current set up: panasonic pvr - panasonic tv

pvr audio out connected to Naim amp/speakers with rca connectors both ends.

Problem - only works when using pvr ...if using tv as a source rather than the pvr , have to use tv inbuilt speakers.

Want to connect tv audio to amp in such a way that irrespective of whether i am using the pvr or the tv the sound will play through amp.

TV has a headphone socket and a digital audio out socket, amp has analogue in (rca) and digital in (coax and toslink)

Is it best to run from the tv headphone out to the amp's analog in using an adaptor, or would digital out to the Naim's digital in be better?

You will have to give more details of the pvr you are using. A number of PVR's and streaming set top boxes have digital out (toslink is common) and can be connected directly to many amps.

Without any further information, if the TV has a digital o/p and the Naim a compatible digital i/p you might as well take that route. Otherwise using the headphone socket should be OK. Theoretically the digital option should give better sound but you probably won't notice any difference using the headphone o/p. You may have to alter the lip-sync setting on your PVR, see its manual for further information.

Firstly, don't use the headphone connection from the TV. There aren't many TVs fitted with a decent headphone outm so from your connection options including Optical and SCART AV out then headphone will be at the bottom of the quality list.

If your Naim system is purely stereo then the best way to connect will be as follows:

PVR to TV (via HDMI if possible, or RGB SCART if it's an older device)

TV out to Naim via Optical

Set the TV's audio out menu to 'Stereo PCM'/'LPCM'/'Digital Stereo' (just different names for the same thing). Since all terrestrial broadcast TV (Freeview) is delivered digitally then using HDMI and optical will maintain a digital pathway through to the Naim which will do a better job as a DAC than using anything else within the equipment chain to convert digital to analogue stereo.

Operationally you'll put the Naim on to its digital input and leave it there for TV/PVR viewing. The TV will act as the "switch" and route either sound from the PVR or its own internal tuner to the Naim. Turn down the volume on the TV. Use the Naim remote to control volume.

For those occassions where you don't need the big sound from the stereo system you'll be able to leave it off and just use the TV speakers.

If the Naim is anything other than a stereo pre-power or integrated then let us here know.

Thanks all for all advice: Chris I will try the digital route and get a connector this weekend and try it out, will get back to let you know how it works out.

chris, an update.

I have connected a digital optical link, so it's:

PVR to tv via hdmi
TV to Naim via digital optical

It all works but with one issue:

when playing from PVR the volume is fine (I set the volume level on the Naim to 35 which is about the same as when playing CD or internet radio) but when I switch to TV it goes quieter and I have to crank it up to 55. Of course if I then switch back to PVR I get an unwelcome blast of sound and have to scramble for the volume control.

That's because the TV audio decoder is putting out a lower level signal than the PVR, which you already know. There's probably not a lot that can be done about that other than using the PVR as your default everyday how-I-watch-TV method of tuning in to Freeview. It might have some advantages if the PVR has the ability to pause and rewind live TV. That, or remembering to turn down the volume again when going to the PVR.

AV receivers have the ability to trim (adjust up or down) the sensitivity* per input, but it does rely on those signals coming in to physically different inputs on the back panel. There's no ability on the average receiver to distinguish between two different level signals via the same input which is the situation you have.

You could look again at the idea of connecting the sources individually, but that would rely on the Naim having a per-input volume trim feature.


* digital works differently but the end result is similar

Yes, I will manage with it as is ... I do use the PVR as my main source, I only switch to TV when the PVR is recording two channels at the same time and I want to watch a third channel so this won't happen very often. I was not aware the TV produced a lower audio signal than the PVR, I saythis because if I don;t use the external amp at all, if I just use the TV's speakers, then the volume is the same whether I am watching from TV or watching from the PVR.

My SOP is to turn the master volume control down before switching sources then turn the volume back up to the desired level.