OT: a little AV help please?

[AngryScientist]

old TV died. new TV purchased.

i own a sound bar and a stand alone powered subwoofer. the new TV has only optical audio output, no RCA outputs. subwoofer needs RCA input.

so, i bought a optical audio splitter and a digital/analog converter that accepts opt audio in and rca cable out. hooked everything up - nada sound out of the sub. sound bar works fine.

any ideas?

these are the gizmos i bought

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XC42GZR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0749G18PF/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[tuxbailey]

What model is your TV? Does it have a HDMI out with ARC?

[AngryScientist]

What model is your TV? Does it have a HDMI out with ARC?

it does have HDMI ARC (but i dont really understand what that is...)

it's an LG TV, not sure of the model, my wife ordered it, i was just the curbside pickup guy...

[zzy]

Sounds like you need a receiver

[tuxbailey]

it does have HDMI ARC (but i dont really understand what that is...)

it's an LG TV, not sure of the model, my wife ordered it, i was just the curbside pickup guy...

Despite a lot of headache in the beginning, I like ARC. So I would suggest you pick up a receiver that supports ARC, which is almost all AV receivers in thew market. Then you can hook up whatever speakers/sub to it. Just need to configure the TV to enable the ARC port.

This will give you much more options to expand down the road. And you will get a much better source to drive your sub.

PS. This will be cheaper than a set of middle of the road alloy wheels.

[ojingoh]

Need to see if your sub has a built-in crossover or wants to see subwoofer only frequencies to amplify.

Also make sure you've got the level turned up on the sub and you've got the phase switch in the right phase with your speakers.

But let's see what sub you've got. FWIW if possible I'd run TOSLINK out of your soundbar. Link that too.

[Mark McM]

The first thing that comes to mind is that not all digital output is encoded the same way. The Optical-to-RCA adapter you link to accepts PCM (Pulse Code Modulated) input only. If your television outputs in another format (such as Dolby Digital or DTS), then it maybe unable to decode it. Maybe there is a setting on your new TV to select the digital output encoding?

[AngryScientist]

Thanks guys. this sub on ebay is the exact sub i have.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/203340955621?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=203340955621&targetid=1068323856630&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9003551&poi=&campaignid=10454522096&mkgroupid=104612011900&rlsatarget=pla-1068323856630&abcId=2146002&merchantid=6296724&gclid=CjwKCAjwhMmEBhBwEiwAXwFoESPodNgYI9fEsphQFLQg amBHABcIaOkhi7UPSBs4j7mkyV9oJ9zr4xoC_18QAvD_BwE

and this is my soundbar:

https://www.bose.com/en_us/products/speakers/home_theater/bose-smart-soundbar-300.html?mc=25_PS_SP_PL_00_GO_&gclid=CjwKCAjwhMmEBhBwEiwAXwFoEedM1wTbESCdy_LNwsbp 4YGDzOVJNjH813V59LtL14nywQJAQ-5xQxoC_JcQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds#v=bose_smart_soundbar_300_black

[kd98]

Mark McM is on the right path... from Amazon on your converter...

Supports Uncompressed 2-channel LPCM or PCM Digital Audio Signal Output; Provides Electromagnetic-noise-free Transmission(5.1 channel is incompatible, please set the audio output to PCM or LPCM）

Go into TV audio menu and set output mode to PCM.

[AngryScientist]

The first thing that comes to mind is that not all digital output is encoded the same way. The Optical-to-RCA adapter you link to accepts PCM (Pulse Code Modulated) input only. If your television outputs in another format (such as Dolby Digital or DTS), then it maybe unable to decode it. Maybe there is a setting on your new TV to select the digital output encoding?

Mark McM is on the right path... from Amazon on your converter...

Supports Uncompressed 2-channel LPCM or PCM Digital Audio Signal Output; Provides Electromagnetic-noise-free Transmission(5.1 channel is incompatible, please set the audio output to PCM or LPCM）

Go into TV audio menu and set output mode to PCM.

I just went through the submenus and PCM was the default selection. still no go on the sub.,

[kd98]

Try taking the optical splitter out of the path and connect TV optical out direct to the digital to analog converter... see if the sub works then. Obviously no audio will come from the sound bar.

Also I think Toslink optical connectors need to be pushed in until they 'click'. Try reseating your Toslink cables.

[yinzerniner]

I'm guessing the wiring looks like:

1 TV optical out to 1x2 toslink splitter optical in

1 toslink splitter optical out to Bose Sound bar
1 toslink optical out to DAC converter optical in
DAC converter left/right RCA channels to subwoofer rca channel inputs

In which case have you tried just testing the sub with the DAC converter with a direct connection between the TV optical out? The non-powered optical splitters seem to have an issue with signal strength if they go into an external DAC converter.

[Hindmost]

Your soundbar has a base module connection. Have you tried to hook the sub up to that.

[AngryScientist]

Your soundbar has a base module connection. Have you tried to hook the sub up to that.

that was the first thing i tried - nothing. i think it's some proprietary thing to force you to run the bose base module.

i now think it's the splitter. as recommended above i plugged the dac directly into the tv out and the sub fires, so apparently it's not getting what it needs to get when it goes through the splitter.

maybe a powered splitter?

[Mikej]

Did you remove the plastic optical protection covers on the ends?

[Likes2ridefar]

I tried to battle with a high end sound bar for about six months for WAF; mine was even simpler with a single hdmi cable to the tv and a wireless subwoofer.

It never worked to my satisfaction and had limited connections.

Ultimately I went back to a receiver and speakers. It sounds a lot better and is easier to operate.