09-02-2005, 07:00 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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X50v on the Big Screen: Pc-Mobile's VGA Cable Adapter Reviewed
Product Category: Cable Accessories
Manufacturer: Pc-Mobile
Where to Buy: Pc-Mobile
Price: US$28.50 (extra shipping costs apply)
System Requirements: Dell Axim X50v
Pros:- Low-cost alternative;
- Sturdy build.
Cons:- Image on the external display may be slightly out of position (though can be corrected);
- No ClearVue Suite as seen in the Dell Presentation Bundle.
Summary:
One neat feature of the Dell Axim X50v is its native VGA-out support, courtesy of the integrated Intel 2700G multimedia accelerator. With the Dell Presentation Bundle, you can easily take advantage of this feature by outputting the contents of your X50v onto a monitor, a projector, and even a widescreen television. But there are two caveats with this: (1) the Dell Presentation Bundle costs US$79.00, which doesn't make it a cost-friendly accessory, and (2) Dell does not officially sell this Presentation Bundle in all parts of the world, effectively leaving some users in the dark.
Enter Pc-Mobile's VGA Cable Adapter for the X50v - a low-cost alternative to Dell's Presentation Bundle. How does it rate? Read on to find out!
Revealing The Cable
The cable is delivered in a hard plastic box which gives it a bit of protection during delivery. Once opened, you'll notice the cable has three connectors, as seen in Figure 1. On one end, you have a female HD15 connector (1). On the other end, you have a connector which plugs into the X50v's primary port at the bottom (3). Finally, a power connector (2) which happens to be compatible with the X50v AC adapter, allows you to keep your unit charged while connected. The connectors themselves are made of a hard, durable plastic. Of all the Pocket PC cables I've owned, this is easily one of the sturdiest.
Most external displays have a female HD15 interface, meaning you will need a separate HD15 male-male cable to connect the X50v VGA cable with the external display. Pc-Mobile sells a portable version of this cable, although chances are you may already have one lying around from an old computer monitor. If you don't, they can also be bought at most electronic stores at a decent price.
Figure 1: The Pc-Mobile VGA Cable Adapter.
Mirror Mode
Mirror Mode on the X50v is the mothership of enabling and disabling display output from the device. Simultaneous running of internal and external displays can take a toll on performance, but more on that later. The most important thing to note is that the internal display can be turned off (simply by holding the power button and the record button together). This greatly frees up system resources, particularly when playing video files on the big screen.
Figure 2: Mirror Mode on the X50v.
Other applications can also take control of the 2700G (making the need for Mirror Mode redundant). An example is the ClearVue Suite, which is included in the Dell Presentation Bundle, but not the Pc-Mobile VGA Cable Adapter. I'll be discussing this a little later in the review.
Figure 3: Mirror Mode - Screen On.
Figure 4: Mirror Mode - Screen Off.
Portrait vs. Landscape
One thing you'll notice immediately is that the VGA cable works great in landscape mode as it's designed to fit most 4:3 and 16:9 screens. Portrait mode, on the other hand, leaves a little to be desired. In landscape mode, text may appear a little stretched on a 16:9 screen due to the 4:3 nature of the X50v, but it's not a huge dilemma. It's still very usable.
Figure 5: Internet Explorer Mobile - Portrait Mode.
Figure 6: Internet Explorer Mobile - Landscape Mode.
Initially, the picture juts out to the right a bit. A quick adjustment on the external display controls realigns the image with the edges of the display.
Small Screen on the Big Screen
Why you would want to display Internet Explorer Mobile on the big screen is beyond me! Most people would use the X50v and the VGA cable for the odd PowerPoint presentation and for media playback. This is where things start to look great!
Figure 7: A Windows Mobile 5.0 PowerPoint presentation on a 50" widescreen display ay 1024x768.
I used the ClearVue Suite for the PowerPoint presentation in Figure 7. It has the ability to take control of the 2700G without the need for the Mirror Mode application on the X50v. In addition, it can also output at resolutions higher than 640x480 - a feature you'll love if you value clarity! Overall, ClearVue Suite is a great solution if you're after a collection of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF and image viewers with stellar external video support, but bear in mind that it is not the only solution available. I also tested the X50v and its VGA-out capabilities with RepliGo, Conduits Pocket Slides (with its beta X50v plugin), and Adobe Acrobat Reader. All of these programs work great with Mirror Mode enabled, but alas, only 640x480 - which is still very usable in my opinion, but if you're after a minimal hassle solution with unprecedented external video support, the ClearVue suite is the way to go. The suite itself can be purchased for US$29.95 and includes ClearVue Presentation, ClearVue Document, ClearVue Worksheet, Clearvue Image and ClearVue PDF. Alternatively, each individual application can be purchased for US$8.95 - definitely a money-saver if you only need one application, as opposed to all five.
Figure 8: ClearVue Suite's external video support.
I also tested Windows Media with Mirror Mode enabled. But what about the audio feed? That's what the headphone jack's for. 
Figure 9: Windows Media 10 on the big screen. W?BIC!
Finally, I put the X50v and the VGA cable through a TCPMP test (formerly known as BetaPlayer). Playing, in Figure 10, is a Fantastic Four trailer running at 640x268 in DivX format. Mirror Mode is enabled, but with the screen off, for reasons I will explain in the next section of this review.
Figure 10: The Thing!
Performance - Yay or Nay?
As I mentioned earlier, Mirror Mode controls the video output from the X50v. However, having both the internal and external displays running simultaneously can kill performance significantly. Below are two low-quality videos demonstrating the smooth playback of the Fantastic Four trailer when the X50v screen is turned off (initiated by holding the power and record buttons simultaneously), and the lagging playback when the X50v screen is turned on. As you'll notice, the latter suffers in performance since the X50v cannot handle the running of two displays all that well. While it's still usable for common applications, it's not the best for media playback, so the best thing to do would be to turn the screen off. Having said that, it's important to note that the screen is still responsive to taps, so you can still control it while gazing at the big screen.
� Fantastic Four trailer - Axim X50v: screen off (WMV file, 320x240, 2.3MB, 1 minute and 21 seconds)
� Fantastic Four trailer - Axim X50v: screen on (WMV file, 320x240, 2.3MB, 1 minute and 21 seconds)
I also ran the X50v through a couple of TCPMP benchmark tests to find out how the device performed with and without an output to an external display. This time I used a Batman Begins trailer running at 640x272 in DivX format.
Axim X50v at 624MHz - Playback on External Display with Screen Off:
Average Speed: 261.16%
Video Frames: 3449
Audio Samples: 6395195
Amount of Data: 18270 KB
Bench. Time: 0:55.081
Bench. Frame Rate: 62.62
Bench. Sample Rate: 116104
Bench. Data Rate: 2.7 Mbit/s
Original Time: 2:23.851
Original Frame Rate: 23.98
Original Sample Rate: 44100
Original Data Rate: 1.0 Mbit/s
URL: \SD Card\My Documents\My Videos\Batman Begins.avi
Size: 18708480
Platform: PocketPC
OS Version: 4.21
OEM Info: Dell Axim X50
Clock speed: 624 MHz
Video output: Intel 2700G 640x480 16bits Slow
Audio output: Wave Output 44100Hz 16Bits 2Ch.
Axim X50v at 624MHz - Standard Playback on Device Display:
Average Speed: 266.59%
Video Frames: 3449
Audio Samples: 6394725
Amount of Data: 18270 KB
Bench. Time: 0:53.959
Bench. Frame Rate: 63.92
Bench. Sample Rate: 118514
Bench. Data Rate: 2.7 Mbit/s
Original Time: 2:23.851
Original Frame Rate: 23.98
Original Sample Rate: 44100
Original Data Rate: 1.0 Mbit/s
URL: \SD Card\My Documents\My Videos\Batman Begins.avi
Size: 18708480
Platform: PocketPC
OS Version: 4.21
OEM Info: Dell Axim X50
Clock speed: 624 MHz
Video output: Intel 2700G 640x480 16bits Slow
Audio output: Wave Output 44100Hz 16Bits 2Ch.
As you can see, with the screen off and the VGA cable plugged in, media playback performance suffers negligibly in comparison to media playback on the device alone. Smooth playback is guaranteed in almost all cases. So back to the original question: performance is definitely a "yay"! 
Conclusions
Seeing is believing with the Dell Axim X50v. The capabilities of the 2700G are simply astounding and I was thoroughly impressed with the external video support of the device. Media playback is smooth as silk, and the device works great when delivering presentations on the big screen. All up, the X50v is one powerful on-the-road device. The Pc-Mobile VGA Cable Adapter is a suitable, cost-friendly alternative to the Dell Presentation Bundle. Software-wise, Pc-Mobile's solution lacks ClearVue Suite, yet hardware-wise, you wouldn't notice any differences. So the question is, which cable do you go for? Pc-Mobile's or Dell's? At US$28.50, Pc-Mobile's cable is certainly a lot more favourable, and even if you wanted to pay the full US$29.95 separately for the ClearVue Suite, together, it would still work out slightly cheaper than Dell's bundle which is priced at US$79.00. At the end of the day, it's up to you, although the many X50v users who live in countries where the Dell Presentation Bundle is not available will find the Pc-Mobile VGA Cable Adapter to be plenty bang for their buck.
Update: Dell's Presentation Bundle has dropped in price, and is now available in most regions. If it's not on the web, do give Dell's regional sales team a call. Otherwise, Pc-Mobile's VGA Cable Adapter is still a solid and cheaper alternative.
Darius Wey loves technology! When he's not working at this website, he's busy working for his medical degree (MBBS) or involved in audio and video editing, web and graphic designing, photography and the odd bit of programming. He lives in Perth, Western Australia.
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09-02-2005, 08:03 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 109
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Impressive.
Here I thought only the Toshiba e800 had this kind of video out capability without resorting to a CF card solution. If The X50V supported USB host capability in addition to video out I would buy one in a heartbeat. Here's hoping that the X51V has USB host (Aren't USB human interface/mass storage drivers native in WM5?).
Hopefully NYDITOT Virtual Display 4.X will support the Intel video chip for true 1024x768 on external dislpay for all Pocket PC functions.
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09-03-2005, 08:28 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10
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Darius,
Thanks for sharing this find with everyone. I just wanted to point out that Nyditot Virtual Display, Version 4.22 now supports the Axim X50v's Intel 2700G chip and allows for an external desktop up to 1280x1024. That's TRUE 1280x1024, not stretched.
NVD also adds a mouse pointer and allows you to use the internal display as a touch pad pointing device (just like on a laptop). Add a wireless keyboard and you have a desktop computer.
You can download a trial from here.
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09-04-2005, 04:39 AM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by nyditot
Thanks for sharing this find with everyone. I just wanted to point out that Nyditot Virtual Display, Version 4.22 now supports the Axim X50v's Intel 2700G chip and allows for an external desktop up to 1280x1024. That's TRUE 1280x1024, not stretched.
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Sounds neat. I'll definitely be checking this out.
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09-25-2005, 03:52 PM
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Neophyte
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 2
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WM5 PowerPoint?
Does anyone know what resolutions WM5's Pocket PowerPoint is going to be able to push? I'm curious if 3rd party software (Nyditot, Dell Presentation) will be necessary after I take my x50v up to Windows Media 5.
It would be pretty sweet if I could just invest $30 in this cable, $39 in the WM5 upgrade, and then have a workable PowerPoint solution!
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09-25-2005, 04:48 PM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Re: WM5 PowerPoint?
Quote:
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Originally Posted by cursor
Does anyone know what resolutions WM5's Pocket PowerPoint is going to be able to push? I'm curious if 3rd party software (Nyditot, Dell Presentation) will be necessary after I take my x50v up to Windows Media 5.
It would be pretty sweet if I could just invest $30 in this cable, $39 in the WM5 upgrade, and then have a workable PowerPoint solution!
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It's probably not a case of what PowerPoint Mobile can push, but what Dell's bundled Mirror Mode application can push. PowerPoint Mobile does not include any controls to modify the resolution of the display output. Most, if not all applications included in Windows Mobile 5.0 can accommodate different resolutions by stretching to fit the window. So I'm confident if you pushed the application past it's intended VGA resolution, the slideshow will stretch to fit it.
The Mirror Mode application in Windows Mobile 2003SE on the X50v only supports a display output of 640 x 480. Other applications such as ClearVue are now able to push it to 1024 x 768, and Nyditot even further at 1280 x 1024.
We still have to wait for Dell to release the Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade for the X50v before we'll know if any improvements have been made to the Mirror Mode application. I don't want to draw on what beta builds for the X50v currently support, because the final public release may be different. If at the end of the day, the application and drivers are tweaked to support a higher resolution, then that's great news. If it's still the same old deal, then you'll be stuck with 640 x 480 as a display output.
So to answer your question of investing $69 for the cable and upgrade: yes, you will still have a workable solution (whether it be 640 x 480 or higher). If Dell doesn't end up upgrading the Mirror Mode application and you demand much higher resolutions, then third-party applications will be the way to go.
If you want greater assurance, feel free to wait until October. When I receive the public release of Windows Mobile 5.0 for my X50v, I'll test PowerPoint out for you using the default Mirror Mode interface and let you know how it goes.
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09-27-2005, 05:42 AM
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10-05-2005, 11:39 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 484
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Does the external VGA video output always display exactly what's on the device display (i.e. "mirror" style) ?
If not, does anyone know where developers can find information regarding how to output video on this VGA output ?
We'd love to support this in PocketTV Classic!
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10-06-2005, 03:54 AM
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Developer & Designer, News Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,959
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by The PocketTV Team
Does the external VGA video output always display exactly what's on the device display (i.e. "mirror" style) ?
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Yes, if you use the X50v's Mirror Mode application, it does. If you're using a third-party program such as ClearVue Presentation Viewer, the results can vary (e.g. dual-display: notes on the device display, and slides through the video output).
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10-06-2005, 04:15 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 484
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So, what should an application do to output something only on the external VGA output?
In general, using a "mirror" application involves somehow copying the screen display to another memory plane, so it is slower.
We don't want this, if there is a way for the application to output directly on the external VGA output.
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Linear Mode
