Posted this in Mac Peripherals, but thought I would get a better response here.

[matt1219]

Hi, I would like to play Xbox 360 in my bedroom, and since my parents won't let me get a TV in my room yet, it is in my basement. I would love to play it from bed though. So, for a while, I have been contemplating these decisions, and since soon I'll money to buy something from my upcoming graduation, I think it would be time to make a decision. Out of pretty much everything I've looked at, the two options are: the Elgato EyeTV Hybrid ($150) or a Hannspree 23" Widescreen Flat-Panel HD Monitor. ($220) Note that I do have a 24" Alu-iMac. The EyeTV is cheaper, but I don't really need the TV anymore thanks to the Hulu Desktop App, and I don't think I can get HD, but the Hannspree would give me a separate screen for my Mac and the Xbox, but it does cost more and takes up more space.

Any suggestions/other products I should consider?

 

[Richdmoore]

No question I would go for the computer monitor vs trying to get the video into the mac.

If you get a montitor with both DVI & VGA, you can hook the xbox up using the VGA kit, and hook the mac up using the DVI (using an adapter.) A monitor that also supports HDMI will also work great.

Most of the "play tv on your computer" video in hardware has a delay of up to a second, so that makes it impossible to play video games due to the delay. Also, most of the adapters are SD vs the VGA method where you will get HD from the external monitor.

I do not have any experience with that particular eyetv hardware, however.

If you go with the External monitor, depending on the model of computer monitor you may need a set of computer speakers if your monitor does not have built in speakers.

 

[0098386]

Get the monitor. You'll gain both a second monitor for the iMac as well as a gaming monitor, that's pretty much my setup now. Once I'm done working I just press the input switch to VGA (360) and play away .

But yea. Don't go down the Elgato route. That will require your iMac to be always on, there's still minor lag, and (from the last time I saw one) you were limited to SD resolutions.

 

[dolphin842]

I agree with all of the above. I have a dual screen setup and I can use the 2nd monitor with my iMac and my Dreamcast. The benefits of dual-screen computing are greatly underestimated... once you get your setup working you'll wonder how you ever used a computer without it!