I Want to Play XBOX on my PC Monitor

Sin Twin 1 · April 2009

I am wanting to connect my XBOX 360 up to my Dell S2409W Flat Panel Monitor via HDMI cable but cannot find anything on the web that says its ok to do so or if its a bad idea alltogether. I am sure it would be fine but am not 100% sure (Im a paranoid person) I am scared that if I am connect both my PC and XBOX that I will royal screw up the monitor. Can anyone shed some light on my predicament ?

The reason I am wanting to do this is My TV already has to many devices connected to it and thought this would be a cool solution. The monitor itself can play Bluray; Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution; 16:9 dynamic aspect ratio; HDMI high quality digital connection.

ApexMirage · April 2009

If HDMI cables were not meant to go into HDMI plugs, well I honestly can't come up with anything witty to use as an analogy. I really don't see how it could possibly be a problem.

mcdermott · April 2009

I can think of maybe a handful of times in my life in which placing an electronics item of a given form factor into a proper receptacle resulted (or would have resulted) in actual damage. I mean yeah, there are a dozen formats that use RCA cables, but hooking one into another generally just won't work...it won't hurt anything.

You should be less paranoid.

Actually, I can really only think of one, and that's that for whatever reason the Army thought it would be cool to produce batteries that put out like 5V in a AA form factor. Genius. I'm sure if I tried I could come up with a couple others.

So yeah, this will work. Go hit monoprice, and go wild.

TwoQuestions · April 2009

I know Microsoft or someone else makes VGA cables for the Xbox360, so if you have a free port maybe give that a try?

Houndx · May 2009

mcdermott wrote: »

So yeah, this will work. Go hit monoprice, and go wild.

This. In fact, a recent update made the 360 more friendly to monitors than it was before.

Sin Twin 1 · May 2009

Yea I know I am just being paranoid but I just got this monitor not two days ago and am just not trusting my instincts, but I guess taking advice from total strangers makes much more sense right

Anyway you guys have convinced me (paranoid and perhaps gullible, hmmmm LOL) and I am going to go ahead and connect the ole 360 up and see what happens. Do you think its ok to have them hooked up at the same time (PC and XBOX) or should I dissconnect the PC when using 360 and vice versa ?

Meiz · May 2009

I have this setup and it works great. The only thing you need to worry about is pumping the audio to a decent pair of headphones or speakers if the ones in the monitor are sub par.

Sin Twin 1 · May 2009

no speakers in the monitor but Im going to set audio through the surround sound whis is awesome

Sin Twin 1 · May 2009

so what would happen if I connected the 360 directly into the PC with the HDMI cable (I have the HDMI/DVI Adapter) would that work ?

mcdermott · May 2009

Sin Twin 1 wrote: »

so what would happen if I connected the 360 directly into the PC with the HDMI cable (I have the HDMI/DVI Adapter) would that work ?

......wait, into the PC or into the PC Monitor?

I'm guessing your HDMI/DVI port on the PC is an output, not an input.

If you're talking about the monitor, and if your monitor only has a DVI input, I don't know. I'm not sure if DVI->HDMI adapters are bidirectional, but I'm guessing not. I'm thinking that they only work for a DVI source going to an HDMI receiver, not the other way 'round.

But if you've already got the cable, it can't hurt to try.

Eat_Fire · May 2009

Sin Twin 1 wrote: »

I am wanting to connect my XBOX 360 up to my Dell S2409W Flat Panel Monitor via HDMI cable but cannot find anything on the web that says its ok to do so or if its a bad idea alltogether. I am sure it would be fine but am not 100% sure (Im a paranoid person) I am scared that if I am connect both my PC and XBOX that I will royal screw up the monitor. Can anyone shed some light on my predicament ?

The reason I am wanting to do this is My TV already has to many devices connected to it and thought this would be a cool solution. The monitor itself can play Bluray; Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution; 16:9 dynamic aspect ratio; HDMI high quality digital connection.

If your TV already has its HDMI connections full just buy a A/V switch or an HDMI splitter.

DHS Odium · May 2009

Plug your 360 into the HDMI port on the monitor. Plug your computer to the VGA/DVI port on the monitor. Use the built-in controls on the monitor to switch between the inputs when needed. Simple.

vonPoonBurGer · May 2009

mcdermott wrote: »

I can think of maybe a handful of times in my life in which placing an electronics item of a given form factor into a proper receptacle resulted (or would have resulted) in actual damage.

Funny story, my TV has a DVI input, and the manual strenuously stated that you should not connect a PC to said DVI port or damage could result. I ran DVI from my HTPC to the TV anyway, and it functioned flawlessly for 4+ years. So even when they tell you it shouldn't be done, it probably can be. I'm guessing the warning in the manual was there in case you tried to do something stupid like drive the TV at 1920x1080@90Hz or something (it was a 720p TV).

But Xbox HDMI to a monitor with an HDMI input? No worries at all there. If anything, the monitor can probably accept far higher resolutions and refresh rates than the Xbox can output, so there's really no danger.

The LandoStander · May 2009

I'm a bit behind the times monitor wise I suppose. Mine still relies on a VGA, so I use the VGA cords for my 360, which you can find even at Target or Wal-Mart.

Added to that I've got a VGA switch and an extra length of VGA cable for it.

I think they make much fancier methods of converting RCA to 3.5 (assuming you'll be using your computer speakers) but I actually got the two female-female RCA extenders and the RCA to 3.5 cable and sort of pieced things together for a couple bucks less than the one piece solution

It's not elegant, it's not even the highest quality one can get when it comes to your resolution I suppose. But it works quite well for me, and being able to click back and forth between my PC and 360 makes FAQs and other such things all the easier to use on the fly.

Bartholamue · May 2009

There are HDMI-DVI adapters out there. You can probably find on in any ATI card or for $10 at any PC specialty store.

Woot427 · May 2009

Bartholamue wrote: »

There are HDMI-DVI adapters out there. You can probably find on in any ATI card or for $10 at any PC specialty store.

He doesn't need that though, the monitor has an HDMI input.

Sin Twin, I actually got this exact monitor a few days ago, for my sister as a high school graduation present. I'm gonna go hook my 360 up to it and see what happens.

Sin Twin 1 · May 2009

yea I hooked it up yesterday and it is pretty sweet, only problem is if I want sound I have to unplug my PC audio and plug in the 360 audio and then do it all again over and over, but yea it looks good

. My monitor came with the HDMI/DVI adapter so that's what I used (wanted to try it) but now I am using the HDMI without the adapter so I don't have to keep switching PC and XBOX.

Penny Arcade

Quick Links

I Want to Play XBOX on my PC Monitor

Posts