Does Xbox360 output 5.1 over HDMI?

PiKe

PiKe

PiKe

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My television has an optical output and I was hoping to be able to use this to get a 5.1 signal into a non-HDMI amp.
 
Yes, but your TV likely won't output the same signal it receives. You'll need an optical cable from the 360 to the receiver itself.
 
It'll work if your TV supports it, but you need to check if it does "Optical Pass Through", rather than just having a standard optical out for the TV's own sound.
 
It will probably work but you might find a slight sound delay if the TV is just outputting it's own sound, best to optical connect it straight from the 360 to receiver.
 
finite said:
Aye, on some sets its just for the tuner/s.
Click to expand...

On most sets it is used to output sound that the TV would normally output, i.e. everything is sampled to stereo. On decent sets it can have a pass through mode where raw input=output.
 
Decent enough set, but I'm not sure if it does pass through on optical.

Checked the specs and it states output over digital is Two channel linear PCM and Dolby Digital. That's also what the TV processes internally via the HDMI inputs, so I think it's only an output of what the TV has decoded, rather than the actual bitstream (pass through).

In this case, probably best to be safe and just connect your 360 directly to your amp with an optical cable.
 
Don't have the amp yet just wanted to know whether I need to spend £9.99 on the official HDMI cable to get the silly adapter :)
 
A-ha! Specs from Sony's website:

Dolby® Digital


YES

Dolby® Digital Plus


YES

5.1 Channel Audio Out


YES
 
That doesn't necessarily mean that HDMI will pass through 5.1 out of the optical.

My Panasonic plasma TV has optical out, but only outputs stereo through the optical when playing my Xbox and PS3 through HDMI. I have to manually use optical out from both my PS3 and Xbox straight to my amplifier to get 5.1 sound.

Is it a 360 Slim? Or is it an older style one? If it's older, you can get the optical output adapter for it if your TV doesn't output 5.1 DD properly.

Dave
 
DaveyD said:
That doesn't necessarily mean that HDMI will pass through 5.1 out of the optical.

My Panasonic plasma TV has optical out, but only outputs stereo through the optical when playing my Xbox and PS3 through HDMI. I have to manually use optical out from both my PS3 and Xbox straight to my amplifier to get 5.1 sound.

Is it a 360 Slim? Or is it an older style one? If it's older, you can get the optical output adapter for it if your TV doesn't output 5.1 DD properly.

Dave
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Older fat model, I just didn't want to have to pay for the silly extra dongle.

I guess I will just try it when I get it and cross that bridge if I come to it.
 
PiKe said:
Older fat model, I just didn't want to have to pay for the silly extra dongle.

I guess I will just try it when I get it and cross that bridge if I come to it.
Click to expand...

If you want to save on the dongle, you can slightly dismantle or cut the original component cable in such a way that it leaves room for the HDMI connection and the optical still works.
 
I need to check this as well, as I currently have XBOX -> TV by HDMI and then TV -> Turtle Beach headphone amp by optical.

EDIT: Damnit, looks like my TV (Samsung LE32B550U) doesn't do this. Time to buy the HDMI and optical cable thingy.
 
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vonhelmet said:
I need to check this as well, as I currently have XBOX -> TV by HDMI and then TV -> Turtle Beach headphone amp by optical.

EDIT: Damnit, looks like my TV (Samsung LE32B550U) doesn't do this. Time to buy the HDMI and optical cable thingy.
Click to expand...

Did you actually try it?

If you did try unticking display discovery on the Xbox and you might find it works.
 
What amp are you looking at ? as you could get one with hdmi inputs and then pass it through that way, it would save getting the optical dongle, and only need a 2nd hdmi.
 
PiKe said:
Did you actually try it?

If you did try unticking display discovery on the Xbox and you might find it works.
Click to expand...

It works with stereo output only. There's posts from people on message boards who have tried to send it to a full on amp and the amp reports it's only receiving 2.0 rather than 5.1.

I'm not arsed, as I can get one of the audio adapters for 75p from CEX.
 
90% of modern flat panel TV's downmix any audio input to two channel on pass through even if the set has Dolby Digital stamped on it.

All the Dolby Digital stamp on the tv means is that the tv will pick up audio 5.1 mix on the HDMI input what it does with it after that is anyones guess 9/10 it will mix it to two channel.
 
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