Electronics

[hckynut]

Hi @LilacTree

Comcast said "sound system"? And it is "incompatible with your tv"? As a person my wife considers a "perfectionist" when it comes to anything audio, I say whaaat!

I understand "sound bars", but they are far from what I consider a "sound system". Gonna assume your old one is also a sound bar, yes? If so, there ain't a whole lot to them. What type of cable, if you know, connects the sound bar(old one) to you tv set?

Cables are always the 1st place I look when any audio component acts up, or quits. I have set up more home theater systems than I can remember, and cables can be the weakest point, just behind the type of audio connection being used. The "audio out/audio in", from tv to component.

There are several types starting with my "last resort", which is "composite cables(RCA)". Those belong with non-stereo(mono sound) grave yard. Won't go into anymore with you about types, but cables make a difference, and often are the source of both audio and/or video problems.

You know I am a "speak up" person. Acquaintance/friend/relative or stranger. I think you know what I would do. 

As with any speaker system, what sounds good to me might not sound good to anyone else. What one hears has way too many variables, as does the accoustics in a room. 

I gotta go now, be back later my friend.

JOhn(hckynut)

[gardenman]

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@glb613 wrote:

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@LilacTree wrote:

During a problem I was having with my cable TV, Comcast came out and told me it was the sound system I was using that was incompatible with my TV.  It had been working for several years, but he insisted it was broken.  So I had to go back to the regular TV sound system, which has always been awful.

I mentioned it to my brother (who had worked as a salesman/seminar instructor at Panasonic for 36 years all over the world).  I asked him to recommend a sound system for me.  Instead he sent me a new one and then insisted on paying for it!!  Unfortunately, it is not rated very highly, and the remote, particularly, is just awful.  I am so surprised because he was such an expert in the field for so long.

I don't want to hurt my brother's feelings by sending it back, but I have spent hours online today trying to find at least a decent remote, but none of the "universal" remotes seem to be compatible with this brand, and during my searches, I read a lot of bad reviews about this system.

I don't know what to do!!  Help!

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I wouldn't believe anything an employee from Comcast told me.  It's extremely rare for a sound system to go bad.  You didn't elaborate in your post whether you were having sound problems or not.  If you were having probmes with the sound, did you try a new cable before ditching it for a new system? 

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I completely agree with this post and also hckynuts. Pretty much any sound system is compatible with any TV and since yours had been working together for years, it clearly wasn't incompatible. TV's have lots of ways of putting out audio from boring old analog, headphone jacks, to optical or coaxial digital audio. Your TV and sound system were apparently compatible using one of those many means of output as they'd been working together. Even if you got a new cable box that only had an optical output and your soundbar or system only had a coaxial input, you should have still been able to get at least an analog audio out signal from the TV. The cable box would have still sent the audio through the HDMI/coaxial cable to the TV and you could have then gotten the audio through the TV. 

[goldensrbest]

I say just call your brother ,and explain  what you have said here.

[glb613]

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@gardenman wrote:

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I wouldn't believe anything an employee from Comcast told me.  It's extremely rare for a sound system to go bad.  You didn't elaborate in your post whether you were having sound problems or not.  If you were having probmes with the sound, did you try a new cable before ditching it for a new system? 

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I completely agree with this post and also hckynuts. Pretty much any sound system is compatible with any TV and since yours had been working together for years, it clearly wasn't incompatible. TV's have lots of ways of putting out audio from boring old analog, headphone jacks, to optical or coaxial digital audio. Your TV and sound system were apparently compatible using one of those many means of output as they'd been working together. Even if you got a new cable box that only had an optical output and your soundbar or system only had a coaxial input, you should have still been able to get at least an analog audio out signal from the TV. The cable box would have still sent the audio through the HDMI/coaxial cable to the TV and you could have then gotten the audio through the TV. 

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My new Sony Smart TV only has an digital TOSLINK audio connection.  My Bose system is analog and the two couldn't work together.  I knew there had to be a way to still use the Bose system and sure enough, I found an analog to digital audio converter online. I could have purchased a new system but why when for $30, I can continue to use a system I like. 

I moved my old TV upstairs and needed something besides the TV speakers.  I plugged my Bose Soundlink portable speaker into the headphone jack, selected AUX on the speaker and I hear much better sound. 

As gardenman, hockynut and I have posted, it's rare for a speaker system to go bad.  Cables on the other hand can fail without notice.  When you connect a sound system to your TV, you may need to change an audio setting on your TV.  By default, it's set to have sound through the TV speakers.  Get into the menu of your TV set, select settings then audio and see what's listed. 

[LilacTree]

@hckynut@gardenman@glb613

I might have been the one who incorrectly identified this component as a "sound system," when it is a "sound bar," as was the one I just disconnected, which was a Bose and came with a tiny remote which I upgraded to a very good remote.  I called Bose and they advised that their remote is not compatible with the "Pyle" sound bar my brother sent to me.  I looked at many RCA remotes on various sites, and none of them have listed Pyle as compatible with their remotes.

Had I ordered a replacement sound bar, it would have been a Bose, but I let my brother do the selecting because of his background.  I admit to being befuddled with what he sent to me, which he paid for and wasn't cheap.

I have to admit, despite my 20+ years managing a computer network for a CPA firm (two servers and 36 workstations), I am completely out of my area of expertise, not to mention it's been 13 years since I retired . . . a generation in the tech world.

The problem with the Bose was not just the sound, I couldn't get it to work at all.  When I called them, the rep said I would have to plug and unplug the sound bar whenever it stopped working, which I reluctantly did.  I even said I couldn't believe that was the only "fix" a company with a reputation like Bose could offer me. 

After a couple of weeks of doing that, nothing worked vis-a-vis the Bose/Panasonic (TV) sound connection and I had to turn the TV speakers back on to get any sound at all (which is awful).  Hence calling Comcast to come out, and his advice that the Bose wasn't working and was incompatible with my Panasonic TV (after years of working, as I said).  So I don't know if the Bose is broken or for some reason signals sent from Comcast when I added Netflix is the culprit.  That required a new set top.

As I said, I am keeping the Bose and may decide to buy a new TV at the end of the year.  And I'll try connecting the Bose to that before resorting to the Pyle.

I received just one cable connection with the Pyle and I did, of course, turn the TV sound off before I hooked it up.  The only other thing is the cheap remote which I thought if I could replace, I could perhaps reset some things to get a better sound.  Not happening.  The "user manual" is useless, as it's written in Chinese (meaning their interpretation of the English language, which is laughable).

Thanks to all of you for your thoughtful suggestions, although I really don't understand most of it.  Too old (meaning me). 

[hckynut]

Hi @LilacTree

Just put a sound bar in the master bedroom at the request of my wife. She watches/listens to "The Voice" every season, and wanted better sound. We bought a 40" 4k television set a few months back, all smart of course.

She didn't want me to do what I like when adding sound(too complex learning she says", so I went with a 38" sound bar I bought from amazon. Good reviews/good component makeup, and the best "input ports" to get the best sound quality, so I picked this one.

Since I sleep in my recliner in our 4 season patio room, 65" 4k and have set up a 5.1 digital surround sound system, I don't spend much time watching tv in that room. If she is happy with the sound that is fine with me.

This sound bar also has a small remote, but our Samsung tv set audio has 3 audio options. (1)-internal tv speakers only/(2)-external speakers only, or (3)-internal and external together.

With the Optical or Coaxial Input on the sound bar, the tv or the Dish Network Remotes will control the volume.

The sound bar remote has options for 3 different types of sound dispersion, which you can choose to just give better sound from the tv broadcast, or simulate surround sound. Those I will leave up to my wife and what sounds better to her. Once she picks her choice for a particular tv show, she no longer needs to use that remote.

Since I lost all my expensive sound system when our basement flooded with sewage, and I got enough strength back to do some hour or more workouts, I added a cheaper surround system to listen to what little music cd's I didn't lose in that disaster.

I added 9 speakers and 2 subwoofers along with a 5 CD player that pretty much surrounds all my exercise equipment. Working out to music I love is a must for me as it was when I ran so many thousands of miles training on my old treadmill. Put all this together with a few hundred bucks, not the many thousands of $$$ I lost when my other system was ruined.

Glad you explained your situation. If you get a new tv set(all small frame tv sets have little room to put in a good sound system, some are better than others however), it should have HDMI Outputs/Optical Digital Sound Output, and probably a Coaxial Digital Sound Ouput. Any sound bar is only as good as the programming audio put into it. It can be improved, but if you have garbage sound from the programming, it will never pass my "perfectionist muster", even with a great audio system. Had to repeat my "wife's quote" about me being a perfectionist when it comes to sound.   =^..^=

JOhn(hckynut)

[goldensrbest]

@LilacTree, If you bought  a gift like this for your daughters,or grandchild ,and if it wasn't what they liked ,for any reason wouldn't you prefer they tell you ,than waste the money?

[LilacTree]

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@goldensrbest wrote:

@LilacTree, If you bought  a gift like this for your daughters,or grandchild ,and if it wasn't what they liked ,for any reason wouldn't you prefer they tell you ,than waste the money?

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@goldensrbest

They sometimes tell me, but most often they just don't wear or use it.  And I get the hint, LOL.

Actually, this is better today . . . don't know why.  Maybe it had to warm up?  LOL

Cable channels are fine, sound is even on all.  Problems with sound going loud/soft with no adjustment is mainly on the network channels, especially with commercials.

[LilacTree]

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@hckynut wrote:

Hi @LilacTree

Just put a sound bar in the master bedroom at the request of my wife. She watches/listens to "The Voice" every season, and wanted better sound. We bought a 40" 4k television set a few months back, all smart of course.

She didn't want me to do what I like when adding sound(too complex learning she says", so I went with a 38" sound bar I bought from amazon. Good reviews/good component makeup, and the best "input ports" to get the best sound quality, so I picked this one.

Since I sleep in my recliner in our 4 season patio room, 65" 4k and have set up a 5.1 digital surround sound system, I don't spend much time watching tv in that room. If she is happy with the sound that is fine with me.

This sound bar also has a small remote, but our Samsung tv set audio has 3 audio options. (1)-internal tv speakers only/(2)-external speakers only, or (3)-internal and external together.

With the Optical or Coaxial Input on the sound bar, the tv or the Dish Network Remotes will control the volume.

The sound bar remote has options for 3 different types of sound dispersion, which you can choose to just give better sound from the tv broadcast, or simulate surround sound. Those I will leave up to my wife and what sounds better to her. Once she picks her choice for a particular tv show, she no longer needs to use that remote.

Since I lost all my expensive sound system when our basement flooded with sewage, and I got enough strength back to do some hour or more workouts, I added a cheaper surround system to listen to what little music cd's I didn't lose in that disaster.

I added 9 speakers and 2 subwoofers along with a 5 CD player that pretty much surrounds all my exercise equipment. Working out to music I love is a must for me as it was when I ran so many thousands of miles training on my old treadmill. Put all this together with a few hundred bucks, not the many thousands of $$$ I lost when my other system was ruined.

Glad you explained your situation. If you get a new tv set(all small frame tv sets have little room to put in a good sound system, some are better than others however), it should have HDMI Outputs/Optical Digital Sound Output, and probably a Coaxial Digital Sound Ouput. Any sound bar is only as good as the programming audio put into it. It can be improved, but if you have garbage sound from the programming, it will never pass my "perfectionist muster", even with a great audio system. Had to repeat my "wife's quote" about me being a perfectionist when it comes to sound.   =^..^=

JOhn(hckynut)

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@hckynut

Real quick (I have company), my TV is only 32" which is the most I would want in this small bedroom.  If I replace it at the end of the year, I won't go much bigger unless I have to.

I will write more tomorrow.  ~Ford

[glb613]

You can try connecting your bose system to the cable box audio out instead of the TV and see if it works.  If it doesn't then, the Bose has failed.  

Not having just one remote wouldn't stop me from using a sound bar or any other device.  My Bose remote will operate my TV (Sony), my cable box (Motorola) as well as the Bose system.  When either the cable company upgraded it's box or I bought a new TV, the Bose remote wouldn't work.  I contacted Bose and I was sent a new one free of charge.  It's worth a try if you want to use it as a universal remote.