Page 1 of 2
Off Topic TV Audio
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 5:39 pm
by vickyg2003
Do they still make TV's with Audio output so you can actually hear what's being said? We used to run the audio output into the stereo receiver and have poor man's surround sound.
My husband got rid of the ugly rear projection TV and now we can't hear the new TV. Any ideas?
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 6:35 pm
by Kevin Timmerman
The smaller and/or entry level sets may not have audio outputs, but most of them do.
Many have headphone, RCA analog, and digital (optical and/or coaxial) audio outputs.
If you have cable or satellite, then you could also grab the audio out from the STB.
Re: Off Topic TV Audio
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 7:26 pm
by eferz
vickyg2003 wrote:Do they still make TV's with Audio output so you can actually hear what's being said?
Yes, my Sony Internet TV has mini-stereo jacks and an optical output coming out from it. LOL
vickyg2003 wrote:We used to run the audio output into the stereo receiver and have poor man's surround sound. My husband got rid of the ugly rear projection TV and now we can't hear the new TV. Any ideas?
Is it possible that your new TV's audio output is set to either fixed or variable, and you've not adjusted the stereo's or television's audio accordingly?
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:04 pm
by vickyg2003
Well ideally I'd like A/V output, because its so EASY and no matter what I what my input source it works without a hitch. I think head phone jacks can be turned into A/V output with a special cable, so that works too.
But what can you do with optical output? I suppose I'd need a new stereo receiver. ......
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:19 pm
by eferz
vickyg2003 wrote:Well ideally I'd like A/V output, because its so EASY and no matter what I what my input source it works without a hitch. I think head phone jacks can be turned into A/V output with a special cable, so that works too.
But what can you do with optical output? I suppose I'd need a new stereo receiver. ......
In lieu of buying a new stereo receiver, you can purchase an Optical to Stereo converter, like this one:
TV Digital Optical Coax to Analog Stereo RCA Audio Converter Adapter 24Bit/192KHz
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:39 pm
by vickyg2003
Well now that I read the manual, and I see that there is an optical output, so it looks like I'm going to need a converter. I wonder if that converter will introduce a lag. I like to have both the TV and the stereo on. I see that the manual has a lot of discretes codes listed, but I see that Rob's upgrade already has everything I need.
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 8:50 pm
by The Robman
Most TV sets have RCA audio outs. If you don't have RCA outs (which I assume is what you're looking for) but you do have a digital optical out and a headphone jack, you could absolutely use it, you just need a cable that has a mini-jack on one end and RCA plugs on the other. The only drawback of this method is that it will kill the sound from the TV speakers, but maybe that's what you want.
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 10:08 pm
by vickyg2003
The Robman wrote:Most TV sets have RCA audio outs. If you don't have RCA outs (which I assume is what you're looking for) but you do have a digital optical out and a headphone jack, you could absolutely use it, you just need a cable that has a mini-jack on one end and RCA plugs on the other. The only drawback of this method is that it will kill the sound from the TV speakers, but maybe that's what you want.
I just have the digital optical out. I was hoping that it wouldn't kill the sound from the tV speakers, as we found the TV plus the stereo was a perfect combo, but then I don't know if the decoder would add a delay/echo.
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 10:29 pm
by eferz
vickyg2003 wrote:I just have the digital optical out. I was hoping that it wouldn't kill the sound from the tV speakers, as we found the TV plus the stereo was a perfect combo, but then I don't know if the decoder would add a delay/echo.
It shouldn't. Transcoding audio in real time doesn't take much processing power. Especially, if you're just going from PCM to analog stereo. I had an old Gefen converter with my old stereo that worked without any lag. I would have sent it to you, but I must have gotten rid of it when I gave away the old stereo system.

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 10:34 pm
by 3FG
I find Monoprice to have quality goods at a very low price. Maybe this will work:
Optical to R/L RCA
Note that it won't work if the TV is sending 5.1
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 10:50 pm
by vickyg2003
3FG wrote:
Note that it won't work if the TV is sending 5.1
Hmm, I wonder how I would tell that.
Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2011 11:07 pm
by eferz
vickyg2003 wrote:3FG wrote:
Note that it won't work if the TV is sending 5.1
Hmm, I wonder how I would tell that.
Usually it depends on the source media or channel. Some TVs will allow you configure the optical output as necessary, setting it to PCM will limit it to two channels. Dolby Optical can expand from stereo to 5.1 multichannel.
Just in case yours doesn't have this setting, this one will support 2 channel LPCM and up to 5.1 channels Dolby Digital. This looks like the one I used to have.
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=5980
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 6:46 am
by The Robman
Vicky, what is the brand and model of the TV in question?
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:44 am
by cauer29
eferz wrote:vickyg2003 wrote:3FG wrote:
Note that it won't work if the TV is sending 5.1
Hmm, I wonder how I would tell that.
Usually it depends on the source media or channel. Some TVs will allow you configure the optical output as necessary, setting it to PCM will limit it to two channels. Dolby Optical can expand from stereo to 5.1 multichannel.
Just in case yours doesn't have this setting, this one will support 2 channel LPCM and up to 5.1 channels Dolby Digital. This looks like the one I used to have.
http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=5980
If the TV can be configured to output 2 channel LPCM over toslink, then you can go much cheaper with:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2
This one does both coax and toslink, but monoprice used to carry a toslink only version that was even cheaper.
A.A.
Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 9:03 am
by eferz
cauer29 wrote:If the TV can be configured to output 2 channel LPCM over toslink, then you can go much cheaper with:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2
This one does both coax and toslink, but monoprice used to carry a toslink only version that was even cheaper.
It's funny you mentioned that, since my reply was in retort of 3FG recommending that very same device.
3FG wrote:I find Monoprice to have quality goods at a very low price. Maybe this will work:
Optical to R/L RCA <-- here
Note that it won't work if the TV is sending 5.1