I've been trying to find a cheap HD monitor solution.

I tried a cheap monitor connected via composite and it wasn't much chop so..

I bought a better monitor - 8" VGA touchscreen 800x600
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/8-Inches-Stand-Monitor-VGA-Touch-Screen-LCD-for-Car-PC_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ38650QQihZ014QQitemZ330222643211

and a mayflash YPbPr to RGBHV switch.
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/YPbPr-Component-to-RGBHV-Monitor-LCD-TV-VGA-BOX_W0QQitemZ280212237984QQihZ018QQcategoryZ187QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262



I also bought a Gadmei XGA TV box
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=310034774063&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=021

now the mayflash seem to work in colour 640x480 but the image is on the left side of the screen (using component)

If I use the Gadmei and the composite input I get 600x800

The Gadmei mentions YPbPBr and so I plugged the component (green to yellow) into the gadmei and I seem to be getting a greyscale 1280 x 1024 - I don't even plug the blue or red in!

Now my eyes arn't the best so I can't see much difference between them - is there a way to objectively check resolution?

what's going on with component into composite?

"I've been trying to find a cheap HD monitor solution."

Haven't we all???

I'm perplexed as to what you're really trying to accomplish here. If you're just trying to see what's on an HD signal then I suppose something like this could work. But if you really want to see the "HD" in the HD signal then this isn't the way to go. With a 800x600 display, that is the best resolution you will ever get. Any signal you can get to play on this monitor will have been scaled in some way to that resolution or has been cropped to fit.

As to the Component into Composite thing... a YBbPr type connection carries the grey scale information on the green cable and the chroma information on the red and blue. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Component_video

you're assuming that the stated resolution is the max resolution and I've found chinese manufacturers to be decidedly 'rubbery' on their specifications.

fact is the monitor shows the current resolution when you access the menu:

I set the resolution using the Gadmei box and check the resolution on the monitor menu

800x600 = 800x600
1440x900 = 1152x1020
1680x1020 = 1280x1024

so while the Gadmei box can go up to 1680x1020 it depends on the max resolution of the monitor.

I just tried my Dell 24" and the readings are the same as the Gadmei original except the dell says "auto" on the highest res.

with my glasses on and the bigger screen I can't notice a difference between the resolutions but I can definitely see the difference between composite colour and component greyscale.

I'm going to do some testing in the field but I believe this setup will give me a screen I can focus with.

I'd still like to know if there's a way of objectively testing the resolution of a monitor?