Quick Guide to connecting your Xbox to your tv. All connection types.

[LynxFX]

This picture is a rip from monstercables site but I figured it should clarify some questions and confusion members are having.

Some notes:

Video quality goes from: connectors with an * means composite stereo audio

composite : worst : yellow *red/white* connectors

standard xbox cables (no option for optical)
Monster cable GL 200x (optical cable extra $)


s-video : good : round 5 pin connector *red/white* connectors

Advanced AV Pack (optical cable extra $)(includes video connector)
Monster cable GL 300x (optical cable extra $)


component : best : red, green, blue *red/white* connectors

HD AV Pack (optical cable extra $)
Monster cable GL 400x



To use the optical connection you need a receiver that has an optical input or a tv that has an optical input(some higher end tvs now have that option but it won't give you DD 5.1). To get Dolby Digital 5.1 you will need the optical connection into an A/V receiver that supports DD 5.1. Then you need the 5.1 speaker setup. front left, center, front right, rear left, rear right, subwoofer.

You can hook up the audio to your stereo with the composite connects which are present on all cable options. (red, white). Just connect those to the left and right input on your stereo (refer to your manual) and the video cable will still go to your tv.

Hope this helps. The diagram should really help. For those that got the Microsoft cables just replace:

GL 200x with Standard xbox cables
GL 300x with Advanced AV Pack
GL 400x with HD AV Pack

http://www.monstercables.com/hookup/images/xbox_hookup.jpg

[Msterrrr]

Gr8 post Lynxfx thx:D :cool: :D

[Gdiguy]

awesome... one quick thing, thou, what's their website?

[LynxFX]

www.monstercables.com

[xboxpebbles]

nice idea:)
im a little confused though..
i only have yellow and white..no red
could u explain my situation(w/
a possible pic?)
thanks:):)

[LynxFX]

Your connection is the same as the scenario 1, with the composite cables. The only difference is that you have mono sound so only white, no red. Just hook it up the same and leave the red cable dangling. You can get a stereo to mono adaptor from Radio Shack to combine the red and white cable coming from the xbox to just one cable which you would plug into the white on your tv. Sorry no pic but it is the same as the first option I showed above.

[Hugh_Jass]

I wouldn't term composite as "worst". That has negative implications. The XBOX looks great, even using composite cables. However, it will look better using the other methods.

Besides, I think RF is even worse than composite. :)

[LynxFX]

Yeah, I still have a dislike for composite. It is a personal thing. :) There is no doubt that RF is the worst but I left it out because, 1, wasn't in the diagram and I didn't have any other pics, and 2, figured if you are using an RF adaptor you can read the directions on the package. Not hard to figure out that coax connection. :)

So hopefully this will help those that keep seeing cables that look very similar yet are called different names and the purpose and performance. I mean really, how many theads have you and I personally answered questions to reguarding the same connection questions?

But back to basics, composite is the worst of the three.

[l Maximus l]

Personally, if anyone is using an RFU connection, I pitty them...that would absolutely suck the juice out of sand :eek:

If there is a case where someone actually has a TV with ONLY an RFU connection and they want to upgrade it (STRONGLY RECOMMENDED), you might want to also update your telephone to a push button and get rid of that 8 track cassette player :D hehe...jk

[rune holm]

what about SCART sticks?? does n1one know those?

[Hugh_Jass]

European connections are a mystery to me. :)

I am curious, however, about the XBOX solutions in Europe. I imagine you'd have better luck consulting a EuroXBOX site for this information.

[LynxFX]

I take it SCART connectors are what they use in Europe? I have heard of the term but have no clue what it is.

[xboxman_1]

If there is a case where someone actually has a TV with ONLY an RFU connection and they want to upgrade it (STRONGLY RECOMMENDED), you might want to also update your telephone to a push button and get rid of that 8 track cassette player hehe...jk

Hey!! I'm only 15, so the TV in my room kind of sucks. It's pretty old, so it only has an RF connection. The TV in our living room has the colored cables, so when my parents aren't home me and my friends go play down there. (The TV is bigger in the living room.) Since I have obviously seen both pictures a lot, to defend the modest TV in my room, I think the colored cables and the the RF adapter give exactly the same picture quality. At least I can't tell the difference, so that's all that matters.

[SciFi]

What about TVs that have the yellow, red, white and S video...

[l Maximus l]

Originally posted by xboxman_1


Hey!! I'm only 15, so the TV in my room kind of sucks. It's pretty old, so it only has an RF connection. The TV in our living room has the colored cables, so when my parents aren't home me and my friends go play down there. (The TV is bigger in the living room.) Since I have obviously seen both pictures a lot, to defend the modest TV in my room, I think the colored cables and the the RF adapter give exactly the same picture quality. At least I can't tell the difference, so that's all that matters.

Well, dude...it depends on the TV. I understand that if you are playing on a TV that is 27" or smaller, you won't see a huge difference at all. But, on my 36" Toshiba S-Video TV, I tried the Composite cables and immediately after tried the S-Video Advanced A/V Pack cables and I saw a huge difference. The clarity was much better, more crisp, and the colors were much more rich. So, I guess it depends on your set up.

[LynxFX]

Originally posted by SciFi
What about TVs that have the yellow, red, white and S video...

You use one or the other. Composite yellow for video or Svideo for video. Sound would be the same red, white composite unless you go optical.

[PENGUIN112]

hey can you guys help me? look for my thread please

[xboxman_1]

But, on my 36" Toshiba S-Video TV, I tried the Composite cables and immediately after tried the S-Video Advanced A/V Pack cables and I saw a huge difference.
Ya, I'm sure there's a big difference between composite and S-video, but I'm talking about the difference between RF and Composite. There is none IMO.

[DIGITAL]

I HAVE A 27 INCH TV IN MY ROOM WITH THE S CABLE <SHOULD I BUY THE S CABLE FOR MY XBOX,WILL I NOTICE THE CHANGE! PLUS I HAVE A 55 INCH WIDESCREEN DOWNSTAIRS WITH THE S CABLE I WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WOULD MAKE A DIFFRENCE,CAUSE WHEN I PLAY DOA3 ON THE WIDE SCREEN IT DOESNT LOOK AS CRISP AS ON THE 27 INCH EVEN AFTER I SWITCH THE VIDEO SETTING TO WIDESCREEN,IM HOPING SOME ONE COULD GIVE ME SOME ADVICE,,,,THANKS

[DIGITAL]

i was thinking of buying the s video cable

[gtaplayer]

ok i have a question on the back of my toshiba 25 inch tv theres a red ,yellow, and white plugs for the cables...now what would be the best cables i put in there for the maximum picture....or i would only have to use the composite cables??



my second quesiton is on the tv in the livving room there is a 35 inch toshiba television and in the back its set up and ts got a s/video which connected 2 the tv with just a black plug...but on the other end theres a red yellow and white plug connectted to da vcr...wats that...also theres a video1 red white and yello and theres a video 2 red black and gray...whats that all about??!?!




And my third question is i want to hook up my system 2 the tv in my room:
http://www.sears.com/data/product_images/electronics/large/05790921000-dlv.jpg
but i dont kno what cables i need, in the back of the stero system theres a black and red aux plug, and the stero system came with a white and red plug and a black sorta like a microphone plug on the other end???? mi so confused some1 please help...Thanks alot for the help

[LynxFX]

gtaplayer,

Buy the Advanced AV Pack and you will be able to connect to all three of your situations.

TV 1: You will just use the standard cables that come with the xbox. You can just leave that cable connection in that room and leave the Advanced AV Pack with the Toshiba in the living room.

TV 2: You will use the Advanced AV Pack and connect the S-video cable to the tv.
You will connect the red and white composite cables to the tv audio in which should also be red and white. Or since you want to hook it up to your stereo forget connecting the red and white to the tv and hook it up to the aux in on your stereo, red and white. To hear it on your stereo you will need to switch the source on your stereo to AUX, read your manual to find out how.

That should do it.

All of those other connections on the back of your tv is so you can keep adding more and more video in devices. Another VCR, a DVD player, etc. They are just more connections so you don't have to keep unplugging one to plug in the other. Then you just choose the source on your tv so it will switch to the right one. But if you have S-video then I would reserve that for the xbox.

The more and more stuff that you add the more confusing your connections get but it should all be do-able. I should take a picture of all the cables behind my AV rack. If I didn't look at it for a year I would be confused as to what everything does. Actually I just looked now, some things I have forgotten what they do. :)