Xbox 360 and HDMI

[MasterBlaster76]

My nephew has been trying to use his Turtlebeach headset with the Xbox 360 connected via an HDMI cable, but that means he cannot hear the game audio through the headset which of course defeats the object.

I ordered an official Xbox 360 HDMI cable from play.com because I thought it would include this:

so, that's the cable and the audio adapter. The one at play.com was called the same thing, so I went ahead and ordered it. It arrived today and it's just an HDMI cable - no adapter as shown in the picture above. Due to a really daft design in the 'old' Xbox 360 (not the new model), the plug blocks the HDMI input:

Edit: That picture doesn't really show the problem - but once that adapter is in, you cannot insert the HDMI cable.

I've seen youtube videos that involve clipping the casing off the adapter so it doesn't block the HDMI:

that would solve the problem, but does that pose any kind of fire risk at all? If it does and that method is inadvisable, any ideas how to get round this problem?

Seriously, fancy designing it so that the adapter blocks another input!!

Edit: Unbelievable. I've just found exactly what we need at Zavvi - it wasn't on their site when I checked a few days back.

 

[Chewie]

You seem to have a lot of tech problems

 

[Insomniac]

On the TV, why can you not use the "headphone" port?

The turtlebeach I have (the cheaper version, not the expensive $200 USD version), I also use HDMI, and have one cord that goes into the controller (for voice chat), and the other goes into the "headphone" hole.

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So pretty much how it is set up I have the HDMI cable into the TV. I receive both my in game chat audio and the game audio through the TV's headphone jack., and then have the other wire into the controller to talk.

I'm not sure if this is even a viable solution, seeing as I wasn't aware that the Xbox could dual output because theoretically you could be outputting to 2 different TV's with this method.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

You seem to have a lot of tech problems

Yeah, I know - sorry about that! It's not been a good period for me in that department - it's been one thing after another; I really appreciate all your help though! I must seem like a right dummy when it comes to tech. but most stuff I can sort out myself. And remember, quite a few of these problems regard my nephew's stuff, so blame him!!!

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On the TV, why can you not use the "headphone" port?

The turtlebeach I have (the cheaper version, not the expensive $200 USD version), I also use HDMI, and have one cord that goes into the controller (for voice chat), and the other goes into the "headphone" hole.

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So pretty much how it is set up I have the HDMI cable into the TV. I receive both my in game chat audio and the game audio through the TV's headphone jack., and then have the other wire into the controller to talk.

I'm not sure if this is even a viable solution, seeing as I wasn't aware that the Xbox could dual output because theoretically you could be outputting to 2 different TV's with this method.

I don't think that can be done with this headset, but it's worth a look. Do you get proper directional sound using that method?

Edit: It's a Turtlebeach Earforce X11 by the way. If it's that simple, then why does it have such a stupid convoluted set up? I've never seen headphones with so many flippin' wires!!

 

[Insomniac]

Yeah, I know - sorry about that! It's not been a good period for me in that department - it's been one thing after another; I really appreciate all your help though! I must seem like a right dummy when it comes to tech. but most stuff I can sort out myself. And remember, quite a few of these problems regard my nephew's stuff, so blame him!!!

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I don't think that can be done with this headset, but it's worth a look. Do you get proper directional sound using that method?

Edit: It's a Turtlebeach Earforce X11 by the way. If it's that simple, then why does it have such a stupid convoluted set up? I've never seen headphones with so many flippin' wires!!

Yes, I do atleast. As long as the audio output is on stereo (I forget whether that option is in Call of Duty or on the Xbox dashboard).

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Use the green cord and put that in your TV in the headphone jack. Problem solved

If there is no headphone jack, then you will have to use the convoluted approach. I do not think this is a problem on the newer Xboxes, as the HDMI port is a little further away. But on the old Xboxes (which I have), you will have to do the method that you already found a youtube video on

 

[MasterBlaster76]

I understand your setup - thanks for that. Trouble is, the USB has to plug into the front of the Xbox - the rear USB is for the wireless adapter - so the green plug can't reach the headphone socket which is on the rear of the TV and right over the other side from the Xbox as as well. If nephew's TV had the headphone socket in the same place as my TV, then it would work a treat. As it is, it's back to play.com with that HDMI cable and use the refund money plus an extra fiver to get the proper HDMI Xbox 360 package - the one that comes with the adapter.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

This is getting annoying - the order from Zavvi arrived today and they have sent the wrong thing - it only has the cable and not the adapter. I would try the method outlined in the youtube video, but I know people who have done that and managed to completely break the adapter, so it doesn't work at all.

 

[MattW]

I'd just give up and use a Component connector instead so you have the audio directly on the cable. Sure the visuals are slightly down on HDMI, but with how much trouble you've had with this, it seems like a small price to pay.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

I'd just give up and use a Component connector instead so you have the audio directly on the cable. Sure the visuals are slightly down on HDMI, but with how much trouble you've had with this, it seems like a small price to pay.

I think the TV came with a component connector; it's an odd TV - instead of having things like Scart sockets etc built in to the unit, they all come on little unpluggable adapters. Maybe you're right - but I had a right go at Zavvi today - the picture in the description clearly shows that the AV adapter is supposed to come as part of the package - that's false advertising.

 

[Insomniac]

I understand your setup - thanks for that. Trouble is, the USB has to plug into the front of the Xbox - the rear USB is for the wireless adapter - so the green plug can't reach the headphone socket which is on the rear of the TV and right over the other side from the Xbox as as well. If nephew's TV had the headphone socket in the same place as my TV, then it would work a treat. As it is, it's back to play.com with that HDMI cable and use the refund money plus an extra fiver to get the proper HDMI Xbox 360 package - the one that comes with the adapter.

The wireless adapter does not necessarily have to be in the back, you can put it in the front of the Xbox and it will work just as fine, although it will not be cosmetically the greatest thing in the world.