NXE creating HDMI headaches for UK Xbox 360 owners?

The path to Netflix-enhanced glory hasn't been entirely trouble free for everyone, this time it's posters on AVForum noticing a distinct lack of audio on Xbox 360s connected to their HDTV by HDMI. So far suggested solutions for the afflicted include plugging in the hard drive while the system is on, or waiting several minutes before switching the monitor to HDMI, and repeating them every time the system is started. It's not the first time we've heard of UK-centric HDMI weirdness, any of you hearing a whole lot of nothing while gaming (that's not attributable to hard drive installs)?

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

[Blackstar @ Nov 21st 2008 6:38PM]

It's a feature.

[Jake @ Nov 21st 2008 7:45PM]

IS it also a feature, where it totally trashes your 360? I installed the update, rebooted, it played a movie, then nothing. Rebooted, it did the same. Phoner Microsoft, and I need to wait 4 weeks for a replacement.

By pure chance, I also got a Home beta invite, and the difference is immense, black and white. PSN home truely is revolutionary, so much so, i am considering selling my replacment 360 when it comes back, and going back to single PS3 console (sick of Microsofts constant problems). PSN home easilly had the potential to totally change the face of gaming as we know it.

[Backlin @ Nov 21st 2008 9:46PM]

Good thing my launch console was manufactured before the feature could exist, a lot like a certain Sony handheld.

[xcrunk @ Nov 21st 2008 10:16PM]

360 launch console!!! still going strong!!!!

wut? it just red ringed? doh!

[Chris McDowell @ Nov 22nd 2008 1:11AM]

I wish it was an on off feature. I use Optical for my 360 to my surround sound and svideo with my xbox with no optical. So I have to turn up the tv for xbox then back down for 360 because I get duplicate sound through the surround and tv for the 360.

[Omen_20 @ Nov 22nd 2008 2:11PM]

Where are all the people having problems with their 360 getting down ranked? Fanboys much!?

I'm trying to rank them back up since their comments are valid for this story.

[LameDuck @ Nov 24th 2008 7:19PM]

@Jake: When since did a SecondLife clone become innovative? Is this the same kind of Innovation that MS does when they buy out a company and change the product name or the kind of innovation Apple does where it completely copies and app, puts it's fingers in it's ears, and goes "lalalalalalala INNOVATION! lalalalalalalalalala"?

Just wondering...

[stewis @ Nov 21st 2008 6:41PM]

wow just audio my xbox died today giving me an error 86 and one red light in the ring of light bloody Microsoft are trying to charge me to have it repaired despite it being replaced 3 times and the last time being 1 year ago :'(

Sucks to be a early adopter :(

[stewis @ Nov 21st 2008 6:42PM]

btw when i say one year i am not joking its 1 year to the day since i last had it repaired!

[Brian @ Nov 21st 2008 6:52PM]

Got mine back from repair with a new motherboard to still find it freezes solid every 10 minutes. Perhaps all the negative stories are because there are so many problems.

[Platinum_Skeet @ Nov 21st 2008 7:01PM]

Proof is in the pudding....

http://www.engadget.com/tag/xbox+360/

[nohone @ Nov 21st 2008 6:41PM]

Notice how Engadget did not make a post announcing that NXE was released (unlike every PS3 or iPhone firmware release), but they quickly put up a post about every problem they can find.

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 21st 2008 6:56PM]

I noticed that too.

All they did was review it a month ahead of time as to 'get it out of the way'.

[Google @ Nov 21st 2008 6:57PM]

Was this before or after it was that sexy feature in that right box on the top of the page? Hey wait... it's still there now!

And this is coming from a XB fanboy ;)

[Steven @ Nov 21st 2008 7:01PM]

Um, they already made an NXE post... but maybe I'm just imagining the NXE hands on on the side of the page (I don't have my contacts in).

[nohone @ Nov 21st 2008 7:01PM]

To expand a bit, if you read the avforum thread it appears it is a problem with one particular display, and also affects PS3 through HDMI if you do not have your audio setup in a specific configuration. It seems that there is a problem with the HDMI handshaking on the TV and the 360 ignored the problem with previous versions of the dashboard.



@Lowest:
They did have a banner on the right side of the page for a while, so I will give them credit for that. But when it was released, they didn't do their usual "It is available now".

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 21st 2008 7:13PM]

Yes, thats the problem.

Apple & Sony products will have their news with a 'Breaking' article AND will be syndicated on the banners for approximately 36 years.

[Hife @ Nov 21st 2008 8:26PM]

Actually, this... http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/18/xbox-experience-now-available-to-all-who-signed-up-netflix-hd/

They've had at least 5 stories about it since it was released, and one or two of them was bashing Sony for their supposed shady business tactics. So...

[Google @ Nov 21st 2008 9:36PM]

To be honest it did hit my radar that they weren't mentioning it on that day (whilst I sat impatiently at work)... but it's no big deal. I don't put too much stock into Engadget politics.

Apple conspiracy theories be damned....

And anyone else notice how the story is about UK 360 owners and one of the avatars looks like that winehead Amy Crackhouse? (...she's from the UK, before you low rank me because of your own ignorance)

I mean... that crack enthusiast Amy Winehouse

[Brian @ Nov 21st 2008 10:01PM]

No joke!

But if you've been around this blog a while, you know that Engadget like Apple and dislikes (not hates) Microsoft.

If they start leaning anymore towards Apple, I'm going to have to abandon the blog and label them Apple fanbois to any other geek I talk to.

[Cal @ Nov 21st 2008 11:19PM]

@Brian:

I'm guessing you haven't been around here long enough to see their coverage of any Apple event or launch of new generation of Apple products...

[Chris @ Nov 22nd 2008 9:23AM]

You've got to admit, though, the there's absolutely tons of problems Engadget can write about for the 360, though. It's just as well it's cheaper than the PS3 - the reliability is utterly woeful.

[Wootz @ Nov 21st 2008 6:55PM]

I'm using NXE in the UK with HDMI audio and not had a problem. All a lot of fuss over nothing.

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 21st 2008 6:56PM]

Mountains out of molehills my European brother.

Engadget loves doing it.

[Rusty @ Nov 22nd 2008 11:44AM]

I can assure you it is a very big problem for me. I've had no sound at all since the NXE update, no matter how many times I plug/unplug my hard disk, reboot, etc. Just confirms to me how amateur MS still are with regard to creating/supporting consoles.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Nov 21st 2008 7:13PM]

While most of the PS3 players on Home having a blast and doing something the NXE isn't doing very well.
IT WORKS unlike the xSux which is bricking and leaving you without alot of your media and games, first no Sony Movies or TV, now no HDMI. What's next? Sell that box and get a real Multimedia Entertainment System. It is a better choice to have a PS3, much better.
Anyone who low ranks this has obviously been hand-jobbed by Bill Gates.

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 21st 2008 7:15PM]

I'll take a hand-job from Bill anyday over being ass-raped by Sony.


Now hurry up and fade from this page, as you will inevitably do so.

[mcatrage @ Nov 21st 2008 7:31PM]

xSux ...

Come on that isn't even clever.

[mvp @ Nov 21st 2008 8:50PM]

"real Multimedia Entertainment System"

Sounds a lot like the computer I'm typing on right now. Who needs consoles when you have computer that can do anything out there.

[ugotamesij @ Nov 21st 2008 7:13PM]

I'm just underwhelmed by the whole NXE in general. It seems the main point was to give 360 owners a huge library of movies to watch via their consoles but, hang on, that's only with a Netflix subscription... which isn't available in the UK. I also find that the new layout of the dashboard makes common tasks like changing my online status or checking out the newest demos available for download a lot more convoluted than with the old blades system. I see little to no reason to install games onto my HDD (it would have been great if you didn't have to have the games in the disc tray, but I can understand why they didn't allow that) so that leaves the last feature of the avatars. Again, entirely superfluous to my needs or desires.

I'm not hating on my 360 as I adore it in general, but after waiting so long I'm just disappointed. I got it a week before most people in the UK and when my friends asked me about it I played it straight: really not worth getting excited about.
I'm sure that in the future a lot more (and more useful) features will become available via this NXE but I guess even then we'll have to hope that MS makes those features available to us here in the UK/Europe too.

[BJ is Gooder @ Nov 21st 2008 7:19PM]

I you play Kingdom for Keflings it will make you happy again. All your jaded thoughts will disappear...

[josh @ Nov 21st 2008 10:38PM]

It seems a mixed bag, but what I do appreciate about the update is that it makes navigating through some of the large marketplace libraries much cleaner. They were getting seriously aggravating with the mega lists that you had to simply scroll through. I also like that they have a clear UI guideline - Up and Down move between categories, left to right move within a category, which beats many of the blades where you could sometimes go left or right within the blade, and sometimes that would cause you to switch to the next blade. I also think the netflix integration was really well done.

Most of the rest of the stuff, like the avatars and that crap, I really don't care about. I just hope they don't pull a sony and try and reinvent Packard Bell Navigator. I hate real world metephor interfaces- just give me a damn menu. I don't think this is some huge leap forward, it certainly isn't comparable to the difference between the Zune 1.0 and 2.0 software updates, for example.

[Stupidiot @ Nov 21st 2008 7:15PM]

"The path to Netflix-enhanced glory hasn't been entirely trouble free for everyone"

Netflix isn't available in the UK...

[Kspraydad @ Nov 21st 2008 7:49PM]

Yes...I'm confused too...

[sean @ Nov 21st 2008 7:21PM]

when i power up my console it turns on, but there won't be any picture and it won't connect to the controller. there are no red light errors but the machine is powered. i turn it off and turn it back on right away and it works fine. fyi, i'm using hdmi and i tried it with the composite and component cables and i still get the same error. it's the elite and i just it got 2 months ago to replace my other xbox that died and didn't feel like paying the $140 to get it repaired, at least this new one is under warranty and it's going back tomorrow.

[Cameron @ Nov 21st 2008 7:22PM]

My setup is odd and I'm having no problems:
HDMI to DVI to Display Port to VGA...
I'm running 1080p. I've rented 3 netflix movies also...

[Nick @ Nov 21st 2008 7:23PM]

Audio on my Xbox 360 is working fine through HDMI...
And I plug it in before I turn it on.
No problems with NXE either, though I did just get an Xbox 360 Elite the 15th of this month. Sounds to me like the older consoles are getting screwed.

[strang @ Nov 21st 2008 7:39PM]

Over some profiles of HDMI sound is not working and it's not a UK-centric problem.

My BenQ G2400W is having problems too... Before NXE it's never had any problems.

[Natedawg @ Nov 21st 2008 7:39PM]

Personally I'm loving the NXE. The boot time of my system has halved, if not better. The navigation system is great, though I wish they hadn't re-done the in-game Xbox Guide. And Netflix is awesome - after this I won't be buying another Blu-Ray player when my cheapo-Sony piece of crap inevitably kicks the bucket in a few months.

[Kspraydad @ Nov 21st 2008 7:50PM]

I don't believe you.

[Bjsfreaked @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:13AM]

neither do i

[Jake @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:24AM]

LOL, netflix looks crap compared to Blu-ray. Is this guy serious? Streaming is at 2Mbit/sec is always going to look crap compared to 40Mbit/sec from Blu-ray. Clearly you have no concept of quality (proof in that also lies with the fact you own a 360). Have you always settled with second best throughout life?

[Churma @ Nov 21st 2008 8:31PM]

I have an elite from when it launched and I have had no issues with it. Finished Gears2 and now playing Left 4 Dead and Saints Row 2. No audio lags or lock ups. The new interface is so much better than the blades. It much easier to navigate and seems snappier. BTW I have a PS3 and Wii as well. I use my Xbox 80% of the time.

Cheers

[nohone @ Nov 21st 2008 8:46PM]

@Hife

That was an announcement saying that beta testers were able to download early, not that it was available to the general public.

Again, I will say that they did some good reporting about the release, just didn't finish it.

[DirtyVegas @ Nov 21st 2008 8:56PM]

It's a form of Brit humor - the damn yanks just don't get it.

[Mark @ Nov 21st 2008 9:00PM]

Nope, haven't had any problems and my 360 has always been hooked up through HDMI and I've watched like 4 or 5 movies so far on the netflix streaming app.

[strang @ Nov 21st 2008 10:07PM]

TVs don't seem to be as effected as other HDMI devices...

[manley.joe @ Nov 22nd 2008 12:10AM]

I'm suffering the HDMI silence problem too, but I'm in the U.S. and have a U.S. 360 Elite.
It started immediately after installing NXE. I have to boot up w/o the HDD and then attach it (the HDD) back on to get my sound back.

An alternate method I found that works half the time is plugging the 360 into the HDMI port of another TV and then back to the one I want to play on. This of course is more annoying than the HDD work-around.

[slyst @ Nov 22nd 2008 3:10AM]

@ Brian

I think many of the sites I visit are focused more in one direction. I like to know that if I want Apple news, or more specifically Apple snippets I will come here first. If I truly want Microsoft gaming information, then I go to xbox360fanboy. Now when I want to keep up on gaming in general I use Kotaku. For more general and sony I like joystiq. Gizmodo is cool especially around camera season, and they have a different approach to what is a gadget by definition.
http://gizmodo.com/5096324/polerider-is-part-rickshaw-part-strip-club
Yeah it may not be their original story, but I like the way they compile their stories.

Let fanboys be fanboys. I mean I like vanilla ice cream better than the guy who posts above me. Does that make me better?

Hell yeah it does! You remember that! Vanilla ice cream rules!! Wait till the next vanilla ice cream, damn...its going to be tricked out!!

seriously though,

vanilla ice cream FTW!

[Bjsfreaked @ Nov 22nd 2008 4:11AM]

PS3 had although different problems although problems none the less when it had updates like the mass bricking update a few months back.

I don't understand why sony or xbox can't test the updates more vigourously than before if it's having this much trouble.