NXE causing problems with HDMI sound

By Robert Purchese Published 24 November, 2008

Internet finds temporary solution.

Microsoft has confirmed it's aware of the sound glitch occurring with HDMI connections to the New Xbox Experience.

That's according to Xbox 360 Fanboy, which has also spotted a temporary solution on the AVForums to use in the meantime.

First, turn off the Xbox 360 and remove the hard drive. Next, switch the console on and wait for the Dashboard to load. Once that's done, replace the hard drive, and hey presto, the sound should return.

Unfortunately, however, you have to do the same fix every time you turn your machine on, apparently.

The New Xbox Experience launched around the world last Wednesday, and most notably introduced Mii-like avatars to the console. And despite these sound complaints, the service has had a smooth roll-out.

Head over to our New Xbox Experience gamepage for our thoughts on the new Dashboard.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (35) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Darren #1 3 years ago

    I use both my Xbox 360 and PS3 with HDMI (both use official cables) but the sound is routed to a surround sound amp via an optical cable so I've no idea if I can actually get sound through my TV through HDMI or not with my Xbox 360. I guess I ought to try it tonight to see if I have this problem but unless my amp dies it isn't really an issue for me. Needs sorting out a.s.a.p. though.

  • Landmaster #2 3 years ago

    Better be fixed for my festive gaming (:

  • Darren #3 3 years ago

    @MrED209 - Well I'm still getting sporadic freeze ups on the dashboard when accessing the Guide or Friends list that can last up to 30 seconds, which I never got during the two weeks I used the leaked NXE offline so that issue is almost certainly caused by an oversubscribed LIVE. I've had to no crashes or sysyem lock ups though. Also the Marketplace can be unbearably slow at times, particularly at obtaining the info for the Featured Download bits. It's getting better but overall my LIVE experience isn't as smooth as it was pre-NXE at this point.

    That said, the other improvements to the dashboard with NXE make these "teething" issues forgiveable although I hope they are totally fixed soon as it's been nearly a week since NXE launched now.

  • bioreit #4 3 years ago

    Been fine for me on two out of my three 360s - one Elite from July last year and a 60GB from this August. Haven't tried out my old 20GB from early 2007 yet - lent it to my boss whose 360 died a couple of weeks back.

    I can understand people having issues though - it's a major update and with, what, 24 millon consoles?, if even half of a tenth of one percent have problems, you're talking 12,000 people. Many of those are likely to be vocal Internet people too.

    At least Microsoft are admitting this one early on for once and there should be a more permanent fix coming soonish.

    Still would suck to be one of the affected though.

  • systems #5 3 years ago

    I was going to post some comments but bioreit has said it all for me.

  • cyacomini #6 3 years ago

    Yup - I've had this happen 3 or 4 times now. Only when playing GHWT though - doesn't seem to happen with anything else.

    As long as they fix it pretty soon I'll be happy enough, just glad to know it isn't my surround system on the way out - which is just what it seemed like!

  • Dizzy #7 3 years ago

    "Plenty of people experiencing crashes, hangs, slow-downs, freezes and error codes"

    That was only the first few days... seemed some parts of the marketplace were pretty stressed.
    Edited by 1 at 24/11/08 @ 12:31

  • Bealsy #8 3 years ago

    I noticed this the other day, the 5.1 amp was showing it was only coming through in stereo. Fixed it by plugging the optical cable into the 360 optical connector on one of my 360 cables instead of out from the tv. Can't remember which one it is, think its the VGA one

  • Dr.Mott #9 3 years ago

    I'm convinced it was installing a game that caused my Xbox Elite to RRoD. It crashed, so I turned it off, and planned to delete it from the harddrive. But then, dead.

    So while I'm waitinf for it getting sent back, I'm going to need a new hobby. I might take up reading.

  • MaxiSleep #10 3 years ago

    No probs for me as yet (Panasonic tv)

  • Bealsy #11 3 years ago

    I think the problem is coming from HDMI going into tv, then optical going from tv to amp. I've got the optical going straight from my 360 to my amp now, and no issues, showing up as DTS again, but shows stereo when coming from the tv, when it was showing DTS before.

  • RexRunti #12 3 years ago

    I'm using HDMI sound and haven't noticed any issues. Though pre-NXE i did get the occasional stereo instead of 5.1 input. Not sure if it was caused by the 360 or Amp though and just needs a bid of reseting of something to fix.

  • Darren #13 3 years ago

    @Harry - Believe me, I'd be using HDMI for surround sound if I could but although my Sony amp supports HDMI, it is only for the picture. I'm more than happy with plain old DD5.1 and DTS though, particularly as the bit-rate with BD movies is much higher than DVDs for both, typically 640 Kbps and 1.5 Mbps compared with the 480-ish Kbps of DVDs so I'm happy.

  • StooMonster #14 3 years ago

    HDMI's use of HDCP (Intel's DRM for video and audio signals) makes it a compatibility pig, that and the fact that the HDMI spec continues to evolve.

    Although it could be worse, the original Sky HD boxes allegedly fried the HDMI receiver chips in certain Pioneer displays.

  • septimus #15 3 years ago

    Glad I haven't had that issue. Sounds a complete pain in the ass.

  • aphexstwin #16 3 years ago

    not happy with nxe tbh. many on the uk ps3 forums liken this to home, but at least you can choose to download home. if it were my choice, just give my blades back, make it optional. no real problems with my nxe, tho, typical microdollar, they hype up the friends and community aspects only to find 'spotlight' highlighted at bootup instead, which is adverts and stuff to buy from mp. as pesci says, 'always the fuckin dollars' (casino)

    im still wondering why tho, why havent they put in fast forward or rewind into the music player? (it wasnt even on the fattyxbox)

  • bioreit #17 3 years ago

    @ aphexstwin

    "just give my blades back"

    Guide button - voila! Welcome back to pretty much your blade system. There really isn't much missing from that compared to the old one.

  • aphexstwin #18 3 years ago

    bio... im already wearing the fucker out! its still the only place where you can read bios too.

    BLADES FTEPICW1!!!111!!

  • penhalion #19 3 years ago

    @aphexstwin

    Who told you you can choose to download home?

    You can choose not to use it though........

  • CreepinJesus #20 3 years ago

    FFS - do you think it would be possible for you to mention the NXE without bringing Miis into it all?

  • aniki Verified Web Developer, YoYo Games Ltd #21 3 years ago

    @aphexstwin - Sort of; if you go to your friends list and click on the person you want to view, then press A again when their profile card comes up, you'll be able to view their bio.

  • Ferral #22 3 years ago

    Mine was doing this prior to installing NXE. When it does it have to put the standard lead in for a few days and then change back to the HDMI to get the sound working again.

  • aphexstwin #23 3 years ago

    no aniki (?) all i get is send message, compare games. no read bio. and i will choose to download home btw, nothing ventured nothing gained. and i dont get why my 360/ps3 isnt affected by updates either. i reckon its people who wanna cry cos their suggestion for an addition didnt make it. or something like that. still, blades kick ass

  • slave23d #24 3 years ago

    Wow, i get no issues with NXE nor do anyone i know. Odd. And my Xbox is a launch one, which quite frankly i expect to die, but its still plodding along.

  • metalnut #25 3 years ago

    HDMI sound (direct to TV) is fine for me too, used it before & after NXE with no issues (Sony Bravia). Sounds like BenQ TVs are particularly susceptible for some reason.

  • Darren #26 3 years ago

    I have a Sony Bravia HDTV, the D3000, so it sounds (no pun intended) like HDMI audio will likely be fine with mine anyway. I'll check it later on although the thought of actually playing games with audio through the TV makes me shudder as surround sound really has spoilt me to the point where the previous acceptable TV sound now comes across as tinny and naff quality.

  • drumbaby #27 3 years ago

    Quality.

  • ZxdarkstarxZ #28 3 years ago

    I have had no sound problems at all with my hdmi. The marketplace is slow admittedly but thats to be expected. For me the update has been pretty smooth overall ^^ Its got some great features aswell.

  • spamjavelins #29 3 years ago

    sorry if this has already been mentioned,but has anyone else had any problems charging their pad with the play and charge kit? If i turn my xbox off with the pad connected up,after about 10-20 seconds,the light on the charging cable goes green;even if i've just plugged it in. So I left it on yesterday whilst it was charging,and it stayed red after about 7 hours! It didn't even go green. My xbox is new, so i dont think it'll be hardware related.

  • towser #30 3 years ago

    I'm one of those suffering from the sound issue. I have my Elite plugged directly into my 24" Iiyama Pro Lite monitor. Worked a treat bfore the NXE update.

    I have been assured by MS they are working on this and a patch is expected soon. As for the workarounds, I have tried them but nothing worked so far.

  • NotSoSlim #31 3 years ago

    I seriously do not see the ned for the avatars as the do bugger all but every MS major update causes issues so are any of us suprised?

  • RedSparrows #32 3 years ago

    Is there any need for red shoes? No? OH OK.

  • tjlazr #33 3 years ago

    My launch model died as a result of the rigours of NXE i'm pretty sure of it. 3 rings of light within hours of installing GoW2 on the harddrive. The good news is at least MS are replacing the machine, fingers crossed I'll have HDMI, glitches and all.

  • izak #34 3 years ago

    Question to HDMI 360 users: is it possible to have only the video through the HDMI and the audio though the optical out (the one embedded in the multi-AV cable)? My amp does not gave HDMI and my TV does not have optical out...
    Edited by 1 at 25/11/08 @ 13:24

  • Nomgle #35 3 years ago

    Question to HDMI 360 users: is it possible to have only the video through the HDMI and the audio though the optical out (the one embedded in the multi-AV cable)?

    Yes.
    However, you can't physically fit both cables into the back of the XBox at the same time. So either take the plastic cover off the multi-av-cable's connector (makes it small enough to fit - see http://fa rm2.static.flickr.com/1326/1473... ) or spend £14.95 on Microsoft's "spacer" http://ww w.amazon.co.uk/Xbox-360-HDMI-Ca...