Xbox Series X audio stuck at Stereo Uncompressed when connected to TV

Hello,

I am having a very similar issue with an LG 4K TV and a Vizio soundbar that supports 5.1 Dolby digital and DTS. I connect my Xbox series x to the TV and use the ARC HDMI cable to connect to my soundbar. When I try to switch the audio output on my Xbox the only option is stereo uncompressed. I'm very confused. The audio config check on Xbox on my TV says it only supports stereo when I know for a fact my tv supports pass through surround.

Hello Dean Mayers,



Greetings!



Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community.



Based on the description, your query is related to the availability of audio output options when an Xbox is connected to the TV directly and when Xbox is connected to TV with audio receiver. Let us check and see on what we can do to help resolve your concern in a timely manner.

If you're simply plugging your Xbox into your TV, you won't need to change any audio settings, because both sound and video transmit to your TV over the same HDMI cable. However, if you have an audio receiver or other sound setup, you may want to change your audio settings.

Here are the possible reasons why this happens:

• One reason could be that your TV does not support the same audio formats as your receiver, such as 5.1 or 7.1 uncompressed signals. This means that when you connect your Xbox to your TV, it will only detect the audio formats that your TV can handle, which may be limited to stereo uncompressed and Dolby Digital.
  
• Another reason could be that your HDMI cable or port is not compatible with the higher audio formats. You may need to use a different HDMI cable or port that supports eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel), which allows for high-quality audio transmission between devices.
  
• Third reason could be that your Xbox settings are not configured properly for your audio setup. You may need to adjust the HDMI audio and Bitstream format options in the Volume & audio output menu to match your receiver's capabilities.
  

To fix this issue, you can try the following solutions:

• Connect your Xbox directly to your receiver via HDMI, and then connect another HDMI cable from the receiver's HDMI out port to the TV's HDMI in port. This will bypass the TV's audio processing and ensure that the audio signal is not affected.
  
• If you prefer to connect your Xbox to your TV, make sure you use the HDMI port labeled ARC or eARC on both your TV and receiver. This will allow the audio signal to be transmitted from the TV to the receiver via HDMI.
  
• On your Xbox, go to Settings > General > Volume & audio output and set the HDMI audio to Bitstream out. Then, under Bitstream format, choose Dolby Digital or DTS Digital Surround, depending on what your receiver supports.
  
• On your Yamaha RX-V6A receiver, press the Setup button and select Function > Input Setting. Then, choose the input that corresponds to your Xbox and set the Audio Decoder Mode to Auto. This will allow the receiver to automatically detect and decode the audio format from the Xbox.
  

For your reference, see: Choosing speaker audio settings on your Xbox console | Xbox Support



We look forward to your response. Kindly let us know, if there is any misunderstanding or clarifications of our description by sending us a reply.



Sincerely,

Hello Dean Mayers,

Thank you for letting us know that the prior solution did not help resolve the issue.

The main reason why options for audio output is limited when connecting your TV to Xbox console directly versus connecting with an audio receiver is due to compatibility issue with your TV as clearly appeared during audio testing. Using an audio receiver will change the audio output since there are more capabilities added. You may reach out your TV manufacturer's support team regarding this issue.

Thank you for choosing Microsoft. Have a nice day ahead.

Sincerely,

Update: it now works with headset audio set to stereo uncompressed. Previously the TV sound went funky when I set it to that, now it works fine....but I'm still stuck in headset mode with no headset attached.

I got my 2 channel DAC connection to xbox one x via optical out. It only works when audio setting is set to stereo uncompressed. The sampling rate shows 48k.