The Xbox is getting a multimedia stream from the WMC machine, the volume on the PC does not affect the Xbox volume any more than the server streaming a Hulu show to your PC does.

 

Roy

 

I wouldnt think it does either. But maybe WMC somehow goes thru an audio driver in the PC similar to how it uses the video codecs that are installed on the PC.

It's a far cry I know. I don't have any other explanation why my levels are the same with my setup.

It's a problem for me too. Not only are the levels lower, but dynamics are compressed.  Broadcast TV is okay, but serious music listening is out of the question given this.  I am very surprised Microsoft doesn't seem to understand this is an issue.

I have the exact same problem.  For reasons discussed in another thread (severe judder on HBO HD), I have to watch a few programs through the Xbox 360 Media Extender, but I can barely hear them unless I crank the volume waayy up.

I don't have a receiver, amp, or pre/pro, so my setup is fairly simple: I have the Media Center HTPC (a Dell XPS 420) attached to the TV (a 42" Samsung plasma; sorry, I don't know the model number) via HDMI, and I have the Xbox 360 attached to the TV via component video cables and basic stereo RCA (red/white) audio cables.  I have the volume for all the devices/applications in the Windows 7 sound control panel and in Media Center volume set at 100%, and I have the volume in the Xbox Dashboard also set at 100%.  The TV volume itself usually hovers around 10 (out of 100) and is plenty loud for most purposes.  DVDs and Blu-rays, live and recorded TV played through the HTPC all sound fine; gaming and the Xbox Dashboard also sound fine this way.  But, when I start Media Center on the Xbox, everything gets very quiet.  All live and recorded TV sound, as well as all the WMC bleeps and bloops, is about 1/3 as loud as it "should" be (based on the fact that I have to turn my TV up to about 30 to hear things about as loud as I do when using the HTPC itself; granted, that's not a very scientific methodology, but I don't have access to a dB meter for a more objective report).

I've tried all the remedies in this thread, plus others (different wires, swapped inputs, Google), but nothing seems to help.  Since the Xbox gaming volume is okay (and since this issue also seems to occur on the Linksys Media Extender), I have to believe that the problem is not with the Xbox or the TV (or any of the various input/output configuration permutations), but rather lies somewhere in the bowels on Media Center on the HTPC, perhaps in some obscure driver or little-noticed bug (or intentionally-designed "feature").

I can't believe that this thread hasn't gotten more traction from Microsoft: this is a fairly major problem and could be a meme-killer for someone who is considering going whole-house WMC HTPC.  I like many things about WMC, but between this and the never-ending judder problems, it's almost enough to make me throw my hands up and say, "It's time to try Boxee instead."

If anyone from Microsoft is reading this thread, could you please chime in?

I still have not resolved the issue and I am weighing my options between the cable providers dvr and the media center.

I don't experience this issue. Yes the XBOX volume is slightly lower than the TV when im streaming a movie, but its not WAAAYYYYY lower than some of you are detailing.

Yes my XBOX volume is lower,  but its definately not an issue.

Im connected via HDMI by the way.

 We are comparing it to the volume in games/non-MCE vs MCE.  Ie when streaming Netflix or playing a game, it is about twice as loud as when in MCE.  This is a well documented problem, I have seen it on every Xbox 360 I have ever touched, nothing is immune to it (only ever tried it over HDMI or SPDIF, which I all I care about).

Same issue here - I have (2) XBox 360s being used as extenders.  In the living room on my 46" Samsung - typically the volum control is at "15"  for non Xbox viewing - if utilizing MCE through the Xbox I have to turn it up to "21" or so.  This is a Jasper Unit utiliznig HDMI Audio.  In my dedicated Home Theater I have another Jasper unit feeding a Marantz preamp.  In there, the Marantz is typically at "20" for non XBox viewing - if utilizing MCE through the Xbox I have to turn it up to around "10" (reverse number scale on the Marantz).  This is utilizing the spdif digital out with component video.  For me this is not a huge problem - the only issue being when changing sources things get loud.  At least for AC3 movies (No DTS on XBox) - sound quality seems fine.  (I do not use the Dashoboard so can't compare the two.)

I am also experience very low volume with my Xbox 360 as my MCE to my Win 7 PC.

Does anyone have a proper solution for this. On certain files, I have to almost turn up my Samsung TV to full audio just to hear it.

THe other major problem I am finding is the picture quality. I searched for ages about Win 7 Media Center looking "washed out". Ultimately, I found some registry settings that enabled me to get the full range of blacks and it looks perfect now on Media Center on the PC. However when I look at the same file on my Xbox 360 through Media Center, it looks very washed out still. Any suggestions?

I bought my dad a WDTV HD LIVE unit and the same file on that looks so much sharper it is incredible. XBOX 360 is def washing out the files. 

Make sure your windows master volume is all the way up as well as WMP and WMC volumes.  That worked for me.

walt54321

Make sure your windows master volume is all the way up as well as WMP and WMC volumes.  That worked for me.

The Windows computer volume has nothing to do with the Xbox Extender volume that I know of. You'll have to help us understand what you mean exactly. Anyway, yeah I wish the extender volume could be louder. My roommates tv is at MAXIMUM volume and it's just average sounding. (xbox dashboard stuff is PLENTY loud though) WTF? MS, please provide an update!

Just to add weight to the issue, I'm also having this issue with two XBox 360 Extenders (Winodws 7 MC).  One (XBox 360 Elite) is connected to a Samsung LCD TV with HDMI, and the other (XBox 360 S) is connected to a CRT with composite cables.  The composite cables are the worst - we have to turn the TV up to 100% volume to watch shows, and then sometimes that's not quite enough.  Usually this TV is used at about 20% volume (and in fact was with a Linksys DMA2100 Extender).  The main file type we are watching is WTV with H.264 video from Freeview free-to-air in New Zealand.

Please Microsoft can we get some sort of response from the XBox or Media Centre teams on this long-standing issue.

Geoff.

 

I was never able to resolve this issue and with additional research I've found that Media Center itself (along with Media Player) has problems being an audiophile grade music player. Instead,  I've built a dedicated media "center" computer using the Intel I3 series processor, it cost around $400 to build and included everything but the software, I'm very pleased with result.

I'm using Windows-7 with Media Center, My Movies 3 (Free) , Total Media Theatre 3 ($60 from Newegg) and Virtual Clone Drive (free), to access my movie library. (includes DVD, Blu-Ray and HD-DVD ISO rips)  And this is working very well.

The big surprise, at least for me, was the J River Media Center software ($49 from J River), the audio quality is top notch, delivers bit-perfect audio stream to my receiver, has a very attractive user interface with cover art and has many other features.

 

       

Has anybody found a solution to this yet?

My XBOX 360 extender works fine when hooked up by using component but the audio is extremely low when it's hooked up using HDMI.

A year ago I gave up and one night I took a hammer to the xbox and the TV.  I have just done without since and watched the shows on my computer where I can assure you the volume is plenty loud.