How do I hear my Xbox in my Surround System?

 

New member
Username: Gomez

Los Angeles, CA USA

Post Number: 3
Registered: Jul-04
I went to Bestbuy this weekened to ask an employee in the electronics department the above question. He showed me some Xbox cables that would make the Xbox sound in the surround system, but the only thing - they were expensive, around $69.99.

My question is: Is there anything cheaper which I can use? Can anyone recommend anywhere online?

Thank you for your help.
 

johnm
Unregistered guest
If your Xbox already comes with the red/white/yellow outputs that's all you need.
Just plug the red/white plugs into one of your stereos auxilary inputs and your set.
If you have a HD tv you may want to invest in a component cable for your xbox for an improved picture.
 

Moderator
Username: Admin

Post Number: 112
Registered: Dec-03
How to connect guide:
http://www.answerbag.com/a_view.php/966

Optical digital cables to buy:
http://ecoustics.shopping.com/xFS?linkin_id=3057240&KW=optical+digital+cables
 

New member
Username: Gomez

Los Angeles, CA USA

Post Number: 4
Registered: Jul-04
Those outputs that you mentioned, johnm, aren't they supposed to go behind the TV? That's how I have it. If not, what goes on the tv and what goes with the receiver?

On a different note, I am trying to purchase a DVD player which also plays CD's (music). Question: when the description reads "Plays JPEG image files on CD-R or CD-RW" does this mean it plays CD's (music)?

Thanks again for your help, johnm.
 

ABC
Unregistered guest
You hook up your AUDIO OUT from your TV to your
AUDIO IN on your receiver. If your TV has no
AUDIO OUT then it can't be done.
 

ABC
Unregistered guest
OOOPS forgot to say that anything you have hook up
to your TV like xbox,ps2 will be in surround.

hope that helps
 

johnm
Unregistered guest
You don't even need AUDIO OUT from your tv. Just run the red and white to your receiver and the yellow to your tv.
Yes, all dvd players will play music cds. As an added feature they may also play cd-r, cd-rw, and j-peg files if noted on the front of the machine.
 

Silver Member
Username: Martini

Post Number: 112
Registered: May-04
well you do need surround speakers and a decent receiver that can create a pseudo-surround sound. or you can cough up the big bucks and get fiber optic or coaxial cables for a true and clean surround sound. Trust me, its worth it and so are the component cables
 

Bronze Member
Username: Scottro

Pittsburgh, PA USA

Post Number: 11
Registered: Jun-04
Hey everyone, I think Xbox is Dolby 5.1 digital capable in-game so dump the Red and White composites and get yourself an optical digital cable and run that to the digital audio in on your receiver. Video is your choice either to the TV or Rec., whichever is convenient. Follow the link the Admin sent for more info.

PS2 doesn't matter - typically the best you get is ProLogic II. Although Grand Theft Auto Vice City DID support DTS 4 channel sound through the digital input, I can't recall any others that did.
Unless you use PS2 for DVDs and want 5.1, hogging a precious digital input is sort of a waste.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Scottro

Pittsburgh, PA USA

Post Number: 12
Registered: Jun-04
Apparently I'm reading challenged this morning...
I missed the part about Felipe not wanting to buy the AV kit. Sorry. Red and whites it is...
 

ABC
Unregistered guest
LOL.. johnm's right you can hook it up that way
didn't think of that..oh well i tryed
now you got 2 ways to hook it up...your choice
 

R F
Unregistered guest
You cant hook up a optical digital cable directly through your xbox. (Its Ipossible) The only way you can is by bying the ADVANCED A/V KIT. This plug has the optical digital output. It only costs 19.99. Then you run the optical digital plug from the A/V pack to the receiver. That is the only way you can get dolby digital 5.1 out of your xbox. The only reason you cant do it without the A/V pack is b ecause your xbox doesnt come stock with it.
 

R F
Unregistered guest
Now you can get prologic 2 with just the red and whites......but if you heard your xbox playing with dolby digital 5.1 then youd wonder why you didnt do this before.
 

Anonymous
 
SO.... how do I hook up the optical 5.1 cable AND my component cables....?
 

Unregistered guest
How do I connect my PS2 silver console to my PHILIPS FR 975 Home Cinema Receiver? Optical Digital Cable running from the console to the Optical IN at the back of the receiver will do it?
 

Scotty2Hotty
Unregistered guest
Yes, that's 'cause the PS2 has an optical out on it.

FOR THE XBOX YOU NEED TO BUY BUY THE AV ADAPTER FOR $20 AND HOOK UP THE ADUIO WITH AN OPTICL CABLE, NOT THE RED AND WHITE ONES!
 

Unregistered guest
I am trying to connect my xbox, tv, dvd player and surround sound system up together! I have connected the tv, dvd player and surround sound but when i try to connect my xbox to the surround sound I can hear and see the xbox but I cannot change the volume, it stays at a high volume throughout, both using my tv and dvd player remote! Any suggestions? This is killing me! Thanks!
 

PoonumBreath
Unregistered guest
You might have it hooked up wrong.
 

Unregistered guest
ive tried loads of different ways of connectin it but it stil doesnt work! ive been into loads of different electronics shops but they know nothing! it works fine wiv my dvd's but not my xbox! do u reckon I may need an optical out?
 

Scotty2Hotty
Unregistered guest
Did you read the posts on this page?

You NEED the optical out for 5.1
 

Unregistered guest
no 1 has had a f*ckin problem wiv there volume control though u thick twat!
 

Scotty2Hotty
Unregistered guest
You asked if anything thinks you need optical...

I am saying you do need it.

Settle down.

"Wiv"?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Jdsaenz1

Post Number: 76
Registered: Jun-04
for Mattyc:

Is your xbox audio (red/white rca's for now, I'm guessing) going straight to your surround receiver? If it is, you'll probably be able to get the prologicII effect, but I'm still stumped at why the volume won't change...

Maybe if you try a different sound mode on your surround receiver, like regular ol' stereo. And maybe, there might be some audio options on your xbox's menu that you can adjust, like if you're not using the digital out, make sure that option is turned off, I guess. Don't know much with the xbox, but I'm trying here.

If all else fails, get yourself an optical cable and give that a try. You'll get the real deal (5.1 surround), and it may finally solve your volume control problem. Good luck...
 

Scotty2Hotty
Unregistered guest
Jacob is right--you have to go into the settings in the XBox and enable the optical out. You also have to have the optical adapter.
 

Unregistered guest
ok! thankyou! i hav the optical wire but need the adaptor! cheers to both of u!
 

Unregistered guest
ok! thankyou! i hav the optical wire but need the adaptor! cheers to both of u!
 

ERick
Unregistered guest
I am looking for any information in order to hook up my TR-502 Digital Series Home Theater to my TV, cable box, vcr, and dvd player. Any suggestions would help. Thank you very much!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Jdsaenz1

Post Number: 84
Registered: Jun-04
Erick: what brand and model is your tv? This will help to know what kind and how many inputs you have on the back of your tv.
 

Unregistered guest
I diconnected my sons x-box from his tv now i can not figure out how to get it hooked back up help he has a vcr a dish reciever and a very old tv
 

Bronze Member
Username: Jdsaenz1

Post Number: 85
Registered: Jun-04
I am taking a wild stab at this, but I am guessing that the connection on the back of his 'old' tv is for the coaxial cable. If this is the case, I'm thinking that some of his other equipment is connected through the vcr to the tv. If the dish receiver is connected to the rca (red, white, yellow) inputs on the back of the vcr, and the xbox is connected the same way (the vcr may have two rca-type inputs), the vcr is connected to the tv by the coax cable.

Another thought is that the tv isn't too old, and it may have rca inputs as well as the coax cable input. The dish receiver could be run to the tv via the coax cable, and the vcr is connected to the tv by the rca cables, or vice versa (dish receiver to tv by means of the rca cables; vcr to tv via the coax cable). The xbox is connected to the vcr's rca inputs, so its picture and sound is fed through the vcr to the tv.

Hopefully one of these scenarios is the case. If not, please let us know, and maybe you can tell us what inputs the tv has. Good luck...
 

Scotty2Hotty
Unregistered guest
I suggest throwing away the XBox.
 

New member
Username: Fids

Post Number: 1
Registered: Oct-04
Hi guys could anyone help me with my problem connecting my cinema system to my xbox?
I have the advanced AV pack and a digital optic cable for my xbox. Problem is my cinema system receivers input is 3 jack sockets (stereo,surround and subwoofer) theres no input for optic cables. The cables used to connect to the inputs all have a red and white audio connecters at the other end. They go into the back of my dvd player and it all works fine. Just how to I connect to my xbox?

Help is much appreciated.

fids.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Jdsaenz1

Post Number: 90
Registered: Jun-04
Hey fids. What is your surround system? (Brand and model).
 

New member
Username: Fids

Post Number: 2
Registered: Oct-04
Its an N Tech 5.1 home cinema system.

Its really frustrating, I can hook it up to my DVD and my PC but not my xbox. It even says on the box its compatible with xbox. Like I said the reciever has jack inputs (I think there called that) I have my Advanced scart with the optic cable but what do I do from here!

Its not the most expensive sound system only £50 but it does say I can connect to xbox with 5.1.

Once again help appreciated.

fids
 

Bronze Member
Username: Jdsaenz1

Post Number: 91
Registered: Jun-04
Mark, you may have to 'create' your own adapter or splice some cables together to get what you need; the first review in the following link explains what I mean. Sounds like the only input on your surround system is for computer connection.

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?NOV-NTECH5
 

New member
Username: Fids

Post Number: 3
Registered: Oct-04
Thanks for your help Jacob. It souldn't say its for xbox in the box if you have to go through all that.

Anyway I just took it back to the shop and got a different system with optical input, works superb now :-)
 

Unregistered guest
Ok ok, I have the advanced a/v pack for the xbox and the digital audio cable. I connected the digital audio cable to the a/v pack and to the receiver's digital audio input. Still No Sound. If someone could please help. Thanks
Jon
 

Bronze Member
Username: Jdsaenz1

Post Number: 98
Registered: Jun-04
Jon, there may be an option in the xbox's main menu that lets you 'enable' the digital audio output. If so, make sure it's enabled, so the signal will be carried through to the pack, then through the optical (toslink) cable to your receiver. If this does not do the trick, the next check should be with the receiver.

What brand/model is your receiver?
 

Will12345
Unregistered guest
To touch on felipe's first question on the optical digital cable for $69. Aren't there some less expensive that will work just as well. I thought I saw some as low as $10, but most are $25 to $30. Does anyone know if it matters or the best place to find one? Thanks
 

jb8s
Unregistered guest
i want surround sound for my xbox but i travel a lot and don't want to lug around speakers etc... i was thinking about some suround sound headphones....do these do the job? also, what is needed to hook them up? that 20$ AV pack??
any help would b appreciated
thanks
jeremy
 

Ken L.
Unregistered guest
Where do you connect the rca cable for xbox if you want surround sound. I have a Sony Receiver, Sony Dvd player, and Dish satelite system. The Back of the RCA Tv has s-video, Cable connection from Satelite, and red, white and yellow connections
 

Scotty2Hotty
Unregistered guest
Man, you guys have to just read the previous posts...

Ken L., go to best buy and buy the $20 AV XBox pack and a $20 optical audio cable.

You cannot get surround sound with RCA cables. Plug the optical cable into an optical slot on your reciever. Also make sure the optical out is turned on in the XBox settings)
 

blargh
Unregistered guest
Good grief, I thought I had seen some dodgy forums, but this one takes the cake. What a pack of dolts!
 

Silver Member
Username: Jdsaenz1

Post Number: 104
Registered: Jun-04
You know, he's right! Heaven forbid someone try to lend a hand to others in a time of need. I forget this is a "me, me, me" society! Sorry. Maybe we should all just boycott this board and demand it be taken off of Ecoustics.

It's guys like this that are unfortunately necessary for the good ones to exist. After all, it's like the yin and yang: what's good without bad?
 

Scotty2Hotty
Unregistered guest
Guys like who? Me?

You bashin' me for saying "Man, you guys have to just read the previous posts..."?

Come on--You want to know how to connect the XBox and get 5.1... You find a really long thread entitled "How do I hear my Xbox in my Surround System?" and instead of actually reading it to get your answer, you ask "where do you connect the rca cable for xbox if you want surround sound?"

I don't mean to be a jerk, but what should I do, post the exact same thing I have already posted numerous times every time someone who is too lazy to do some reading comes along?
 

Unregistered guest
Okay to make things clear i read the post and im confused still, sorry guys, im not as smart or tech savvy as all of you. But I would appreciate the help. I just purchased the Logitech Z-640's and they DO NOT have the optical input. But I have read I can still use this system with my X-box and connect it via the Advanced A/V. Is anyone familiar with this computer <a href="speaker%20system">speaker system</a> and how I can connect it to my X-Box. Sorry, I'm just really confused fellas and I could use some help and info on how to connect the Z-640 to my Xbox, if at all it's possible. Help!
 

Silver Member
Username: Jdsaenz1

Post Number: 105
Registered: Jun-04
No, sorry Scotty. I was being sarcastic about Blargh's comments.
 

Scotty2Hotty
Unregistered guest
I am not exactly sure how the advanced AV pack would help you... The advanced AV pack just allows for optical audio from the XBOX to a receiver.

The system you got is intended for a PC. I'm not saying it's not possible to hook it to an XBOX, but if you want true surround sound from the XBOX, you need a 5.1 receiver and a set of actual speakers (not PC speakers).

You can get some cheap home theater systems for $250. I believe those speakers you got are around $100, and while they are good for PCs, they aren't exactly what you need.

Check out the Panasonic SC-HT05. It's around $200 and it will give you what you are looking for.
 

Scotty2Hotty
Unregistered guest
By the way, that panasonic will also let you hook up a DVD, CD player, cable box, etc. You can't hook up but one device with that system you have.
 

Unregistered guest
As helpful (or unhelpful) as everyone on this board has been, all the info given here is scattered and in some cases unclear. Therefore, i've collected and arranged all of the info clearly. Hope it's helpful.

1. The xbox originally comes with two audio cables (red and White) and one video cable. The video cable connects to the telly, (either directly or through a VCR/DVD player etc.) The red and white will usually connect directly into the back of the telly, or stereo system and give stereo sound. Many Home theatre systems, however, will allow you to connect those two RCA plugs in and still get surround sound. However, it is only emulated surround, called Pro-Logic II.

2. The Advance AV pack allows for S-Video output (better than the normal yellow cable, but only works on some systems.) It also has the optical audio cable. If a surround system allows for an optical audio cable to be plugged in, it will give you true 5.1 surround sound. Some Surround Systems do not have optical audio inputs.

3. If you are using the original two RCA cables (red and white), whether directly into a TV/Stereo, or a surround system, the options in xbox should be set to stereo.

4. If you are using the optical audio cable from the xbox, the options in the xbox menu should be set to Dolby Digital 5.1 as well as DTS if your surround receiver can decode DTS.

5. In most cases, it is best to connect all audio cables directly to the receiver rather than through the TV/VCR/DVD etc, IN and OUT jacks. The same goes for video cables.

6. If your receiver supports it, it is better to use optical audio rather than the stereo RCA cables, as it outputs full, true 5.1 surround.
 

MarkSadie
Unregistered guest
Help.
How can I hook up a DVD/VCR/XBOX/Dish Receiver/TV to a new stereo receiver. I can do most of this bu cannot get the pic and sound with the X box...I have 1 video (yellow) input on my TV and I am using that for the DVD...am I doing something way wrong...thanks.
 

Unregistered guest
Hey MarkSadie. I have two suggestion.
You could:

A. Either run all of your video/audio outputs into the VCR or DVD player, and then into the TV and stereo receiver if it they have enough inputs/outputs.

E.g. Xbox+DVD+DishReceiver (Audio+Video)>VCR;
VCR (video)> TV;
VCR (audio)> stereo receiver.

Then you can just change your VCR to AV1 and AV2 for DVD and xbox. But this is assuming your VCR has stereo inputs and outputs for and AV1 and AV2.

Otherwise:
B.Get an AV switchbox from your local radio shack, and run all of your AV equipment into it.

E.g. Xbox+VCR(With dish connected to it)+DVD (Audio+Video>Switchbox;
Switchbox (video out)>TV;
Switchbox (audio out)>Stereo Receiver.

Then you can just turn the dial to switch between any one of your units.

If this isn't going to work, post the model names of your DVD and VCR, so that we know what we are working with and can help you properly.
 

Unregistered guest
Oh yeah, and the model name of your stereo receiver.
 

New member
Username: Pepperdogs

Post Number: 4
Registered: Dec-04
Hi

Read somewhere in another post that LCD projectors cannot handle too fast moving pictures.

Do any of you guys out there have an X-BOx hooked up to a DLP or LCD projector. If you do - do you have any problems? If not - which would you recommend?

Thanks
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