My first thought upon opening up the Mobile Monitor 5.4 from InterAct was that it comes with a lot of stuff. That turns out to be significant, because the unit’s best feature is sheer versatility. Of course, it’s specially designed to work with GameCube...and it does that admirably. The screen’s frame fits easily but securely over the top of the system, and it’s very easy to remove. Not that you have to remove it, since you still have access to the GameCube’s disc holder and power/reset/open buttons, but you may not want to leave the monitor on all the time if your shelves have limited vertical space (like mine).

The screen’s frame also bends around backwards to act as a stand, so you can easily use the unit when it’s not attached to a GameCube. (Oddly enough, the monitor’s power and multi-out cords are attached so that you can only barely swivel the frame around as a stand...why weren’t these cords simply fed out from the side of the unit, where they wouldn’t interfere at all?) Why would you want to use the screen separately from your GameCube? Simple! It works with practically any A/V device that can output through RCA jacks. I’ve tested the screen with both my VCR and DVD player, and it works fine for both. You can also use it with a PS2, Xbox, N64, Dreamcast...you could even use the monitor as a set of stereo speakers for your portable CD player, with the right kind of cord. The connections for using non-GameCube devices are a little more complicated, but it’s worth it to add portability to something even as innately non-portable as an Xbox.

Of course, the most important component of this product is the screen...and unfortunately, that’s the only part I’m not delighted with. Compared to even a cheap TV, the Mobile Monitor’s screen just plain sucks. It bleeds colors, makes dark games much darker, and often can’t keep up with the action due to a poor refresh rate. You’ll likely have to go through your game library and figure out which games are playable and which ones aren’t with the screen...and that’s a shame. Luckily, the display is competent enough for most games...not pretty, but clear enough that you can play without any real problems created by the screen. Other games aren’t so lucky: Super Smash Bros. Melee is unplayable due to its speed, small objects, and very bright colors (though turning off deflicker is an improvement...thanks Athenor), and I’m sure there are/will be more titles that just don’t jive with the Mobile Monitor.

In general though, the screen works well enough that you can tell what’s going on and play the game almost normally. You’ll lose some details and have to squint on the darker levels (the brightness control helps, but it also greatly increases the “smokiness” of the screen...see my impressions for more on that), but you can get used to it and still get lost in the gameplay, which is ever so important. Basically, the screen is more or less functional...and that’s all. Don’t expect to have nearly the visual quality you can get from even a sub-standard television.

The speakers are pretty reasonable. They seem capable of outputting a nice range, the stereo separation is good, and their max volume is pretty darn loud. The only detractor here is an annoying hum at high volumes...Billy (being an audiophile) noticed it a lot more than I did. If you’re really big on sound quality, try before you buy. For most of us though, I don’t think it’s a problem. Also, I should note that the headphone jack works great and is a very nice feature to have when playing in the car or around lots of people...both for your sake and theirs. InterAct even packs in a headphone jack-splitter so you and player two can both use headphones.

Setting up the Mobile Monitor requires a lot of cords and time; this is not a set of equipment you can just casually take around with you. Those with special GameCube backpacks or cases will probably find them to be a great help in this endeavor. To use the monitor with a GameCube, you’ll need the monitor, the system, the AC adaptors for each (that means two outlets folks), headphones if you’ve got them, and as many controllers and games as you’ll be using. For any other device, you’ll need an additional patch cord that combines all three RCA signals into a single jack for the side of the monitor, plus any additional equipment that goes with your DVD player, PS2, etc. It’s a lot of stuff to lug around, basically. Luckily the load becomes a bit lighter if you’re playing in the car, because InterAct gives you a car-adaptor that powers both the monitor AND the GameCube; unfortunately, I don’t think you could use the adaptor with any other A/V device, but it’s still a great touch, especially to be included right out of the box.

Overall, the Mobile Monitor is a great package as a whole, somewhat marred by the mediocre quality of its main component...the screen itself. If you can deal with that, you can wallow in all the other great features of this product...and despite some complex setup at times, the Mobile Monitor can and will make your GameCube (and anything else) very portable. Even if you can only make use of it at hotels or your aunt’s house...it’s cool. I know I’ll be using it a lot for weekend trips home from college...why lug back my TV? Everyone will have their own unique uses for the Mobile Monitor, but certainly, I think most people could justify buying it. Is it worth $150 though? Considering the screen quality, I would say no. However, if you’re not as picky about the visuals, and/or if you can find it on sale for more like $120 (and I’ve heard it does go for that some places), you should seriously think about the purchase.