How to Connect Your XBox to your PC Monitor & Speakers

Playing XBox on a TV is great, but for some that's just not possible. The good news is you can connect your XBox to your PC monitor and speakers.

Why would you want to do this?

• The wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/kids nag you all the time about wanting to watch their favourite TV show.
• Monitors are mobile. Want to play in the kitchen? No problem. The bedroom. Easy. Dragging a TV along - not so easy.
• You can do it all for just more than £10. Compared to £250 for a TV, the choice is easy.
• Some just don't want a TV. Don't worry, it's a choice not a disease.
  

So, how do you do this? All it takes is 3 easy steps:

1. Buy the stuff you need
   
2. Connect the XBox to your PC monitor, using VGA connection
   
3. Connect the XBox to your PC speakers
   

Ok so here's what you need. You can find all these on Amazon or other electronics stores:

• XBox 360. Very important component, but often overlooked.
  
• Xbox 360 VGA HD AV Cable: Has 4 connections: An HD connection into your XBox, a VGA connection into your monitor and Left/Right audio connections that link up to a device that supports RCA connections.
  
  Some swear by the official Microsoft cable (at £20) while others are happy with better priced ones (£3 - £15). My advice: Go midrange (£8 - £10) and only buy official if you're not happy.
  
• 3.5mm Stereo Jack to RCA Adapter: The middleman between the VGA cable and your PC speakers, it can plug into any device that accepts 3.5mm stereo input. Get one for around £3.
  
• 3.5mm Stereo Jack Female to Female Adapter: Enables your PC speakers to plug into the Stereo Jack to RCA adapter. Goes for around £2.
  

Here's how to connect your monitor:

1. Take the "VGA HD AV Cable" and insert the HD side into the back of the XBox.
2. Insert the VGA side into the monitor.

You'll easily see which side belongs where.

Done. Your XBox will now display on your monitor. You can try it out now, but remember there won't be any sound until you follow the next step.

Time to get some sound.

1. Connect the red/white connections from the "VGA HD AV Cable" to the red/white inputs on the "3.5mm Stereo Jack to RCA Adapter".

2. Connect the stereo jack of the "3.5mm Stereo Jack to RCA Adapter" to the "3.5mm Stereo Jack Female to Female Adapter".
3. Connect the PC speakers to the other end of the "3.5mm Stereo Jack Female to Female Adapter".

You should be hearing the crystal clear clicks and beeps of your XBox menu.

If you've already got an audio device that accepts RCA connections, just connect the red/white connections to that device. Watch out though, you only have about 15cm of cable from the VGA HD AV cable where it connects to the monitor.

If your monitor supports different resolutions and the current one isn't working for you, you can change it from the XBox's menu. Here's how:

1. Go to System Settings on your XBox menu (under My XBox).
2. Choose Console Settings > Display > Screen Resolution and play around with these settings.

The best setting will depend on you and your monitor.

That's it. No more nagging, lots of money saved and you've got a semi-portable XBox. Not bad for £10.