Center channel on XBOX 360

[Hummada1]

I have a 5.1 system and was wandering why in the hell sound is not coming from the center speaker when playing the 360 ? It only works when some one on xbox live comes up close(dialog) to me so I can hear them speak. But,why in the hell can't I hear the sound firing at me through the center channel?

I have the dolby digital 5.1 and dolby pro2 selected in the dashboard. My Denon reciever is set up correct. It just won't work on the xbox 360.

 

[Rocky]

because the center chan is ususally for dialogue only

 

[Hi Ho]

So it's the same story on the 360 as the original Xbox?

I have an original Xbox and I was annoyed that the center channel was used so rarely, sometimes not at all, in games. Most of my PC games make good used of the center channel and it makes quite a difference. Stuff happening directly in front of you should come out of the center channel. I see no reason for them not to use it.

 

[doomguardian]

Sound in PC games is just as big as there graphics, EAX5.0 HD takes care of that.

Doom3= Very low frequency Effects

F.E.A.R= Many Surround effects

Call of duty= Both

Battlfied 2= Many sound effects.

Half-life2= 7.1 sound

 

[The Chukker]

Blame the developers, not the hardware.

 

[Hi Ho]

It is the developers fault but, for example, Halo uses the center speaker on the PC but not on Xbox. It just doesn't makes sense.

 

[MAX661]

That is weird because my center channel gets quite the workout when playing X360.

Games I've got are:
1.DOA4
2.NHL 2K6
3.COD2
4.NFS:MW
5.NBA 2K6
6.PD0
7.Tiger Woods PGS Tour
8.Madden 06
9.Condemned
10.Fifa
11.PGR
12.Tony Hawk

And through all of these games the center channel is being worked out, so there may be a problem in your connections somewhere.

 

[Hummada1]

MAX661,

That is what I thought until I rearranged my speakers. Put your ear up to your center the next time you play.

So xbox 360 is only 4.1 surround! What a rip. Some one in microsoft needs to smoke a joint or something to help them realize what the hell is going on.

Hey Chukker,

Nice system. I've got 7001,3000 and 7006 surrounds but want to get BVPX/P's. Are they the ****?

 

[thoward4444]

360 Sound

The surround sound from my 360 sounds great. I play a lot of DOA4 and Madden and the center channel works fine. Especially for dialog in Madden. The fat man sounds good saying obvious stuff like, "He needs to put the ball in the end zone if he wants to score a touchdown".

 

[MAX661]

MAX661,

That is what I thought until I rearranged my speakers. Put your ear up to your center the next time you play.

So xbox 360 is only 4.1 surround! What a rip. Some one in microsoft needs to smoke a joint or something to help them realize what the hell is going on.

Hey Chukker,

Nice system. I've got 7001,3000 and 7006 surrounds but want to get BVPX/P's. Are they the ****?

re-check your connections again, you can clearly hear my center channel while playing X360. And I have a system similar to yours so you should hear it too. 7000sc,3000,BPVX/P, Trinity run by a yamaha RX-Z9.

 

[Hummada1]

All my connections are correct. My center works fine with my DVD player or anything else.

I have component going from the xbox to the TV,and optical going to the reciever.

Hell,I just reconnected everything again just to make shure. So there is sound(music,sound effects) coming from your center. Is that correct?

 

[agarwalro]

All my connections are correct. My center works fine with my DVD player or anything else.

I have component going from the xbox to the TV,and optical going to the reciever.

Hell,I just reconnected everything again just to make shure. So there is sound(music,sound effects) coming from your center. Is that correct?

Maybe the center channel trim on the receiver is too low.

 

[Hummada1]

No,everything is right on the settings and connects. I think those guys were right about not getting any center sound on dolby digital at all,which is not 5.1 sound. It's crappy 4.1!

Could it be the optical cable?

Are you guys shure your getting the center(sound) on dolby digital?

 

[Hi Ho]

Could it be the optical cable?

No, if it was the cable, you would get no signal at all.

I'll bet it is just the game itself. What games are you playing? Obviously, if you can hear dialog through the center speaker then it is indeed working. The developers appearently don't like using it for sound effects.

 

[avnetguy]

I'll bet it is just the game itself.

Yup, Halo2 does the same on the original xbox.
Its probably easier to program and maybe its for better for imaging.

Steve

 

[Sheep]

Computer games are alot different then Xbox 360 games. Computer games use EAX through the digital out. Hook up some Z5500's to a digital computer out and the surround sound will barely be noticable.

Use the analog outs and you will have FULL surround sound. I have my computer hooked up to my Stereo using digital coax. and the center channel gets nothing. The test tone plays throught the center, but when your gaming its heavily stereo and a little surrounds.

SheepStar

 

[Hi Ho]

There are very few sound cards that output 5.1 over the digital output. The best you will get is 2.0 stereo using the digital output. EAX is only utilized using the analog outputs.

 

[Sheep]

There are very few sound cards that output 5.1 over the digital output. The best you will get is 2.0 stereo using the digital output. EAX is only utilized using the analog outputs.

I have soundstorm (Nforce 2) so I get real DD and DTS.

SheepStar

 

[The Chukker]

So xbox 360 is only 4.1 surround! What a rip. Some one in microsoft needs to smoke a joint or something to help them realize what the hell is going on.

Hey Chukker,

Nice system. I've got 7001,3000 and 7006 surrounds but want to get BVPX/P's. Are they the ****?

+1 to what Max said in regards to center channel output -- my center works just fine. However, positional imaging in gaming mainly comes from the corners especially in FPS' (panning or "sweeping" front to back / left to right / or vice versa etc.) The bottom line is how the developer decides to utilize the center channel output. As for surrounds, if you are currently using 7006's I would stay with them -- they are terrific speakers. If you want maximum sound dispersion I would recommend going with the BPVX/P's mounted on the side walls above the seating position. btw, welcome to the forums!
For Def Tech related info post here: http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19293

 

[Hummada1]

Thanks Chukker,

I play Halo 2 and COD2. Dolby Digital should have sound coming from the center speaker(not just dialog),and it is that way with all music and movies that I have ever listened to.

I'm going to call the xbox 360 customer service and give them hell to see what they say about it.

I'll let every one know what they say