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Can both the digital and analog output on the Xbox 360 be used at once?

I recently got an Xbox Slim and I have some trouble connecting it to my monitor and stereo.

For the monitor I got an HDMI-to-DVI cable and now I can see something at least, but for the audio I have this problem: the big cable with the audio connectors that came with the Xbox has a part that when plugged in to the console is covering the HDMI port, so that I cannot connect both cables at once.

So now I can get either video or audio but not both.

I assume this is on purpose but I was wondering if it is safe to cut away the part of the cable which is covering the HDMI port, so that I can connect both cables at once. Is that true?

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marked as duplicate by Mana♦ Dec 26 '11 at 18:03

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3 Answers

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You are correct: An xbox cannot have two video signals present at once. The issues isn't so much that you are trying to use an hdmi cable + sound but that you could potentially be outputting two video signals.

With that being said, there exists a very cheap, very useful adapter I have used with my xbox to accomplish exactly what you are trying to do. I cover it in detail in this question as well as an amazon link to the adapter. You can also 'chop' off the guard on your existing component cable to make them fit side by side, but make sure you're only running one video question

Summary

  • Buy an xbox adapter that allows audio cables and an hdmi cable to be plugged in at the same time
  • Cut your existing xbox component cable's guard off so they fit side by side, but make sure you're not running two video signals out of it
  • Use the fiber optics audio output if you have an audio device that can support it
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thanks, i would like to go with option 2. are you sure it wont break my xbox, even if i only use the audio-part of the xboxcable? – clamp Mar 25 '11 at 15:21
Positive. I have seen it done a number of times and done it myself. It is 100% safe. I put another link to the adapter: It's two dollars! I would STRONGLY recommend buying one. It solves your problem perfectly and you wont have to mess with your old component cables. – Aardvark Mar 25 '11 at 15:24
thanks. about the adapter - i agree it is cheap and probably the best solution but i am based in europe, so i cant get it from the us amazon store and didnt find it on the european one. – clamp Mar 25 '11 at 15:30
Glad I put up multiple solutions :) Its important to add: Don't worry about two video signals. It doesn't damage the xbox just ruins the quality of the picture (because its split to two different sources) It will look terrible, but wont do any damage – Aardvark Mar 25 '11 at 15:40
Europe amazon link to the adapter amazon.co.uk/XBOX-HDMI-CABLE-OPTICAL-ADAPTER/dp/B003Q958RW/… – Aardvark Mar 25 '11 at 15:43
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You could use an adapter that separates the HDMI video and audio into component and RCA outputs. Combine it with an HDMI splitter to keep the original digital signal. or, if you have a little more money to spend get a device that does both.

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This is a really bad way of doing it, there are a number of xbox specific ways of accomplishing this task without breaking it out of the hdmi cable – Aardvark Mar 25 '11 at 15:18
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You don't need both. If you have a HD TV all you need is the HDMI. If you have an old school TV use the ones with the RCA jacks.

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He's not connecting to a TV. He's connecting to a computer monitor and a separate set of speakers. – Anna Lear♦ Dec 26 '11 at 2:26

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