: Apr 6 2007, 06:20 AM

[Lukenatme]

I am a lamer post...please send me to the garbage bin.

[lindsey]

What is the advantage of ether one of these modifications, adding a digital output to your Xbox (v0.1) or Guide to Modding your XBOX for advanced A/V (v0.1) besides price, when for 20.00 bucks you can simply install a Xbox advanced AV pack part # X08-47698-01. I am not trying to be a wise guy I am just trying to answer an audio problem I am having.

[tosi]

Is it possible to setup the High definition without the MS Dashboard? and if so where?

when setting up the the video on the ms dashboard, and setting the option for high definition, does it keep the option and lower the quality when the game doesn't need it and revert back when it does? or do you have to turn it on everytime

[bigballsou]

I am having problems with the dvd's I backedup on my modded xbox, I can watch small segments of the movie but there is no sound is there a programs that puts it all together to watch?

[go-to]

QUOTE (lindsey @ Nov 5 2003, 06:10 AM)

What is the advantage of ether one of these modifications, adding a digital output to your Xbox (v0.1) or Guide to Modding your XBOX for advanced A/V (v0.1) besides price, when for 20.00 bucks you can simply install a Xbox advanced AV pack part # X08-47698-01. I am not trying to be a wise guy I am just trying to answer an audio problem I am having.

The zip file that is available for download is actually my tutorial. I made that up when I first bought my XBOX. I couldn't justify spending the money on DTS when I could accomplish it for free on my work-bench.

The advantage is actually having the capability of multi-channel surround sound without spending money on an A/V pack.

And as far as I know...you can only enable the surround mode in the OE XBOX dashboard. Would be nice to access that through EvoX though.

[Stusy]

Can any body help to source the Toslink Optical transmitter TOTX173 or TOTX176 or TOTX178a in the UK. Found one website that does them for £6 each, but keep emailing them and they have never got back to me.

Done the coaxial out and it works a treat

[mark876543]

Can someone "in-the-know" explain how you can watch a movie from the xbox hard drive. I tried putting the vob files there after dvd-decryptor and xbox media player will play vob files but this is a sucky way because of being a bunch of individual files plut it squeezed the video that was supposed to be widescreen into 4:3 so everything looks squashed. Maybe this isn't possible or practical but I'm probably just not doing it right.

[mark876543]

Is there an xbox application or method that allows using the dongle & remote for dvd-playing? Just wondering. The player using the controller is ok, but lookign to get some use out of my remote. Have an unlockable maxtor drive so can't run with chip off.

[fezzman]

QUOTE

Is there an xbox application or method that allows using the dongle & remote for dvd-playing? Just wondering. The player using the controller is ok, but lookign to get some use out of my remote. Have an unlockable maxtor drive so can't run with chip off.

Your hdd doesn't need to be locked to use the remote. Just launch the M$ dash from whatever dash you are currently using.

[esdubu]

If you are using evox as your dash, you can edit the .ini file to point to your xboxdash.xbe for the dvd player. If you use the region free patcher as well, you have the functionality of the xbox dvd player with the added bonus of any region dvd. This is what i've done and it works perfectly.

[SpankMan]

Just added an coax digital output to my xbox which works fine. Problem is that the optical output on my cable no longer works. Not possible to have both at the same time?

[gskairo]

Im a total newbie to Xbox and have a few Questions i hope you guys can help me with

1. Do I need an ADvanced AV cabel to get surround? Issent it possible to get it usung the original xbox cable. I have connected all 3 jacks on the original cable to my surround reciver and send ti to my TV using the recivers S-Vhs out. Does this not result in Surround??

2. is a RCA socket all i need to install to get surround if the above (1) is incorrect?

3. Does the Xbox support DTS, if i install a toslink cable will i be able to get DTS from the DVD player on the Xbox (my revicer supports DTS)

hope you can help me

Cheers
Gskairo

[gskairo]

Anyone???

[Degeczi]