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Who Is Using HDMI And Who Is Using Optical?

post #1 of 35
7/27/08 at 7:13pm
Thread Starter 
to get their 5.1 from the 360

i am currently using hdmi through my TX-SR606 7.1 receiver and while it's great it's giving me issues(slight but issues lol)

about every five to six times i turn on my 360 the receive recognizes it as pcm 2ch audio

i have to turn the 360 off and then back on again to fix the issue

through optical i have no problems and it is always 5.1

now, i don't watch movies on my 360

dvd and blurays are reserved for my ps3 where i only watch one game and i'm also connected through hdmi and have no problems through the receiver

actually having the receiver recognize the ps3 as pcm only helps my movies and games

i suppose my real question is do you think that i would notice a difference on 360 between hdmi and optical cable?

i know that hdmi is lossless audio but really since the 360 can't output any hd audio formats i'm think there would be no difference at all but i could be wrong


edit on a side note
the onkyo TX-SR606 7.1 is a great receiver for the price(future proof)

http://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-SR606...7210582&sr=8-1
some specs and buyer reviews there
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post #2 of 35
7/27/08 at 7:58pm
One Cable to Rule them all....



Yeah but seriously, I just use the hdmi to my marantz 5002 receiver. But for the xbox to work correctly, you'll have to turn tv on first, reciever, and then your xbox 360. It's all that handshake issue thing.
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post #3 of 35
7/27/08 at 8:33pm
Thread Starter 
i will try just that right now...thanks
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post #4 of 35
7/27/08 at 9:37pm
I use HDMI and optical. The 360 disables the optical out port on my tv so I have to run a separate optical cable to the receiver from the 360.
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post #5 of 35
7/28/08 at 5:21am
HDMI baby!
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post #6 of 35
7/28/08 at 7:16am
HDMI here, but I am only 2.0 not 5.1.
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post #7 of 35
7/28/08 at 8:13am
HDMI with no problems here, I think my reciever likes to be the last component on to get the correct handshake, but it works just fine.
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post #8 of 35
7/28/08 at 8:16am
Can anyone tell me if they believe the image quality of their 360s to be better when using 3rd party component cables (i.e. psyclone) versus the microsoft component cables?

I have a launch unit with only component / vga, and I wasnt sure if it would be worth buying new component cables for it.
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post #9 of 35
7/28/08 at 8:19am
I use both here - my Onkyo AVR does not pass HDMI audio.
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post #10 of 35
7/28/08 at 8:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ogbuehi View Post

The 360 disables the optical out port on my tv


no, actually it DOESN'T

Quote:
Originally Posted by bdwright77 View Post

Can anyone tell me if they believe the image quality of their 360s to be better when using 3rd party component cables (i.e. psyclone) versus the microsoft component cables?

the psyclone cable i tried is the worst picture quality i have ever seen.... psyclone is garbage.
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post #11 of 35
7/28/08 at 8:42am
Thread Starter 
i would never buy anything with a cyclone label
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post #12 of 35
7/28/08 at 9:06am
Component and optical.

Isn't there another thread about this already? It might have some of the answers you're looking for already posted there.
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post #13 of 35
7/28/08 at 12:50pm
I use HDMI to my HDTV and optical to my Onkyo receiver.
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post #14 of 35
7/28/08 at 12:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ebackhus View Post

I use HDMI to my HDTV and optical to my Onkyo receiver.

Is the optical from your TV to receiver I take it? Does your TV pass 5.1 audio, or does it just send 2 channel to your receiver?

Anyways, I am just using component for video and optical for Audio. I actually prefer it that way too as I have the contrast and TV settings tweaked a little differently than I do for my PS3 and HD-DVD player.
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post #15 of 35
7/28/08 at 1:04pm
Actually the optical is from the 360 directly. We have an Elite which came with that nice little dongle. I believe my TV will only pass-thru 2.0 audio anyway. It's one less cable to buy.
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post #16 of 35
7/28/08 at 1:51pm
I should point out I have zero issues using HDMI...
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post #17 of 35
7/28/08 at 1:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ebackhus View Post

I believe my TV will only pass-thru 2.0 audio anyway.

My TV will only send the audio from it's own tuner out the optical out. None of the inputs can be routed out that port.
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post #18 of 35
7/28/08 at 2:32pm
I have a Yamaha receiver, and (same problem with your Onkyo) every 5 of 6 times I boot the xbox, the receiver only recognizes 2ch audio.

it wouldn't hurt to switch to optical instead of using the hdmi audio, but I'm more interested in knowing why two totally different receivers have this issue with detecting 5.1ch audio over HDMI. Based on your issue, I'd say that the xbox isn't sending out the correct identification of the signal over HDMI.
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post #19 of 35
7/28/08 at 2:32pm
hdmi from monoprice
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post #20 of 35
7/28/08 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ogbuehi View Post

I use HDMI and optical. The 360 disables the optical out port on my tv so I have to run a separate optical cable to the receiver from the 360.

No it doesn't. It is supposed to go to the reciever just like all your other components that support digital sound with an optical cable. Why would you think an optical out port from the 360 would work with an optical out port on the display?
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post #21 of 35
7/28/08 at 2:59pm
VGA to 720p projector. Optical to 605.
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post #22 of 35
7/28/08 at 3:30pm
VGA to LCD HDTV; optical to HK AVR 335.
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post #23 of 35
7/28/08 at 4:02pm
HDMI for both. Receiver first, then TV, then Xbox. Never had an issue with my 606....
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post #24 of 35
7/28/08 at 4:18pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonSuave View Post

I have a Yamaha receiver, and (same problem with your Onkyo) every 5 of 6 times I boot the xbox, the receiver only recognizes 2ch audio.

it wouldn't hurt to switch to optical instead of using the hdmi audio, but I'm more interested in knowing why two totally different receivers have this issue with detecting 5.1ch audio over HDMI. Based on your issue, I'd say that the xbox isn't sending out the correct identification of the signal over HDMI.

it's a lose/lose for me

i have to restart this and restart that sometimes if handshake issues occur and the only reason they occur is because the 360 still doesn't support hdmi 1.3

on the flipside of things...if i use the optical cable but still run hdmi to my tv my 360 restarts itself when switching from my playstation

what i mean is...if my 360 is running but i'm watching a blu ray on my ps3...the moment i switch back to the 360 the damn thing restarts itself

why does this happen you ask?

i've done some reading here at avs and other forums about the situation. this problem occurs because i have both the optical cable and hdmi cable running to the 360 and receiver...the 360 wasn't designed to do both at the same time and has handshake issues

thus, it decides to restart itself...using just one of the cables i don't experience this problem

so for now i'll just roll with hdmi
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post #25 of 35
7/28/08 at 4:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Myth View Post

it's a lose/lose for me

i have to restart this and restart that sometimes if handshake issues occur and the only reason they occur is because the 360 still doesn't support hdmi 1.3

on the flipside of things...if i use the optical cable but still run hdmi to my tv my 360 restarts itself when switching from my playstation

what i mean is...if my 360 is running but i'm watching a blu ray on my ps3...the moment i switch back to the 360 the damn thing restarts itself

why does this happen you ask?

i've done some reading here at avs and other forums about the situation. this problem occurs because i have both the optical cable and hdmi cable running to the 360 and receiver...the 360 wasn't designed to do both at the same time and has handshake issues

thus, it decides to restart itself...using just one of the cables i don't experience this problem

so for now i'll just roll with hdmi

I guess it depends on the type of display and reciever you have. My 360 and PS3 are both hooked up with HDMI and optical to my Yamaha. Whenever I am watching a DVD or HD-DVD the 360 gives me a message at the bottom the HDCP has been established. Never an issue switching to anything.
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post #26 of 35
7/28/08 at 4:23pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonSuave View Post

I have a Yamaha receiver, and (same problem with your Onkyo) every 5 of 6 times I boot the xbox, the receiver only recognizes 2ch audio.

it wouldn't hurt to switch to optical instead of using the hdmi audio, but I'm more interested in knowing why two totally different receivers have this issue with detecting 5.1ch audio over HDMI. Based on your issue, I'd say that the xbox isn't sending out the correct identification of the signal over HDMI.

this guy also has yamaha and is having the same issues

this isn't a receiver issue

more of a 360 issue than anything else it seems
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post #27 of 35
7/28/08 at 6:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Myth View Post

it's a lose/lose for me

on the flipside of things...if i use the optical cable but still run hdmi to my tv my 360 restarts itself when switching from my playstation

hold on there. You can actually fix that problem easily.

Just hack apart your xbox video dongle (the one that you're using for the optical connection), and CUT the small black wire on the inside. There is actually an extremely detailed DIY on the avsforum for how to do this. (can someone post that link in here?).

Once done, the xbox will not check for changing video sources - thus your xbox won't reset when you switch to your cable box/ps3, etc. Then, without any hassles, you can have hdmi dedicated to video and a separate optical connection for 5.1 audio.

It's just wonderful to see that the microsoft design team chose a hardware implementation where it would be impossible to use hdmi video in conjunction with optical audio. I mean, common, who DOESN'T have a 5.1 receiver with an HDMI audio pass-through input??
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post #28 of 35
7/28/08 at 8:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JasonSuave View Post

hold on there. You can actually fix that problem easily.

Just hack apart your xbox video dongle (the one that you're using for the optical connection), and CUT the small black wire on the inside. There is actually an extremely detailed DIY on the avsforum for how to do this. (can someone post that link in here?).

Once done, the xbox will not check for changing video sources - thus your xbox won't reset when you switch to your cable box/ps3, etc. Then, without any hassles, you can have hdmi dedicated to video and a separate optical connection for 5.1 audio.

It's just wonderful to see that the microsoft design team chose a hardware implementation where it would be impossible to use hdmi video in conjunction with optical audio. I mean, common, who DOESN'T have a 5.1 receiver with an HDMI audio pass-through input??

Actually, they painted themselves into a corner when they didn't have any space laterally on the PCB for the HDMI connector. So, they made the HDMI and older A/V connector tandem, with the unfortunate consequence that the current A/V cables wouldn't fit with the HDMI cable connected. That spawned the Audio only dongle, that does fit with the HDMI cable connected and I think if they sold that for a reasonable price ($10-$15) there wouldn't be quite the level of dissatisfaction as there is with a $50 price, even if you do get an HDMI cable included in the kit.

As for the link to the thread:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=924291

It's a bit long at 6 pages. Probably someone needs to summarize it all.

P.J.
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post #29 of 35
7/29/08 at 5:38am
hdmi
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post #30 of 35
7/29/08 at 1:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by plat_spirit View Post

One Cable to Rule them all....

Yeah but seriously, I just use the hdmi to my marantz 5002 receiver. But for the xbox to work correctly, you'll have to turn tv on first, reciever, and then your xbox 360. It's all that handshake issue thing.

Yup.
360 HDMI to Samsung 5.1 Receiver (claims true 1080p) HDMI to TV.

I get 1080i.
I haven't found 1 person that gets the passthrough to work with 1080p.
oh well.

oh, and yeah, sometimes that "secure link" pops up and down.....I forget what order I have to turn them all on - but if I am not already laying down on the couch with a beer - I will fix it.
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