OG Xbox Plug & Play HDMI! Should you buy the Pound HDMI Cable for the Original Microsoft Xbox

In this video, we do what no-one thought we'd ever do, feature an Xbox on the channel! We test out the Pound Technologies HD Link Cable designed for the original Microsoft Xbox.

Hi, my name is Gary and I am not a fan of the Xbox. It goes back to before the original came out and I was working at the Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. I would go up to the Sam Goodie in the upper level and test out their Xbox kiosk, and honestly, my dislike of the system began. I just couldn't get past the controller, it was so massive, it was uncomfortable, it had these grey and white buttons that didn't make sense, all-in-all, it just wasn't for me. Even with the Xbox S controller, the 360 controllers, and the Xbox One controller, I have never been a fan. As such I've never owned or collected for any Microsoft console. But now, the gang from Pound Technology sent me one of their HD Link Cables to test out for the Original Xbox.. so off to Live Action Games we went to pick up an Xbox.

I had previously tested Pound's HD Link cable for the PS1/2 and it was pretty decent. It doesn't compare to native HDMI output from a system, but it was a lot better than composite. As such, I had some expectations for this cable, however, it even surpassed a few I had!

From the box, the HD Link Cable does something a little different than any other cable like this I've tested previously. Instead of a cable with a converter box in the middle, this is really just a dongle that plugs directly into the Xbox, and then you plug in whatever length HDMI Cable you need. SCORE! This was really nice. Another thing I really liked was the fact that, while I had a port for Micro USB, the HD Link Cable didn't require external power. DOUBLE SCORE! I really like this a lot!

Connecting to the Xbox and my capture card was super easy. The plug was a little tighter than the stock component video cable, but it wasn't annoyingly tight. It was secure. Like my manhood. I had hit up Gabbo and Riff from the Pixel Game Squad for some suggestions on games, and they mentioned Project Gotham Racing 2, Riddick, and Halo. I tried all out (Riddick not shown) and they all looked really sharp. It wasn't vastly better than connected to composite through a RetroTink, but it was a lot less expensive! At under $30 compared to over $100, the quality for the price was really nice and a good value.

Part-way through my testing, the Xbox stopped reading games. UGH! I talked to Adrian at LAG and he mentioned that Xboxes are known for disc read errors, but, he hooked me up with a Halo Edition Xbox. THIS is why you should support your local Game Store!

Why it RoX:
- Good quality for the price
- Mod-free HDMI
- No external power supply needed
- Dongle design means you can use whatever length HDMI cable you'd like
- Supports 480i, 720p, or 1080i
- Sharper colors than upscaled Composite

What could be Improved?
- Some TVs may require an external power supply (none of mine did)
- Still doesn't address the bad Xbox controller for me

Should you buy one?
If you own an Original Xbox and that is the only version of the Xbox you own, this is a good solution for you to connect to your HD TV. The thing is so many original Xbox games are playable on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One, and both of those systems support HDMI natively. So you need to balance out how and what you want to play on. But if you have an original Xbox this is a pretty decent way to play the big box from Microsoft.

The footage used in this review are used under the Fair Use laws, referenced below:

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include—

(1) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;
(2) the nature of the copyrighted work;
(3) the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
(4) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.
(Pub. L. 94–553, title I, § 101, Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2546; Pub. L. 101–650, title VI, § 607, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5132; Pub. L. 102–492, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3145.)

#PoundTechnology #Xbox #HDMI