TV soundbar...audio issue?

KFC911 · 12-02-2018, 01:33 AM

It's still early, not enough coffee...yet

.

New soundbar...if I set the TV audio output to external/variable.....volume no workie. Sitting the output to "fixed".... the channels vary in volume....barely audable to loud....I'm confused...

More coffee

....

astrochex · 12-02-2018, 04:19 AM

Add-on soundbar? What kind of connection?

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

Lemme guess: Samsung?

rjp

KFC911 · 12-02-2018, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RANDY P

Lemme guess: Samsung?

rjp

Yep...and this "open box" POS will be returned....again....more later...weird stuff for sure. Optical input btw....

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC911

Yep...and this "open box" POS will be returned....again....more later...weird stuff for sure. Optical input btw....

BUGGY POS. I have mine hooked to a Samsung 4K tv and it does NOT work very well together. Sometimes I get volume control, sometimes nothing. Sometimes doesn't turn off with the tv, sometimes turns on but doesn't get sound.

I have mine hooked thru optical- can't adjust individual sound levels between sources on the TV so broadcast is loud as hell but Netflix, internet is too quiet.

General volume isn't so great either.

Total ****. Samsung IMHO is buggy garbage and they are mega intrusive with the marketing ads on their products. No more after this- they obviously move the product on price.

My next TV is going to be a Sony, and a different (proper) solution to cinema.

KFC911 · 12-02-2018, 05:41 AM

^^^^ Sony TV > Samsumg POS ...

Buggy POS...'nuff said. I hooked it up right before Georgia began whuppin' 'Bama....was very happy initially...

Didn't last

....

sammyg2 · 12-02-2018, 02:43 PM

I gotta Yamaha soundbar connected to an LG tv with optical output, no problemo.
anecdotal.

KFC911 · 12-02-2018, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I gotta Yamaha soundbar connected to an LG tv with optical output, no problemo.
anecdotal.

I bet your Yamaha doesn't play OTA TV channels like this as you surf though:

LOUD > whisper > nada > LOUD > whisper > POS

I gotta rethink this (soundbar)....don't think any will make me happy after further research. I just wanted to watch music videos on a decent system/TV instead of on a crappy phone...once in a while....while living in the dark ages

. Oh yeah...My big azz speakers and amps are crying laughing over this latest impulse buy...soundbar sucker

astrochex · 12-02-2018, 04:02 PM

^so why aren’t you using your big azz gear for tv sounds?

legion · 12-02-2018, 04:12 PM

My parents bought a Samsung VCR in 1984. That thing was a workhorse and I donated when my dad died in 2006. They don't make them like that anymore.

My 2007 Samsung DLP TV has been going pretty well. I had to have the red LED (at around $500 for parts and labor) replaced after 5 years. It now has some pixels that are dead with certain colors.

My 2007 Samsung BluRay player was a different story. It had a 50% chance of playing a new BluRay. A BluRay with a scratch, dust, or a fingerprint would never be playable again on that player. I got rid of it in 2012 and bought a Sony unit. Never looked back.

My 2014 Samsung fridge has an icemaker that I have to thaw once a month with a hair dryer.

A coworker has a 2013 Samsung oven where all of the knobs fell off.

I'll probably replace my TV in the next year or two. The replacement will not be a Samsung.

KFC911 · 12-02-2018, 04:13 PM

Once upon a time...I did. About 3 fried amps and ten years ago

. I "had" a 5.1 wall-of-sound...1k watts per 170lb tower....btdt...but I digress...

I think I watched exactly one "movie" that way
...I'm a 2-ch "music" guy...but just a fraction of before.

astrochex · 12-02-2018, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC911

Once upon a time...I did. About 3 fried amps and ten years ago

. I "had" a 5.1 wall-of-sound...1k watts per 170lb tower....btdt...but I digress...

I think I watched exactly one "movie" that way
...I'm a 2-ch "music" guy...but just a fraction of before.

I have a simple 2 channel system with a Marantz ht receiver providing the juice. I can get source from either the tv itself or cable box. While not optimally set up, the towers sound a heck of a lot better than the tv speakers.

KFC911 · 12-02-2018, 04:36 PM

Oh yeah....also fried my pre-amp along the way

...one thing led to another...alas...

All I need is a 2-ch pre-amp, DAC, etc....

$lippery $lope....

Deschodt · 12-03-2018, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KC911

^^^^ Sony TV > Samsumg POS ...

Hate to break it to you but Sony is not that great either anymore.
I bought a new 4K Sony recently, sure, the sound control works, but the "smart" portion of the TV is anything but. After a few months, it now keeps losing network connectivity and requiring Wifi password re-entry.. When you use apps (amazon prime video, netflix, Hulu or Redbull TV) it often only partially exits them (you end up with the sound of say a WRC rally car mixed with your other program), refuses to exit, or exits poorly to another HDM1 setting, and the cable input in no longer picked up until you reboot the cable box...

I had an identical setup with an old samsung and it worked fine, so I know it's the TV - specifically the Android portion...

Modern appliances, you know....

RKDinOKC · RKDinOKC's Garage

Got a Sony big TV and hooked the sound to a Sony Receiver for Surround Sound, HDMI not optical.

Use AppleTV to control programming/sound/on-off.

When TV wakes up it senses the receiver and auto routes the sound to it.
The AppleTV controls volume and turns on/off the TV/Receiver when it is turned on/off.

Smart feature of the TV went out of date, quit working, and no longer updated 2 years after purchase. So, It is now just a TV monitor that passes the sound to the Receiver for surround.

fintstone · fintstone's Garage

I have a relatively new 75" Samsung hooked to a Bose sound bar. I have Direct TV that is connected to the TV with an HDMI cable through a separate box (one connect) that came with the TV. An optical cable comes out of the one connect box to the sound bar. It works great. The sound bar also controls Bose wireless 4 speakers and a subwoofer (surround sound/home theater).

My first Samsung 75" (2013) had/has problems...but none with the newer one (2018). I also have a 55" (2018) Samsung that came with the 75" (for free). I don't use it much...but so far, so good.

KFC911 · 12-03-2018, 10:12 AM

Sony has been total crap for years...no debate there either. But this is an issue with the signal processing in the SB...lots of issues. For audio....I've always preferred digital coax....optical is low-end...never used HDMI before. I was hoping to get video unto the TV via Blutooth via the SB....none appear to do that. Oh well...

911 Rod · 911 Rod's Garage

Can we agree that they are all POS?

KFC911 · 12-03-2018, 11:28 AM

^^^^ all disposable junk these daze....yep

serene911 · 12-03-2018, 04:56 PM

I'm old school. Marantz receiver, 5.1 set up. Def tech towers and dual 15 inch subs that I purchased over 20 years ago. Great for music and fantastic for home theater use. All hard
wired, none of this wi fi crap. Speakers still rock out big time. I'm surprised how many people
have a nice widescreen with a cheap soundbar system. They are totally missing out. My local
goodwill has shelves of the cheap soundbar stuff . Buy quality hi fi gear and it will last decades. Hey remember the great stereo system you had in the late 70's and 80's.
The cheap soundbars and wi fi stuff doesn't seem to last or have the build quality
. A backwords move. You can put together a nice 5.1 system by spending a little more. Great
for tv ,You tube music video's and stereo. Was just at my local Target yesterday, a nice rack
of new re issued vinyl albums. Sgt Pepper, Fleetwood Mac,Springsteen etc. A great sound system with a smaller screen will have more impact than a large screen with tinny speakers.
It seems many have forgotten what a really nice speaker system sounds like. And yes I still
have a turntable, along with the cd and dvd player.