Getting XBox audio from 5.1 surround system, via HDTV

ErrodielErrodiel Posts: 4,479
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I had no idea which forum to put this question in, since it involves my TV, 5.1 surround system and XBox 360! So I'll try here for starters.

We have this LG LCD TV in the bedroom. It has no audio outputs, so we got this little bit of kit from argos in order to hook it up to this Logitech 5.1 surround system (still with me?!). This works well in that we get sound from the TV no problem. However, when we hook up our XBox 360 to the TV via component cable, we get no sound out through the sound system. If we plug the L&R audio phonos of the component cable straight into the sound system, we get crystal clear audio.

I seem to remember this happening before, except that was with a 32" samsung TV and hooking up the XBox via VGA; the VGA went into the TV but the only way we could get sound was to hook the phonos on the cable directly into the stereo.

The only solution we can think of is to take a digital optical out from the Xbox (we have an adapter) to a stereo, phonos from the TV to the same stereo, then phonos out from the stereo to our surround system. This just seems convoluted and silly, so is there anything else we can do to get all our bits outputting sound out through the surround system?

Cheers!

Comments

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,050
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    OK, generally, users tend to route their external video signals into their TV and audio into an amp (your logitec thing).
    It certainly looks like you are trying to pass the sound from the Xbox into the TV and then out via the TV audio out phonos. This may well work, i think it does on mine (although I usually use the audio routed directly to my amp).
    Make sure that when you are connecting the Xbox via component, that you also have the audio L/R cables from the Xbox connected into the TV audio in.
    If you already are doing this and the sound is not being passed through, then you need to connect both the TV audio outs AND the Xbox audio outs to the amp.
    Ideally, the amp should have a digital audio in (usually optical but may be coaxial) and some boggo L/R phonos.
    I guess you only have one input, probably phono - if this is the case then take it back and get a decent amp/speaker set up from richer sounds if your budget is low.

    Rgds,
    Scorp
  • ErrodielErrodiel Posts: 4,479
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    Hi Scorpio, and thanks for the reply.

    Yes, everything's plugged in right - we've triple checked that (and OH has a lot of experience with audio equipment). The amp is pretty cheap and nasty (we paid around £30, not the £75 in that link!) so yes, only one input which is a pair of phonos. However, the sound from the amp and speakers is really excellent and the whole lot is so compact it's ideal for the bedroom. That's why we considered bringing the stereo into the loop; it has a digital optical in as well as phonos, so there'd be room to plug everything in. Does seem a faff but may be the only way!

    The bit that confuses me is that when the XBox component cables are plugged in to the telly we can hear it fine through the built in speakers, but not through the external ones...bizarre and annoying!

    Thanks again :)
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,050
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    Obviously the TV is not passing through to the amp - solution is to leave phonos from TV to amp (for TV sounds) and use a digital optical cable directly from the Xbox to the amp - leave the 3 component cables to the TV for the picture.
    Now you will just have to change the source on the amp from digital in to phono in depending on what you are using the TV for.

    Scorp
  • ErrodielErrodiel Posts: 4,479
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    You're giving the amp more credit than it's worth! It has phono inputs....and that's it. Very basic system that just happens to sound pretty good. We'll work it out though; OH is investigating some form of switch box, audio interface type device. He used to DJ so is very familiar with high end audio equipment, just not so much the home variety!
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