Truth Serum – Pro with HDMI but no 5.1?
Truth Serum is when I give you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help my Xbox 360 controllers. I’ll inject truth serum into a variety of topics I come across to hopefully help you make sound decisions in your gaming world. The first topic to be injected is one concerning the new Xbox 360 Pro console equipped with HDMI and just how you may not have a true digital experience out of the box.
It turns out that the AV cable/adapter that comes packaged with the Pro restricts you from connecting the HDMI cable. Bottom line is that the component cable included with the Pro has a connecting end that’s just too big and it covers the HDMI port making it impossible to connect the HDMI cable when you want to use your optical cable for 5.1 Dolby. So it’s either utilize the HDMI or 5.1 Dolby but not both.
This applies to those of you who have A/V receivers without an HDMI connection like myself. I only have a receiver with optical ports for 5.1 Dolby so this would definitely bite the big one. The solution is to purchase the $49.99 HDMI cable with the smaller end. If you add that up though, an Xbox 360 Pro is now $400 when purchasing the HDMI cable thus making it only $50 cheaper than the Elite.
It makes sense then to simply spring for the Xbox 360 Elite no? Fifty extra dollars would get you 100 more gigs of hard drive space and the cables necessary right out of the box. Is this a Microsoft treat or trick? It’s Halloween today so you decide.
October 31st, 2007 at 12:11 pm
I had this happen to me with my halo edition 360 so i bit the bullet and bought the adapter….that made the console cost $450.
October 31st, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Good article Deac, I hadn’t heard this anywhere else.
October 31st, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Further proof that MS is way out of it’s league designing hardware.
Why do these things continue to be so easily overlooked? The entire engineering department deserves to be sacked.
October 31st, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I love my Elite… TRUTH!!!!
October 31st, 2007 at 2:56 pm
This has been one of my points since day one of the Prems having HDMI but no related cables like the Elite does. People need to look outside the box……
October 31st, 2007 at 3:14 pm
why look outside when what you need should be inside? lol
October 31st, 2007 at 3:16 pm
I’m not a big fan of all the different 360 SKUs anyway. Elite is the way to go.
October 31st, 2007 at 3:30 pm
Oh my Deacon open a can of worms here. There needs to be a solution right away or I agree with Sirharper. “The entire engineering department deserves to be sacked (and then slapped) for such an obvious overlook.”
Een with the optical cable IMHO the dolby sound is poor from the 360 and even worse the HD DVD add-on lacks True Dolby HD.
Bring back the old 360′s w/o HDMI…..lol. I mean does HDMI make that much of a difference in picture quality? We might as well use component b/c games w/o surround sound are not the same with True Dolby surround.
October 31st, 2007 at 3:39 pm
well it’s truth serum Jen
that stuff is potent lol
October 31st, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I couldn’t agree with Jen’s post more…
For me personally, I am happy enough with componet cables and legitimate surround sound, HDMI still hasn’t swayed me to budge…(I notice no major diffrence in picture performance, framerates or overall quality…IMHO.) basiclly the only bonus to having HDMI for me is it would free up some plugs on the back of my TV, plus I still am hooked on my console being “white”. They were black for so long I like the change and also my E3 05 faceplate would look like crap on an elite…seriously…poop smeared on a console, only white poop with green rings and chrome on it.
October 31st, 2007 at 10:53 pm
From what I hear, Microsoft is sending the adapters out for free to people who call.
October 31st, 2007 at 11:00 pm
the case i linked to had that happen to them but i didn’t make a note of it because i wasn’t sure if it were “just one of those things” or something they’ve implemented ya know.
best thing to do is call for those of you in this situation.
November 1st, 2007 at 7:31 am
Thats exactly why sites that expose these things are good. Those affected might not otherwise know.
In this very thread we have a person that paid to fix MS’s problem. That’s unfortunate.
November 1st, 2007 at 10:16 am
On the HDMI vs. Component issue I can can share my recent expirence…
I just switched from digital cable to Directv about 2 weeks ago. All Directv HD boxes have both connection types and include both cables. On my basement HDTV I decided to make the comparison. It was very easy to do..simply hook the box up both ways at the same time and switch the input select between them. I can tell you THERE IS a difference albiet slight.
Now I realize the equipment isn’t quite the same as a gaming console but still.
November 2nd, 2007 at 8:34 am
” I can tell you THERE IS a difference albiet slight.
Now I realize the equipment isn’t quite the same as a gaming console but still.”
Agreed, it isn’t a Major Diffrence…but a Major diffrence is what would be needed to move me down the bench. My thoughts on the whole HDMI issue is that when you walked into a room you couldn’t say “that’s HDMI” you would just be guessing, now that I hear they are helping those folks out with these problems I say make the jump if you need some extra ports on the back of your TV and your not intrested in the blackness of the Elite (like myself), if you already have a 360 that isn’t “equipped” keep it…and have comfort that you aren’t being totally shafted, again IMHO. o_O
November 2nd, 2007 at 8:39 am
yep i notice a small visual different as well..not enough to matter much but still..i’d like an hdmi set
November 2nd, 2007 at 8:57 am
“i’d like an hdmi set”
You and me both hoss, (but I would like to get the white console and just put my 120 gig hdd on it), I was just saying that for Jen’s post:
“I mean does HDMI make that much of a difference in picture quality? We might as well use component b/c games w/o surround sound are not the same with True Dolby surround.”
That there isn’t enough of a diffrence for me to re-purchase…know what I mean? HDMI shouldn’t be a deal breaker I guess is what I was trying to say…
January 30th, 2008 at 12:19 pm
HDMI supports up to 8 channels of audio (ie 7.1) so does the 360 utilize this or do u need to use the optical output.
January 30th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
i believe you’re good without using the optical. hdmi on the 360 covers it.
January 30th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
K thanx for the help. Now all i need to do is go buy a 360 w/ hdmi