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OG Xbox Forums => Hardware Forums => Xbox Audio/Video Technical => Topic started by: 2sweet4u on February 15, 2005, 10:19:00 AM

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: 2sweet4u on February 15, 2005, 10:19:00 AM

I don't know anything about this stuff.. so, feel free to laugh at me.  I'm not mr audio.

Here's the deal..
I have my speakers and sub hooked up to the dvd player that they came with.  Then I plugged the dvd player into my TV with the Yellow and white wire (there's a red too but my TV doesn't have a red hole)  

anyway, then I plugged my xbox into these extra yellow/white/red white holes under the "VCR" section on the back panel of my dvd player.  So now when I set the mode to VCR it shows my xbox and stuff on TV, but I don't feel I'm getting a surround sound feeling inside halo 2, why?

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: nst197 on February 15, 2005, 10:35:00 AM

Hi there,

If you've only connected the white and yellow connectors from the standard RF module then you'll only get stereo sound. If you want true surround sound you need to buy the AV pack or the HD pack which both give you an optical output. This will also enable the suuround sound options under audio settings.

It's probably worth checking your dvd player has an optical input because a lot of the combi dvd/amp units don't have.

Hope this helps and makes sense. I'm sure someone will coreect me if I'm wrong.

nst197

This post has been edited by nst197: Feb 15 2005, 06:36 PM

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: 2sweet4u on February 15, 2005, 10:41:00 AM

Just checked and mine has a optical input, digital audio it says.  So, what exactly would I need to buy.  I don't have an HDTV, so, I supposed I'd need that AV pack.  Got any links?

Thanks

edit:
Oh, wait, I'm confused.  I buy the AV pack, then I hook that up to my TV somehow so that I have an optical output.  Which means I need to use some kind of cable to connect the optical output on my TV to the optical input on my DVD player, so what kind of cable would I use on that?

This post has been edited by 2sweet4u: Feb 15 2005, 06:47 PM

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: 2sweet4u on February 15, 2005, 10:56:00 AM

Sorry to be posting again so soon, I'm actually confused still because..

My xbox is plugged into the yellow/white/red holes on my DVD player, all three of them, using the standard cable that came with my xbox.  So I thought that was all that mattered, since the speakers are connected on the DVD player also.

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: nst197 on February 15, 2005, 11:19:00 AM

Now you're starting to confuse me. the red and white connections are you're stereo audio outputs (left and right). The yellow one is the video signal. What you've done is fine but you can't get surround sound using only a stereo connection (You can get a fake surround - Dolby Pro Logic, but we're after the real deal here right?).

Once you've got the AV pack you'll still have the red, white and yellow connection going to your dvd player but you'll also get an optical out which you plug into the dvd player as well. The AV pack replaces the existing RF unit. The you go into the MS Dash select audio options and chose surround sound, dolby digital and dolby dts in each of the options. Job done.

 :beer:

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: 2sweet4u on February 15, 2005, 11:29:00 AM

Yeah, mines on pro logic II, because I keep hitting sound mode on the remote and there is no DIGITAL or DTS.  Only if I put in a DVD I can get Digital and DTS.  I guess the AV will enable me to use it with the xbox as well?  So, I connect the digital output from the xbox into the dvd player?

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: 2sweet4u on February 15, 2005, 11:54:00 AM

Yes, I understand it now :)  I need to buy the advanced AV pack and an optical digital cable.  Am I right?  What's a decent quality optical digital cable cost and where can I get one?  

QUOTE

Optical Digital Audio Cable
This is also known as a fiber-optic or Toslink cable. Make sure you get one long enough to reach from the back of the Xbox to your digital audio receiver. And, this isn't a good time to get thrifty. The quality of the cable can make all the difference in whether your system sounds so-so or sublime.

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: 2sweet4u on February 15, 2005, 12:59:00 PM

http://www.xbox.com/en-us/hardware/advancedavpack.htm

Ok?  So this advanced pack doesn't even have yellow/white/red wires according to that picture..  it only has the digital audio output?   that's stupid I'll have no video and just surround sound, fantastic.  Man I'm confused.

P.S.  it says something about S-video, that's not a requirement right?  My TV doesn't have S-video I'm sure..

Edit:  Nevermind, I'm not only confused a lot, I'm stupid.  It apparently comes with the Audio and video cables, I just need to buy the optical one.

This post has been edited by 2sweet4u: Feb 15 2005, 09:04 PM

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: Mr Ed on February 15, 2005, 02:32:00 PM

Yes.  You can pick up a nice long 12ft optical cable at Circuit City for about $20.  The A/V pack includes everything you need but that cable.  After that you won't use the red and white connectors anymore.

You can also unploug the white cable from the back of your TV that you used from you DVD player unless you use the speakers built into your TV sometimes instead of your surround speakers.  <_<

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: 2sweet4u on February 15, 2005, 03:00:00 PM

Yeah, I realized that I only need the DVD players video cable in there.  Are there different speed optical cables?

well, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=photo&n=507846

and
http://www.wildwestelectronics.net/moncabxgfo1l.html

is it only the size that changes the price?  or is the second one that much better

This post has been edited by 2sweet4u: Feb 15 2005, 11:02 PM

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: poiygon on February 15, 2005, 06:03:00 PM

For the most part, the length increases the price. There are some cable and connector quality that affect price.

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: ravedrifter on February 15, 2005, 08:47:00 PM

and remember true 5.1 is 2 front speakers, a center channel, left/right rear and subwoofer.

Title: Best Way To Set Up Sound For Xbox
Post by: Mr Ed on February 15, 2005, 10:49:00 PM

digital is digital...the price of the optical cable shouldn't matter.  Just find the cheapest one at the length you can use.