VGA Switchbox

Craggles_ · 10-21-2009, 02:31 AM

I've only got the one monitor with a p.c and a 360 - so i bought this,http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...ya_oh_product; this being a VGA switch box for my 360 with a VGA cable and my normal p.c. However when I plugged it all in the quality on my regular monitor was really really bad - the whites were creamy the blacks were leaking. I've looked around and a lot of people have suggested better quality cables are key - however I don't want to send 4 times the price of that box just on cables. Currently I have 2 cables, a chunky black one with gold plated ends and a cable that I think I got with my very old p.c. Both cables normally work absolutely brilliantly and are on par with one and other - however when going through that box everything goes wrong. I also dropped the box at one point, so what should I do? Do I assume it's the box or the cables?

gcavan · 10-22-2009, 08:24 AM

Quote:

I also dropped the box at one point.

Do you mean you physically dropped it onto the floor?
1) Check the cable ends for broken/bent pins. There should be 3 rows of 5.
2) Take the box out of the circuit. If video is good, you have your answer.

Craggles_ · 10-22-2009, 08:30 AM

I'll get a vga female to female coupler to test.

gcavan · 10-23-2009, 01:18 AM

Quote:

I'll get a vga female to female coupler to test.

Just check each cable individually.

Craggles_ · 11-01-2009, 04:28 PM

Each cable seperately works equal fine - in series they cause the problem. It's definitely the cables I'm using. Any ideas what sort of cables I should buy where this won't happen?

**Done_Fishin** · 11-02-2009, 01:39 PM

Your problem may not just be the cables, which are fine in normal use, but also the fact that you have extended the distance that the signal must travel . I have had the same problem on an old mechanical VGA switcher. My cure was to replace it with a good quality electronic KVM and reasonably good cables.

I just decided to check the device in your link .. it's the same type that I have but no longer use! I figure that you have cable length problems rather like I had. It's not the box but the overall length!

Craggles_ · 11-02-2009, 02:45 PM

I sussed very much the same - that's why I'm trying to find short good quality cables. I don't want to spend too much on them to find out they don't do the job so I'm gonna take my gear down to the local computer shop.

**Done_Fishin** · 11-02-2009, 10:54 PM

it'll be cheaper getting a proper KVM that accepts your monitor cable / Keyboard / mouse and has it's own VGA / Keyboard / Mouse outputs

something like this

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=35394

Craggles_ · 11-03-2009, 01:25 AM

My monitor signal is a DVI adapted to a vga - would that cause any problems?
Also thanks for the help so far

**Done_Fishin** · 11-03-2009, 09:54 AM

It shouldn't make any difference since it is just an analogue switch inside passing signals through from source to destination. It's not something that I have tried though I could if you can tell me whether you are going from DVI on your Graphics card to VGA input or viceversa. I have a few few KVM's here ( 2 are similar to the one I showed you, but without audio) whilst a 3rd is a 4 port Belkin. All are VGA connectors and I have graphics cards with DVI out plus a monitor with VGA/DVI in. So I sjopuld be able to see if there is any difference or quality loss using them.

Craggles_ · 11-03-2009, 11:06 AM

gfx card through a dvi converter through the vga into my vga monitor.

**Done_Fishin** · 11-03-2009, 11:48 AM

sorry, since I haven't fully understood .. you are using the DVI output from your graphics card with a DVI - VGA adapter then through to the switchbox and using the VGA connector on your monitor ??

I'll give it a try .. and report back later on

Craggles_ · 11-03-2009, 12:25 PM

That's exactly it keep me posted

**Done_Fishin** · 11-03-2009, 12:28 PM

I see NO PROBLEM with Graphics Card > DVI out, through adapter to VGA, > KVM to VGA input on Monitor

Works fine here at my place

Craggles_ · 11-03-2009, 12:35 PM

Perfect thank you, I'll get onto ordering that kvm

**Done_Fishin** · 11-03-2009, 12:42 PM

let me know how you get on .. there is NO reason why it shouldn't work, but ASK the place where you are purchasing from so that you are quite sure. You also have an edge over Murphy then, who might be watching for any simple misshap to prove his point

Craggles_ · 11-19-2009, 04:36 PM

I treated myself to an early christmas present and bought a new monitor. A monitor with 2 in ports. 1 dvi and one vga - perfect for my needs. Very happy with it.

**Done_Fishin** · 11-20-2009, 10:51 AM

hmm .. that was a solution that we hadn't discussed ..

Have fun & enjoy

10-21-2009, 02:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
Craggles_ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 33 OS: Xp	VGA Switchbox I've only got the one monitor with a p.c and a 360 - so i bought this,http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...ya_oh_product; this being a VGA switch box for my 360 with a VGA cable and my normal p.c. However when I plugged it all in the quality on my regular monitor was really really bad - the whites were creamy the blacks were leaking. I've looked around and a lot of people have suggested better quality cables are key - however I don't want to send 4 times the price of that box just on cables. Currently I have 2 cables, a chunky black one with gold plated ends and a cable that I think I got with my very old p.c. Both cables normally work absolutely brilliantly and are on par with one and other - however when going through that box everything goes wrong. I also dropped the box at one point, so what should I do? Do I assume it's the box or the cables?

10-22-2009, 08:30 AM	#3 (permalink)
Craggles_ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 33 OS: Xp	Re: VGA Switchbox I'll get a vga female to female coupler to test.

11-01-2009, 04:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
Craggles_ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 33 OS: Xp	Re: VGA Switchbox Each cable seperately works equal fine - in series they cause the problem. It's definitely the cables I'm using. Any ideas what sort of cables I should buy where this won't happen?

11-02-2009, 01:39 PM	#6 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,386 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: VGA Switchbox Your problem may not just be the cables, which are fine in normal use, but also the fact that you have extended the distance that the signal must travel . I have had the same problem on an old mechanical VGA switcher. My cure was to replace it with a good quality electronic KVM and reasonably good cables. I just decided to check the device in your link .. it's the same type that I have but no longer use! I figure that you have cable length problems rather like I had. It's not the box but the overall length! __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

11-02-2009, 02:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
Craggles_ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 33 OS: Xp	Re: VGA Switchbox I sussed very much the same - that's why I'm trying to find short good quality cables. I don't want to spend too much on them to find out they don't do the job so I'm gonna take my gear down to the local computer shop.

11-02-2009, 10:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,386 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: VGA Switchbox it'll be cheaper getting a proper KVM that accepts your monitor cable / Keyboard / mouse and has it's own VGA / Keyboard / Mouse outputs something like this http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=35394 __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

11-03-2009, 01:25 AM	#9 (permalink)
Craggles_ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 33 OS: Xp	Re: VGA Switchbox My monitor signal is a DVI adapted to a vga - would that cause any problems? Also thanks for the help so far Last edited by Craggles_; 11-03-2009 at 01:38 AM.

11-03-2009, 09:54 AM	#10 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,386 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: VGA Switchbox It shouldn't make any difference since it is just an analogue switch inside passing signals through from source to destination. It's not something that I have tried though I could if you can tell me whether you are going from DVI on your Graphics card to VGA input or viceversa. I have a few few KVM's here ( 2 are similar to the one I showed you, but without audio) whilst a 3rd is a 4 port Belkin. All are VGA connectors and I have graphics cards with DVI out plus a monitor with VGA/DVI in. So I sjopuld be able to see if there is any difference or quality loss using them. __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

11-03-2009, 11:06 AM	#11 (permalink)
Craggles_ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 33 OS: Xp	Re: VGA Switchbox gfx card through a dvi converter through the vga into my vga monitor.

11-03-2009, 11:48 AM	#12 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,386 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: VGA Switchbox sorry, since I haven't fully understood .. you are using the DVI output from your graphics card with a DVI - VGA adapter then through to the switchbox and using the VGA connector on your monitor ?? I'll give it a try .. and report back later on __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

11-03-2009, 12:25 PM	#13 (permalink)
Craggles_ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 33 OS: Xp	Re: VGA Switchbox That's exactly it keep me posted

11-03-2009, 12:28 PM	#14 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,386 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: VGA Switchbox I see NO PROBLEM with Graphics Card > DVI out, through adapter to VGA, > KVM to VGA input on Monitor Works fine here at my place __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

11-03-2009, 12:35 PM	#15 (permalink)
Craggles_ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 33 OS: Xp	Re: VGA Switchbox Perfect thank you, I'll get onto ordering that kvm

11-03-2009, 12:42 PM	#16 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,386 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: VGA Switchbox let me know how you get on .. there is NO reason why it shouldn't work, but ASK the place where you are purchasing from so that you are quite sure. You also have an edge over Murphy then, who might be watching for any simple misshap to prove his point __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner

11-19-2009, 04:36 PM	#17 (permalink)
Craggles_ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 33 OS: Xp	Re: VGA Switchbox I treated myself to an early christmas present and bought a new monitor. A monitor with 2 in ports. 1 dvi and one vga - perfect for my needs. Very happy with it.

11-20-2009, 10:51 AM	#18 (permalink)
Done_Fishin Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brit living in Greece Posts: 7,386 OS: WinME, WinXP Pro SP3, Win7 Beta, Ubuntu 9.04 & Netbook Remix & CD2USB, Mepis 6.5, Fedora 10 My System	Re: VGA Switchbox hmm .. that was a solution that we hadn't discussed .. Have fun & enjoy __________________ . . I'm not old!! I'm age impaired .. D_F I DON'T PLAY GAMES How to mark your thread as solved HDD DIAG UTILS TSF's Photographer's Corner