Can't decide

[hamd01]

I have been debating about an xbox since launch date. Would love to hear any feedback.

My main concern is my audio setup. Everything currently runs through my amp, which is the only hdmi to the tv. Im bit of a tv and audio geek, and the 5:1 setup is really important to me in terms of viewing experience.

We use sky for tv, and a have a windows home media server which stores all our films and tv shows.....mostly mkv, but some ISO, and avi.

From what I understand, xbox should be the only thing connect to the tv, and IT becomes the hub. Being that my wife has no interest in xbox, does this present problems? She defo would not be happy having to talk to the tv, as she is already miffed at having to switch the amp on!

Would love to hear how this would all connect up via an xbox....and how /if it would play the media. Any audio sync problems? And how likely is it that I'll just end up plugged the xbox into the amp rather than having everything to through it?

Thanks guys

 

[turk3y]

You would plug the Xbox into the amp anyhow to get 5.1 no one where this idea of putting it direct to TV comes from.

I have a hdmi splitter, 1 hdmi in and two simultaneous outputs.

Sky > splitter > amp > tv
Sky > splitter > Xbox > amp > tv

5.1 and sky for both the wife and the Xbox.

 

[KirkSi]

I have been debating about an xbox since launch date. Would love to hear any feedback.

My main concern is my audio setup. Everything currently runs through my amp, which is the only hdmi to the tv. Im bit of a tv and audio geek, and the 5:1 setup is really important to me in terms of viewing experience.

We use sky for tv, and a have a windows home media server which stores all our films and tv shows.....mostly mkv, but some ISO, and avi.

From what I understand, xbox should be the only thing connect to the tv, and IT becomes the hub. Being that my wife has no interest in xbox, does this present problems? She defo would not be happy having to talk to the tv, as she is already miffed at having to switch the amp on!

Would love to hear how this would all connect up via an xbox....and how /if it would play the media. Any audio sync problems? And how likely is it that I'll just end up plugged the xbox into the amp rather than having everything to through it?

Thanks guys

You CAN have everything going through the XBox to the TV but you don't have to. My Sky goes straight to my TV and the XBox goes independently to the TV. sky on HDMI 1 and XBox on HDMI 2. My problem with having everything going through the XBox is that I wanted to use the low input lag 'gaming mode' on the TV for the XBox, but that then isn't giving you the best picture settings for Sky. I'd rather switch inputs than picture mode all the time so the XBox has it's own input.

My advice, if the wife's gotten used to how it works with the amp then leave it that way and just connect the XBox to the amp or straight to the TV (and optical to the amp). I got rid of my amp and just went with a sound bar as I just wasn't using the 5.1 with a small child in the house. Sound out of the XBox isn't an issue for me as I always play with a headset, so the XBox outputs the sound through the controller to the headset (or a decent set of headphones if you don't need chat). This is the only way to game IMO, it's even better than a 5.1 setup.

 

[amardilo]

I don't have Sky (I have Freesat) but my set top box is plugged into my Xbox One's HDMI in and the HDMI out goes into the amp.

The console with Kinect plugged in works as a giant IR blaster so can turn your TV and Amp on and off (just make sure the amp is on the right channel when it starts up).

Voice controls are great and you get use to them quickly. I can say "Xbox On" to turn on my TV, Amp and Set Top Box, followed by "Xbox go to TV" to start the TV app and then "Xbox watch BBC One" (or whatever channel) and it switches to that channel.

If you don't want to use voice you can use a controller or the Xbox One remote control (sold separately) or if you have a a modern Android phone/tablet, iOS phone/tablet or a Windows 8/Windows Phone 8 device you can use Smart Glass as a universal remote and that is awesome. I have just started using the Smart Glass app as a remote control and it's really good and allows for more control over devices.

As for media playback I am finding it very limited and not as fully featured as the 360 is. I don't have the best tuned hearing so I couldn't comment on the audio quality.

 

[Member 79251]

I don't use the TV option/feature on the one.

My setup is:

Xbox One > TV
Xbox One > Audio Splitter > Wireless Headphones > Amp
360 > Monitor
360 > Audio Splitter > Wireless Headphones > Amp
PC > Monitor
PC > Audio Splitter > Wireless Headphones > Amp

 

[enigma1701]

Yeh I agree with the posts above, I've got the xbox going into the amp then tv through hdmi. The 5.1 sound is really good, give great atmosphere in some games like dead rising!

 

[Indiana Jones]

If lossless audio isn't important to you then you could always just connect the XB1 to your amp via optical.

 

[blu disc]

I had sky through X box but found the picture motion was jittery, All my inputs go into AV amp then HDMI to tv, run sky straight into amp problem solved. I did like the tv features through X box but wasn't happy with motion issues

 

[nstokes]

I had sky through X box but found the picture motion was jittery, All my inputs go into AV amp then HDMI to tv, run sky straight into amp problem solved. I did like the tv features through X box but wasn't happy with motion issues

You did have 50Hz mode turned on via Xbox One? There are 2 options and you need to make sure you have the TV one set to 50Hz

 

[blu disc]

oops, thanks for telling me. Oh well sunday AV rack and TV to pull back out.

 

[Munkey Boy]

It's something MS should do, to default the input to 50Hz when you tell it that you're input is a UK media box. I wonder how many think the input isn't up to much.

 

[blu disc]

I did for one, thanks for your help i will try again tomorrow.