Hooking Wii up to PC monitor? And a few other things.

Flesh Warlord · 11-26-2006, 02:42 AM

Original post:

Hello guys,

I'm getting a Wii soon and I need something confirmed. The only real place I can use my Wii would be at my PC, using my 19" Monitor (FLATRON L1919S & Acer AL1916W). I'm wondering if it's possible and what gear I would need to do so.
Someone told me I need a VGA box VDigi Electronics. Obviously I don't want to go out and buy one without knowing this for sure first. Also, would I need my computer to be running for this? Would it lag at all?

Ok also, atm I live in Sweden with my girlfriend, but we are soon moving back home to Australia... Will my European Wii be able to run Australian games?

Thanks guys.

Information shared:

Through what I have gathered, if your monitor does not support 'Component video output or Composite video output' you will need a VGA box. A good one can be found at VDigi Electronics Enhanced VD-Z3 Review - Xbox & Component cables from a select few online stores.
(Note: Make sure the VGA box will support your monitor, there are a few that will not be compatible)

Also @ the game regions. Apparently games from Australia will work fine on the UK Wii consoles. Visa Versa. (I could really do with someone confirming this)

Hope this helps.

vagrant · 11-26-2006, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flesh Warlord

Hello guys,

I'm getting a Wii soon and I need something confirmed. The only real place I can use my Wii would be at my PC, using my 19" Monitor (FLATRON L1919S). I'm wondering if it's possible and what gear I would need to do so.
Someone told me I need a VGA box VDigi Electronics. Obviously I don't want to go out and buy one without knowing this for sure first. Also, would I need my computer to be running for this? Would it lag at all?

Ok also, atm I live in Sweden with my girlfriend, but we are soon moving back home to Australia... Will my European Wii be able to run Australian games?

Thanks guys.

Any type of AV to VGA box or adapter/cable will work.

Flesh Warlord · 11-26-2006, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vagrant

Any type of AV to VGA box or adapter/cable will work.

Ok awesome. Will I need my pc running for this? Or will it go directly from the Wii -> Monitor?
Also, could you link me to one that would be ideal? So I know exactly what I'm looking at.

(P.S. What does AV/VGA stand for? ^ ^)

ftcmark · 11-26-2006, 02:51 AM

I can't completely confirm the Sweden/Australia video covnersion, but if both countries are using the same video format, either NTSC or PAL, there shouldn't be a problem. The PC would not be involved in the conversion either, just the cable converting it to VGA.

Edit: DVDCity: Check out key DVD Player features pretty sure they use PAL.

vagrant · 11-26-2006, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flesh Warlord

Ok awesome. Will I need my pc running for this? Or will it go directly from the Wii -> Monitor?
Also, could you link me to one that would be ideal? So I know exactly what I'm looking at.

(P.S. What does AV/VGA stand for? ^ ^)

You have to hook your monitor into the Transceiver/Converter, so no, your PC will be nowhere in the equation.

Just unplug it from your PC and back in when you want to use your computer.

AV = Audio Video cable meaning the yellow red white. VGA meaning the most common form of Monitor cable.

Flesh Warlord · 11-26-2006, 03:07 AM

Thanks alot guys, you cleared everything up! I'm looking forward very much to playing my Wii.

One more thing though... On that link you gave me ftcmark, it says Sweden/UK is a different region code to Australia. Is that a bad thing? :S If so I guess I could just get one sent from Australia and order my games from their also.

Btw, is this what I need: (VDigi Electronics)

ftcmark · 11-26-2006, 03:10 AM

Hi,

I think region only matters for DVD's, however, I'm not an expert. Video standards are the biggy. Here's a quote.

"If you're in North America, Japan, Korea, the Philippines and parts of South America, you use NTSC. Most other areas of the world use PAL or SECAM. Half of Brazil uses NTSC while the other half uses PAL-M. Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay use PAL-N. The rest of the world uses mainly PAL. If you're unsure what your video standard is, contact your local cable or broadcast company. Also, on the back of most video tapes is indicate what video standard the tape is. This is a good representation of what your video standard is."

I could be way off, but when I look at consoles on ebay, I always see the video standards as well.

vagrant · 11-26-2006, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flesh Warlord

Thanks alot guys, you cleared everything up! I'm looking forward very much to playing my Wii.

One more thing though... On that link you gave me ftcmark, it says Sweden/UK is a different region code to Australia. Is that a bad thing? :S If so I guess I could just get one sent from Australia and order my games from their also.

Btw, is this what I need: (VDigi Electronics)

Yes that is exactly what you need.

Flesh Warlord · 11-26-2006, 03:17 AM

ftcmark that quote unease's me. But I will figure it out.

Once again, thanks alot guys, huge help to me. I am usually alright with computers, but this is a whole new area to me. Anyway, I should be around these forums a fair bit, now that I'm getting a Wii. So cya round.

ftcmark · 11-26-2006, 03:38 AM

Sorry I couldn't be more help, but I am 99% sure both countries use PAL, so it shouldn't be an issue with the wii.

yosh64 · 11-26-2006, 08:39 AM

hey

WAIT
I just googled your monitors specs, and it seems it may have Component ports (I will try and confirm this), which means you wouldn't even need a VGA Box, just the Nintendo Wii Component cables. Also, the VGA Box you linked to has Component input, so you would need the Nintendo Wii Component cables to use it. The regular Composite cables would not work with that VGA Box.

Finally, I should warn you to be careful with your selection of VGA Box, as I have heard some (or many?) produce a bad picture quality. You should try and find reviews and stuff to ensure it will produce a nice picture quality.

But yea, I think you won't even need a VGA Box

, just the Nintendo Wii Component cables, but I will try and confirm this for you. Well if you see 3 RCA connectors on the back of your monitor, then I'd say they are the Component inputs

.

edit
Sorry, I'm now quite sure your monitor doesn't have Component ports :\. So yea, you will need a VGA Box, unless you somehow modify a Nintendo Wii Component cable into VGA (hd-15) cable.

Ohh, and I think if the VGA Box you get doesn't require power from your PC, then it should work okay without your computer switched on.

Finally, I thought you may want to read a post I made in this thread, about the picture quality on LCD based displays.

cyas

Kamikaze · 11-26-2006, 08:49 AM

You got many ways you can hook up your Wii via online:

The Cheapest Way:

Buy a WiFi usb adaptor from any electronic store, it usually sells for 39.99 (USD), and it's mostly referred to as for use of the DS but in the manual itself states that you can use it.

The Original Way:

Get a Wii adaptor, which is coming soon and hook up all the wiring and stuff.

The Best Way:

Get a Wireless router (good ones cost around 70, you may be able to bargain though.), and once you hook up the Wireless router, you can have your Wii anywhere in your household and be connected, this as well goes for laptops as well as the 360 and the Ps3.

yosh64 · 11-26-2006, 09:16 AM

hey

After quickly looking over the teamxbox.com VDigi Electronics Enhanced VD-Z3 Review, I think it would be a nice VGA Box to get

.

I thought I'd quote something I think is useful to know from that review.

Quote:

The first thing you need to know about the Enhanced VD-Z3 is that it is a true VGA adapter, or what is known as a transcoder; meaning it converts both progressive and HDTV video signals to the VGA standard accepted by most desktop monitors. If you see a VGA adapter that is suspiciously cheap, it is more than likely just a “scan doubler”; a device that only accepts standard TV signals (interlaced) and converts them to VGA. These low-priced VGA adapters won’t let you enjoy HDTV on your computer monitor.

edit
Hmm, I'm not sure now... I just read that it may not support all monitors or something? maybe it's todo with what resolutions your monitor supports? See HERE. Hmm, what region Nintendo Wii do you have? If you have a PAL system, then your monitor may not support it? as I think for a PAL system the resolution would be 720x576 or 704x576. But if you have a NTSC system, then I think it would work on your monitor, as for a NTSC system the resolution would be 640x480

.

But yea, I think your monitor only supports resolutions of... 1024x768, 1152x870, 1152x900, 1280x1024, 640x480, 720x400, 800x600, 832x624, and 640x350.

cyas

WIIMAN999 · 11-26-2006, 10:44 AM

there is such a thing called a adaptec gamebridge which converts the red yellow white into a usb plug! mabye you could use that!

Flesh Warlord · 11-27-2006, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yosh64

hey

After quickly looking over the teamxbox.com VDigi Electronics Enhanced VD-Z3 Review, I think it would be a nice VGA Box to get

.

I thought I'd quote something I think is useful to know from that review.

edit
Hmm, I'm not sure now... I just read that it may not support all monitors or something? maybe it's todo with what resolutions your monitor supports? See HERE. Hmm, what region Nintendo Wii do you have? If you have a PAL system, then your monitor may not support it? as I think for a PAL system the resolution would be 720x576 or 704x576. But if you have a NTSC system, then I think it would work on your monitor, as for a NTSC system the resolution would be 640x480

.

But yea, I think your monitor only supports resolutions of... 1024x768, 1152x870, 1152x900, 1280x1024, 640x480, 720x400, 800x600, 832x624, and 640x350.

cyas

Hmmm, this is worrying me. I have not got my Wii as of yet, but I'm planning to very soon (just need to work all this stuff out). If I bought a Wii in Sweden, would it be the same as the one I would buy in England? And then would that version be the same as the Australian one? I can easily order an Australian one if it would make everything easier. I really need all this sorted out asap... I'm trying to find out if that box you showed me would work with my monitor.

Another question is on my mind also. I was thinking about all this and then I realised I needed sound also... Obviously. How would I go about that? Does this VGA box have something I can plug speakers into? As in computer speakers? Or would I need to buy other speakers.

God... this is all so stressful.

yosh64 · 11-27-2006, 03:18 AM

hey

Firstly, Australia, England and Sweden all use PAL based systems.

What is your current sound setup on your computer? do you just have stereo speakers? Do they plug into a stereo input? Well, I think you get a female Stereo RCA to female Jack Plug with the ZD-Z3

, which you could plug standard stereo speakers into. But I think if you want to have your speakers hooked up to both your Nintendo Wii and Computer at the same time, then I think you will also need like a female to 2x male Stereo Y Splitter cable, which I think you may beable to get them from most electronic stores for very cheap. I think you would plug your speakers into the female jack, and plug one of the male jacks into the ZD-Z3's audio cable, and the other male jack into your computer

.

Finally, I fired off an email to VDigi Electronics to confirm a few things.

Quote:

Originally Posted by yosh64 email to VDigi Electronics

hey

I am writing this email to try and help someone determind if the VD-Z3 will work on their monitor. They would like to use it along with a PAL region Nintendo Wii.

Here are some details about their monitor that I think you would need to know.

LG Flatron L1919S, Flat Panel LCD TFT (Active Matrix)
Resolutions supported: 1024x768, 1152x870, 1152x900, 1280x1024, 640x480, 720x400, 800x600, 832x624, 640x350
Vertical Synchronization Range: 56 - 75 Hz
Horizontal Synchronization Range: 30 - 83 kHz

I was wondering if the VD-Z3 supports the PAL 576p @ 50Hz? as I think this is what the PAL region Nintendo Wii will output, rather than 480p @ 60Hz output by NTSC region Nintendo Wii systems (I was thinking maybe if you set the VD-Z3 to "Automatic format").

I have also read that various monitors aren't supported, and I was wondering why this is so? Is this due to the monitors not supporting the resolutions output by the console/ZD-V3? or is this due to something else?

Finally, I wanted to confirm if the VD-Z3 can output at a different resolution to the input resolution? I was a bit unsure, as I did read "Input and Output at same scanning format" in the "Supported Component In Video Modes" specs, but wasn't sure if this applied to all modes, or was specific to one mode or something.

Thanks, and I hope this is not to much trouble :\.

cyas

Hmm, maybe someone else here can answer these questions?

cyas

Flesh Warlord · 11-27-2006, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yosh64

hey

Firstly, Australia, England and Sweden all use PAL based systems.

What is your current sound setup on your computer? do you just have stereo speakers? Do they plug into a stereo input? Well, I think you get a female Stereo RCA to female Jack Plug with the ZD-Z3

. But I think if you want to have your speakers hooked up to your Nintendo Wii and Computer at the same time, then I think you will also need like a female to 2x male Stereo Y Splitter cable, which I think you may beable to get them from most electronic stores (you would plug your speakers into the female jack, and plug one of the male jacks into the ZD-Z3's audio cable, and the other male jack into your computer

, so I thinks).

Finally, I fired off an email to VDigi Electronics to confirm a few things.

Hmm, maybe someone else here can answer these questions?

cyas

You are a savior. Let me finish off this research and I will post what I have found out so far. Thanks so much Buddie.