How can I attach my Wii to a computer monitor?

July 26, 2008 9:57 AM

How can I plug my Wii into a computer monitor?

So I'm going back to college in about a month, and since I'll be living in a dorm room, I've decided to not bring a TV. One of my roommates is going to have one, but his will be in his bedroom (which is separate from mine) and so that's not really convenient for me.

I have a USB TV tuner (it's an "AVerMedia Hybrid Ultra USB") that I use to watch TV. It has a cable plugin and the yellow, red, and white RCA plugs, although I've never been able to figure out how to use the RCA hookups.

My question is, what can I do to be able to play my Wii on the computer monitor? This would be a no-brainer if the Wii had an HDMI cable, but the best I can get is component. I have a composite cable, but I'd really prefer to use the component one since it allows for 480p. My computer monitor has VGA and DVI plugs, and I'm also fine with using a USB-based solution if that will work. I have those RCA hookups on the TV tuner, but I can't find a single thing in the user manual about how to use them. I'd prefer component anyway, but that would work if someone knows how to set it up.

I hope this makes sense--I can clarify as needed. Thanks for the help in advance!

posted by DMan to technology (11 answers total)

I have this thing called the video game jockey, it's made just for this and it works very well.
http://www.softchoice.com/catalog/product.aspx?R=P32221_US_EN
posted by PowerCat at 10:11 AM on July 26, 2008

I'm no expert, so please double check that this would work, but:

DVI-I to 3 RCA component cable ($5).

pitfall: you'll have to make sure your TV isn't DVI-D only (digital signal) because I believe the component signal will be analog. DVI-I can transport both digital and analog but the TV needs to be able to display it.
posted by sharkfu at 10:15 AM on July 26, 2008

sharkfu,

The device you linked to is for the purpose of display an image from a computer on a TV. I'm trying to display the image from my Wii (normally meant to hook up to a TV) on a computer monitor. So it's the opposite idea. Thanks though!
posted by DMan at 10:24 AM on July 26, 2008

I would think your USB TV tuner would work (I was going to suggest something along those lines until I saw you had one). I have a different USB TV tuner and I have to switch it from S-Video to RCA if I want to use that. There might be a similar setting in whatever software you use to view things on that tuner (something like an 'Input Source' option)

Sorry I can't be more help, if I can find a manual for the software that comes with your tuner, I'll see if such an option exists
posted by chndrcks at 10:42 AM on July 26, 2008

What's weird about it, chndrcks, is that it doesn't come with software; instead, it works with Windows Media Center. I was never able to get it to use the RCA inputs. Maybe I'm missing something.
posted by DMan at 10:47 AM on July 26, 2008

I haven't bought one myself, but when I was researching the same thing, I came across these VDigi cables which take the (IIRC) YPbPr component output of the Wii and convert it to the RGB component signal that your monitor's VGA connection uses. Also, I think they got some pretty favorable reviews from a bunch of different forums, you can find them if you just Google the cable's name/model number and "review". It looks like PowerCat's recommendation is something along the same lines. I'm not sure at all how you could use the RCA inputs on your TV tuner--PC TV tuners have always seemed like a minefield of poor drivers, poor software, and poor support to me.

Oh, and as for audio, I was going to buy some sort of RCA to 3.5 mm plug converter, but for the moment I'm just using alligator clips to connect left channel, right channel, and ground to the 3.5 mm male jack my computer speakers use and it works just fine because the signals are the same, I guess. It looks like a total hack (it is) and I'm sure an audiophile would throw a fit, but I had them sitting around and it meant saving another $5, lol.
posted by thack3r at 10:51 AM on July 26, 2008

BTW, I just saw (from this handy little diagram) that those VDigi cables include both RCA audio and an RCA (m) to 3.5 mm (f) adapter, so you could just plug your computer speakers in--so if you choose to go with that, disregard all that alligator clip audio stuff.
posted by thack3r at 10:57 AM on July 26, 2008

Hey thack3r, that's pretty much exactly what I was hoping to find. Thanks! I ordered one.
posted by DMan at 11:13 AM on July 26, 2008

It doesn't look like the VDigi really supports 480i. This shouldn't be a big problem, but there are a few Wii games that don't support 480p and wouldn't work. As long as you don't have any of these games.
posted by curse at 12:04 PM on July 26, 2008

Thanks curse, luckily it looks like that's a pretty small list and I don't have any of those games.
posted by DMan at 12:35 PM on July 26, 2008

This KWorld TV BOX 1680ex Multi-Video Inputs, PC/TV Switch, Built-In Speakers, Remote Control might work. Component inputs. I think it's a VGA output, though.
posted by kenliu at 10:43 AM on July 27, 2008