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Play PS2 XBOX and More on Your PC Monitor

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It sounds simple enough, you want to play your Playstation 2 (PS2), XBOX, or other gaming console that uses composite video, on your computer monitor. Turns out that doing this can prove to be quite difficult, but here’s a solution.

You may start out looking for adapters on Amazon or eBay and within seconds you find tons of different adapters. Some of these adapters look like they will work just fine, RCA inputs on one side and VGA or HDMI on the other side. What’s even better is that you likely get a great deal on the adapter, perhaps it will only set you back $1.50.

Unfortunately, this will leave you without an image on your PC monitor and you will find yourself trying to figure out how to get your $1.50 back. The truth is these adapters weren’t designed to work the way you think they would. Most of these kinds of adapters were meant to work the other way around and were never intended to be used to hook a gaming console up to a PC monitor. Luckily there is a simple solution that will get you up and running quickly.

PETRH RGB to HDMI PS2 Xbox to PC monitor

You can use the PETRH RCA Component RGB YPbPr to HDMI v1.3 Video Converter or one similar to this. Not many monitors have composite video hookups so this will be very helpful as it will provide you with an HDMI connection to plug right into your monitor. This is the fastest way to get up and running without getting all caught up in the adapter game. This converter also handles audio which is a nice addition that some adapters might not have. The key to finding a working adapter in this case is one that is powered and comes with it’s own power supply.

Please note that you will also need to get a component cable for your PS2 or original Xbox as the original cable provided with these consoles only offers composite video (Red, White and Yellow). After that, the only other connection you need to make is to hook up the power supply to the converter box and you’re ready to game. Of course you don’t have to just use this converter for games, you can use it for just about anything you want to hook up that only accepts and HDMI signal. You can pick this unit up for around $25.00 on Amazon or eBay.

 

Xbox SmartGlass Now Available for iOS

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XboxSmartGlass LogoXbox SmartGlass creates a richer, more immersive experience for Xbox owners. This is definitely one of the best things that Microsoft has released for Xbox and now it’s available for iOS devices.

With Xbox SmartGlass you can use your phone, tablet, Windows 8/RT tablets, and PCs to control your Xbox. Basically, you will be able to use any of these devices as a remote control with the added benefit of being able to use gestures to navigate and control your Xbox. Extra content will appear on the device of your choice for games, TV shows,  and movies. You can imagine Xbox SmartGlass as a second screen that you can use to add another layer of content to anything you do on Xbox, this is the same direction Nintendo went with when designing the Wii U.

Some of the cool uses for Xbox SmartGlass include displaying extra content like commentary, map UI for games, and interactive strategy guides that integrate perfectly with your TV experience.

 

Get Xbox SmartGlass:

Windows

Windows Phone

Android

iOS

 

Xbox Music Looks To Be a Great Move For Microsoft

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Zune wil be rebranded as Xbox Music in the relatively near future and I like the direction Microsoft is taking it’s re-imagined entertainment app. Xbox Music will not only be available on Xbox but also on Windows 8 PCs,tablets, and Windows Phone as well.

The new service will allow existing subscribers to migrate through the rebranding with ease and users will still have access to the same content they had before the switch. The buzz surrounding the new application is getting louder as we draw closer toward the end of the year and we hope to hear more official details on the new service soon.  Our best guess is the app will be released along with Windows 8 and could feature ad-based music streaming similar to Spotify, but it’s only a guess.

I have always liked the Zune player but I have preferred the iPod over the years mostly because I owned an iPod first and didn’t want to figure out how to transfer everything over to a new system, not that it’s overly complicated, but because I have really never had a good enough reason to switch. I have however have used Zune software for Windows and generally liked the experience. With the release of Xbox Music I will gladly jump right in as I plan on doing a review of the app as soon as it is available.

The Xbox itself is really my favorite Microsoft experience as it combines all of my entertainment needs into a simple, easy-to-use interface. Although many argue back and forth about whether PSN is better than Xbox Live, I still think that Xbox Live is done really well, even when you consider it’s faults. With my solid library of games and media on my Xbox, having a well integrated Music service, especially one with free streaming music, will complete my media experience on the Xbox.

The Xbox is really more than just a gaming console, it really has become a media hub, this was Microsoft’s goal and they have done a really god job with it. Thinking ahead to the next obvious direction for Microsoft’s console, I can only imagine that this new music service will be integrated with SkyDrive to allow for a complete cloud solution to allow you to access your media from any other device running Windows 8. This should line them up pretty well with Apple and their cloud services, with the exception of not having a gaming console.

As Windows 8 rolls out we will be anticipating the release of Xbox Music and hopefully we will be rewarded with a solid media library and music streaming app.

Ready or Not Windows 8 is On it’s Way

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Well, it’s been really fun talking about how different Windows 8 is and how crazy it all seems but we are slowly approaching the release date for the new OS and some feel it just isn’t ready.

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I would argue that any OS is never really ready when it first releases. There are so many things that will likely only be discovered when the masses begin to upgrade  and tear apart the shiny new OS. This process of fix-on-the-fly  is nothing new for Microsoft and I’m sure we won’t be happy with the new OS until the first service pack releases or maybe even the second for that matter.

What is truly important here is that Windows users really try to look at Windows 8 as something entirely new and try not to compare it to Windows 7. The world is changing and Microsoft is adapting with it, and this is a great thing. Many of us hate change and for this reason alone we tend to look at Windows 8 and feel like we will never upgrade. However, as we march forward and watch Microsoft make one of the biggest changes to it’s operating system since the ‘Start’ button, I wonder what I plan to do personally.

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Do I jump in? Do I wait a few months ? What computers do I upgrade first and do I upgrade all of them or just one? These are the questions that I’m trying to answer, even as I write this I’m trying to figure out what I will do.I have been experimenting with the developer preview and the release preview and I still feel very uncomfortable using Windows 8 with a mouse and keyboard. I don’t know why I can’t seem to shake this feeling. This OS is designed to work with touch and it feels like the laptop and desktop experience is an afterthought.

I’m pretty patient when it comes to OS software, I have tried just about every semi-popular OS out there from obscure linux based OS’s to OSX and back to mobile OS’s. Generally I give an operating system a fair shake up until it’s first major patch. Once we reach the first major patch, if I still feel it’s not working for me, I will usually move on to something else.

When we look at Windows 8 we can’t forget that it’s not just about how we feel about the new OS, it’s also about the faith that hardware manufactures put into the new OS. After all, the hardware is useless with out a good operating system to make it work. Let’s not forget that Microsoft is also going to be releasing it’s own tablet with Windows 8 on it, which will have Microsoft competing directly with those same hardware manufactures that Microsoft want’s Windows 8 to run on.

What about developers? what will they do with existing titles? How will they fit-in with the new OS? Is this change something that developers want to engage in? Some developers feel threatened by Windows 8 and feel that they will be forced to operate within a “box”.  Take the keyboard and mouse out of the equation and now you either are forced to work with touch or an Xbox controller.  Something doesn’t feel right here and I can quickly begin to understand why.

Now, take all of this crazy change and bundle it up in a nice, shiny, new Microsoft store that you build right across the street from the Apple store and you’ve got a front row seat to historic change in the world of technology.

To sum things up, I say if you support Microsoft then use Windows 8 and provide all the feedback you can to help Microsoft build the software you want to use. This is the only way they can get a real feel for what consumers want and need from their software. In the meantime I remain optimistic about Windows 8 and hope to see it succeed.

 

Xbox Issues for Time Warner Cable Customers

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xboxlive_logo

Xbox live subscribers who use Time Warner Cable as their internet provider are having major difficulties trying to get online. This issue has been going on for a few days now and Microsoft is working hard to find a solution. Microsoft has made an official statement about the ongoing problem.

“If you’re having issues connecting to Xbox LIVE and are using the Time Warner ISP, thank you for being patient and sticking with us while we work out the problem. Rest assured we are still working hard alongside Time Warner to fix it as quickly as we can. We will continue to update you as new information becomes available.”

We will keep you updated when we find out whether or not a fix has been released. You can also keep an eye on Microsoft’s LIVE Service Status Page here.