Unable to connect audio from HDTV to Sound System

Rogue13

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Jun 21, 2009
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We just got a magnavox 32in mf338b/f7 HDTV and everything is connected fine, except the audio out from the TV to the sound system. The sound system is a Pioneer CX-4000 which has regular Left/Right RCA connections. Where as the ONLY(as thats what the manual is claiming) audio out on the HDTV is the Digital Coaxial Audio Cable. (as a side note the Coaxial part is very miss leading as it is actually an rca connection). I had thought that I could get away with just connecting standard rca Y connector and the sound would work. But I just get static and a buzz sound over the actual audio.I did some looking around and found that the Digital Coaxial Audio Cable has a 75 ohm impedance while the standard RCA has only 50 ohm. SO I am guess that is the reason for the feedback type noise. But what I can't find is a way to convert from regular rca to this Digital Coaxial Audio Cable. Or am I just stuck and going to have to get a new sound system so the Digital Coaxial Audio Cable has a straight connection between the two?

I did read up on the cable types via this link here while I was trying to figure out this cable dilemma.
 

rexter

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Mar 17, 2006
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The cable you use is fine but you connected it to digital and trying extra analog from it.

Please remove the connection at once; it may damage your system. If your amplifier is old then it may not be capable of digital input signal anymore.

Use red and white/black with marking Audio Out at the back of your TV (if there's any), that's analog stereo signal.

If you see only one RCA colours black and say S/PDIF or SPDIF or Digital then it is a digital connection only, that single wire connection can carry up to 8 channels of signal but require a certain type of receiver to convert the signal it carries.

To convert the signal you need a decoder, if you only have 2 speakers and don't want to add more speakers then just get a decoder, but if you plan on adding more speakers to make a surround sound system then it would make more sense to just replace your amplifier to a new one. It doesn't have to be expensive as long it has DTS decoding capability.

here's how that converter/adapter looks like:

http://sewelldirect.com/GefenTV-Digital-Audio-to-Analog-Adapter.asp?ad_source=GoogleAdWords&ad_medium=PPC&ad_term={keyword}&ad_campaign=29552133&ad_group=966657513&ad_network={ifsearch:search}{ifcontent:content}&ad_creative={creative}&OVRAW=spdif%20adapter&OVKEY=spdif%20to%20rca&OVMTC=advanced&OVADID=40314506012&OVKWID=275997765512


Here the information of DTS:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Theater_System

Here's an amplifier that it capable of decoding digital signal except HIGH DEFINITION signals:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=9245523&type=product&id=1218066769427





 

Rogue13

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Jun 21, 2009
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Thanks I'll see if either Radio Shack or Best Buy has the converter. Funny thing is that I explained this all to the Radio Shack buy hours ago and he was completely confused, so not sure if they will have it or not. Pending prices might go with a new amp, but I doubt the cable and converter will cost that much.
 

rexter

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Maybe Radio Shack don’t have it, but a clueless salesman does not surprise me, But they used to have what is hard to find (specialty) devices.

They wouldn’t go all that trouble to make the unit if they can’t make profit out of it. I won’t buy such unit because it’s not worth it. As mentioned earlier the receiver that has over ten times more functions only cost twice of that so…

Other converters may be cheaper, I’m sure if you Google around you’d find one.