XEDUSA OG Xbox Plug-N-Play HDMI & Component Video Adapter Review

In this episode, we show you how to get both HDMI & Component video output in the easiest way possible from the original Xbox with the XEDUSA OG Xbox Plug-N-Play HDMI & Component Video Adapter from the Behar Bros.

Check out Adam Koralik's video on the Xedusa at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3mS8tRsTUA

Before the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo Wii U, getting HDMI out of a video game system was unheard of. The best you could hope for was component video, and even those were not always the easiest to come by or the most budget-friendly. In recent years, many manufacturers have come out with HDMI conversions or upgrades for older systems, such as the original Xbox. The vast majority of them prioritize convenience over quality, and while they may get you to an HDMI solution, the quality of the video is pretty rough. That's where the Bahar Bros and their new adapter, the Xedusa, come into play as it is a plug-and-play HDMI and component video solution for the original Xbox, and it's under $80.

We ordered our test unit in August 2022, however, we did not receive our unit until early November. I understand that these units are made by hand, and that's a long time to wait. I'd like to see them be able to pick up their processing time a little bit to reduce the wait time. At the very least have some kind of disclaimer on the website explaining this would have been nice. when we ordered our unit it was under $65, but I have noticed that there has been a price increase since we ordered hours.

The design of the adapter is fairly simple and straightforward. You plug it into the back of your Xbox, and then it gives you component video output with stereo audio, analog audio out via an RCA jack, digital audio out via a Toslink connector, and your HDMI output. Overall it is pretty simple and straightforward to plug in, hook up, and get going. One thing of note is this does not provide any sort of upscaling or image enhancement. It simply taps into the output on the system and gives you native video quality out. If you would want to enhance the video quality at all you could utilize something like a RetroTink Multi-Format, RetroTink 5X, an OSSC, or other such devices by connecting the component video cable outputs. You could also utilize something like the mCable or mClassic as well. The great thing is you can output from either RCA jacks or HDMI simultaneously so you have plenty of options.

From a design standpoint, one thing that is a bit of a miss on the Xedusa is that there is a gap between the bottom of the case and the ground. That means the connector on the Xbox must support the entire weight of both the Xedusa and your HDMI cable. I will be designing a 3D-printed case for this to address that issue to provide better support.

I will admit I have not done a whole lot with my Xbox since I got it, and one of the issues that I ran into, and this was strictly Xbox related and had nothing to do with the Xedusa, was capturing audio. I had the worst time getting the audio to capture. I eventually figured out that I had to disable the surround sound and some of the other digital audio settings to get it to work properly, but even then I did not have the greatest experience capturing audio. Pass-through, however, it was flawless.

The quality of the video coming out of the Xedusa is nothing short of spectacular. It is clean, and vibrant, with little if any lag, and overall a wonderful experience. I played multiple games, from Halo, Project Gotham Racing, Enter the Matrix, Republic Commando, and more, and they all looked terrific.

Why it RoX:
- Reasonably priced
- Component video and HDMI output
- Toslink connector for digital audio
- No noticeable lag or latency
- Can simultaneously output via component video or HDMI
- It just works

What could be improved:
- Shipping time is considerable
- No upscaling
- The entire weight of the adapter and cable must be supported by the connector

Should you buy one?
At the time of this upload, the Xedusa is selling on the Bahar Bros website for about $70. At that price, if you are even the most casual of Xbox fans I highly recommend it. The results are fantastic, and the price is fairly reasonable. The only real major miss to me on this is the fact that there is a lack of support for the dongle when connected to an Xbox. I am designing a new case that will be 3D printed, which should address that issue. The only other issue is the fact shipping takes a really long time. I'm glad to see that they have addressed that on their website now, as this is a terrific solution and I highly recommend it.

#Xbox #Xedusa #Halo