# Can my laptop monitor display content from a composite video source? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2009, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-laptop-monitor-display-content-from-a-composite-video-source/514129 "2009-10-17T08:51:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-laptop-monitor-display-content-from-a-composite-video-source/514129/1 "2009-10-17T08:51:57Z")
Is there any way to get a laptop monitor to display video from an external source? The external source (Xbox360) has composite and component video connections, the laptop has no external video input but has various USB ports, as well as VGA and super video outputs. The problem I have is that I’m stuck in a hotel for two weeks and it has a crap CRT SD TV. I’ve just bought Operation Flashpoint 2 which is exposing the TV’s inability to display a nice picture. The laptop is a Dell Inspiron 6400 running Windows XP if that makes a difference. I am willing to buy stuff if necessary to make it work. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-laptop-monitor-display-content-from-a-composite-video-source/514129/2 "2009-10-17T14:06:08Z")
You need something like [this](http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&source=hp&q=usb+video+capture+device&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=2042481280647861478&ei=Ac_ZStL5EI7h8Qah1_C2BQ&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCEQ8wIwBA#ps-sellers). I’m not endorsing this particular device - I use a Mac, and use Elgato’s EyeTV Hybrid. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-laptop-monitor-display-content-from-a-composite-video-source/514129/3 "2009-10-17T15:08:50Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > You need something like [this](http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&source=hp&q=usb+video+capture+device&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=2042481280647861478&ei=Ac_ZStL5EI7h8Qah1_C2BQ&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCEQ8wIwBA#ps-sellers). > > I’m not endorsing this particular device - I use a Mac, and use Elgato’s EyeTV Hybrid. That’s S-video so the picture stays crap. Component video capture seems surprisingly uncommon. But search “usb component video capture.” For example, [this](http://www.blackmagic-design.com/products/videorecorder/) device pops up. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-laptop-monitor-display-content-from-a-composite-video-source/514129/4 "2009-10-17T15:13:38Z")
Here’s a thread on this: [Looking for a good USB-based video capture device - VideoHelp Forum](http://www.videohelp.com/forum/archive/looking-for-a-good-usb-based-video-capture-device-t370221.html) People seem to say the $200 Hauppage HD-PVR is good choice for HD USB capture. Other solutions are said to not do full HD. In fact, it seems the Blackmagic thing can’t do it either. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-laptop-monitor-display-content-from-a-composite-video-source/514129/5 "2009-10-17T22:27:00Z")
Thanks, I’d forgotten that composite won’t give me HD so I would need the component capture as you pointed out (although the TV is bad even for SD, it’s more fuzzy than other SD TVs.) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-laptop-monitor-display-content-from-a-composite-video-source/514129/6 "2009-10-17T22:43:03Z")
The Xbox also has an HDMI output and looking at the prices for some of those USB things, I think it’d be better to just get a monitor with HDMI input. ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-my-laptop-monitor-display-content-from-a-composite-video-source/514129/7 "2009-10-18T02:46:38Z")
[quote=“1920s Style “Death Ray”, post:6, topic:514129”] The Xbox also has an HDMI output and looking at the prices for some of those USB things, I think it’d be better to just get a monitor with HDMI input. [/QUOTE] Ha! Actually, _yes_, that would be cheaper. (btw, you should be able to get any monitor and use an hdmi-\>dvi converter. i believe. xboxes can also output vga)