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Connect your Xbox 360 console to a sound system

HDMI cable (high-definition TV or monitor only)

If you connect your console directly to your HDTV with an HDMI cable, you also need the following to connect to a sound system:

Xbox 360 S console

Original Xbox 360 console
  • A digital audio (S/PDIF or TOSLINK) cable

    • -or-

  • A standard stereo audio cable and an HDMI audio adapter

    • Note The Xbox 360 S has a built-in S/PDIF (optical audio) port for the digital audio cable. An HDMI audio adapter is optional if needed for your system.

  • A digital audio (S/PDIF or TOSLINK) cable and an HDMI audio adapter

    • -or-

  • A standard stereo audio cable and an HDMI audio adapter

Digital audio (S/PDIF or TOSLINK) cable

picture
Xbox 360 S console
  1. Leave the HDMI cable connected to your TV for video.
  2. Connect one end of the digital audio cable to the S/PDIF (optical audio) port on the console.
  3. Connect the other end of the digital audio cable to the digital audio input on your receiver.
picture
Original Xbox 360 console
  1. Leave the HDMI cable connected to your TV for video.
  2. Connect the HDMI audio adapter to the A/V port on the console.
  3. Connect one end of the digital audio cable to the HDMI audio adapter.
  4. Connect the other end of the digital audio cable to the digital audio input in your receiver.

Standard stereo audio cable

picture
  1. Leave the HDMI cable connected to your TV for video.
  2. Connect the HDMI audio adapter to the A/V port on the console.
  3. Connect the white and red connectors on the stereo audio cable to the corresponding ports on the HDMI audio adapter.
  4. Connect the connectors on the other end of the stereo audio cable to the stereo input ports on your receiver.

Other A/V cables for Xbox 360

Most A/V cables for the Xbox 360 console have both video and audio connectors. Instead of the audio connectors on the A/V cable, you can use a separate digital audio cable.

Digital audio (S/PDIF or TOSLINK) cable

picture
Xbox 360 S console
  1. Leave the A/V cable connected to your TV or monitor for video.
  2. Unplug the audio connectors from your TV or monitor.
  3. Connect one end of the digital audio cable to the S/PDIF (optical audio) port on the console.
  4. Connect the other end of the digital audio cable to the digital audio input on your receiver.
picture
Original Xbox 360 console
  1. Leave the A/V cable connected to your TV or monitor for video.
  2. Unplug the audio connectors from your TV or monitor.
  3. Connect one end of the digital audio cable to the TOSLINK port on the A/V cable.
  4. Connect the other end of the digital audio cable to the digital audio input on your receiver.

Related Issues

Improve the audio quality
Connect your console to a TV
Improve the video quality

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