Xbox 360 causing my speakers to pop and crackle... how to fix?

Roufuss

Roufuss

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Posted this on AVS Forum last night, but didn't get a response and I have to know relatively soon (before the 11th) so I'll throw it to the experts of CAG.

I have this TV, the LN-S2341W 23" LCD HDTV made by Samsung. I currently have it hooked up to my Xbox 360 by VGA and my Playstation 2 via Component.

When I play the Playstation 2, everything is fine, nothing wrong there, but for some reason when I play the Xbox 360, the speakers will make a cracking and a popping sound during gameplay. It's random when they do this, I just played a game for three hours and it went great, but when I turned it on and started playing it took 10 minutes for the speakers to crack and pop, and it seems to jump from channel to channel. It's almost like someone is popping those bubbles that protect packages in the mail.

I've tried unplugging both the television and the 360 out of the surge protector and straight into the wall, someone told me maybe the TV wasn't getting enough power, but that didn't do it, it still occurs. I've changed the options on the 360 from DTS 5.1 to DTS Stereo, but the cracking and popping still occurs. The room is well cooled so I know nothing is overheating, as well.

This is the second television I've gotten from Samsung, the first was defective, and while the picture quality is amazing (in my opinion), I want to try every available option before I need to exchange the television again. Could it be the television that is causing this, or is there something I'm doing wrong that I can fix?
Click to expand...

Now, last night since my original post, I played Saints Row for hours, and I was able to pinpoint and recreate WHEN the popping occurs every time. When it rains (in game) that's when it starts, and it dosen't stop after it's raining, i'll have to save my game and restart the 360 and the game is fine until it rains again (in game, as well). I'm not sure why just the rain cause my speakers to pop like this.

Watching DVD's on this television through the 360 is fine, my girlfriend watched all of House Season 1 and never noticed it, and it dosen't occur on the Playstation 2 either.
 
Odd. Sometimes I get random pops and clicks as well, but it's only a pop or click here and then it's gone. All the connections snug?

BTW, how's that Samsung LCD aside from those problems you had? Care to share some impressions? What was the problem with the other one you had? I'm looking to replace my computer monitor with one.
 
[quote name='SteveMcQ']Odd. Sometimes I get random pops and clicks as well, but it's only a pop or click here and then it's gone. All the connections snug?

BTW, how's that Samsung LCD aside from those problems you had? Care to share some impressions? What was the problem with the other one you had? I'm looking to replace my computer monitor with one.[/QUOTE]

The other problem is that component inputs were messed up / didn't work right... it's hard to explain, but basacially when I called Samsung the customer service rep told me to either return the TV if I could or have someone come out and fix it, since it was f'ed.

Yea, all the connections are snug, other times I get random pops and clicks as well but its very infrequent and it occurs once it starts raining in game and it won't stop. I played for about 5 hours last night, the first 3 hours it didn't rain in game and as soon it did, bam, there was the popping and crackling. When it stopped, I saved, restarted the 360, played some more and the rain occured again and there it was.

The television itself is VERY nice, the picture quality is amazing imo, but if I have to return it a second time I'm not going to be real thrilled with it. I might get some speakers for it but if there is some kind of fix I'm missing I can save myself some $$$.

But yea, it's worth it, 360 games look amazing on it through VGA.
 
Does it only happen during Saint's Row or is it all games?

Also I'd go ahead and fork over the extra dough for a speaker system of some kind. TV speakers are usually crappy and even if you get good ones you are missing the deep bass sounds and such. If it just the 360 that's going to them you could even get a decent set of computer speakers for not oo much money.
 
I have a 32 inch widescreen HDTV Samsung, and that happened when I played some COD2 last night. It went away when I turned off the TV and waited about 10 seconds to turn it back on. It's some kind of interference probably.
 
[quote name='Duo_Maxwell']Does it only happen during Saint's Row or is it all games?

Also I'd go ahead and fork over the extra dough for a speaker system of some kind. TV speakers are usually crappy and even if you get good ones you are missing the deep bass sounds and such. If it just the 360 that's going to them you could even get a decent set of computer speakers for not oo much money.[/QUOTE]

I noticed it a little during Madden initially, but I haven't heard it in a long time. I also heard it during Texas Hold Em. It wasn't near as frequent as it is during Saints Row in the rain, though, which is like every 5 seconds.

It also jumps from speaker to speaker.

I didn't realize I could also just get a decent set of computer speakers, thought I need to get a whole entertainment system. That might be something to look into. Are there any speakers you recommend that I can get at, say, Best Buy?
 
Ok, so I noticed the optical cable attachment of the VGA cable was a tiny bit loose... plugged it back in, hopefully that will fix it.

The red / white audio cables go into this attachment, then into the optical audio port. I've noticed that the cables are pulling the attachment down out of the slot... it's still hooked securely but it's a bit slanted.

How do I fix this? I've tried lifting the cables and holding them over something so it goes straight in but they always fall :(
 
[quote name='Roufuss']Ok, so I noticed the optical cable attachment of the VGA cable was a tiny bit loose... plugged it back in, hopefully that will fix it.

The red / white audio cables go into this attachment, then into the optical audio port. I've noticed that the cables are pulling the attachment down out of the slot... it's still hooked securely but it's a bit slanted.

How do I fix this? I've tried lifting the cables and holding them over something so it goes straight in but they always fall :([/QUOTE]

Like to help you more, but I honestly have no idea what you are describing. Got any picutres or anything? If you are using the attached TV speakers though there's no reason to really use opitical unless that's the only audio in you can possibly use on your TV because there's no need for digital surround sound. Even if that was the case I can't visualize how you are using the RCA cables to go into an opitical/toslink attachment unless it's some kind 3rd party device. The opitical toslink should plug into the port near the base of the cables.
 
So you've got the L/R audio jacks plugged in as well as the optical?

If you mean the optical connection to the 360 on the VGA cable though, then yeah that doesn't really sit as snugly as I'd hope either.
 
[quote name='Duo_Maxwell']Like to help you more, but I honestly have no idea what you are describing. Got any picutres or anything? If you are using the attached TV speakers though there's no reason to really use opitical unless that's the only audio in you can possibly use on your TV because there's no need for digital surround sound. Even if that was the case I can't visualize how you are using the RCA cables to go into an opitical/toslink attachment unless it's some kind 3rd party device. The opitical toslink should plug into the port near the base of the cables.[/QUOTE]

The Xbox 360 VGA cable came with a small plug for the audio wires. Both the red and the white cables go into that, it has the two holes on one side for the audio cables and one prong on the other side that goes into the audio attachment next to the VGA slot on the back of the television.

I'm reading some shit now that makes it sound like you just have to plug in the red and white audio plugs... my TV just has a hole for the VGA plug and then a black hole next to it that says audio.

Have I been plugging the wrong shit in there this whole time?

On the audio end, rumbling lows and piercing highs register via the Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound output.
Click to expand...

I think it's that output I've been plugging into this "audio" hole.

So basacially, I've been plugging the red and white audio cables into that jack, and plugging that jack into this "audio" port on the VGA part of my television. There is no red or white holes next to the VGA slot like I saw on the Microsoft help page.

Duo: Disregard everything up there, it is an RCA to 3.5mm jack that it comes with that I've been trying to describe.
 
Ok, now I looked at the manual for the television and it says that one slot is for the D-Sub Cable (which I assume is the VGA cable) and the other slot is for the "PC Audio In" cable, which explains the audio hole.

So can my television not do VGA then? I don't understand why the damn thing dosen't have the red / white holes to plug the cables in, when the television was advertised as being VGA compatible.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sams...46492/catOid/-12867/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

There's my TV, it's listing as being "PC Compatible" which I assumed meant a VGA cable would work.
 
Ah, I see, now I get what you were getting at. To address your concerns the TV is perfectly VGA compatible (VGA or D-Sub, is simply video btw, it has no audio anyways). It's not uncommon for TVs to have the 3.5mm stereo jack in place of RCA inputs for the PC connection because that's what most PCs typically use.

Unfortunately that doesn't really help to outright solve the problem you have. However if the problem exists in the RCA-to-3.5mm adapter's connection to the audio jack you could just try another adapter. May not solve your problems but it is a possible solution at a low cost as they are typically about $4 or 5 dollars.

Try one with separate wires for the RCA running into one, lie this one seen here...

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...804&p_id=666&style=&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

Being lighter and not so cumbersome as the provider solid adapter it has a chance I guess at giving you a more solid connection, if that's the problem.
 
[quote name='Duo_Maxwell']Ah, I see, now I get what you were getting at. To address your concerns the TV is perfectly VGA compatible (VGA or D-Sub, is simply video btw, it has no audio anyways). It's not uncommon for TVs to have the 3.5mm stereo jack in place of RCA inputs for the PC connection because that's what most PCs typically use.

Unfortunately that doesn't really help to outright solve the problem you have. However if the problem exists in the RCA-to-3.5mm adapter's connection to the audio jack you could just try another adapter. May not solve your problems but it is a possible solution at a low cost as they are typically about $4 or 5 dollars.

Try one with separate wires for the RCA running into one, lie this one seen here...

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...804&p_id=666&style=&seq=1&format=1#largeimage

Being lighter and not so cumbersome as the provider solid adapter it has a chance I guess at giving you a more solid connection, if that's the problem.[/QUOTE]

So the audio hole is definitely for a 3.5 mm plug? I mean, it fits, but it dosen't fit "securely", it is real easy to pull out and moves around a little in there. Could this be why the speakers are popping, since I noticed if I pull it out completely or plug it in while the 360 is on it makes a much louder pop.

Here is a pic of the thing MS sends with the VGA cables:

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=491996&pid=587841950&st=0&#entry587841950

The only difference is mine isn't blue.
 
[quote name='Roufuss']So the audio hole is definitely for a 3.5 mm plug? I mean, it fits, but it dosen't fit "securely", it is real easy to pull out and moves around a little in there. Could this be why the speakers are popping, since I noticed if I pull it out completely or plug it in while the 360 is on it makes a much louder pop.

Here is a pic of the thing MS sends with the VGA cables:

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=491996&pid=587841950&st=0&#entry587841950

The only difference is mine isn't blue.[/QUOTE]

I'm 99.9% certain it's a 3.5mm port. Nothing else would make much sense. Though it's not totally unheard of for things to "pop" when plugging it in, while on that is, the crackling & popping you hear during gameplay could be a number of things though. It not being securely in the port is one I guess. I don't how securely it typically fits on that TV cuz I've never used it before but typically it's a fairly tight fit but it shouldn't take much strength to get out either. I do use a 19" Samung monitor/hdtv and my PCs audio cbale fits in there pretty snug.

Still, you may try plugging in other things that use a 3.5mm size like a laptop, ipod, portable CD player, etc. etc. and see what happens. Heck even some headphones, because if nothing else, then you can see if the fit is anymore snug with the other devices over the adapter.
 
[quote name='Duo_Maxwell']I'm 99.9% certain it's a 3.5mm port. Nothing else would make much sense. Though it's not totally unheard of for things to "pop" when plugging it in, while on that is, the crackling & popping you hear during gameplay could be a number of things though. It not being securely in the port is one I guess. I don't how securely it typically fits on that TV cuz I've never used it before but typically it's a fairly tight fit but it shouldn't take much strength to get out either. I do use a 19" Samung monitor/hdtv and my PCs audio cbale fits in there pretty snug.

Still, you may try plugging in other things that use a 3.5mm size like a laptop, ipod, portable CD player, etc. etc. and see what happens. Heck even some headphones, because if nothing else, then you can see if the fit is anymore snug with the other devices over the adapter.[/QUOTE]

Yea, it is a 3.5 mm port. I just plugged a pair of headphones in at your suggestion and it seems a bit tighter... the way that MS plug is set up, the wires tug on it and it kind of spins around in the hole. It dosen't just plug in and not move at all, it's moving around a bit as the wires tug on it, which I guess is kind of weird.

What else could be causing the crackling and popping during gameplay? I also heard it tonight on a DVD my girlfriend was watching through the 360.

The PS2 through Component and regular television are fine, no popping at all, so I think it's got to be this 360 audio cable.
 
[quote name='Roufuss']Yea, it is a 3.5 mm port. I just plugged a pair of headphones in at your suggestion and it seems a bit tighter... the way that MS plug is set up, the wires tug on it and it kind of spins around in the hole. It dosen't just plug in and not move at all, it's moving around a bit as the wires tug on it, which I guess is kind of weird.

What else could be causing the crackling and popping during gameplay? I also heard it tonight on a DVD my girlfriend was watching through the 360.

The PS2 through Component and regular television are fine, no popping at all, so I think it's got to be this 360 audio cable.[/QUOTE]

Well it could be the port in the TV, something wrong with the 360 itself, the cables, the adapter, or it could still even be the speakers.

Have you hooked the 360 up to a different ports besides the VGA/3.5mm ones to see if it does that all?

Failing that, I'd stick with replacing the provided adapter with one like I mentioned eariler, as the first attempt at a solution.
 
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