I am unashamedly a fanboy of the original Xbox! Having been a Nintendo-only gamer until 2002, the OG Xbox opened me up to various new experiences which later paved my multiplatform gaming lifestyle. The Xbox is also my gateway into the world of homebrew and emulation on consoles that continues to this day! In recent years, I have taken a renewed interest in the Xbox scene, learning about new soft and hard mod methods, homebrew development, CPU mods, and, of course, video output mods and adapters. The newest entry into the Xbox video output scene comes from EON, who first arrived with their GameCube GCHD adapter. For their entry into the Xbox side, EON has made their adapter unlike anything else on the market to date, with Dual HD output and a built-in ethernet switch for the easy hosting of LAN parties! It does however come with an eye-watering $189.99 price tag… I promise we will talk more about that price in a minute but for now, let's focus on the adapter itself to see what it truly brings to the table!
The EON XBHD comes in a box that is an excellent recreation of the Xbox console. In place of the original Xbox Jewel, you have the green EON logo with the traditional X and fins. The XBHD product name uses an Xbox-style font making the whole thing feel like an official add-on for the system. Each side of the box further mirrors what that side of an original Xbox looks like complete with side fins, power, video, and ethernet ports, and finally the front panel with 4 controller ports and power and eject buttons. The XBHD name takes up residence where the DVD drive is on the physical console. On the bottom, we get an overview of the XBHD and several use cases and features. Inside the box, you will find the XBHD adapter and an Operation Manual.
The design of the XBHD fits the aesthetics of the Xbox well and makes it feel like an official add-on in that regard. The EON logo is present on the top within a green gem that lights up when powered thanks to a single LED. This jewel is then encompassed by a giant X with Xbox-style fins that run down the sides. An Xbox AV port and Ethernet connector extend out the front and provide a snug connection with the Xbox console. On the back are a trio of RJ-45 ethernet ports, dual HD output ports, and a 3.5mm port that can be used for both aux or Toslink connections. To support the device during use, two plastic feet extend down from the XBHD and, thanks to their rubberized finish, it stays in place fairly well. The overall build quality of the shell is decent enough but it uses a different type of plastic than that found in the Xbox, giving it a different feel and thus ending the official add-on impression. It is also easy to make the top of the device sag with minimal force. An extra brace or two within would eliminate this quickly. But for its intended use it will hold up to expected wear and tear.
I was eager to see how the XBHD would handle my library of Xbox titles and to be brief it hasn’t disappointed. Thanks to its no-hassle connection, it is ready to go in a matter of seconds. The adapter supports every single output resolution the Xbox is capable of, so regardless of title, you will be able to play them at their max! A quick visit to the Xbox Dashboard settings lets you enable each available option as well as select whether digital audio will be utilized, but more on audio in a bit. For modded systems, you can still use the Xbox dashboard to change settings or use the ones found within the replacement dashboard you currently have employed. Project Stellar users can also set the preferred outputs within Stellar OS.
Diving into games I was happy to see that video quality is presented well across both HD ports. Black levels look correct on my display and color contrast has been pleasing. Be sure to set the correct color space for your display! Many generic HD adapters typically fail in these areas so it made me happy to see the XBHD didn’t follow suit, especially considering its price. But regardless of output resolution, the image quality was quite pleasing. One thing to note however is that 480i and 1080i don’t always display right on every TV or monitor. Thankfully, the majority of Xbox titles support 480P output with only the Xbox boot animation and a handful of games stuck with 480i. And for those few 1080i titles, they also typically have a 480P or 720P output mode. With a modded system, even the few 480i-only titles can be forced into 480P if desired.
One thing to note about the output is that the condition and revision of the Xbox will play a factor in the result. On my original version 1.0 Xbox, the video signal will start clean before lines will start scrolling through the image. On my recapped 1.0 this is not the case. On 1.6 model Xbox consoles, 480P output is broken on several titles because Microsoft switched to a new video encoder on them. With mods, these titles can be restored to proper output. If the output signal is really bad, especially with 720P output, it is a sign that the capacitors within the box need to be replaced. Sadly none of mine are in bad enough shape to provide an adequate demonstration. The XBHD does a pretty good job of cleaning up analog noise especially when compared to component cables on the same version 1.0 Xbox, but without an internal HDMI mod, it can’t be removed completely. From a distance, it should prove to be mostly unnoticeable though.
As far as latency is concerned, it has remained well within the realm of unnoticeable. Playing through a number of my titles has them feeling identical to playing through the RetroTink 5X over component or the Make Mhz Stellar HDMI mod. Regardless of the title, I have found the playing experience to be an enjoyable one, and getting sweaty in Halo or platforming in Mega Man was no exception!
As for audio, it comes across cleanly regardless of the HD port in use and through the 3.5mm jack over Toslink. No extra noise has been detectable in my tests over standard component output, so for anyone with a stereo setup, it will be a pleasing experience! Unfortunately, the audio output from the XBHD doesn’t appear to output the Xbox’s digital audio from 1.0 systems for a proper surround sound setup. Across both systems and connection methods I only get the standard analog stereo output regardless of port. Headphone user warning, this is what the digital audio output sounds like on an unsupported audio setup. This is what audio sounds like from the XBHD with digital audio selected. Yeah, it’s playing from the analog source… Sadly I only have 1.0’s at this time so if it works on other revisions I can’t say.
As for the built-in networking features, they work as expected. It is simple to connect 3 additional Xbox systems up to the XBHD for LAN play. For anyone unfamiliar with older networking, the Xbox would require a crossover cable for direct connection between 2 systems. 3 or more would require the use of a network hub or switch and standard ethernet cables. With the XBHD plugged in, standard cables are all that is required regardless of system count. You can still hook the system up to your home network to enjoy both Insignia and Xlink Kai as well.
Now for anyone concerned about the added power draw from the extra ports, I have left my test system on for over 30 hours while messing around with the XBHD, and temps across the CPU and motherboard never went above their normal levels and the adapter didn’t get incredibly warm to the touch. As far as I can tell everything works as intended!
We need to take a moment to have a real discussion about the EON XBHD’s price point. At $189.99 it is not an impulse purchase by any stretch of the imagination. I want to reiterate that the XBHD does do what it says it will do and it does so very well sans true digital audio. It is all bundled neatly into a small package and doesn’t require any extra fuss to get it up and running for casual gaming to competitive LANs. For tournament runners, the second HD port for dual output or streaming is also very convenient. But is that convenience worth the $189.99 asking price to all Xbox owners? Sadly, I have to go with no.
For the “no internal mod” user, a component to HDMI adapter from someone like Electron Shepard only runs for an asking price of $41.99. It offers all the same video output features minus dual displays but does output proper digital audio on 1.0 systems, making it one of the best no-mod adapters on the market for the Xbox. Gaining the Ethernet connectivity can also be achieved with a simple $15 Ethernet Switch if you don’t have one already lying around. Again, you lose the convenience of no extra wires or power adapters, but $57 is an easier price to swallow for the same functionality. Dual HD output is also attainable from a $10 no external power HDMI splitter, bringing the whole setup to $67. There are many other Xbox HDMI adapters out there, this is just the one I think should take first consideration.
If you are the owner of multiple Retro systems, something like the RetroTink 5X is also worth considering with Component output from the system. Yes, it does cost roughly $150 more than the EON adapter, but it isn’t locked to a single system, thus bringing your whole retro setup to HDMI. Optical audio will still need to be run from the Xbox for proper surround sound though. The Ethernet Switch and HDMI splitters will again compensate for the built-in features of the XBHD.
It is also worth noting that the EON XBHD is just a hair more expensive than the Make Mhz Project Stellar internal HDMI and modchip bundle. Coming in at $160, The Project Stellar bundle gives players a great modchip to expand the capabilities of their Xbox and the benefit of clean digital video and audio that can be further tuned within Stellar OS. Grabbing an Ethernet Switch and HDMI splitter will bring the total cost of this route to $185 if you are capable of installing the mods yourself. And that is the downside to this option: it requires some pretty serious soldering skills to pull off. Installers are readily available but their services can range anywhere from $60 to $150.
With all of this said, if you have the money and the convenience of dual HD outputs and a built-in Ethernet switch sounds appealing, the EON XBHD is again going to be great! I can see this adapter being great for tournament and event organizers where all of its features can be brought to bear with every play session! But for casual Xbox fans or multi-system owners, the Electron Shepard adapter or RetroTink 5X would be better considerations depending on your needs.
What’s In The Box
Aesthetics And Build Quality
Gameplay
Diving into games I was happy to see that video quality is presented well across both HD ports. Black levels look correct on my display and color contrast has been pleasing. Be sure to set the correct color space for your display! Many generic HD adapters typically fail in these areas so it made me happy to see the XBHD didn’t follow suit, especially considering its price. But regardless of output resolution, the image quality was quite pleasing. One thing to note however is that 480i and 1080i don’t always display right on every TV or monitor. Thankfully, the majority of Xbox titles support 480P output with only the Xbox boot animation and a handful of games stuck with 480i. And for those few 1080i titles, they also typically have a 480P or 720P output mode. With a modded system, even the few 480i-only titles can be forced into 480P if desired.
As far as latency is concerned, it has remained well within the realm of unnoticeable. Playing through a number of my titles has them feeling identical to playing through the RetroTink 5X over component or the Make Mhz Stellar HDMI mod. Regardless of the title, I have found the playing experience to be an enjoyable one, and getting sweaty in Halo or platforming in Mega Man was no exception!
As for audio, it comes across cleanly regardless of the HD port in use and through the 3.5mm jack over Toslink. No extra noise has been detectable in my tests over standard component output, so for anyone with a stereo setup, it will be a pleasing experience! Unfortunately, the audio output from the XBHD doesn’t appear to output the Xbox’s digital audio from 1.0 systems for a proper surround sound setup. Across both systems and connection methods I only get the standard analog stereo output regardless of port. Headphone user warning, this is what the digital audio output sounds like on an unsupported audio setup. This is what audio sounds like from the XBHD with digital audio selected. Yeah, it’s playing from the analog source… Sadly I only have 1.0’s at this time so if it works on other revisions I can’t say.
Now for anyone concerned about the added power draw from the extra ports, I have left my test system on for over 30 hours while messing around with the XBHD, and temps across the CPU and motherboard never went above their normal levels and the adapter didn’t get incredibly warm to the touch. As far as I can tell everything works as intended!
What It Could Have Done Better
As far as my gripes with the EON XBHD go, I don’t have many with its function. My main issue is the lack of true digital audio output across both the HD output and 3.5mm Toslink on 1.0 Xbox systems. This makes surround sound inaccessible which was a big part of the Xbox experience. The shell could also use the extra reinforcement in its center but not a deal breaker in my book. But one thing that boggles my mind is the lack of proper HDMI licensing for the XBHD considering its price. Seems like an odd thing to skimp on when you want to ask players for nearly $200 for your device. And that brings up my final concern, price…About That Price
For the “no internal mod” user, a component to HDMI adapter from someone like Electron Shepard only runs for an asking price of $41.99. It offers all the same video output features minus dual displays but does output proper digital audio on 1.0 systems, making it one of the best no-mod adapters on the market for the Xbox. Gaining the Ethernet connectivity can also be achieved with a simple $15 Ethernet Switch if you don’t have one already lying around. Again, you lose the convenience of no extra wires or power adapters, but $57 is an easier price to swallow for the same functionality. Dual HD output is also attainable from a $10 no external power HDMI splitter, bringing the whole setup to $67. There are many other Xbox HDMI adapters out there, this is just the one I think should take first consideration.
If you are the owner of multiple Retro systems, something like the RetroTink 5X is also worth considering with Component output from the system. Yes, it does cost roughly $150 more than the EON adapter, but it isn’t locked to a single system, thus bringing your whole retro setup to HDMI. Optical audio will still need to be run from the Xbox for proper surround sound though. The Ethernet Switch and HDMI splitters will again compensate for the built-in features of the XBHD.
With all of this said, if you have the money and the convenience of dual HD outputs and a built-in Ethernet switch sounds appealing, the EON XBHD is again going to be great! I can see this adapter being great for tournament and event organizers where all of its features can be brought to bear with every play session! But for casual Xbox fans or multi-system owners, the Electron Shepard adapter or RetroTink 5X would be better considerations depending on your needs.
Verdict
The EON XBHD is a unique offering for the Xbox that does almost everything it says it will do. Video output to two different monitors or a capture card works great with low latency and excellent colors and black levels. The built-in LAN capabilities make getting a multi-console session going a breeze with no extra power adapters required. Unfortunately, it doesn’t output true digital audio on 1.0 systems, making surround sound support unobtainable on these models at this time. It looks good plugged into the Xbox and can almost pass as an officially released add-on from 2005! But at the asking price of $189.99, it is hard to recommend the XBHD to anyone but event and tournament organizers where all the unique features can truly shine. For the casual to moderately dedicated player, your Xbox HDMI output needs would be better served elsewhere.