how can i setup this to play xbox 360 in surround sound.

currently the xbox 360 connects to the plasma via HDMI cable. the sounds plays out of the plasma TV.

How can i get the sound to output to my onkyo receiver which is 7.1 (defaults so 5.1 i believe)

Sorry this is all still new to me and just got the xbox 360.

thanks for your help, it is much appreciated.

how can i setup this to play xbox 360 in surround sound.

currently the xbox 360 connects to the plasma via HDMI cable. the sounds plays out of the plasma TV.

How can i get the sound to output to my onkyo receiver which is 7.1 (defaults so 5.1 i believe)

Sorry this is all still new to me and just got the xbox 360.

thanks for your help, it is much appreciated.

If your receiver won't accept an HDMI cable and act as a switch to your TV then you'll have to send the optical output from the xbox360 to the receiver and run the sound through your receiver on the proper input. and the TV on the proper input for video. It's a bit of a hassle to switch inputs on the TV and receiver to match sight and sound but it's the only way to make it work.

how can i setup this to play xbox 360 in surround sound.

currently the xbox 360 connects to the plasma via HDMI cable. the sounds plays out of the plasma TV.

How can i get the sound to output to my onkyo receiver which is 7.1 (defaults so 5.1 i believe). Sorry this is all still new to me and just got the xbox 360.The quick and easy way would be to take a regular red/white audio cable and connect it to the red & white PROG OUT audio jacks on the TV and run it to one of the inputs on the back of your Onkyo receiver (either the GAME/TV input or the CBL/SAT input for instance). Then just turn the TV's volume all the way down and use the Onkyo's volume control. This connection will output audio from the TV in stereo but the Onkyo will convert it to 5.1 surround sound. I have an Onkyo 605 and i use the PLII Movie mode for all my TV and DVD watching. I'm currently using an Optical Toslink cable between my TV and my Onkyo but it works pretty much the same as with the regular red/white audio cable. With this setup, if you don't want to fire up the Onkyo system to watch regular TV (like the news) you can simply turn the TV's volume up and listen through the TV's speakers.

Alternately, if the XBOX outputs 5.1 through HDMI then i assume you can run HDMI from the XBOX to the Onkyo's HDMI input, then another HDMI cable from the Onkyo to the TV. I think this will pass the 5.1 audio to your HT speakers without the receiver converting it.

If you have a newer Receiver with the built in HDMI switcher, you should be able to plug the 360 into your Receiver HDMI IN port, and then plug the Receivers HDMI Out port to your HDTV. This allows the 360's 5.1 sound to go to the receiver while the picture goes to the HDTV. You can turn OFF the sound on your HDTV by going into your HDTV's Menu settings to turn it OFF because your using other speakers.

Now if you have a Receiver without built in HDMI switcher like I do, well you plug your 360 into your HDTV directly for your HD Video, turn OFF the HDTV's speakers, then you need MS little Audio Box that plugs into the normal Video/Audio port. It has Left/Right RCA Audio ports for Stereo sound, but there is also a Optical Port on it for your 5.1. You plug the 360 using that Box and a Optical cable into your Surround sound receiver. MS sells that Box and a HDMI all together, so you need that. It comes with the Elite 360, but is optional for the 360 Pro and 360 Arcade. If you just plug the 360 into your HDTV using HDMI, and use the Optical Out port built into the HDTV to plug into your surround sound receiver, the best that you would get is Dolby Pro Logic II. Not true surround sound as in Dolby Digital or DTS! It's because of the DRM of HDMI.