I have a new 360 with HDMI, and for some reason when when i play my games they come over in PCM not Dolby Digital. Would anyone know why this is, when I used my optical they came through in Dolby Digital not compressed? Thank s in advance.

I have a new 360 with HDMI, and for some reason when when i play my games they come over in PCM not Dolby Digital. Would anyone know why this is, when I used my optical they came through in Dolby Digital not compressed? Thank s in advance.

PCM is NOT a compressed format while Dolby Digital 5.1 IS a compressed format.

The 360 has "issues" with HDMI and audio.
What your getting a is 2 channel PCM over HDMI and 5.1 over optical.
Unfotunetately this is a fairly common issue and despite a fix released by Microsoft still continues to be an issue for many, myself included.
So if possible keep using an optical cable and everything will be peachy

PCM is NOT a compressed format while Dolby Digital 5.1 IS a compressed format.

The 360 has "issues" with HDMI and audio.
What your getting a is 2 channel PCM over HDMI and 5.1 over optical.
Unfotunetately this is a fairly common issue and despite a fix released by Microsoft still continues to be an issue for many, myself included.
So if possible keep using an optical cable and everything will be peachy

Thanks a lot for the clarification with the audio signals. Still somewhat new to all the different audio formats.

Could someone let me know what the difference is between PCM and DD? Is it the quality or just the way the recievers reads it.

I would head over to one of the audio forums to answer that. Your question is probably even answered in a stickie over there. The new formats can be complicated, this section probably isn't the best place to get into them.

Could someone let me know what the difference is between PCM and DD? Is it the quality or just the way the recievers reads it.
Well on an Xbox it's just the way the data is sent to the reciver.
We don't actully know what the source sounds on games are stored as. For all we know they could be wav, wma, mp3 or something else.
So as the as far as 360 games are concerned PCM-vs-DD is just the that audio is "packaged" and "shipped" to our recivers.

But as far as Dolby VS PCM outside of 360 games
I would head over to one of the audio forums to answer that. Your question is probably even answered in a stickie over there. The new formats can be complicated, this section probably isn't the best place to get into them.

PCM is NOT a compressed format while Dolby Digital 5.1 IS a compressed format.

The 360 has "issues" with HDMI and audio.
What your getting a is 2 channel PCM over HDMI and 5.1 over optical.
Unfotunetately this is a fairly common issue and despite a fix released by Microsoft still continues to be an issue for many, myself included.
So if possible keep using an optical cable and everything will be peachy

Wait, there are still issues with HDMI audio on the 360? I was reading in another thread on here recently that HDMI audio = Toslink in terms of sound quality on the 360. I just bought my HDMI cables dang it! So is it still best to use Toslink for 5.1 digital audio when using HDMI for video?

Try the HDMI cable for sound first to see if it works for you, mine has been fine from day 1 but other people have had ongoing problems

Okay, I think you're just confusing him. While PCM is uncompressed and Dolby Digital isn't, you absolutely want Dolby Digital from the Xbox 360. Otherwise you aren't getting surround sound.

How do you have the Xbox connected? Does HDMI go to your receiever, then out from the receiver to the TV? Or are you going Xbox>TV>Receiver?

Wait, there are still issues with HDMI audio on the 360? I was reading in another thread on here recently that HDMI audio = Toslink in terms of sound quality on the 360. I just bought my HDMI cables dang it! So is it still best to use Toslink for 5.1 digital audio when using HDMI for video?

As far as I know HDMI WHEN WORKING 5.1 sounds the same as toslink, as both the cables are just passing a digital signal between your reciver and xbox.

Alot of people prefer HMDI (if it works) as it means one less cable to manage, kinda.

and yes there's still issues as myself have them and decided its easier to use my existing Toslink rather wonder why it's sounding "right" or like surround and then getting up and checking my reciver.

So use whatever you want that works for you

Interesting - I had no idea that this was an issue. About a year ago I got a new Xbox (first one broke) with HDMI and the surround sound doesn't appear to be different in any way. Hmmmm......

i just the monster vga and optical cables

hdmi on the 360 is such a pain