eyetv and xbox 360 gaming

[gregjp48]

Hi, I'm looking at an imac core 2 duo (20"), and instead of buying another screen, i figured, why not use the screen for other stuff too.

So i'm looking into eyetv for hdtv free broadcasts and gaming.

someone suggested an hd box and a widescreen dell monitor, but honestly the bulk/extra $ would be too much for me most likely. It seems like a waste of the imac's screen that's already there. I already have a 4:3 monitor that will work for screen spanning (of course a larger one would be nice, but it's not like being able to use the thing for the 360 and be able to use it as screen spanning is a huggee benefit for me.


for the eyetv though, on the gaming side, I just want to know:

1) What is the quality of the picture and gaming experience while using EyeTV with games? It says no latency, but I would just like to be sure. It would be identical mostly to hooking up my xbox to a small HDTV, correct (sans 1080p due to the resolution)

2)What the connectors availabe with the eyetv are. I looked and i think I saw svideo and composite, but I just want to be sure. Will the composite work in HD? Apparnetly the svideo maxes out at 480i (or something) and will not allow widescreen with the eyetv (just what i've heard)? Would composite allow a nice full HD widescreen picture on the imac's lovely display?

3) What resolution will it run at? I would like at least full 720p scaled up. However a 1080p rez scaled down to fit the imac's screen would be nice.

so there's my questions. I know that the 24" imac supports full 1080p, but I just don't have the $.

thanks for your time (after all, you've gotten this far :black: )

 

[BIG D 04]

Well I've never tried it myself but I would of thought to a degree there would be a form of delay however the main point to make is that as far as I'm aware those devices are still SDTV for Inputs from Set-Top Boxes and Consoles.

So you will be lucky to get 480p out of it than 1080p.

 

[gregjp48]

i'm just perplexed by it, as it accepts an hd signal for tv.... so why not a console

I forgot to ask... are composite cables hd compatible, or no? I don't think so, but I wanted to make sure.

edit: was mixing up component and composite.
does the eyetv hybrid support component (hd) cables? if not is there any other alternative to get hd gaming on teh imac's screen from a console?

 

[BIG D 04]

The Xbox 360 only outputs HDTV via Component and VGA, so if it doesn't have those inputs then the Xbox 360 won't sent a HD Signal to it.

 

[bobtomay]

I assume you are speaking about the EyeTV hybrid since you have mentioned over the air HDTV. The best input you will get from an external video device is 480i through s-video. Composite should never be used when s-video is available. It will be worse.

There is no device available that will allow you to connect component nor HDMI to a computer. The manufacturers are all afraid of the movie industry who do not want us to have the ability to record HD content.

To do what you want will require doing as I do, and that is using an HDTV so that can connect your computer, satellite, 360, etc. to a single screen. Of course this means you will not be getting as nice a resolution when on your computer, but that's the trade-off. Have been told that Dell now has a computer monitor with either component or HDMI connections for other devices, but have not checked it out myself.

 

[gregjp48]

oh well
I'll guess i'll use a 20"-24" (probably 20, for price reasons) dell monitor for the 360 via vga, with a switcher if i need to use it as an imac extension

so the vga: it comes with an optical audio cable, which means i'll be able to stick it right in the imac's audio in? will it reach?

and until i get the imac, how can i use speakers with it to get sound? I can't use any ordinary speakers with a headphone jack, right?

it's a shame it's a lot of extra $, meaning i'll have to wait longer for the imac (of course the longer I wait the better it will be), and I still want the HDTV, as I have no other way of getting it. (as this is my parents house (teenager), and they don't feel like going for HD just yet, especially with high starting costs (sans wallmart hdtvs), and the extra cable premium.) The free broadcasts are good for me as TBS and ABC etc. are all I need (for now of course).

 

[bobtomay]

Am using the component cable on my 360. For audio I have a 5.1 surround set of computer speakers with 2 optical inputs available. Use one for my PC and the other I have to switch back and forth between the 360 and the satellite box.

I had done a search for someone else in a similar situation and found this set of computer speakers that have 2 inputs. Sure you could find others without having to spend a bundle.

 

[gregjp48]

thanks
i'm being very very cost concious, as I want to eventually get that beautiful imac
running off a 12 inch ibook which i love dearly, but it can't run aperture/lightroom that i need, and hd tv that i want xD
gonna be a while, may end up having 10.6 and ilife '09 by the time i actually save up enough, and i save every penny i get