Elite 360 No Longer Ships With HDMI/Component cables


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http://kotaku.com/5339432/elite-360-no-lon...-with-hd-cables

500x_new360box.jpg

One of the things I appreciated most about my Xbox 360 Elite was that it shipped with a HDMI cable in the box, letting me get the most out of my system's visuals without the need for further expense.

Thing is, I got my Elite years ago. If you plan on picking one up in the future, you won't be so lucky, as several GameStop employees have told us new models of the hardware hitting stores across the US (new box pictured) no longer ship with a HDMI cable. In fact, they don't even ship with component cables either, just some SD composite cables, meaning anyone with a HDTV is going to have to pay a little extra. A HD tax, if you will.

Disappointing, Microsoft. How are you going to help kick the HD generation along shipping composite cables? This was a bum move when Sony pulled it in 2006. Pulling it in 2009 is just...yeah, disappointing.

The worst thing about this is as far as I know, the only way to use HDMI with an optical cable is by purchasing their official HDMI kit, which is ridiculously overpriced. Otherwise you need to buy a cheap cable and also buy the component cables (since composite do not come with optical out) and then cut it up to allow both to fit.

Does anyone know where to buy the Microsoft dongle that comes with the HDMI kit? I was planning on purchasing an Elite soon (would be my 3rd xbox) and possibly sell my current working Jasper unit, as my current box looks ugly in my new Entertainment center. This is frankly, extremely disappointing. Rename it the pro if it doesn't come with HD cables, because it surely is not an Elite.

Basically your option is to do this

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or find this

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http://kotaku.com/5339432/elite-360-no-lon...-with-hd-cables

500x_new360box.jpg

The worst thing about this is as far as I know, the only way to use HDMI with an optical cable is by purchasing their official HDMI kit, which is ridiculously overpriced. Otherwise you need to buy a cheap cable and also buy the component cables (since composite do not come with optical out) and then cut it up to allow both to fit.

Does anyone know where to buy the Microsoft dongle that comes with the HDMI kit? I was planning on purchasing an Elite soon (would be my 3rd xbox) and possibly sell my current working Jasper unit, as my current box looks ugly in my new Entertainment center. This is frankly, extremely disappointing. Rename it the pro if it doesn't come with HD cables, because it surely is not an Elite.

the plastic case around the 'sd/hdtv' switch on the cable is just too large. my mate just took his off with a knife..problem solved lol

how cheap would it be for Microsoft to supply a hdmi cable? they cost bugger all. and most game shops will try and sell you the official cable to the average comsumer, unaware they are only worth a few dollars lol

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Yeah, this was confirmed a while ago. :/

It's a shame though, but I don't think that they care because if the PS3 does not have an HDMI included why should they spend more $$ buying them and putting them in. The Elite is now just a pro with a bigger hard drive and different color. :/ It's a shame.

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t0mbi: Yes, but as I just explained, they no longer are using the HD/SD cable on the elite, just the SD one, which DOESN'T come with optical out. You have to purchase something regardless now if you want optical and HDMI.

Tech: Technically the ps3 has something above the elite though, because it does come with optical out and HDMI, which the elite no longer does. Oh and wireless. The 360 needs new revision with these features.

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I'm not completely sure if I understand how the 360 does HDMI, as I have an earlier revision before Elite was even on the market.

Is it a straight HDMI-to-HDMI connection, or is it from the 360's proprietary audio/video out to HDMI in? And will an HDMI cable carry surround sound on a 360?

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I'm not completely sure if I understand how the 360 does HDMI, as I have an earlier revision before Elite was even on the market.

Is it a straight HDMI-to-HDMI connection, or is it from the 360's proprietary audio/video out to HDMI in? And will an HDMI cable carry surround sound on a 360?

Hdmi to Hdmi. My 5.1 show's it is putting out true 5.1 with most 360 games. Too bad Netflix does not support this.

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I'm not completely sure if I understand how the 360 does HDMI, as I have an earlier revision before Elite was even on the market.

Is it a straight HDMI-to-HDMI connection, or is it from the 360's proprietary audio/video out to HDMI in? And will an HDMI cable carry surround sound on a 360?

All the new Arcade/Pro/Elite now come with HDMI, but the problem is the connections are too close to each other to allow two cables to be ran at the same time. The 360 uses HDMI 1.2 specifications, so yes it can do Dolby Digital 5.1 via HDMI. In my case personally though I have a great Onkyo receiver but at the time I couldnt afford the 1500 dollar version with HDMI (it is a few years old which is why they were so expensive) so I have to run HDMI straight to my Samsung and optical to my receiver.

xbox-360-elite-back-lg.jpg

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t0mbi: Yes, but as I just explained, they no longer are using the HD/SD cable on the elite, just the SD one, which DOESN'T come with optical out. You have to purchase something regardless now if you want optical and HDMI.

Tech: Technically the ps3 has something above the elite though, because it does come with optical out and HDMI, which the elite no longer does. Oh and wireless. The 360 needs new revision with these features.

Yes that is true. When I had mine I would connect my HDMI to my TV and my optical cables to my Home Theater System. It was magical playing RFoM with it. :D Microsoft will not be doing a revision to do this because it would be a waste of time. Compare how many users would just use one wire connection to how many would use both wire connections. It is marginal at best.

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The lack of an HDMI cable, although very disappointing, really isn't all that big of a deal. Sony also disappoints with their lack of an included HDMI cable with a new console. But still... You can buy a 1.2 HDMI cable, for like, a dollar?

However, who is sure that the new elites do not come with the optical/right left audio dongle? This is a much bigger issue, as MS uses that specific port size, and if they are only willing to sell it in an 'HD kit', then you can't help but call bulls*** and vandalize some MS owned property.

:)

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This is simply general disregard for their customers.

Someone at Microsoft probably got a pat on the back for reducing costs, it makes me sick.

I don't know whats more ridiculous. The removal of all HD cabling from a console in 2009. or the fact consumers are gonna buy this anyway and probably end up coming back to best buy the next day to purchase the necessary cabling.

The general consumer wont even know whats wrong and just be upset that it looked so much better at the store than at home.

Stupid.

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I have to say that's pretty lame if you don't get the optical out. If you're running HDMI into the TV and then doing optical out from TV to receiver you're probably not getting true surround sound.

I had been running optical from my 360 straight into my receiver for a long time and changed my arrangement to declutter. Everything still sounded good but then I tried the game (can't think of the name) where you're in complete darkness and have to listen to where all the sounds are coming from and I was completely lost.

I got curious and popped in a THX test DVD to check each speaker channel by channel and the channels were all over the place. The sub channel didn't output anything. When I hooked the optical back to the 360 everything was perfect.

Hopefully the optical dongle is included or a lot of people will be missing out on surround sound gaming and not even realize it.

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Oh deary me. No HDMI cable and you have a buy a stupid dongle just to use optical?!

Edit: something has seriously gone awry at MS HQ...making the Elite, effectively, more expensive (and inconvenient) and increasing the price of Arcade? :s

Edited by Bhav
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Oh deary me. No HDMI cable and you have a buy a proprietary "HDMI kit"?!

only if you need to use optical along with HDMI....

This really bothers me that they are not supplying any sort of HD cable (hdmi or component)... at least with hdmi you can use your own cable .. but you do not have a choice if you wish to use component... a quick look on amazon shows you can get a 3rd party cable for around $10 but that is not the point... they should be supplied

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or buy a tv that does 1080P over componet cables :p

that is for avoiding the HDMI optical cable problem

mine does but I would rather use an HDMI cable .... too bad my xbox is too old

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Sony doesn't package an HDMI OR Component cables. What's the big deal?

Also, monoprice.com

Because not having it all is bad enough, but having it and then taking it back out again (especially in 2009) is just a really raw deal. Also, the Elite is supposed to be just that, Elite, as in, top of the range.

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The point is they are taking things out that used to be included in the package and still calling it the "elite". If this was re-branded as the pro, then sure, it would be fine.

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Not even component MS? seriously? God alive. I really hope sony get themselves in gear and drop the price a fair bit to scare MS a bit.

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