Dolby digital monster help

[Toder]

All right i have the monster svideo hook ups along with the optical cable ,and when i play my xbox games the sound doesn't work. But when i play dvds or i'm in the dash board it works. So if anyone can help me figure out why i can't here the sounds with games but can with the dvds, please help.

[GokuX]

Wierd, have you gone to the audio options in the dashboard and set the sound mode for Dolby Digital?

[Zion]

Throw the Monster junk in the trash and go buy the real deal Microsoft Advanced a/v pack. The Microsoft brand is the only one that really works right.

[Dre]

Originally posted by Zion
Throw the Monster junk in the trash and go buy the real deal Microsoft Advanced a/v pack. The Microsoft brand is the only one that really works right.

Don't listen to this... I use the MadCatz one and it works great. I think the only thing you need to do is go to the dashboard and change your audio settings to enable dolby surround and dolby digital (and dts if your decoder supports it).

[Highlite23]

I have the same cables you have and they work fine, go with the dashboard suggestions and see what happens.

Also, make sure the toggle end of your Optical cable is all the way in. Good Luck.

[Fred Gasman]

The Madcatz Ultra AV Kit is the best.
It cost me 30$, and the cables alone are worth more than 40$ (you do the math)

[Toder]

Yes I have tried changing the audio settings in the dash board. andc the only one that works with the games is stereo mode. The dolby surround only works with dvds, same with dts and digital. And the receiver is a JVC 8010. and it supports all modes.

[Toder]

Sucess i finally got the digital sound to work. I left the audio mode on stereo mode and enabled the DTS and i just have the optical cable (not the RCAs) running to my receiver and i'm finally getting digital sound

[Jaiyan]

Hey Guys, I've gotta question (which seeing as this thread was relevant to it I thought I'd post here instead of creating a new thread).

I'm great with computers, but cack when it comes to home entertainment sound systems.

Basically I got my new telly and want a 5.1 sound system to use with it - primarily for my Xbox. I've been looking at various systems, yet I've seen a couple (sound systems by Soundstation and other console-orientated 2.1 and 5.1 speaker systems) saying "cables for Xbox included" on the sides of their boxes.

I looked at my Xbox and the only free slot I can see is the network port. I've asked two people where the sound system would plug into - one said the TV, one said a DVD player (I don't have one as I use my Xbox for DVDs, thus where would I plug it into my Xbox if this is the case).

So...

a) If the sound system plugs directly into the TV, I guess that when I'm playing on my Xbox the sounds will automatically come out of the speakers as 5 channels without any extra cables needed to be linked to the Xbox (just changing the audio option to Dolby on the dashboard). I think this is correct as the Xbox is (obviously) connected to the TV - but I just wanna check.

and b) What is this supposed "Xbox cable" and where on earth would it plug into the Xbox? Why is it included if it's not necessary?

Thanks for your time.
Jaiyan

[BCan]

Let me answer two posts at once:

Toder, I assume you are only getting Stereo from your XBOX, since the XBOX only pumps out Dolby Digital 5.1 for games, and not DTS....

Does your receiver for your optical cable only do DTS? From what I have read from your posts, this is what I can deduct.

This is why you are probably getting sound from DVD's, as this is where it could be able to pump out the raw DTS signal to the receiver.

Jaiyan:

a) Sound systems will never plug directly into the TV, unless you don't have a VCR or DVD. In most cases it will have a central area that ALL things will plug into it. IE Your TV/VCR/DVD/XBOX should have some room to connect to a central receiver.
I think you are unsure of what constitutes a 5.1 system. The signal needs to go to a receiver, that maybe a standalone piece, or integrated into one speaker.
Dolby Digital 5.1 is basically only enabled by the use of an optical cable to a Dolby Digital 5.1 receiver. So, no, it will not automatically come out as 5.1 sound....

A decent setup will have the following things:
-Dolby Digital receiver, IE the unit that has the chip that will enable 5.1 sound.

This will usually have an optical input that will handle the Dolby Digital signal. It will also have multiple inputs that will have single output. So connect your VCR/DVD/XBOX directly to the receiver, and have a single output to your TV. This will then have the receiver handling all the sound all the time.

-5 speakers, 4 can be the same, and a central. In most cases the front are better than the rear, even though the signal to the Front Left, Front Right, Rear Left and Rear Right are all of the same strength.
-1 Subwoofer - this will give the system some low level grunt. Whilst not specifically there to handle the .1 - LFE (Low Frequency Effects) - in genral, they are the sounds sent to a subwoofer.

As for b) - It is most likely to be connections to connect to the Advanced AV pack, that has an optical output, which will then carry the Dolby Digital 5.1 signal. So, I would assume a composite TV signal cable, and a cheap optical cable....

If this confuses you, or you need more clarification, go to a place where they will tell you everything clearly, and don't try to sell you equipment that maybe sub-par, or a lot more than you need.

[Highlite23]

Well done BCan

[Jaiyan]

Cheers, I understand now.
I've seen the receivers before, but didn't realise exactly what they were/did.

Thanks for your help!

[Toder]

Bcan the reciever i'm using decodes dolby digital and DTS and i could only get the dolbly to work with my dvds using 5.1 sound. Honstly i don't know why the games work of the optical cable with the stereo and dts enables. or why dvds are able to use the dolby digital 5.1. It works for now, but if you are able to help me get the full dolby digital 5.1 for the games i would really like that.

[Toder]

alright i think i got it figured out why my dolby digital isn't working. Mind you this is not my reciever its my roommates. the reason why i think its not working is because you cannot enable dolby digital because my friend does not have a woofer hooked up to his reciever thus you can't enable the dolby digital. i have i a ten inch bass amp i think i can buy an rca adapter and hook it up. i'll try tommorrow upfully it'll work. /me keeps fingers crossed.

[Zion]

Originally posted by Dre


Don't listen to this... I use the MadCatz one and it works great. I think the only thing you need to do is go to the dashboard and change your audio settings to enable dolby surround and dolby digital (and dts if your decoder supports it).

Cripes, people. It's COMMON KNOWLEDGE that the Monster does not work right and the Mad Catz is a pile of junk. You're lucky if you can get the Mad Catz to work at all. Don't you people do any research before buying this overpriced stuff???

[BCan]

Originally posted by Toder
alright i think i got it figured out why my dolby digital isn't working. Mind you this is not my reciever its my roommates. the reason why i think its not working is because you cannot enable dolby digital because my friend does not have a woofer hooked up to his reciever thus you can't enable the dolby digital. i have i a ten inch bass amp i think i can buy an rca adapter and hook it up. i'll try tommorrow upfully it'll work. /me keeps fingers crossed.

Cheat and enable the subwoofer channel, even without the subwoofer connected. Most receivers will not ask for what speakers are connected, you will need to tell it what you have connected. I have an Akai, and it asks if I have rears, centre and subwoofer, and if all are on, I can use DD 5.1

I will soon replace it anyway, want one with DTS as well. A few too many good DVD's are coming out with that as their only surround sound option, and I want them........

[Zion]

Yeah, the receiver will never know whether you have a subwoofer hooked up anyway. It's just a preamp level signal.

[BCan]

But he'll miss the very nice rumble you get when you blow something up with a grenade in Halo!!

As for what sound he gets, I assume that it is spitting out Dolby Pro Logic from the receiver, and not Dolby Digital......

[Dre]

Originally posted by Zion



Cripes, people. It's COMMON KNOWLEDGE that the Monster does not work right and the Mad Catz is a pile of junk. You're lucky if you can get the Mad Catz to work at all. Don't you people do any research before buying this overpriced stuff???

Once again I'll say it in case you don't understand it the 2nd time... I use the Mad Catz and it works great. Whats all the huff-puff about anyways, its just an AV pack. They all work the same way.. its not like one has this amazing superiority to it or anything. Plus, the Mad Catz one comes with an optical cable already so that saves you alot of $$ too. And last I checked, the Mad Catz and the MS where the same price even though you still have to go buy an optical cable with the MS one. Maybe you should do some research?

[Dre]

no deletes