xbox 360 optical sound

CSA · 21 Feb 2009 at 13:11

I have a VGA cable for my 360 to connect to my HDTV , right now im using the two rca ? sound connectors they are plugged into my home theater and all seems to be working fine , but i also have a tos optical sound cable spare,should i use this instead and will i see/hear a noticeable difference in sound quality ?

Demon · 21 Feb 2009 at 13:41

I think many games use multi channel surround sound, so using the optical and getting 5.1 DD will be a good step up!

Katoom · 21 Feb 2009 at 13:43

Could you just plug it in and listen?

CSA · 21 Feb 2009 at 15:46

Katoom said:
Could you just plug it in and listen?

I could but its like mission control behind my tv , sky+ box, home theater,xbox 360 , wii

I cba with the hassle of fighting my way through all those wires to be honest lol

EDDS · 21 Feb 2009 at 17:35

plug it in NOW!!

at the moment your one of them (what i like to call idiots, sorry lol) who have a surround sound system but is only outputing 2 channels of sound throughout all the speakers, arghhh i hate it, it really bugs me.

so yes plug it in lol, there's a world of difference.

Demon said:
I think many games use multi channel surround sound, so using the optical and getting 5.1 DD will be a good step up!

NOT many games, every single Xbox 360 and Original Xbox game supports Dolby Digital 5.1

HTMLHugo · 21 Feb 2009 at 17:39

yep get it in seriously.

sures its a bind but you will notice the difference.

make sure you change the sound options in system settings to 5.1

CSA · 21 Feb 2009 at 19:36

ok's thanks guys

willthepirate · 22 Feb 2009 at 06:37

EDDS said:
plug it in NOW!!

at the moment your one of them (what i like to call idiots, sorry lol) who have a surround sound system but is only outputing 2 channels of sound throughout all the speakers, arghhh i hate it, it really bugs me.

so yes plug it in lol, there's a world of difference.

NOT many games, every single Xbox 360 and Original Xbox game supports Dolby Digital 5.1

it also annoys me when people have a home theatre setup, and use the built-in tv speakers, or have sky but watch normal terrestrial

Jakstaar2007 · 18 Jul 2009 at 22:58

Really sorry to bring up an old thread, but, I have a similar problem.

I have just been given a Sony DAV S300 5.1 surround sound system and i have set it up.
I have Sky HD plugged in using two AV cables( red and white) from the back of the Sky box to the amp.
I also have my Xbox 360 connected using the HD AV cable ( the video ones plugged into the TV and the two audio ones(again, red and white) plugged into the amp.

Obviously, i'm not getting full surround sound from either, and the system has only one S/PDIF optical input. So what should i use it for? Xbox 360 or Sky HD?

Thanks

Jack

Mongy2130 · 18 Jul 2009 at 23:01

Pick up an optical switch can get one for like 15 quid and use both

Jakstaar2007 · 18 Jul 2009 at 23:02

Ahh. Thanks dude, didn't think of that.

Cheers!

Does this look like it?

And what sort of price should i spend on the cables themselves?

Jakstaar2007 · 18 Jul 2009 at 23:10

Deleted

Jakstaar2007 · 18 Jul 2009 at 23:23

Also, just thinking, Xbox says to use a S/PDIF cable, the Sony DAV S300 manual says OPTICAL input, and SKY HD says it uses a TOSLink digital cable. Or are these the same connectors, i can't tell?

What can i do here?

Sorry for all the questions.

Cheers
Jack

Kreeeee · 18 Jul 2009 at 23:29

They're all the same... stupid jargon causes confusion >_<

I use one of those optical splitters but remember to only have one device on at a time or you get no sound.

Jakstaar2007 · 18 Jul 2009 at 23:31

Lol, grrr. I know the S/PDIF means Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format from audio on PCs, but hadn't heard of TOSlink before. Cheers for the help mate.

Do these switches automatically change over, with one device being switched off?

Kreeeee · 18 Jul 2009 at 23:33

They aren't true switches, they just merge the cables, so yes it will automatically work for whatever device it on

Jakstaar2007 · 18 Jul 2009 at 23:34

OK cool. Thanks again

Kreeeee · 18 Jul 2009 at 23:43

No problem

biron_w · 19 Jul 2009 at 06:14

I never knew you could get switches.Doh!I've been messing around pulling out and putting in one lead.
Am I right in thinking that if you have 3 devices with optical you'll need 4 leads with a switch?3 from the devices to the switch then one from the switch to my amp?

orderoftheflame · 19 Jul 2009 at 09:04

biron_w said:
I never knew you could get switches.Doh!I've been messing around pulling out and putting in one lead.
Am I right in thinking that if you have 3 devices with optical you'll need 4 leads with a switch?3 from the devices to the switch then one from the switch to my amp?

Correct.

You can get proper manual switches that let you have more than one device on at once, I've got one on my desk and it makes like far easier than swapping cables.