Connect Speakers to TV

Firstly has anyone noticed how rubbish the sound is on some new TVs? Absolute tosh.

On two of my TVs I can connect pc speakers (with amplifier)via the headphone jack.

Just bought another TV and despite being told by the assistant yes you can connect your speakers, just plug in at the back, got home, set it up and couldn't get any sound out to the speakers.

Took TV back and assistant denied he ever said I could use my speakers and that this model of TV and nearly all others didn't have the facility to use speakers. So got a refund and checked out another store only to be told the same thing and that very new models of TV have no earphone jack and there is no way in the whole world you can add speakers.

Bought another TV, sound is rubbish particularly when playing a DVD - have to crank up the volume to max but still you can hardly hear the music. Are the internal speakers meant to be in stereo by the way?

Looked on the internet and loads of posts asking the same thing and posts saying you can add speakers.

Just ordered a 3.5mm Stereo Socket to 2 x RCA/Phono Plugs 0.2M Cable - have I bought the right thing and do I have to work out if it's male or female or whatever that is, and where do I plug it in and will it work?????????????
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Comments

  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,478
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    Which stores and which makes of TV are you looking at? All TV sets in my experience can be connected to an external sound system one way or another. Perhaps the most common "modern" way is via an optical audio out connection but that is expected to be connected to a proper AV amp rather than to a cheapo pair of amplified PC speakers.

    Other options:-

    Headphone jack (yes budget TV sets seem not to have these anymore)
    RCA (red and white sockets - make sure they are Outputs not Inputs)
    SCART sockets (as traditionally designed for use for connection to an external recorder such as a VCR - converter cables to RCA or headphone jacks commonly available)

    You need to tell us the specific make and model of TV for more targetted advice.
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,509
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    generally on plasma and LCD TV the sound the is going to suffer as there just is not enough depth for a decent set of speakers.

    As for connecting headphones, if you post make and model of TV then I am sure somebody will know if you can connect headphones / external speakers and how.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32
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    It's a Logik (yeah I know what you're going to say), 22".

    On my other two Logiks I can plug speakers in through the headphone jack thinggy. But the new TV doesn't have that anymore.
  • grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    jerez200 wrote: »
    It's a Logik (yeah I know what you're going to say), 22".

    On my other two Logiks I can plug speakers in through the headphone jack thinggy. But the new TV doesn't have that anymore.

    The scart sockets should have audio out. You just need a scart adaptor.

    eg

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Scart-SVHS-3-x-RCA-Phono-Converter-box-TV-Adaptor-/170703556576?pt=UK_Computing_CablesConnectors_RL&hash=item27beb98fe0
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32
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    Thank you for getting back to me. I have a scart lead, so if I buy the adaptor, the silver thinggy on the scart lead goes into the adaptor, so how do I plug my speaker jack (the green jack) into the adaptor. It's got a green jack on it, do I need to have something for that first to turn it into a long thin socket thing. God I can't believe I'm so helpless.
  • Deacon1972Deacon1972 Posts: 8,171
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    jerez200 wrote: »
    Thank you for getting back to me. I have a scart lead, so if I buy the adaptor, the silver thinggy on the scart lead goes into the adaptor, so how do I plug my speaker jack (the green jack) into the adaptor. It's got a green jack on it, do I need to have something for that first to turn it into a long thin socket thing. God I can't believe I'm so helpless.

    I'm presumming the green jack is 3.5mm, so you'll need a female 3.5mm > 2 RCA lead, something like this.....

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0029HQ132
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,509
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    Here is one specifically for headphones,

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/SCART-adaptor-3-5mm-socket-audio/dp/B000BN6L8Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334148246&sr=8-1


    Just to warn you that one some TV the output volume can be very low so you may need a pre-amp and also there won't be any volume control so you will need some sort of in-line control. And you will probably only be able get audio from build in tuner or devices plugged in via scart. Devices connected via HDMI are unlikely to work.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32
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    Hi guys, thanks for your help. Sorry I'm a bit dense on this type of thing. My husband is very, very seriously ill and when he comes out of hospital I want to set the TV up in the bedroom so he can watch DVDs with some decent sound hopefully.

    So once I get this stuff - I connect the scart adaptor to back of TV, where do I put those female things leads - into the scart adaptor? Then I plug my green speaker jack into the end of the phono plug cable?
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    The SCART adapter plugs into a SCART socket on the back of the TV. However make sure you pick the correct one. If you look at the back of the telly next to the socket should be a symbol that is a small square with an arrow or perhaps two across one edge.

    If a single arrow points into the square then that is no good. If there are two arrows, one pointing into the square and one pointing out then that is the one to use. You may also see a double headed arrow, one "head" pointing in and the other out. That too is OK to use.

    On the other end of the adapter are three phono sockets, possibly colour coded Red White and Yellow. Ignore the yellow one and plug the Phono to Jack adapter lead into the red and white sockets. If the lead has colour coded plugs then match the plug colours to the sockets.

    The green jack then goes into the jack socket on the adapter lead.

    Another thing to watch out for. If the adapter has a switch labelled IN OUT or similar make sure the switch is set to OUT.

    And finally. Some TVs let you choose what signals come out of the SCART socket so you may have to dive into the menus of the TV to find the section that sets the SCART Output (may also be called AV OUT). You may have to use that to switch what comes out of the SCART between the built in tuner and the SCART the DVD is connected to if you are using a DVD player with the TV. Some TVs give you no choice and just output the tuner so you can get audio off the TV programmes but nothing else, even if you are watching a DVD at the time you still get whatever telly channel you were previously watching coming out of the SCART. Or you could be lucky and you get whatever comes out of the speakers.

    Oh and the SCART output is probably fixed level, ie it is not affected by the volume control on the remote. That means you have to use the volume control on whatever you've plugged the telly into to control the noise level. :) But it does mean you can mute the TV speakers without affecting the SCART output.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32
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    Thank you for all your advice. Somethis is now worrying me. I ordered a cable and to cut a long story short, it looked different to the picture of it on Amazon. Anyway emailing the guy back and forth and he phoned me to ask what I wanted to use it for. He said there is no way in the world I can connect my speakers using the method some of you suggested. It went above my ahead - he just said it wouldn't work. Am still waiting for the scart adaptor, so when I get it, I'll try as you suggested. This guy said they don't want you to be able to connect your own speakers, that's why they have no headphone jack, they just want you to buy a surround system.

    Oh well. I will try and see what happens as long as I don't blow the new TV up.
  • grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    jerez200 wrote: »
    Thank you for all your advice. Somethis is now worrying me. I ordered a cable and to cut a long story short, it looked different to the picture of it on Amazon. Anyway emailing the guy back and forth and he phoned me to ask what I wanted to use it for. He said there is no way in the world I can connect my speakers using the method some of you suggested. It went above my ahead - he just said it wouldn't work. Am still waiting for the scart adaptor, so when I get it, I'll try as you suggested. This guy said they don't want you to be able to connect your own speakers, that's why they have no headphone jack, they just want you to buy a surround system.

    Oh well. I will try and see what happens as long as I don't blow the new TV up.

    Any speakers you need to connect must have their own amplifier (and volume control) and therefore must need to be plugged into a mains socket as well. The sort of speakers you buy for use with a PC will do the job.
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,509
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    jerez200 wrote: »
    Thank you for all your advice. Somethis is now worrying me. I ordered a cable and to cut a long story short, it looked different to the picture of it on Amazon. Anyway emailing the guy back and forth and he phoned me to ask what I wanted to use it for. He said there is no way in the world I can connect my speakers using the method some of you suggested. It went above my ahead - he just said it wouldn't work. Am still waiting for the scart adaptor, so when I get it, I'll try as you suggested. This guy said they don't want you to be able to connect your own speakers, that's why they have no headphone jack, they just want you to buy a surround system.

    Oh well. I will try and see what happens as long as I don't blow the new TV up.

    I don't know if its too late to return the item but if you order the item I linked to you won't need any converter cables. It just plugs into the SCART out socket (as explained by Chris) and on the other end it has a female 3.5mm jack plug which you plug your speakers into.

    You then just need a set of powered speakers (like the ones used for computers).
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32
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    Yes I have an amplifier - so why did this guy say nothing I do will get the speakers to work?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32
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    Forgotten what I ordered now. Scart Adaptor and 1 of 2 x RCA phono plugs - 3.5mm stereo socket. Is that right? Also chrisjr in his great reply said something about arrows near the scart thinggy. I can see the scart socket but there are no arrows on it. Why did this guy say I will not be able to do it?
  • gomezzgomezz Posts: 44,478
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    jerez200 wrote: »
    Yes I have an amplifier - so why did this guy say nothing I do will get the speakers to work?
    1) He misunderstood the issue possibly because of the way you explained it;

    2) He doesn't know his stuff;

    3) He does know his stuff and wants to sell you more kit that you don't actually need?
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,509
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    jerez200 wrote: »
    Yes I have an amplifier - so why did this guy say nothing I do will get the speakers to work?

    Ah, you have an amplifier already, which inputs are available on the amplifier ?

    Also are you trying to get the sound from freeview or using one of the inputs ?
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    jerez200 wrote: »
    Forgotten what I ordered now. Scart Adaptor and 1 of 2 x RCA phono plugs - 3.5mm stereo socket. Is that right? Also chrisjr in his great reply said something about arrows near the scart thinggy. I can see the scart socket but there are no arrows on it. Why did this guy say I will not be able to do it?
    Look at this image

    http://www.televisions.com/Images/Reviews/Televisions/2007/Sony/88_sony_kdl46w2000_seitlanschl/white/1240/88_sony_kdl46w2000_anschl.jpg

    Above the SCART sockets you'll see the symbols in the white bit just above them. The left hand one is the type you should be looking for.
  • Deacon1972Deacon1972 Posts: 8,171
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    c4rv wrote: »
    Ah, you have an amplifier already, which inputs are available on the amplifier ?

    Also are you trying to get the sound from freeview or using one of the inputs ?

    I think the amplifier they are referring too is the one in the PC speakers, the ones they are trying to connect to the TV, it's not an AV amplifier.
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,509
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    Deacon1972 wrote: »
    I think the amplifier they are referring too is the one in the PC speakers, the ones they are trying to connect to the TV, it's not an AV amplifier.

    Well in that case the adaptor I suggest will be fine.
  • grahamlthompsongrahamlthompson Posts: 18,486
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    c4rv wrote: »
    Well in that case the adaptor I suggest will be fine.

    I think we all knew that :D. It was the idiotic advise the OP got that clouded the issue. Line level output needs amplification to feed loudspeakers. The actual power output is miniscule,
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32
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    My TV has only one socket - there are no symbols. Do most TV's have two scart sockets then? What shall I do now? Thank you
    chrisjr wrote: »
    Look at this image

    http://www.televisions.com/Images/Reviews/Televisions/2007/Sony/88_sony_kdl46w2000_seitlanschl/white/1240/88_sony_kdl46w2000_anschl.jpg

    Above the SCART sockets you'll see the symbols in the white bit just above them. The left hand one is the type you should be looking for.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,274
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    jerez200 wrote: »
    My TV has only one socket - there are no symbols. Do most TV's have two scart sockets then? What shall I do now? Thank you

    Almost all TV's only have one SCART socket now, SCART is effectively dead :(

    The (rather nice) picture posted above was of an old Sony model, probably 3 years old?.

    What sockets does your TV have?.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32
    Forum Member
    On the side
    Aerial
    VGA/PC Audio socket,
    Scart socket,
    USB port
    HDMI1/22

    On the back
    Video/audio (L & R)
    Y,PB,PR/Audio (L/R)
    Mains Adaptor




    Almost all TV's only have one SCART socket now, SCART is effectively dead :(

    The (rather nice) picture posted above was of an old Sony model, probably 3 years old?.

    What sockets does your TV have?.
  • Nigel GoodwinNigel Goodwin Posts: 58,274
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    Probably the only place to get audio out then is the SCART socket, do you have anything already plugged in to it?.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32
    Forum Member
    no, I'm waiting for the scart adaptor
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