Home Theatre help... TV + XBOX + Surround Sound.

[kaysee]

OK I have barely used surround systems before in the past (had one for about 12 months 4 years ago) and now need some guidance with the following:

Devices:
- Panasonic Viera Plasma TV (4 HDMI slots, couple of component slots, S-Video slot).

- XBOX 360 (1 HDMI slot and the standard component cable /slot)

- Panasonic SA-BT230 1000w BluRay Home Theatre (1 HDMI slot, 2 optic fibre slots).

So what is the best way to hook this up so that both my 360 and BR play through the Surround Sound system?

Currently I have:

- 1 HDMI going from 360 -> TV... XBOX plays through TV with TV sound, but no surround sound.

- 1 HDMI going from Home Theatre -> TV... BluRay plays fine through TV with surround sound.

Anyone help me out with this b/c the manuals are as confusing as all F&^$ and like mini "Choose Your Own Adventures" instructing you to flip from one section to the other.

These things should come with manuals that say "Right if you want to watch TV with surround sound... do this step-by-step." ... "if you want to play games with suround sound... do this step-by-step".

Thanks in advance.

 

[seanoff]

is the 360 a slim

 

[vealesy]

Get an optical cable. Run it from your surround sound control centre to your TV.

If you cant do this, get better stuff.

 

[Ant_]

Your "home theatre" needs to have more then the one HDMI port to get surround sound on the xbox.

FYI, my amplifier I plug my xbox into the amp and the tv into the amp (both in/out)

 

[seanoff]

guys, the HT only has a HDMI out. no in

the only way to get any surround is to have the xbox connected to the HT with an optical and connected to the TV with HDMI.

can you split the audio and video on the Xbox, you can on a PS3.

 

[Ant_]

can you split the audio and video on the Xbox, you can on a PS3.

Can't remember, you can split it with Composite\Optical as that's the way I did it before I get a HDMI amplifier.

 

[kaysee]

Thanks for all input.

Finally, figured out the issues. My main issue in the end is that my optical cable fits in very loosely to ANY inputs: XBOX, TV and HT sockets. Bloody annoying. All sockets feel like they will break if I try forcing it (even through it is the "right" way up). It doesn't fit snuggly or I don't here it "snap" into place. It just sits loosely in the sockets and then sound doesn't come through from either the TV or XBOX.

Are all optical cables like this? (BTW picked up a new on today to try out tonight)

cheers

 

[Ant_]

Thanks for all input.

Finally, figured out the issues. My main issue in the end is that my optical cable fits in very loosely to ANY inputs: XBOX, TV and HT sockets. Bloody annoying. All sockets feel like they will break if I try forcing it (even through it is the "right" way up). It doesn't fit snuggly or I don't here it "snap" into place. It just sits loosely in the sockets and then sound doesn't come through from either the TV or XBOX.

Are all optical cables like this? (BTW picked up a new on today to try out tonight)

cheers

Depends if the optical is tos link it should snap in nicely. If it's coaxial it's the same as any RCA cable

 

[kaysee]

OK I have just had a "I am the biggest ******** EVA" moment.

I just realised that the optical cables come with little clear caps on each end... I thought these were actually part of the cable. <FACEPALM>

So I have been trying to connect the cables that still had the clear protective caps on the ends. I feel about "this" big ATM.

Funny thing is... last time I had a home theatre system connected to my (original) XBOX back around 2006. I used the same cable then (with the white clear caps on it) and still somehow had it working (albeit a loose connection).

FFS I feel like such an idiot now... but in my defence there is no information on the cable packaging (or inside it) stating there are protective caps. And the caps do look like part of the cable.

 

[seanoff]

OK I have just had a "I am the biggest ******** EVA" moment.

I just realised that the optical cables come with little clear caps on each end... I thought these were actually part of the cable. <FACEPALM>

So I have been trying to connect the cables that still had the clear protective caps on the ends. I feel about "this" big ATM.

Funny thing is... last time I had a home theatre system connected to my (original) XBOX back around 2006. I used the same cable then (with the white clear caps on it) and still somehow had it working (albeit a loose connection).

FFS I feel like such an idiot now... but in my defence there is no information on the cable packaging (or inside it) stating there are protective caps. And the caps do look like part of the cable.

 

[Borgsta]

LOL, love the self face palm.