I've read up on the HDMI questions for xbox-360 – like this one and this one – and haven't found anyone with the exact problem I'm experiencing. Apologies if I missed an obvious dupe.
I purchased cheap HDMI cables from a hardware store and I'm generally pleased with their quality. However, they sit loosely in the socket, leaving a visible gap of may 2-4mm between the molded plug cover and the socket where you can see the metal connector. I have my Xbox-360 standing vertical and the cable tends to slouch downward in the socket. The connection is loose enough that if the cat jumps on the TV stand or a particularly loud explosion hits the subwoofer, the picture and sound will choppily disconnect – lots of visual artifacts and the like. Usually it gets re-situated in a second or two, but occasionally the only solution is to get up from the couch and wiggle the cable like a barbarian \sarcasm.
Has anyone overcome a similar shortcoming? I'm more than willing to purchase a new cable if you have a recommendation.
The Xbox is a 250gb model purchased in December 2012. I have a Denon receiver, and the HDMI cable also sits loosely here. The problem is almost always been with the xbox connector, though.
Best Answer
From your description, it sounds like the problem is with your HDMI cable, and not with the Xbox. I've owned several Xbox 360's and never had a problem with loose HDMI connectors.
You can try to overcome the looseness via velcro, tape, or glue of some sort, but it's far easier to just get a better quality cable.
I've had excellent luck with Monoprice HDMI cables - they're cheap but high quality. They come in a variety of lengths. If you need cables, they're the place. I do one order from them every year or so just to stock up on the basics.
If you just need a couple of cables or less, though, the shipping tends to be prohibitive. In that case, the Amazon Basics HDMI cable can be had for cheap with Prime shipping, or Super Saver if you're ordering other stuff from Amazon.
I've used cables from both vendors with my Xbox 360 (and other gaming devices) for years now, and never had a loose connection or other cable-related issue.