Customer Reviews

Xbox Component Video Cable

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Plain and simple, if you had to choose between composite, which is the 3 color(red, white, yellow) RCA connection, the S-Video connection, or Component connections, Component blows them out of the water. If you just want the best possible video connection, period, this is it. This cable is made by monster cable so you know it's quality. The wire is very strong and bend resistant. This also has an optical out so you can hook it up to a reciever to get dolby surround but it has to be bought separately. Only downside is that you need a TV that has component inputs or even a reciever that has component inputs. I have a Sony Wega and they come with component inputs, if you don't have a TV that comes with component inputs, this is not for you. Remember it has to have component inputs, 5 input jacks. I tested it out on my TV using the standard RCA and the component, the component is noticeably clearer and sharper so I can testify that it works.

No need for a lengthy technical review here, otherwise this would sound too repetetive.

I tried:
*InterActs S-Video/AV cables and found them to be just basic cables. The main plug to the XBOX didn't even fit snug. I returned them immediately.

*Microsofts High Definition AV Pack again just basic cables. No dramatic change whatsoever in video quality. Too many extra hook-ups that can cause video noise.
I didn't return them because my brother bought them :) It sucks to be him right now.

I finally decided to go with my original gut instincts, I didn't want to buy the Monster cables because of the high price, I also thought I could get just as good a picture quality with the less expensive versions.
Boy was I mistaken when I hooked them up!! Like night and day!! Solid connections!! Superior construction!!

Bottom line? If you are serious about console gaming as I have become, this is a direct connection into your XBOX, the only way to exploit your XBOX and HDTV's video capabilities.(Can't wait for true 1080i games to come out)

To take advantage of the Digital audio side you would need to also purchase the Monster Game LightWave 100X. It plugs into the jack of the Monster Cable XGL400X and into your Dolby Digital Audio Reciever.

You actually get what you pay for and Monster Game cables should be your final stop in the quest for the best cable as they are the legendary leader in Audio/Video and Gaming cables.

***Monster Game cables is the gaming side of Monster Cable***

Hope this non techie laymans review helped.

I bought this cable because I've long been a fan of Monster's products. My first thought on opening the package was that the cable itself is beautiful. Then I began to pay more attention to things.
The audio and video segments are side by side which caused some dismay because I wanted to run sound through my receiver. If you pay another 40 and get the proprietary optical cable, you can wire your sound through a receiver but this would mean spending 100 on cables for your Xbox. I have no doubt that there is an improvement but I have doubts as to how detectable it will be. The package does say a separate optical cable is necessary but in my purchasing haste, I failed to notice this.

I prefered to just get the standard HD kit from Microsoft for 17.99 and then hook up my own component cables and optical cable.

I feel that a $60 cable for a game system should include an optical cable for sound. Requiring the purchase of a proprietary optical cable instead of allowing any optical cable to connect is another slap in the consumer's face.

Where I work, we once had a discussion about Monster cables and if they really do provide a better signal than a decent less-expensive cable.

So, we injected a range on freqencies through the Monster and looked at it on both an O-scope and a spectrum analyzer. We then did the same for a cable of the same type, but not a so-called Monster.

The Monster had *slightly* less attenuation, however the attenuation was not constant and the fluctuating attenuation introduced fluctuating harmonics. The differences between the Monster and the other cable, however, were along the same lines that one would expect to see from two similiar cables from different manufacturers.

My conclusion is that Monster cables simply are not worth the price. As for the construction itself, I don't find it very durable. It gives the appearance of durability, but I was not impressed with how the connectors were applied. For as much as these things cost, there should be better workmanship.

Professional cables can be had for half the cost of Monster cables. Monster cables are high-end low-end cables, where the high-end aspect is mainly in price. Its no suprise that one wouldn't find Monster cables being used in any professional sound studio.

I believe the "better picture aspect" of Monster video cables to be attributed mainly to psychological factors.

My advice would be to get the Microsoft HD AV Pack (which is what I'm using myself) for $20 and use the $40 you'll save on a game.

I have a friend that uses these cables with his X-Box and HDTV. Being curious as to if they provide any improvement, I took my MS HD cables over to his house and we compared them with his Monster. We saw very little difference with the two sets.

As others have noted, these connectors are way too tight. I assume this is Monster's way of assuring that your connection doesn't become loose and fall out, but I think it's far more likely that you'll break your TV. I had to apply way more force than I felt comfortable with putting on an $800 TV (and I'm sure most people who buy this cable have much more expensive setups than I do). Really irresponsible on their part, I think. It appears that at least one reviewer here broke their TV putting them on, I consider myself lucky that mine seems to have survived. I actually decided on the last connector to bend the connector with pliars rather than push any harder, and I ended up breaking part of the outer ring of the connector, but it made it fit and it works. Now that it's on the picture is great. Big improvement from composite.

I was a little sceptical that these cables would make enough of a difference to justify their price, but after trying both the original NTSC cables that came with the XBox, and the Microsoft component video cables (Microsoft High Definition AV Pack), I can honestly say both the picture and the sound improved greatly with these Monster cables. If you have a good TV like me, or hook up your Xbox to your Home Theater receiver, do yourself the favor and invests the extra bucks to get the most out of your expensive equipment. The picture is brighter, the colors are purer, the image is clearer, and I hear more subtle sounds like metal-on-metal clangs in Halo that I couldn't distinguish before.

BTW, I also bought a set of Monster component video cables to connect my DVD player (got a new TV with Component Video inputs for Christmas), and it made a big difference in picture quality from the old one-cable NTSC video I was using before.

I bought these cables because I read how good they are and all that. When I first opened the package, I was impressed. The wires looked sturdy and pretty cool. So then I go to hook it into the back of my HDTV...AND THEY WON'T EVEN FIT PROPERLY! Come on Monster, if you're charging upwards of $60 bucks on these things, make sure they freaking work correctly. Not to say the quality of the picture doesn't improve, it does, but depends on the game. I mean, the first thing I did with these component cables is try to jam'em into the back of my tv for 5 minutes or so. I didn't pay $50 dollars to almost void my new tv's warranty, which is what you could end up doing if you're not careful, no joke. It's ridiculous, the only thing I could do to actually make these work is I left them pretty much just hanging out the back of the tv, which is all you CAN do, because the connectors are so freaking huge. Once I DID get it set up, there wasn't even any volume! I had to fiddle around for ANOTHER few minutes! You see, you cant even connect them properly, you just kinda have to move ALL 5 cables around untill you get audio and video. And if you hear an annoying buzzing sound, continue to fiddle with the cables until it stops, that's what I did. All in all, I dont even know if these cables are even worth it. I had S-video and that was fine. Don't expect a gigantic jump in visuals in most games, not yet anyway. Wait for 360 for that.

Let me start off by saying that if you don't mind spending $60 for cable then this is definately the cable for you. Even though I never even bothered to use the A/V cables that came with the XBox I've noticed a great difference when compared to my other gamesystems.

When I play my other game systems, which don't have these cables they're not nearly as clear. In fact before I got my xbox I was kind of disappointed because when I purchased my new 32" television, because of pixel attenuation, there wasn't as much detail as there was on my old 20" television. Well that all changed when I hooked up these cables. Oh, and that's without using the 1081 dpi adjustment trick that everyone keeps talking about.

My one gripe is the price. Is it too high; yea, a little but only because not everyone can afford it. So, with that being said if money's not a real issue go for it. If money is an issue you might want to consider the 300x, I've not heard good things about the 200x so you might not even want to bother wasting your time on that one.

So I have this brand new 30" HDTV and I can't wait to pop in my xbox and play a game like never before. One problem, composite cables give it an odd feel and mediocre picture. So I found this, the Monster Component Cable supporting all HDTV resolutions (480p, 720p, 1080i). I buy it and find myself jamming in the connectors to the back of my TV. The video plugs were just fine, but the audio plugs just wouldn't fit. Not only that, but the picture wasn't even that good! But then again I'm playing kind of old games (Topspin, NCAA Football '05). However, playing Halo 2 wasn't even that grand. I had jagged edges and weird picture. Finally I jammed in the audio connectors and found that I tore off the plug of my TV. It worked fine as long as its connected but if I ever wanted to take out the Xbox, I'd be taking the plug inside the TV with me. All in all I'd reccomend going for the Microsoft HD a/v pack IF YOU CAN FIND IT. Searched 3 best buys, and circuit city, none of them had it. Buy this as a backup, and a backup only.