[earwicker7]

I've got a Balanced Desktop amp. I'm having problems playing HD-DVDs through my XBox 360. This is honestly probably a Microsoft problem, but what are the chances of getting an answer from them?

It seems like the HD-DVD will only send out a surround signal through an optical cable, which results in nothing but static coming out of the cans. I've disabled surround sound in the main menu and have no problem playing games and downloaded movies, but when I switch to the HD-DVD I can't listen to my phones. Anyone know of a solution to this?

 

[TheSloth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've got a Balanced Desktop amp. I'm having problems playing HD-DVDs through my XBox 360. This is honestly probably a Microsoft problem, but what are the chances of getting an answer from them? It seems like the HD-DVD will only send out a surround signal through an optical cable, which results in nothing but static coming out of the cans. I've disabled surround sound in the main menu and have no problem playing games and downloaded movies, but when I switch to the HD-DVD I can't listen to my phones. Anyone know of a solution to this?

As far as I understand, those kinds of outputs are Dolby DTS. Unless you can set it to output a PCM signal, no standard DAC will be able to interpret it. You may need to purchase a small DTS decoder/breakout box to get a PCM signal out of it...

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

You beat me to it, Daniel. Earwicker, see if there is a DTS/PCM switch somewhere in the xbox menus. THis happens often with portable DVD players.

 

[earwicker7]

Thanks, guys. I'll dig around a bit, but I don't think there's an option to do this. How much would a cheap decoder be?

 

[Mher6]

To fix the optical out "static" problem you have to do this:

-Go to the home screen for xbox live
-Go to System Tab
-Console settings
-Audio
-Digital Output
-Digital Stereo

That should fix your problem.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks, guys. I'll dig around a bit, but I don't think there's an option to do this. How much would a cheap decoder be?

No there is not.. No PCM via DVD playback.. On games, yes.. Theres digital stereo that works fine. Another reason I went with the Toshiba A2...

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mher6 /img/forum/go_quote.gif To fix the optical out "static" problem you have to do this: -Go to the home screen for xbox live -Go to System Tab -Console settings -Audio -Digital Output -Digital Stereo That should fix your problem.

Nope, tried it. That fixed it for everything besides the HD-DVD. Damn Microsoft, don't they know that 99% of their customers are headphone audiophiles? How am I supposed to watch Kill Bill Vol 1 through my measly surround sound setup?

 

[infinitesymphony]

Don't HD-DVD and Blu-Ray require audio to be sent through either analog cables or HDMI due to content restrictions? I think that regular digital outputs are out of the picture, in the same way that they were for DVD-Audio and SACD.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinitesymphony /img/forum/go_quote.gif Don't HD-DVD and Blu-Ray require audio to be sent through either analog cables or HDMI due to content restrictions? I think that regular digital outputs are out of the picture, in the same way that they were for DVD-Audio and SACD.

Nope. I have no problem getting it to run my crappy (well, not crappy, but pretty much entry-level Harmon Kardon amp and Infinity speakers) surround sound setup through an optical cable. Just can't use the much nicer HeadRoom amp/ATH-W2002 combo.

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nope. I have no problem getting it to run my crappy (well, not crappy, but pretty much entry-level Harmon Kardon amp and Infinity speakers) surround sound setup through an optical cable. Just can't use the much nicer HeadRoom amp/ATH-W2002 combo.

Yeah, the HK probably has the smarts to automatically switch over to be able to decode the DTS stream. The Desktop is pretty girl, but a bit dumb when it comes to Dolby digital.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Oh, sorry, I was thinking of HDCP, which only applies to video.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyll Hertsens /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, the HK probably has the smarts to automatically switch over to be able to decode the DTS stream. The Desktop is pretty girl, but a bit dumb when it comes to Dolby digital.

The DAC1 is dumb too then..

 

[bbrandt]

Earwicker,

The HD-DVD player does not use the dashboard settings. Start the HD-DVD player by inseting a disc, and then press the "display" button on the remote. Under audio, you will be able to select stereo, WMA Pro, Dolby Digital, or DTS output. Select stereo to get PCM over the toslink connector.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbrandt /img/forum/go_quote.gif Earwicker, The HD-DVD player does not use the dashboard settings. Start the HD-DVD player by inseting a disc, and then press the "display" button on the remote. Under audio, you will be able to select stereo, WMA Pro, Dolby Digital, or DTS output. Select stereo to get PCM over the toslink connector.

I'd love to do this, but my 360 got the Red Ring of Death this weekend

.

Thanks, though, I will do this as soon as it comes back in 2010

.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'd love to do this, but my 360 got the Red Ring of Death this weekend . Thanks, though, I will do this as soon as it comes back in 2010 .

Don't say that.. I'm on my 2nd 'dead' 60