XBHD brings the original Xbox into the modern era

[Shawn Knight]

In brief: Eon Gaming has introduced a new accessory designed to bring Microsoft's original Xbox console into the modern era. The Eon Gaming XBHD is a plug-and-play replacement A/V adapter for the first-gen Xbox. Microsoft's first console, if you recall, featured an all-in-one connector and came with an A/V adapter that terminated in yellow, red, and white RCA connections to plug into your television.

Eon Gaming is upping the ante by replacing Microsoft's bundled A/V adapter with a more versatile solution. With the XBHD, you get a pair of HDMI connectors to facilitate playing on modern TVs as well as three Ethernet ports and a 3.5mm mini-TOSLINK (optical) audio jack. No external power or modifications are needed to use it.

Glad you could make it... pic.twitter.com/YBPyBVBjE5

– EON Gaming (@EON_gamingHD) May 22, 2023

According to the product page on CastleMania Games, the XBHD converts the console's component video into HD without lag and can output at 480i, 480p, 720p and 1080i. The listing notes the dual video out ports enable "greater setup possibilities." The Ethernet connections allow you to link up to four systems together without a router for local network play. Old school Halo tournaments, anyone?

The adapter's aesthetics were inspired by the look of the original Xbox and if you didn't know better, you would probably think it was an original Microsoft accessory.

The Eon XBHD plug and play adapter is available to pre-order from CastleMania Games for $189.99 and is expected to ship out on June 20. That is a lot considering how much a used Xbox commands these days but if you are a diehard retro gamer and could make good use of the added networking features, it could be worth the investment.

Eon Gaming also offers A/V adapters for other classic consoles including the GameCube and the Nintendo 64 that will set you back $159.99 each. Like the XBHD adapter, Eon's other adapters are also modeled after the consoles they were designed for and add HDMI out. The N64 adapter even has a "Slick Mode" button to smooth out jagged edges.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/98783-eon-xbhd-brings-original-xbox-modern-era.html

 

[3volv3d]

An adaptor, for $189.
Really?
Upping the Ante.... Can play any of these games better on PC. Can already play them on a wii.
If I can mod the switch as good as I could my wii...
Seriously I feel like they have priced themselves out of what is already a small niche market.
I do have an Xbox Original, Crystal case, modded. Good ol' Team Executer. But I wouldn't pay what my console cost, for an adaptor, to bring it back to life, when the nostalgia doesn't hold when you try to go backwards.

 

[ZackL04]

An adaptor, for $189.
Really?
Upping the Ante.... Can play any of these games better on PC. Can already play them on a wii.
If I can mod the switch as good as I could my wii...
Seriously I feel like they have priced themselves out of what is already a small niche market.
I do have an Xbox Original, Crystal case, modded. Good ol' Team Executer. But I wouldn't pay what my console cost, for an adaptor, to bring it back to life, when the nostalgia doesn't hold when you try to go backwards.

Somewhat agree, though u can’t play Halo on your Wii.

Not enough exclusives on the Xbox to make me care enough to purchase this. Even at $50 I think id stick to an old Trinitron and 480i

 

[Homerlovesbeer]

An adaptor, for $189.
Really?
Upping the Ante.... Can play any of these games better on PC. Can already play them on a wii.
If I can mod the switch as good as I could my wii...
Seriously I feel like they have priced themselves out of what is already a small niche market..

Totally agree, priced themselves out of existence. Crazy crazy pricing.

 

[NintPlayBox]

I love my original Xbox, but that's quite pricey.... perhaps a $79.99 pricetag would have been more appropriate giving the fact that there are plenty of component to HDMI converters adapters for only $40.00 bucks.

 

[Jrfeimst2]

I’d like to know why in the hell do you need 3 Ethernet ports for an Xbox lol?

 

[b3rdm4n]

Ideally I want this device, but that's a bloody steep price... maybe it'll come down over the coming months / years, I've waited this long after all.

 

[Kashim]

I'm all for retro gaming and cool retro devices, but who is this product for? How many are they expecting to sell at this price point? Five? Even at $50 this would be a hard sell and a niche product, but at the price they're asking they'll never even get back what it cost to develop an manufacture this thing. I expect this to get heavily discounted and then go on final sale soon after released.

 

[madboyv1]

I do really like this idea of an adapter, the dual output would be super nice for arcade and and fighting games, heck even the device design and retail packaging is a really nice touch... but I'll agree that while they do seem to pack quite a bit into the little device, it does cost quite a lot. Luckily the people who would be buying this is already a niche market so if they really want it they'll get it, almost regardless of the price. Those otherwise with just a passing curiosity will balk at such a price, you'd basically be spending the price of one, possibly two original xboxes on the second hand market.

I’d like to know why in the hell do you need 3 Ethernet ports for an Xbox lol?

The Ethernet connections allow you to link up to four systems together without a router for local network play

 

[AndreV]

My solution to better video quality on OG Xbox was to buy a Wii 2 HDMI adapter for 2$ and solder to it an aftermarket OG Xbox AV plug. Now I connect the OG Xbox to HDMI for 2$ using its component signal.