Quick Question: Anyone have any opinions about the Xbox 360 specific HDMI cable that splits off into the audio ports for your Home Theater system?

Right now, I'm just going to have a normal receiver and speakers, so if I don't buy this I'll likely just run the Xbox to the TV through HDMI, and the TV to the receiver through normal audio out.

Would it be better to shell out the extra money for Xbox's HDMI/Audio Split cable?

Thanks.

What sort of audio will your TV output and is that acceptable to you?

Well, I'm going to be purchasing a Samsung a750 soon, so either I'll play off the TV speakers or output audio from the TV to a normal receiver and play off other receivers.

Sorry, don't know much about this sort of thing.

Quick Question: Anyone have any opinions about the Xbox 360 specific HDMI cable that splits off into the audio ports for your Home Theater system?

Right now, I'm just going to have a normal receiver and speakers, so if I don't buy this I'll likely just run the Xbox to the TV through HDMI, and the TV to the receiver through normal audio out.

Would it be better to shell out the extra money for Xbox's HDMI/Audio Split cable?

Thanks.

As far as I know, there's no special HDMI cable. It's a standard HDMI cable, with a separate breakaway box for stereo and optical audio outputs. The breakaway box doesn't plug into the HDMI port, but the standard AV out port.

As far as I know, there's no special HDMI cable. It's a standard HDMI cable, with a separate breakaway box for stereo and optical audio outputs. The breakaway box doesn't plug into the HDMI port, but the standard AV out port.

Yeah, sorry, that's what I'm talking about. I'm just wondering whether the extra $$$ for buying that would be advantageous over simply buying a cheaper HDMI cable (without the breakaway box) and then running an audio-out cable from the TV to my speakers.

Yeah, sorry, that's what I'm talking about. I'm just wondering whether the extra $$$ for buying that would be advantageous over simply buying a cheaper HDMI cable (without the breakaway box) and then running an audio-out cable from the TV to my speakers.

That depends on your TV; some displays forward HDMI surround sound while others forward only stereo and some nothing.
Best bet would be to try it out with a plain HDMI cable (do you have one around? If not Monoprice has'em dirt cheap) and see what the TV forwards.

Most TV's will pass 2ch stereo out of their optical outputs when the sound comes from HDMI. You don't really need to buy the official MS audio dongle, you can use modify your existing component cable to allow it to fit at the same time as your HDMI cable.

Tutorial found here (http://www.chadledford.com/?p=50)