Xbox 360, No 3.5 mm, Really?

[PTNLemay]

So I finally decided to dive in, I've always been a fan of Halo since I tried the first game years ago (tried it at a friend's), and the 4th one coming out pushed me to get my first console since the SNES. I got the nice Halo 4 edition one with the semi-transparent blue exterior and the 2 nice wireless controllers and everything.

I did my research and saw that it does indeed have an HDMI port, so I can use it with my monitor. But I finally got it and... there is no 3.5 mm audio. I use a 3.5 to connect my speakers to my PC. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do here. My monitor has no speakers, and seemingly no way to input or output audio (it's a thin Gateway with nothing more than VGA, DVI, HDMI, and the power port). I see that there are RCA connectors that come with it (and that they sell adaptors to connect the red and white to a 3.5 mm) but... there's a plastic tab that prevents me from connecting the HDMI and the RCA cables at the same time.

It seems like I would need something like this (only with an Xbox instead of a Wii). Do they make these things? I'm not sure what terminology to use for looking it up on Amazon.ca

The only other thing I can think of is to connect to my PC over my network? Maybe pass the sound through the PC's audio out, and into my speakers? That sound very complicated, and I'm worried there would be a signal lag. I'm sure I'm not the first person to try and set up something like this, to send the video to an HDMI display that doesn't have audio in it. What is the best solution?

 

[AntiZig]

if your monitor has HDMI it should have a 3.5 out.

otherwise you can get something like that http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-VGA-Audio-Video-Converter/dp/B004VJ23PG/ref=sr_1_14?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1352910297&sr=1-14&keywords=HDMI+to+3.5+%2B+dvi

I don't think any of todays consoles have 3.5 ports, they are implied to be used with a TV set, which has built in speakers, so there should be no reason to have headphones. And if you absolutely need them to keep quiet while you game, most TVs have a 3.5 jack that will disable the built-in speakers while plugged in. Besides, console image on a good monitor will look worse (grainier) than on a TV, just because monitors are made with precision to display text accurately, TVs not so much, so they have smoothing, upscaling, etc. Monitors typically don't, they just show you 1:1.

 

[PTNLemay]

The problem with the one you linked is that it seems to take in the HDMI source from the Xbox, then turn it into a VGA signal and the 3.5 audio. Would VGA sacrifice picture quality? My monitor is 1920 x 1080. And no, I'm sure my monitor has no 3.5 mm audio. It's a simple computer monitor, not a TV.

I decided to try this:
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B003DS6M26/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00

Along with this:
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001B8QUS6/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

I think that it can take the RCA audio, while leaving the video on the HDMI (it appears to be missing that plastic tab the prevents the RCA cables that came with my Xbox from simultaneously plugging in the HDMI cable). It's going to be a bit of a ghetto setup... with three pieces of wire strung together just for my audio, but if it works... I'll be happy.

If it doesn't... I'll resort to the one you linked and contend myself with VGA. It's still better than dropping 500$ on a new TV.

 

[amuffin]

Have you checked?

Most monitors now days do have 3.5 mm's....

 

[AntiZig]

yeah, I mean it doesn't make sense for them to slap an HDMI port on the monitor without offering a way to get the audio if the monitor doesn't have built in speakers.

 

[PTNLemay]

I've checked thoroughly, it's a cheap 24-inch Gateway, it has VGA, DVI, HDMI, and the power port, that's all.

I got the 2 RCA-to-3.5mm adapter, just waiting on the second one now.

 

[AntiZig]

alright, let me know if it works that way, I'm kinda curious myself

 

[PTNLemay]

In the end I just gave up, lol.

A friend of mine told me I could get a decent HDTV at the local store paid over 24 months with no interest. So I got myself a nice little 40-inch LED Bravia. The internal speakers are pretty crummy, but 3.5 mm actually exists on this one! So I can use my favorite boom-box to blast my sound out of it. The HDMI to the Xbox handles audio and everything just fine.

 

[AntiZig]

so my guess is your idea didn't pan out? I believe the reason is that xbox only outputs to one port at a time, while for your connections to work it would have to output to two ports at the same time.