My Xbox 360 Elite no longer sends 5.1 audio over HDMI

have u tried another hdmi cable?

I had that issue a couple of times. Try turning on the AVR first then the ELITE

I have a similar issue. I don't have the Elite, but I have a newer 360 w/ HDMI. I have it routed to my Pioneer Elite 82TXS receiver via HDMI. Sometimes when I turn on the system the receiver detects the audio as "STEREO". I have to go into the console settings and toggle the "Digital Output" setting back and forth from Stereo to Dolby Digital. After I do that it works.

Until the next time I start my system....

I'm having the same problem. I've got a premium with HDMI running through my onkyo 605. Sometimes it detects the audio signal as stereo, other times as 5.1.

It's some sort of handshake problem on the 360's end. Like you said, if I re-select 5.1 in the digital output settings, it eventually will work. I can also get it working by re-selecting the video resolution output. Or sometimes it'll work on boot up. So it must be a general HDMI issue rather than something specifically audio-related.

Anyone else?

Hello, I was actually visiting this site to fix my issue with Rockband not having any sounds on my Plasma HDTV through the Xbox 360 Pro (elite just not colored) I found that if you go to the ingame sound settings there is a box for Dolby Digital sounds. Click this and the sound should start. I sure hope this helps!

The problem is that this seems to be intrinsic to the 360, not to Rock Band. Rock Band keeps looking for the 5.1, but the 360 is saying it doesn't exist, so no sound in Rock Band. You have to switch it to stereo, or do one of the above "fixes" to get the 5.1 signal working right. Other games will go ahead and use the stereo signal instead without the need to change anything.

But the bigger issue (as stated by those of us above) is that the 360 seems to have a problem recognizing 5.1 over HDMI.

As suggested above, I've also tried turning on the AVR before the 360 (and vice versa), but it still happens. The other problem is that it's an intermittent problem, so it only happens on occasion. But it happens often enough to be annoying (say, 1 out of 5 boot ups).

It's also an easy problem to miss if you're not paying attention to what your AVR is doing. Since I have my AVR set up to matrix 5.1 from a stereo signal, it took me until just a couple of days ago to notice that my AVR wasn't always getting a true 5.1 signal from the 360.

Judging from other posters' comments above, this sounds like it could be a pretty common issue, but also an under-recognized and under-reported one since it's fairly easy to miss.

Needless to say, I'm a bit annoyed. It's not a bad enough issue for me to send the box in (in case it's just a faulty console), but it's enough to make me more annoyed with MS's "workmanship" than I was before. I was one of the folks who waited until the RRoD stuff was (mostly) ironed out, thinking that they'd finally gotten the hardware kinks worked out. Guess I was wrong.

Hopefully, this is either just a faulty console with a minor defect, or it's a firmware issue that can be resolved with an update.

Any of you other folks above with this issue try contacting MS?

EDIT: So I popped over to the xbox forums. Looks like this is, indeed, a common issue. Most of the people noticing it have Elites, but I think that's just because of the relative number of folks who have both an Elite and an HDMI-capable AVR compared to those (like me) who only recently picked up one of the other HDMI skus.

I believe it is a design issue and not a manufacturing issue (if that makes sense). I say this because I have two XBoxes and they both have the same issue when plugged into my AVR via HDMI. They're not "Elites" but they are HDMI.

Like the above poster stated, its more of an annoyance than a bonified issue as there is a work around. But it would be nice if it was fixed in a future dashboard update.

I had the same problem with my Onkyo 705. I gave up and went back to fiber optic. I must say the PS3 and TrueHD via HDMI sounds fantastic!

I'm getting this same sound problem except I use hdmi to go to my tv and an optical cable to go to my receiver. I made a post about it called "Sound problems. 360 not outputing 5.1 with movies" (sorry I cant post url's yet) because i didnt find this one.

Just so I am getting this straight. I need to go into the system menu on the xbox and change the speaker settings to stereo and back again until it fixes itself?

That's what works for me.

I turn on my system (XBox 360, Receiver, etc.) simultaneously
My Pioneer Elite AVR detects the XBox output as "STEREO"
(even though the settings on the XBox are "Dolby Digital")
I switch it to "Stereo" on the XBox 360 Dashboard
I switch it back to "Dolby Digital"
My AVR then picks up the DD signal and I'm off to get my a$$ handed to me by a bunch of 13 year olds in COD4.

This now happens very consistently. But the work-around always works. Let us know if it works for you too. Again, I'm still holding out for a

I'll have to try this myself, also.

Actually, what i was saying in my above comment was that i tried all of the solutions offered here and none worked. But since RockBand was the only game i have had issues with i looked at its options and selecting the DD fixed it (though it sometimes turned off again with a system restart) I have no doubt that there is a 360 issue at work but if the only game you have issues with is RockBand (as i understand Guitar Hero 3 as well maybe) - I suggest trying this. Other than that - give MS a call - cant hurt can it? I am also not using any other means of sound from my 360 just plugged into the HDMI in the back of the TV.

Haven't kept up completely, but is this only affecting people who plug HDMI directly into the tv? IF so, then it's possible that the tv is telling the Xbox that it is a 'stereo only' device, thereby affecting the settings of the Xbox. And yes, also affecting the optical digital output of the Xbox. Anyone with an HDMI av receiver seeing this problem? JC.

No, I can't get 5.1 surround sound with HDMI through my Onkyo 805 receiver.

I get 5.1 four out of five times over HDMI, hooked up through my onkyo 605. I can tell right away if it worked or not just by looking at my receiver display when the console boots up.

If it doesn't work, I just have to go into the 360's audio settings and re-select 5.1 digital. It's really not a huge deal, but it is mildly annoying.

I have been getting this to with my onkyo 805. I hope that an update in the future might fix this.

Not sure if this is a related issue or not.

When I'm in the Dashboard, I'm reading DD 5.1 fine on my 605. However, when I go into a rental from Marketplace that is listed as having 5.1 audio, I only get 2.0 PCM to the receiver.

Is optical required for 5.1 from Marketplace rentals?

No. You may want to check your listening mode settings. Either that, or the marketplace downloads are actually 2-channel.

my issue is somewhat different:
i have same problem with HD-DVD movies only. mine is over spdif (optical one) on original 360 (non-hdmi). i place a regular dvd movie in either tray or game in normal tray & 5.1 works & same with games.

i've racked my brain over this to no prevail. i consider myself knowledgable enough on av set-ups to no this is a likely software issue. i didn't have this problem until maybe the last 1 or 2 xbox updates.

hope someone can figure it out. it's a double slap in the face knowing i have to count on one drive to play 12 hd-dvd's & now only in 2-channel stereo.

edit:
my dvd/hd-dvd settings must've been changed on the update. when playing a movie, hit "y" for the xbox 360 dvd menu & then hit the "advanced options" button, then hit the audio button & change selection to 5.1 (mine was on stereo). i'm sure this is not the problem with HDMI since they are occurring during games as well.

avr: kenwood vr-6070

I had the same problem with my Halo 3 special edition 360 and Onkyo 605... I solved the problem by turning off the "HDMI Audio Out" and "Lip-sync" settings under Hardware Setup -> HDMI in the Onkyo setup menus. Changing these two settings and then exiting the menu caused the receiver to immediately switch from 2 channel PCM to Dolby Digital.

I believe that the problem was that the components (TV, receiver, Xbox) negotiate to find the combination of connection options that are supported by all components... since my TV only supports stereo PCM through HDMI, that's what was settled upon.

Good luck!

I have a sony dg910 receiver and a 360 Elite, and i cannot get this to work what so ever (i have everything run through my receiver, i don't bother using my tv sound, why would i when i have a sick 7.1 polk setup). I got my sony's blue light (to indicate a DD signal) to light up once and only once for about two seconds before i launched GH3, then i flipped back to PCM 2.0. I can flip back and forth in my xbox settings between two channel and DD and nothing nothing works, no boot order, no nothing!!!!!! i'm getting fed up, i have the xbox optical output kit but i'm using my dvd hdmi input, and only have a coaxial digital input, i have a converter for that, but seriously, why should i have to, the purpose of HDMI was convenience over one cable......this is becoming ridiculous....someone at MS needs to get on their ****

As has been stated above and elsewhere in this forum, MS's official position is that the HDMI connection does not support audio (only video). Most people can eventually get audio working over HDMI, but some (like yourself) can't.

Be sure to double check the usual suspects (secure connections, different cables, etc.). Also, be sure to toggle the audio settings in your xbox settings menu by switching between digital stereo and digital surround. Otherwise, you'll have to switch to optical.

This is a completely incorrect statement, MS doesnt say that HDMI supports only video, where you got that information is false, totally false. HDMI is meant for sound AND video, what most people (like myself) are having an issue with is their configuration. and the most common misconfigurations are:

1) XBOX running HDMI to TV, then from TV to AMP/RECEIVER <-- i use these two words interchangably because not many people are running seperates... and if you are your probably not having these issues....
This is not going to get you dolby digital 5.1 to your receiver, no matter what your feeding into the TV, UNLESS your TV has a pass through HDMI port, where-in the same signal passed to the TV is untouched/modified by the TV. OR is other-wise stated that your TV can pass Dolby digital 5.1 OUT (not just accept it)

2) XBOX running HDMI to HDMI capable AMP, AMP to TV (this was my case)
*IMPORTANT* There IS a setting in EVERY AMP to tell your receiver what to pass to the HDMI OUT, it can either be VIDEO, SOUND OR BOTH (on sony receivers its called TV aka video, AMP aka sound, TV+AMP both). What happens is is that (and this is noted a few posts up, sorry i didnt get the User name before i posted this) the XBOX negotiates with the devices, and its seeing the TV because its being passed audio. My TV doesn't accept 5.1!!! only two channel via HDMI, so it picks the lowest common denominator. Why XBOX does this must be the HDMI chip they use because my PS3 does not negotiate with my TV. ANOTHER SYMPTOM COULD BE NO SOUND AT ALL from your receiver!!!!! This was the case with my cable box, so for those of you having an issue getting 5.1 from your HD receiver VIA HDMI, this is also the problem!!!! So what you need to do is find the setting in your RECEIVER that shuts the passing of SOUND to your TV via HDMI.

This is the case for anyone whos using their receiver as their component switch (like myself as my tv only as ONE HDMI input). Plus i never use my speakers on my TV, i turned em off. For those of you who still wish to use their TV speakers and have the OPTION of flippin on their receivers, you MUST use the optical cable to the receiver, or like i said before, have a TV that has a PASS-THROUGH HDMI port.

I hope this helps, i wrote a nasty hate mail to MS right before i figured this out.....not to mention the time spent cussing out the xbox

Bump, I was wondering if this is still an issue.

Same issue with my 360. Right now as I type my GF is playing FF XI Online and my VSX-01 is showing Stereo. Last night it showed Dolby Digital, then today walla back to Stereo. I wonder if there is a sequence you need to fallow for this to work correctly. MS needs to look into this and a figure out a solution fast. There probably not worried since there newest and best Game Console is probably gonna have this fix. I guess I will just keep on playing this way, and try the options prev. posters have posted.


Ugh......

Have you tried setting the input (HDMI 1 or HDMI 2 or whatever you are using) on the receiver to default to Dolby Digital? I don't know if that's possible but on my receiver (onkyo) I can set each input to have a default format for audio....stereo, DD, DTS, etc...and the receiver initiates that until it detects a different signal from whatever device is plugged in and switches to that format (DVD player sends both DD and DTS, receiver set at default to DD, pop in a DTS encoded DVD and when I hit play the receiver shows DD until it registers a DTS signal is coming in and then switches to DTS).

Just a suggestion.

I know with my Onkyo 606 if I don't turn things on in the proper order, then I get only 2 channel audio. For me it only works if I power on in this order----AVR, TV, Xbox 360. Works great, every time, although I have not tried any XBL movies.