Gaming Hacks

Connect Your Console to Your Home Theater

With your AV receiver selected ( [Hack #38] ) and your speakers connected ( [Hack #39] ), it’s time to connect your console to your home theater. All three of the current generation of consoles have slightly different approaches, so we’ll tackle them one at a time.

Sony PlayStation 2

Sony’s PlayStation 2 is not only the most popular console, but also the longest in the tooth of the three major consoles. It offers you the most modern connections, with Firewire, USB, and even component video with the right cables. Unlike the Xbox and GameCube, there is also a Toslink digital output jack conveniently located right on the back of the chassis.

As for the Playstation 2, from the outside, it looks like a sexy and capable temptress. At the end of the day, looks are all it has. In game, the PS2 produces Dolby Digital 5.1 output only in some cut-scenes. Unless you have money and digital inputs to spare, it just doesn’t make sense to connect your PS2 using the digital output.

If you use your PS2 to play DVD movies, you might have a good argument to hook up that digital output. This is one mode in which you can take advantage of Dolby 5.1 surround because it is on full-time. Sadly, the PS2 is a lackluster video machine and does very little with DVD movies. We’ll talk about some alternatives in [Hack #41] . Until then, stick with the standard analog RCA audio hookup for 95% of the PS2’s full capability.

Microsoft Xbox

The Xbox a versatile piece of ...