ViewSonic TV Tuner Box, REMOTE NextVision N5-2 VGA Interface - Retail

XBox HD

Reviewed By: Hugh on 10/11/2005

Comments: I got this to play XBox in HD on the computer desk, and it exceeded all expectations. Monitor looks like native support on a PC game (not quite as good as a PC resolution, but much much superior to TV). The HD support and resolution support of the monitor is exceptional. Anyone who has complained of pixellation or ghosting has probably not configured the settings for the monitor's native resolution or not taken into account the natural ghosting of LCD monitors. Mine has ghosting, but it always has on the PC too. It's an older LCD.

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Good product, though incompatible w/Samsung Syncmaster 213T

Reviewed By: Nathan Frost on 7/23/2005

Comments: As described below, the N5-2 worked flawlessly for me with my first setup <font>-</font>- when paired with Pelican's System <font>s</font>elector Pro, it was (and will almost certainly continue to be) a very convenient way to switch my monitor display between console games and the PC. I use component video for all visual output, with great results.

What follows is a review of the ViewSonic NextVision N5-2 video converter paired with the Samsung SyncMaster 213T.

Ghosting on console games is drastic <font>-</font>- in Metal Gear Solid 3 (PS2), rotating the camera in first person view produces a smeared blur of color, making the game totally unplayable. In F-Zero G(X) (GameCube) track details are noticeably blurred as they whiz by; this degrades but does not destroy the gameplay experience.

Ghosting on CounterStrike (PC) is less pronounced than the console games, but is noticeable.

Strange artifacts appear in Windows XP <font>-</font>- for example, the vertical borders of windows have a series of "ghost bars" that are evenly spaced to the right of the window's actual border; the ghost bars are a light gray, and become lighter the farther right they are (it looks like a "comet-trail bar code pattern"). This same effect also afflicts text display. Perhaps this is some kind of high-contrast (black on white) problem?

Taking the N5-2 out of the system by hooking the monitor's RGB cable directly to my PC improves the ghosting in CounterStrike to the point where I can hardly tell that it's there, and totally eliminates the strange "comet-trail bar code" effect on stationary text and windows.

The 213T's color fidelity seems incredible, and the monitor is very bright and vibrant. I have zero dead pixels, and got great service from Newegg. But this is unacceptable because playing console games on my PC monitor is a must for me.

I'm looking at ViewSonic's VX924 for its 4ms (gray-to-gray) 5 ms (typ) response rate, and since ViewSonic (reasonably) claims that the N5-2 is "compatible" with any ViewSonic LCD monitor.

Previously, I used an old CTX PanoView 745 LCD at 1024x768 <font>-</font>- there was no ghosting or artifacts for over 5 years until recently the scanlines began "swimming" vertically.

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Reviewed By: Newegg Customer on 7/1/2005

Comments: Great product. Turned my 17" LCD into a TV, independent of the computer. TV quality is depended on the reception. DVD playback with Composite (RCA) video is only acceptable, with ghosting all over the place. DVD playback with S-video provided better quality and no ghosting. Component (Prgressive Scan) provide the best DVD playback, almost matching the quality of computer DVD-Rom playback with DVI video connection. I don't have a game console to try on yet, but expect good quality with component video. Audio switching between the computer and "TV" is good without lost in sound quality. Remote is too small and reception is only good in a short distance. No picture in picture, but I don't need it anyway. One of a kind product, can't ask for more.

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