360>HDMI alternate sound options?

[hudson]

I currently have my 360 going into a monitor via HDMI. The monitor does not have an audio output, so I'm currently stuck using the monitors pretty inferior built-in speakers. Is there a way, or a cable out there which will let me get a separate sound feed whilst using HDMI, so I can input into some stereo speakers via phone/3.5mm jack?

I used to be able to get a separate sound feed from the SPDIF out put from the other video output cable at the same time as using HDMI, but I currently don't have a way of utilising SPDIF I/O in my setup now.

VGA/DVI is not an option as these inputs are being used by Wii/PC.

[Pavey]

Yep, 360 audio dongle. Has an optical and two phono outs on it, and it fits in the av socket on the back of the 360.

Check av forums, about 8 quid.

[hudson]

Ahh excellent stuff. EvilBoris has just pm'd me offering one of these too

[capcom_suicide]

Ahh excellent stuff. EvilBoris has just pm'd me offering one of these too

You gotta love this place. Nice work Borris.

[gunrock]

Interesting coincidence, as I actually had to workaround this issue last night. However my fix was for gratis.

All you do is, carefully using a flat blade screwdriver and some torsion, prize the bottom cover off the the compo****e cable that comes with every Xbox 360! Then the HDMI cable still fits in underneath.

I'm going to put some masking tape around it to keep the top half of the connector casing in place, but it works beautifully.

[Pavey]

You will need to snip the black jumper between pins 6 and 10 i think it is, otherwise your 360 reboots if you were to change the tv channel for whatever reason.

[hudson]

Oh I forgot that a composite cable comes boxed with the 360! Ahh well, I've paid Boris for the tidy looking little device.

Actually, I'd like to keep the composite cable intact in case I sell in the future for some bizarre reason.

[gunrock]

Oh I forgot that a composite cable comes boxed with the 360! Ahh well, I've paid Boris for the tidy looking little device.

Actually, I'd like to keep the composite cable intact in case I sell in the future for some bizarre reason.

Well, you can just snap it back together. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

[gunrock]

You will need to snip the black jumper between pins 6 and 10 i think it is, otherwise your 360 reboots if you were to change the tv channel for whatever reason.

I've not had that issue. Maybe because I'm using HDMI -> DVI (my TV predates hdmi).

[hudson]

I appreciate the help. However, I got an official gizmo, like the pic a few posts up through my door this morning, thanks to EvilBoris.

Might be good to post your tips still for others, mind.

[fahrenheit]

I recently exceeded the amount of optical devices I have inputs for on my AVR, so I had to do a bit of cable modification myself.

Not much can be done about the PS3 (without warranty voiding) but the 360 cables are fairly easy to add a digital Coaxial output to. Its just two simple wires piggybacking off the optical connection. You wouldn't use both connections at the same time obviously.



Orange is positive and purple is ground. Even a soldering novice can do this, the hardest part is opening the plastic shell.



I also had a few spare 360 component cables so decided to make a breakout for my other console. The particular console spends part of its time hooked up to the TV and the AVR via optical and the rest of the time hooked up to my PC monitor and desktop speakers.

I decided to go with a simple 3.5mm jack so that I could run a single cable and no need for a Y-adaptor. It also was easier to fit in the limited space.





This was really fiddly to build but its nice and compact and I can swap inputs blind (which I need to do in the current location).

[smouty]

You can get optical splitters like this for £5.
As long as you don't have both devices powered on at the same time it is a simple solution.

Nice work BTW.

[fahrenheit]

If you don't mind sharing inputs on your AVR then yeah, thats easy

[smouty]

It's digital optical so it'll either work or it won't. As I missing something?

[fahrenheit]

It's digital optical so it'll either work or it won't. As I missing something?

Splitting a single input is absolutely fine if you are not also managing video switching through your AVR. By having separate inputs for each device, I can switch sources with a single button and have independent control of settings for each device which you cannot do when the one input is being shared.