PS2/XBOX on a notebook???

I was wondering if anyone knows of a device that would allow me to take my PS2 and allow me to use my laptop's screen? This way I could get rid of the terrible 13inch TV I use now and not take up any more space with another TV, but use a good display I already have. I know they make video to VGA converters, but I haven't seen anything that would work for a laptop.



-Kevin

 

I've done this exactly with ATI's (older) external TV Wonder USB tuner and a playstation one.

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,38222,00.asp

It worked ok. Two things though. A fast processor and a large slice of video memory will help to keep up with the onslot of video images better. Otherwise the video may get a bit...choppy. The usb Tv tuner/capture units will have all the inputs you will need built-in as well as the software that were meant to do this exact task.

http://www.beyond3d.com/reviews/ati/tvwusb/

You know, I never got around to trying it, but on the cheap side I bet you could buy the least expensive usb video input/capture device you could find and get the same result. The device won't matter as much as the software that has to 'see' it and then display whatever you chose to send thru it, at fullscreen real-time. That might be the tricky part.

- May your luck be good

 

Doing some research last night I did discover the TV Wonder USB 2.0 and purchased it. Hooked it up in no time and was able to watch TV and play games. Haven't had much time to mess with the settings and I am having some problems with the display flickering, but not sure if it is my notebook, the card, or some settings. I'll give a review later on when I get more time to use it. But I can say that my first impression of the video quality is fair. It is better than my 13" POS TV. The lag time is slight. I was playing San Andreas last night and it is easy to contol and drive. Less than a half second. For $99, it will probably work just as I need it to and is a good deal.

-Kevin

 

About the 'flicker'...
What are the specs of your notebook...If I may ask?

Processor manufacturer -
Processor type -
Clock speed -
RAM installed -
Video RAM -
Graphic Chip Processor manufacturer -

 

Processor manufacturer - AMD
Processor type - 64 3000
Clock speed - 1.8GHZ
RAM installed - 512
Video RAM - 64 Dedicated GeForge 440 GO OC 250/500
Graphic Chip Processor manufacturer - Nvidia

HP zv5000z

The flickering has to do with some Video on Demand vs. Live function with the software. Once you select on Demand no flickering occurs. It is a known Technical Issue with ATI and occording to their website, quote unquote are looking into. The lag time seems to improve if I remove all USB devices except for the ATI.

-Kevin

 

A very solid machine sir.[8D]

With specs like yours you should have no problem displaying external video whatsoever. If the hardware is doing it's job right, then you might want to try out other software options. But, If it were me...I wouldn't wait for ATI to fix their 'known Technical Issue'. They shipped out a product that has a software flaw that won't allow it to work correctly. And....they are working on it?! So what, are you just suppose to wait for the fix? Unacceptable sir. SKIP THAT! Move on to a new product. Return it and try out everything else this store stocks in capturing gear until you find something that works perfectly right. Start cheap and work your way up. Shame on ATI.[B)]

-Good Hunting Sir