XBOX Dolby Digital 2 Channel rip off. Wheres the 5.1

[Capt Marvel]

Has anyone noticed that while most games show the Dolby Digital symbol. They infact only play 2 channel digital signal.
Not DD5.1. I should have noticed that DD means nothing without the 5.1 beside it. They do the same thing with movies.

Are there any games that do 5.1?
Does MS plan to offer it on up comming titles?

I feel slighly ripped that I purchased the Adv AV pak to go optical to see no benefit. I can prologic with RCA L/ R ...Why spend $20 on an optical cable to get 2 channel

[Vteck3000]

Halo, Star Wars Star Fighter feature 5.1 Also Brute Force and Circus Maximus will support 5.1 Not all games do right now because developers are consentrating on making the game. Soon they will start developing the sound at the same time. Lord of the Rings will feature 5.1

[idloveaguinness]

Dolby Digital does not necessarily mean 5.1. Dolby Digital can be in several formats: Mono, Stereo or Surround (3 + channels)

"Dolby Digital" is just part of the equation, what is also important is the # of channels.

I have Halo and Gotham Racing, and both supply 5.1 to my Marantz HT Receiver.........

AMAZING sound, actually.

[Capt Marvel]

Interesting I have Halo yet I only see 3 channel not 5.1. No where that I can find documents 5.1 audio. Do you have a link to review perhaps.

[idloveaguinness]

Try going through the XBOX audio setup menu again.

Make sure you have DD 5.1 (I think that's the label of the option - I'll check tonite for you) selected......there is also a Dolby Surround (normally 3 ch), which is what it seems you have selected.........and a DTS option.

I do not have a link to a review that says anything about 5.1 for Halo......trust me, it's there.....same with Gotham Racing.

[Capt Marvel]

I must try that again. I have done so and i swear I only saw Dolby Surround. Yet me thinks the first time I turned it on I saw 5.1. Perhaps I unplug it to force the set up again.

Let me know what you find

[Wolf1171]

Originally posted by Capt Marvel
I must try that again. I have done so and i swear I only saw Dolby Surround. Yet me thinks the first time I turned it on I saw 5.1. Perhaps I unplug it to force the set up again.

Let me know what you find

You won't see the Dolby Digital unless you have the Advanced AV pack hooked up (or am I thinking of something else?). When I first played HALO I hadn't hooked up the Advanced AV yet , but when I did the Dobly Digital option came up.

[idloveaguinness]

If he is getting Dolby Surround (3 channel),....he has either the Advanced or High Def pack hooked up already with a toslink (optical) cable.

Methinks it's a matter of option settings........

[Capt Marvel]

Well I have looked thru Halo for 5.1 enable with no luck.

In the Dash Board it only gives Dolby Surround for me.

Perhaps someone else can confirm what Audio options their Dash board has.

[Chaotic]

There should be a dolby digital setting in the Console.

Sounds like to me that something isnt hooked up right.

I get 5.1!!!!

Are you using an Optical or Coaxial 5.1 cable? And with what expansion pak?

[idloveaguinness]

Mentor:

Where do you see a digital Coax jack? I have seen nothing but Toslink (Optical) for the XBOX on both the advanced and HD pac's.

[BlaZeR2]

I can confirm
if you have the advanced AV pack or the HD AV pack, you should have an option to enable DD 5.1 and DTS.

If you only use the Standard AV pack, than you will only have the option for Dolby Surround.

and yes, halo does support 5.1 through the digital optical connection.


dloveaguinness,

you don't need the digital optical cable (toslink) to obtain dolby surround (3 channel) - that signal can be carried over standard red and white RCA cables.
otherwise, you wouldn't be able to get dolby surround sound from your vcr without a digital cable. Anyway, the standard AV pack does the Dolby Surround, just not the DD 5.1 or the DTS.

I would power the xbox down
make sure your Advanced AV pack is seated properly, then power up and cehck settings

You should find a setting for DD 5.1 and DTS (i don't know if you have to have the toslink cable plugged in for the option to appear or not)

Good luck...

BlaZeR2

[idloveaguinness]

You're right about that........I was thinking *native* dolby surround, rather than one recieved through processing the surround channel from the L/R channels at the reciever.......

[Capt Marvel]

Ok Here is what I got for AV pak

MADCAT ADV AV Pak.

Has RCA Video L/R Audio /S-Video with cable /and OPtical port with Optical cables.


There is not option to do Dolby Digital. Just Dolby Surround. Someone do me a favor and post a pic of their Dash with Dolby Digital. Just so I don't go insane.

I will return the madcat if this is the problem, but I think most would agree MadCat makes good stuff.

[idloveaguinness]

Well, I don't have a pic of my Audio setup screen, but there are three options - one I have set to dolby surround, one to dolby digital (yes) and the last to DTS (yes).

I think it's your MADCAT..........

[BlaZeR2]

well, just to be certain
only plug the s-video in and the optical cable in
there is no reason to have the red and white RCA cables plugged in along with the optical cable

if that doesn't do it

i would definately take that back, and pick up the Microsoft Advanced AV pack. Because I know several people that have the MS one, and all have Dolby Digital 5.1 working without a problem.

Just my experience talking....

BlaZeR2

[Capt Marvel]

Agreed I will take it back tonight.

BTW I dont have the RCA's plugged in.

[Alvin]

I had the exact same problem with Monster 200X w/optical. Tried everything, pulled my hair out - finally confirmed that Monster had a bad batch of cables. The Xbox couldn't "see" that it could support 5.1 and DTS. Got a new Monster, hooked it up (make sure it is a firm connection in the back of the Xbox) and the mysterious Dobly 5.1 and DTS screens appeared. Good luck.

[Capt Marvel]

Ahh ok Ill try a different opt cable b4 I return it.