Grounding problems, Xbox

**kjk437** · 05-13-2008, 01:56 AM

Hey all, using an Xbox as a media center for my car. Installed with few problems, but have a grounding issue (or so I would suppose). To start, yes, I've read the relevant newbie grounding stickies but they haven't solved my problems.

Only the right channel of my audio is buzzing. I've attempted to re seat the connections to no avail. If I unplug my video connector from my head unit, the buzzing becomes unbearably loud on the right side and becomes present on the left side.

I have as many electronics in my car grounded to a similar point, so no problem there. I've introduced a ground loop isolator for my audio channels, but that didn't help either. I then tried opening the Xbox and wired up a separate ground from the Xbox to the common grounding point I've explained above, but still no luck.

Surely someone has had a similar issue installing an Xbox? Any help is appreciated. The car is a 2005 Scion xB, if anyone needs that information, and the power for my inverter comes from the accessory switch on my car.

**HiJackZX1** · 05-15-2008, 07:47 AM

Originally Posted by kjk437

Hey all, using an Xbox as a media center for my car. Installed with few problems, but have a grounding issue (or so I would suppose). To start, yes, I've read the relevant newbie grounding stickies but they haven't solved my problems.

Only the right channel of my audio is buzzing. I've attempted to re seat the connections to no avail. If I unplug my video connector from my head unit, the buzzing becomes unbearably loud on the right side and becomes present on the left side.

I have as many electronics in my car grounded to a similar point, so no problem there. I've introduced a ground loop isolator for my audio channels, but that didn't help either. I then tried opening the Xbox and wired up a separate ground from the Xbox to the common grounding point I've explained above, but still no luck.

Surely someone has had a similar issue installing an Xbox? Any help is appreciated. The car is a 2005 Scion xB, if anyone needs that information, and the power for my inverter comes from the accessory switch on my car.

Use a GLI (ground loop isolator). If your in the US, then stop by your local Best Buy store and pick one up. Its made by a company called InstallEdge and eliminates all whines, and what not. It is pricey at 17.99, but its the only one I know that will not muffle your sound at all, like most other GLIs do.

**kjk437** · 05-15-2008, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by HiJackZX1

Use a GLI (ground loop isolator). If your in the US, then stop by your local Best Buy store and pick one up. Its made by a company called InstallEdge and eliminates all whines, and what not. It is pricey at 17.99, but its the only one I know that will not muffle your sound at all, like most other GLIs do.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I mentioned I already did that. Didn't solve the problem. Plus, it's only the right channel unless the video channel is unplugged.

**kjk437** · 05-21-2008, 03:35 AM

Bump. Someone has had to have had a similar problem before.

**redcell3** · 05-21-2008, 09:08 PM

do you have the power wire and the audio cables running close to eachother, i have been told that if the power and audio lines are too close together it will cause interference.

**kjk437** · 05-22-2008, 04:49 AM

Well, they're as far away as is possible. They both obviously come from the back of the box, but then they're immediately split into to separate directions. Not quite sure what I can do to help that...

**redcell3** · 05-22-2008, 11:55 AM

this may sound wierd, but just try and grounding the video rca cable by attaching a piece of wire to the end of the rca, and attaching it to a suitable ground. Somewhere along the line there is a grounding problem. I know that For some reason the xbox doesn't get a good enough ground signal through an invertor and it's normal power connections. You will also need to ground the xbox as well. Take the cover off the xbox and attach a decent guage wire to the metal grill-type inner casing of the xbox (solder it on if you like), then wire it up to your cars grounding. Try that out and hopefully that will solve your problems.

**kjk437** · 05-23-2008, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by redcell3

this may sound wierd, but just try and grounding the video rca cable by attaching a piece of wire to the end of the rca, and attaching it to a suitable ground. Somewhere along the line there is a grounding problem. I know that For some reason the xbox doesn't get a good enough ground signal through an invertor and it's normal power connections. You will also need to ground the xbox as well. Take the cover off the xbox and attach a decent guage wire to the metal grill-type inner casing of the xbox (solder it on if you like), then wire it up to your cars grounding. Try that out and hopefully that will solve your problems.

Thanks for the suggestion! I already have grounded the physical Xbox itself, but I will try grounding the RCA cable.