[shibbiness]

Just thought I'd show you how to connect your computer's speakers to your xbox seeing as many people use their computer monitors to game as well.

This guide is based on using your computer setup to run both your xbox and PC together with the same display/sound devices.

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*Note*
If you have an amp, or a sub with the standard RCA inputs, then you should be fine hooking up your speakers. However if your Red and White audio cables on your xbox 360 cant reach the amp/sub, you can get one of these :
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=search

Just get a set of av cables and hook up with the coupler, and to your sub/amp.

USING YOUR COMPUTER SPEAKERS
For those of you who want to use your computer speakers, this is what you do.

What you need:
- Either a "RCA Female to 3.5mm Female Adaptor" or a "RCA Female to 3.5 Male Adapter".
- I will explain how to use either one.

METHOD 1
RCA FEMALE TO 3.5mm Female

1. Simply connect your xbox 360 red and white cables into the corresponding slots, and your green speaker wire (from your computer speakers) to the female 3.5mm part of the adapter. The only downfall with this cable is that you will have to take the speaker wire out of your computer and into this adapter when you switch from PC to Xbox.

METHOD 2
RCA FEMALE TO 3.5mm MALE
I for one like this method better, and this is what I use.

To use this adapter, do the following:
1. Plug in your adapter into the Microphone slot on your soundcard/onboard audio on your computer.
2. Connect your xbox 360 red/white cables to the other side of the adapter.
3. On your computer, make sure your Microphone playback volume is on, and high enough for your satisfaction. To do this, follow these steps:

XP:
Control Panel (category view)> Sound, Speech, Audio Devices>Sound and Audio devices>Advanced (in device volume section)> Now you should be in master volume, go to options>Properties> Make sure Microphone is enabled in playback

Vista/Windows 7:
Plug the adapter into the LINE IN slot instead of the microphone slot.
Control Panel>Hardware and Sound>Realtek Audio Manager>Line In>Raise the Playback volume.
*Note that Realtek Audio Manager is obviously only if you have their drivers.*

And yes, your computer does need to be on for this to work. I suggest muting some windows sounds such as MSN, AIM etc. before you go in game.

Good luck.

-edit- I don't check this thread anymore, and there are probably better guides out there by now.

 

[Darkknight512]

Actually if you are lucky some speaker sets have 2 inputs, I have a Yamaha YST- MS-30 (Old but sounds freaking awesome) set and at the back there are 2 inputs, the amp will just combine the 2 inputs.

 

[shibbiness]

Yes. Theres also the optical option if you have better speakers like the popular z-5500's. Too bad the x-540s dont have optical :

 

[MXjunk127]

Don't you need a monitor with VGA or DVI input?

 

[Reiniku]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MXjunk127 Don't you need a monitor with VGA or DVI input?

Is it even possible to buy a monitor that doesn't have a VGA input?

The simple solution if you have a monitor with a single vga input would be go buy a kvm switch.

 

[shibbiness]

I guess the video part was kind of useless, but hopefully the part about connecting to computer speakers can help.

 

[KengKeng]

http://www.chadledford.com/?p=50
http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/l...onent%20cable/

HDMI - DVI + sound from the component mod
this is what i use. 16:10 SUPPORT WILL COME IN FALL !!

 

[Oracle Actual]

Quick question.
I've used the line-in method of piping the audio through my pc speakers and it worked great...in vista and xp.

I'm having a bit of trouble in ubuntu hardy. Any suggestions?

Note: all the connections are the same as in xp and vista.
360-> hd vga cable-> monitor and rca joiner-> line-in and vga

 

[Piro Fyre]

You kind of don't need the official Microsoft HDMI kit for the 360. Regular AV cables would do just fine, as long as it has that indent on them.

eg: This one has that indent.
http://cgi.ebay.com/RCA-AV-Composite...QQcmdZViewItem

I've seen some newer 360s not having these idents and are pretty much bulky and prevents you from plugging in that HDMI cord. With the indent though, it'll allow you to plug it in. Heck, you can even use the VGA cord for sound (only the red and white plug, not the actual VGA port).

If HDMI doesn't work at first, try this.

 

[sugarton]

I just got an Xbox and I would also like to connect it to my display. I understand the VGA adapter part no problem, but would I be able to connect the red/white optical audio to the optical in on my X-Fi sound card? If not, I'll just buy the adapter but $8 saved is still $8 saved...

 

[Badie05]

Thanks. Really useful info

 

[DeaDLocK]

thanks, will be doing this tonight... Apart from I will use VGA Cable just for sound and a HDMI cable + DVI adapter for monitor.

 

[shibbiness]

alright, good luck. check back in if ya can.

 

[shibbiness]

*updated*

 

[Duncster]

I'm looking to do this method for my 360 and monitor, but I am having trouble with the audio portion of it. I think my best way of setting up the audio to my desktop speakers would be through the RCA female to 3.5mm female adapter. Only problem is that I can't seem to find an adapter like the one you have posted here.

Simply put, WHERE CAN I BUY THIS?^^^^^

I've searched Newegg, Amazon, Cables To Go... no luck. Can anyone provide a link to what I am looking for. Thanks.

 

[madmanx1x1]

what happens if when you connect both cables and the system reboots with no picture?

 

[shnoops]

What cables are in question?

And also does the jack on the Line-in port give you say....

will it produce 5.1 surround sound if thats how you computer speakers are set up?

 

[madmanx1x1]

If i plug my HDMI-DVI-D and the standard 360 VGA adapter the system restarts and has no video.

 

[shibbiness]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duncster I'm looking to do this method for my 360 and monitor, but I am having trouble with the audio portion of it. I think my best way of setting up the audio to my desktop speakers would be through the RCA female to 3.5mm female adapter. Only problem is that I can't seem to find an adapter like the one you have posted here. Simply put, WHERE CAN I BUY THIS?^^^^^ I've searched Newegg, Amazon, Cables To Go... no luck. Can anyone provide a link to what I am looking for. Thanks.

http://www.audiogear.com/cgi-bin/sho...&preadd=action

Thats the first one i found. I dont know about that store though never heard of it.

One question though, are you going to share the speakers with your computer? If so it might be a hassle switching the 3.5mm back and forth between 360 and PC if you use this method. I really recommend the other method, but its your choice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shnoops What cables are in question? And also does the jack on the Line-in port give you say.... will it produce 5.1 surround sound if thats how you computer speakers are set up?

Yes it will as long as you have your 3 speaker wires hooked up to your computer. We have similar speakers (i have the x-540s) so it should work the same. Just make sure you set your 360 console settings to 5.1 surround sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by madmanx1x1 If i plug my HDMI-DVI-D and the standard 360 VGA adapter the system restarts and has no video.

Assuming your 360 vga adapter is the only vga cable set up into your monitor, are you using DVI on the same monitor for your computer? If so, disconnect that from your monitor and try it, or press menu on your monitor and see if you can switch outputs from digital to analog.

 

[shibbiness]

Bump.

Just fixed the old guide a bit, and took out the unneccessary video section since that was straight forward.