VBOX HD-360 : a GREAT component/hdmi to VGA converter

keropi · 22 August 2009, 21:06

I was tired to plug/unplug component cables behind my gaming monitor , so I was looking for some sort of "multi-component-selector" ... I bought a 4port manual one, only to find that it is crap and the quality degrades lots.
So I scanned eBay and found this thing called: VBOX HD-360 ... another vga-box I thought but it seemed nice... so I read on:

Features:
●Delivers crystal clear 480i, 576i, 480p, 576p, 720p(50HZ/60HZ), 1080i(50HZ/60HZ), and 1080p(50HZ/60HZ) displays on standard VGA/LCD monitors.
●Adopts standard component video output, compatible with gaming consoles and video devices, including the PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii GameCube, Etc.
●Add black bar to match with 5:4 or 16:10 panel. No more distortion!
●Provides video pass-though function to select images between PC and the gaming console by pressing one signal button.
provides advanced sinal processing withgreat precision. Colors, resolutions, and details.
●High quanlity, state of the art motion adaptive de-interlacing for 480i and 1080i input.
●High quanlity scaling technology for 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080p.
●Provides picture adjustment which brings the most comfortable picture to you.
●When box in standby mode VGA-IN bypass to VGA-OUT.
●Please connect Port YPbPr2 with convert-cable attached.

Specifications:
Inputs: HDMI, component (YPbPr), VGA
Output: VGA
YPBPR input Modes: 480i, 576i, 480p, 576p, 720p(50HZ/60HZ), 1080i(50HZ/60HZ) and 1080p(50HZ/60HZ)
HDMInoutput Modes: 480i, 576i, 480p, 576p, 720p(50HZ/60HZ), 1080i(50HZ/60HZ)
VGA output format: 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1440x1050, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1920x1200, 1920x1200_RB

it costed a total of ~60eur to get it, and was a little more expensive than a quality multi-component selector (the idea was that since the VBOX has 2 component inputs that plug to vga-in of my monitor, I would have a total of 3 devices conected permanently and controlled via remotes so it suited my needs)

To cut long story sort, this device is AMAZING.

1. I have not noticed any bluring/ghosting/degration when the VBOX is also used as a pass-through device from a pc. The picture is crystal clear!

2. The component->vga conversion is totally awesome and crystal-clear (again!) so much that I thought that the xbox1 and ps2 have native vga-out capablillities!

this thing worths every cent, and I highly recommend it!

here are some pics of the vbox's menus that I took on my test-17"-crt vga monitor and an xbox1 at 720p (keep in mind those are 3MP photos from a mobile phone, resized to 1024x768) :

... and here are the insides, seems quality stuff to me

the only drawback I can think of is having the vga ports in the front... and why I am so excited? because ALL those years I have used several vga boxes, and all were crappy

having vhs/svhs as inputs and convert those to vga with a big quality loss... this one makes me wanna get a 2nd to keep as spare!

Shoonay · 22 August 2009, 21:17

So this is what you mentioned earlier? Nice toy.

keropi · 22 August 2009, 21:22

yeah, I got ecstatic when I tried it

jmmijo · 22 August 2009, 23:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by keropi

yeah, I got ecstatic when I tried it

Somehow I can see you wetting yourself over this device

keropi · 22 August 2009, 23:36

by drooling you mean....

rare_j · 22 August 2009, 23:48

Is there an option to make it do 50hz vga out if it gets 576i in?

keropi · 22 August 2009, 23:55

that is a very good question rare_j but unfortunatelly I doubt... I tried some PAL PS2 games and I got a little choppy display , because of the extra 10hz in refresh rate... I did not notice that in the XBOX1 since all my games are NTSC and from what I can tell they run in 480p/720p ...
I am trying to find the maker , maybe this is fixed easily..

alexh · 23 August 2009, 01:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by keropi

I did not notice that in the XBOX1 since all my games are NTSC and from what I can tell they run in 480p/720p...

Very, very few xbox games were designed to run in 720p.

keropi · 23 August 2009, 01:16

^ true, but AFAIK all NTSC one run at least 480p with a component cable, so I did not notice the 50hz issue...

I also tested some emus and ninja gaiden that I believe is 720p ?

so alexh, see anything familiar in the pcb? could the white 4pin connector (right of the "squared" chip) be used to upgrade the firmware?

edit: here are the specs of the main chip: http://www.tvia.com/index.cfm?page=body&crid=61 , it does support 50hz output as far as I can tell...

alexh · 23 August 2009, 10:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by keropi

so alexh, see anything familiar in the pcb?

It's green.

Quote:

Originally Posted by keropi

could the white 4pin connector (right of the "squared" chip) be used to upgrade the firmware?

Who knows, looks like a PC audio connector to me. I'd need to see the silk screen (writing) on the other side of the connector.

Anemos · 23 August 2009, 12:02

keropi nice item..

what is the input voltage? 5V or 12 ?

rare_j · 23 August 2009, 14:35

Some nice linkies to look over:

official site for the chip:
http://www.tvia.com/index.cfm?page=body&crid=61

someone on AVS has had a look:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1045740

keropi · 23 August 2009, 19:46

I have word from the manufacturer that it is possible to implement a 50hz VGA option, but it would require a big order

@anemos:
the input is 5vdc , and the transformer included is 2A !!! I really cannot recommend it now for PAL usage, it's 60hz display makes jerky motion

killergorilla · 24 August 2009, 14:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by alexh

It's green.

Bwahahahahhaa

Ian · 24 August 2009, 14:56

Shame there's no real audio outputs.

I've been looking for a way to hook my PS3 up to some sort of HDMI splitter that would allow me to properly use my S750 7.1 speakers with full 7.1 output instead of 5.1 (which is all that is supported with the optical audio.

Proper hdmi passthrough/splitter units cost a fortune and are aimed at Audio/videophiles not gamers that really don't care all that much about the sound.

rare_j · 29 October 2009, 00:24

Another version of this, this time with a scart socket in and HDMI out, claims to accept 50Hz in, I wonder if it can do 50Hz out though?

http://www.hdgamingpro.com/index.php...mart&Itemid=37

So who wants to take a gamble on it?!

11 January 2010, 03:04

Hello,

Did you try to play BluRay with the HD-360 ?

here my problem :

I have a Bluray LG BD390 and want to plug it on a Projector Hitachi CP-X940 that have a native resolution of 1024 x 768.

I read a lot about HDMI to VGA and the Vbox seem to be the best.

Can you also tell me the IC number on the chip directly in front of the HDMI input jack ? I saw it on your picture but not able to read it.

It is just to find the datasheet on this chip to see if it accept HDCP.

Thanks !

22 August 2009, 21:06	#1
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	VBOX HD-360 : a GREAT component/hdmi to VGA converter I was tired to plug/unplug component cables behind my gaming monitor , so I was looking for some sort of "multi-component-selector" ... I bought a 4port manual one, only to find that it is crap and the quality degrades lots. So I scanned eBay and found this thing called: VBOX HD-360 ... another vga-box I thought but it seemed nice... so I read on: Features: ●Delivers crystal clear 480i, 576i, 480p, 576p, 720p(50HZ/60HZ), 1080i(50HZ/60HZ), and 1080p(50HZ/60HZ) displays on standard VGA/LCD monitors. ●Adopts standard component video output, compatible with gaming consoles and video devices, including the PS2, PS3, Xbox, Xbox 360, Wii GameCube, Etc. ●Add black bar to match with 5:4 or 16:10 panel. No more distortion! ●Provides video pass-though function to select images between PC and the gaming console by pressing one signal button. provides advanced sinal processing withgreat precision. Colors, resolutions, and details. ●High quanlity, state of the art motion adaptive de-interlacing for 480i and 1080i input. ●High quanlity scaling technology for 480p, 576p, 720p, 1080p. ●Provides picture adjustment which brings the most comfortable picture to you. ●When box in standby mode VGA-IN bypass to VGA-OUT. ●Please connect Port YPbPr2 with convert-cable attached. Specifications: Inputs: HDMI, component (YPbPr), VGA Output: VGA YPBPR input Modes: 480i, 576i, 480p, 576p, 720p(50HZ/60HZ), 1080i(50HZ/60HZ) and 1080p(50HZ/60HZ) HDMInoutput Modes: 480i, 576i, 480p, 576p, 720p(50HZ/60HZ), 1080i(50HZ/60HZ) VGA output format: 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1440x1050, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1920x1200, 1920x1200_RB it costed a total of ~60eur to get it, and was a little more expensive than a quality multi-component selector (the idea was that since the VBOX has 2 component inputs that plug to vga-in of my monitor, I would have a total of 3 devices conected permanently and controlled via remotes so it suited my needs) To cut long story sort, this device is AMAZING. 1. I have not noticed any bluring/ghosting/degration when the VBOX is also used as a pass-through device from a pc. The picture is crystal clear! 2. The component->vga conversion is totally awesome and crystal-clear (again!) so much that I thought that the xbox1 and ps2 have native vga-out capablillities! this thing worths every cent, and I highly recommend it! here are some pics of the vbox's menus that I took on my test-17"-crt vga monitor and an xbox1 at 720p (keep in mind those are 3MP photos from a mobile phone, resized to 1024x768) : ... and here are the insides, seems quality stuff to me the only drawback I can think of is having the vga ports in the front... and why I am so excited? because ALL those years I have used several vga boxes, and all were crappy having vhs/svhs as inputs and convert those to vga with a big quality loss... this one makes me wanna get a 2nd to keep as spare!

23 August 2009, 01:16	#9
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	^ true, but AFAIK all NTSC one run at least 480p with a component cable, so I did not notice the 50hz issue... I also tested some emus and ninja gaiden that I believe is 720p ? so alexh, see anything familiar in the pcb? could the white 4pin connector (right of the "squared" chip) be used to upgrade the firmware? edit: here are the specs of the main chip: http://www.tvia.com/index.cfm?page=body&crid=61 , it does support 50hz output as far as I can tell... Last edited by keropi; 23 August 2009 at 01:31.

23 August 2009, 19:46	#13
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	I have word from the manufacturer that it is possible to implement a 50hz VGA option, but it would require a big order @anemos: the input is 5vdc , and the transformer included is 2A !!! I really cannot recommend it now for PAL usage, it's 60hz display makes jerky motion Last edited by keropi; 23 August 2009 at 20:59.

29 October 2009, 00:24	#16
rare_j Zone Friend Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,176	New version for PAL? Another version of this, this time with a scart socket in and HDMI out, claims to accept 50Hz in, I wonder if it can do 50Hz out though? http://www.hdgamingpro.com/index.php...mart&Itemid=37 So who wants to take a gamble on it?!

11 January 2010, 03:04	#17
smilly_mike Posts: n/a	Hello, Did you try to play BluRay with the HD-360 ? here my problem : I have a Bluray LG BD390 and want to plug it on a Projector Hitachi CP-X940 that have a native resolution of 1024 x 768. I read a lot about HDMI to VGA and the Vbox seem to be the best. Can you also tell me the IC number on the chip directly in front of the HDMI input jack ? I saw it on your picture but not able to read it. It is just to find the datasheet on this chip to see if it accept HDCP. Thanks ! Last edited by smilly_mike; 11 January 2010 at 03:18.

22 August 2009, 21:17	#2
Shoonay Global Caturator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Porando Age: 43 Posts: 6,105	So this is what you mentioned earlier? Nice toy.

22 August 2009, 21:22	#3
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	yeah, I got ecstatic when I tried it

22 August 2009, 23:36	#5
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	by drooling you mean....

22 August 2009, 23:48	#6
rare_j Zone Friend Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,176	Is there an option to make it do 50hz vga out if it gets 576i in?

22 August 2009, 23:55	#7
keropi . Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ioannina/Greece Posts: 5,040	that is a very good question rare_j but unfortunatelly I doubt... I tried some PAL PS2 games and I got a little choppy display , because of the extra 10hz in refresh rate... I did not notice that in the XBOX1 since all my games are NTSC and from what I can tell they run in 480p/720p ... I am trying to find the maker , maybe this is fixed easily..

23 August 2009, 12:02	#11
Anemos 70X7 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ἑλλάς Posts: 1,078	keropi nice item.. what is the input voltage? 5V or 12 ?

23 August 2009, 14:35	#12
rare_j Zone Friend Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London Posts: 1,176	Some nice linkies to look over: official site for the chip: http://www.tvia.com/index.cfm?page=body&crid=61 someone on AVS has had a look: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1045740

24 August 2009, 14:56	#15
Ian Global Moderator Join Date: May 2001 Location: Derby, UK Age: 46 Posts: 2,287	Shame there's no real audio outputs. I've been looking for a way to hook my PS3 up to some sort of HDMI splitter that would allow me to properly use my S750 7.1 speakers with full 7.1 output instead of 5.1 (which is all that is supported with the optical audio. Proper hdmi passthrough/splitter units cost a fortune and are aimed at Audio/videophiles not gamers that really don't care all that much about the sound.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
FS: Lilliput 668GL portable monitor (hdmi, component, rca)	Smiley	MarketPlace	0	13 July 2011 02:20
S-Video to Component Converter	Hewitson	support.Hardware	11	09 May 2011 17:55
VGA to HDMI	Melonfish	support.Hardware	2	12 April 2010 19:41
Xbox 360 (non HDMI) Premium console	scrappysphinx	MarketPlace	10	10 June 2009 13:45
component/dvi/hdmi on your A1200/CD-32?	PaperMario21	support.Hardware	32	08 January 2009 17:40