So I am eagerly awaiting my 5th XBOX (Elite) to get back from Microsoft and I have a question:

My Sammy has an HDMI input jack, however my A/V receiver and Selector don't have any HDMI connections (only optical audio)

My current set up was basically connecting the Elite to the selector via teh GRB component cables and the optical audio cable. I am wondering if I can hook my Elite directly to the TV via HDMI and still connect the optical cable from my XBOX to my selector as usual.

Well I know I can do it, but will it work?

 

whats with the avatar?

 

and im curious as well, but for my PS3, going to hook it up to a monitor via HDMI, wonder if i can output with the optical connection to my speakers at the same time.

 

try it and find out? lol

 

Works that way with cable boxes so should be no issue.

 

The thing is though a cable box is never outputting the new lossless audio formats like a game console can when playing a Hi Def movie. These new formats require HDMI. If you follow that train of thought then it's not inconceivable that the game console would automatically switch it's audio output to HDMI whenever the video is going over that connection. Even if that happens though, you'd probably get audio back over your optical cable once you explicitly choose an older audio format that can be sent over the optical.

Cliffs: You're only going to get audio over your optical if the audio format of your content can be handled by the optical connection. What you may have to switch/set to get to that state is anyone's guess.

 

I know for the PS3 you can do it, just go to audio options and switch the output to optical. For the 360, I'm not sure.

 

Thanks guys, I'll try to see if I have an option like that in the XBOX menu, I don't remember seeing one, but I'll check again.

That is the guy that goes aroundh telling his SS# to the world, claiming that he can do so because he's protected by LifeLock. But it turned out he got his identity stolen.

 

thats what i figured, i just noticed that its a chop. I thought for a minute the guy changed his advertising heh.

 

I kinda did that. Except that my computer speakers hook up using a standard headphone jack. That then has a y-adapter running both to the computer and my monitor's speaker output. Meh, audio's still decent. Video....

 

I just got my Elite back one day early today so immediately tried to hook up the HDMI cable with the optical audio.

It actually turns out I can't even connect both the HDMI cable and the A/V cable to the 360 at the same time because the A/V cable is too wide and it partially blocks the HDMI port. so I don't have enough room to even connect the HDMI cable.

If this sort of thing would actually work, I don't know why Microsoft would put them so close together

 

just go straight hdmi

 

^^^ I don't have an HDMI port on my receiver so if I went to HDMI, the only sound I would get would be out of the TV speakers

 

you could run an audio out from the tv to ur reciever

 

great point! I'm about to try that.

Thanks!

 

NP! thats the set up i have right now its kinda ghetto but it works!

 

Well, It kind of of worked, I am getting sound out of my receiver now, but its only through the front speakers. For you, are you getting surround sound out of all your speakers?

 

I understand what you're trying to do because I had the same problem.

You have to use the supplied MS A/V plug to connect the optical to the 360 - what you need to do is take apart the plastic piece surrounding the part that plugs into the console. Once you do that, your A/V plug and HDMI will fit at the same time.

Not the most attractive setup but no one can see it anyway.

 

^^^ I think I will try that. I have an extra A/V cable that microsoft sent me a couple of years ago. What's that easiest way to get this thing taken apart?

 

^^^screwdriver and muscle. mostly screwdriver.

 

Well, I ended up stabbing myself in the fingers a few tmes, but I FINALLY got it taken apart.

Everything is up and running now, and I now have the HDMI hooked up with the optical audio output.

this sure beats paying $50 for microsoft's HDMI A/V cable!

Thanks again!

 

oh yeah...i guess i could've warned you about that. oh well, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

 

Glad the problem is solved my work's done here!

 

do any of you guys using HDMI notice any noticiable lines and spots around the letters when you are on the dashboard or in a game?

I just noticed it today on the dashboard and on a couple of games I put in. Its hard to explain, but say for example the letter L or H would have three horizontal lines coming out from the left side of it. Its not too bad, but I can notice it from the couch which is about 8 feet from the TV.

I hooked the 360 back up using the component cables, and the picture is fine.

Are these lines "normal" for HDMI or could perhaps there be something ELSE wrong with my 360?

 

i dont think that is normal. i dont have lines. it shouldnt have lines. what tv and what reso u running from ur xbox?

 

Samsung LED DLP HLT 6187s The res is 1080p

 

hmm. could be the hdmi cable. where u get yours from?

 

both are Microsoft supplied cables, and the TV is relatively brand new.

Here are pictures of what I'm talking about. The actual game looks fine, it's just that it doesn't seem to handle text very well.

 

ok, I think it's time for me to go to bed. Completely turning off the TV and turning it back on seemed to correct the picture problem.

I hope that's all it is, because I would hate to have to send ANOTHER XBOX back in, this is currently my 5th in less than a year and a half.

 

wth? that is definitely not normal. hmm i really dont know what can cause this. possibly a defective hdmi cable?

 

Could be that you compromised the shielding or one of the signal leads when you performed the surgery on your HDMI cable.

If it looks fine with the component cable, I'd just leave it at that.

 

Well, it still looks fine today, so I guess power cycling the TV early this morning did correct the problem.

I too was thinking it may indeed be interference from the AV cable that I took the plastic off after I tried two seperate XBOX 360 HDMI cables.

I will get some electrical tape today to cover the exposed parts of the AV cable just in case.