XBox 360 and PS3 in Surround Sound?

[inm]

I recently got a surround sound system in my room (it's kind of old...) and want to figure out how the hell the hook my PS3 and 360 up for surround sound.

Right now, I have audio out from the TV to the audio in of the system, and that's only achieving audio through the front left, front right, and subwoofer.

With all the speakers, it should be 5.1 surround, but I can't figure out for the life of me how to do it.

Do I need to run the audio straight from the systems to the surround? Or would I need some other cable?

Right now, I'm using the red/white plugs for audio, which I understand are usually left/right.

I don't even care if it's "true" surround, I just want audio through every speaker. Thanks.

[BeatBox]

well i have my surround sound hooked up to my ps3 thru a fiber optic cable and video thru HDMI. ihave 6.1 surround sound, but I dont use the colored RCA's, but if you can hear the system in thru some of the speakers then you must be doing something right. depending on what mode you have it on the surround sound receiver your NOT always gonna hear the same amount of sound coming from all the speakers.

mess with the setting on the receiver that might have something to do with it. hope this helps

[Sanitarium]

I'm going optical audio out from my tv, and ps3 into the tv via hdmi cable. i get full surround that way.

[Soloact]

My son has a 360,older version...on the back of his a/v cord that plugs into the back of the 360,is a slot for the fiber optic cord...use that.After playing around with his 360,i went and got an Elite system..and on the back of that a/v cord,there was no slot for the fiber optic..i'd have to buy it separately...as if the Elite didn't cost me enough as it is..so for now,since he's not using his fiber optic slot,we traded cords..lol Don't forget to turn that option on in the 360 settings.Idk about the PS3

[inm]

So it seems you guys are saying a need an optic cable...

My surround system must be too old, it doesn't have optic in.

I guess I just have to save up and get a new one.

[BeatBox]

hit up Craigslist i got mine for 100 :-)

[sebXC]

i use HDMI to the TV then Optic to the receiver

[WickeD]

What model of surround sound?

[uhoh_45]

i just straight up hooked up my 360 audio (red white) straight to my receiver and it gives me 5.1

and when my xbox is in my living room i use optical audio out with my receiver

[R_Mac_1]

If you want real surround (discrete channels) you have to use an optical audio cable or HDMI for your sound, period.

If you're using the red/white RCA cables, you're only getting stereo (if you hear surround, it's being matrixed by your reciever w/ Pro Logic).

If your receiver has a digital coaxial input, you can get an optical to coaxial converter and use that.

And, Sanitarium, are you sure you're getting surround that way? Every TV I've ever heard of will only output 2 channel PCM from it's optical out unless it's outputting audio from an OTA antenna. Are you sure you're not outputting a stereo signal that your receiver is matrixing to surround?

The correct way to set it up is to have the HDMI going from your ps3 to the TV, and have the optical cable going directly from the Ps3 to the receiver.