The original Xbox was a console based on PC architecture that launched back in 2001. That was long before HDMI became a defacto standard for home AV systems. However, it’s possible to mod the Xbox to output lovely crisp digital video over HDMI for use with modern screens, as covered by [Modern Vintage Gamer].
The mod, originally known as XboxHDMI and later XboxHD+, is a pure digital output mod, and was developed by [Dustin Holden]. Unlike other solutions, it doesn’t work by converting the console’s existing analog output. Instead, it captures pixel data straight out of the GPU and pumps it out over HDMI, along with 5.1 surround sound, too.
Mods like these have become popular in recent years for multiple reasons. Original HD output cables for older consoles are often hard to come by, and many used analog outputs that are no longer suitable for using with modern screens. For those that don’t want to keep older CRTs and flat screens going for older consoles, digital video output kits are a great way to keep using your old consoles well into the future. Video after the break.
or it’s just drawing attention to something cool you can do with an old console, for people who might not know this is an option.
Its a beautiful mod. Well done to the designer. The only thing that would put me off is the price, but I can see why others would go for it.
closed-source modding was a mistake.
I’m sure it’s just an FPGA with a custom IP on it, like all these exotic converters are made similarly with a different code…
But I found this :
https://github.com/MakeMHz/xbox-hd-plus/tree/master
but I’m skeptical of anyone who claims they’ll publish sources “in the future”.
Hm. I think it makes little sense, since the XBox uses SD or ED resolution and CRT monitors usually don’t use HDMI.
Playing those games on an LCD/TFT panel without using a CRT filter will be worse than just using an emulator.
Especially if aspect correction isn’t working.
A 4:3 monitor is required for those old video game consoles.
On a current day monitor, the image will easily be stretched if no counter measures are being taken.
A nice VGA output and an early to mid-90s VGA monitor (CRT) of 15″ or less will do perform best, maybe.
The higher the dot pitch, the less pixelated the image.
About half the Xbox games support 16:9 and I think most can be modded to do so. Some even support 720p resolution…
> Playing those games on an LCD/TFT panel without using a CRT filter will be worse than just using an emulator.
Yes, except emulation for the original Xbox is awful and any decent TV today provides decent upscaling. It’s not like 2D consoles where the sprite art was designed with CRT phosphors in mind.
If I’m going to play on a VGA CRT monitor, I may as well use the component output on a regular TV. At least then I can have an image larger than 15″.
pff my comment was deleted because of parent comment.
closed-source modding was a mistake. I think it’s just an FPGA with a custom IP, like many exotic converters out there.
But it seems it is actually open-source :
https://github.com/MakeMHz/xbox-hd-plus
However, I’m skeptical of anyone that claims they will release the sources “in the near future”, even if they have no reason not to.
It’s pretend open source. Only small chunks are open, and he violently lashes out against anyone who he thinks is trying to do similar work. People who ask questions he doesn’t like are quickly banned from his discord.
I mean there’s a dude actively trying to clone this hardware and has stated he’d use the MakeMHz closed source firmware for it, not defending bad behavior on MM’s part but he has every right to not be happy about that. I’d even say that, depending on what the final product looks like, he probably has grounds for legal action.
lol, they were talking about this in their discord and said “there it is. the haters”
Source dropping next nevruary the 21th
Source dropin next nevruary the 21th