Following the publication of the news yesterday TV, PC, console: better connect your audio installation, two forum users, Valken and Dark Miyabi, have put together solutions to connect an optical cable to the output of Xbox 360, at the same time as the HDMI cable.
A reminder of the facts: I am trying to optimize the cabling of my audio installation. The last blocking element concerns the Xbox 360. Until now, I had not found a solution to output the sound on one side, via an optical audio cable, and on the other side, the image, via an HDMI cable . It is physically impossible to connect the original YUV cable (which incorporates the Toslink optical output) and the HDMI cable at the same time. It does not go through.
Two solutions: one clean, the other less
The first is the purchase of a thinner accessory that can be slipped over the HDMI port (the Xbox 360 VGA cable for example). The other involves using a screwdriver at your own risk. The procedure is barbaric, it must be emphasized, but it works. I can guarantee you that, I sacrificed my cable to verify it. An animated gif on Chad Ledford's site describes the procedure. To summarize, it is about popping the plastic wrap around the socket, to gain thickness, and try to pass the original cable above the HDMI cable. Needless to say, the after-sales service return after this delicate operation is unthinkable.
Here is the final diagram of my installation:
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Thus, I can benefit from the very good picture quality offered by the Xbox 360 for DVD playback (via HDMI) and 5.1 sound (via Toslink optical cable) on the speakers. The total cost of the installation: Logitech Z-5400 speaker kit (200 euros), 3 HDMI cables (30 euros each) and 3 Toslink optical cables (10 euros each), amounts to 320 euros. At this price, and with the appreciation of the level of requirement of my ears, I will be patient before investing in the purchase of an amp.
Last point, to optimize the optical inputs on your speaker kit, you can purchase an optical switch (image on the right). Thank you to Gargantua of the forum for this clarification and to PapyVince for the launch and the follow-up of the topic How to wire your Home-Cinema, where you can post any questions relating to the cabling of your installation.
