# New member, a few questions



## gkitf16 (Nov 23, 2011)

Hey everyone! Great forum you have here. Should be a good place to learn about my system.

I have a Panasonic Viera TC-P42ST30 plasma and Panasonic DMP-BDT110 blu-ray player, and I need some help as to how to connect a set of external analog 2.1 speakers which don't have HDMI or digital optical inputs.

The plasma only has digital audio output, with no RCA audio outs, and no headphone jack. The TV and the blu-ray are connected by a single HDMI cable. I don't have an AV receiver.

The speakers I want to connect are Klipsch ProMedia. This is a 2.1 powered sub w/satellites set, which uses a 3.5mm stereo miniplug to connect, and the left & right satellites just wire into the sub. I have neither the space or need for a huge 5.1 or 7.1 setup and wire bird-nests.

I have read through both the TV and the blu-ray manuals, but nothing I can find seems to address this issue. I don't want to have to spend extra $$$ just to buy a receiver to be able to connect speakers. From what I understand and have read, that I may need a digital to analog audio decoder converter. Found one on Amazon after much searching (can't post links here yet). Copy/paste this search into Amazon and you'll see the one I'm looking at:

5.1 Audio Gear Digital to Analog Audio Converter Adapter Digital Sound Decoder (Support Decoding Dolby AC3/DTS Audio)

Does anyone know if this is the correct solution for what I'm trying to do? If I connect the converter to the TV using a digital optical cable, then plug the speakers' cable into the converter's Front Left/Front Right blue output jack, should that give me 2-channel audio to my speakers? I hope so.

Just don't quite understand mfr's leaving out such a basic option which would add only a couple of $ to include backward-compatible outputs on newer sets :huh:


----------



## robbo266317 (Sep 22, 2008)

Welcome aboard Gary.

I am sure someone here will offer a simple solution for you.

Cheers,
Bill.


----------



## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
Gary, this is going to be a tough one as the Promedia is a Computer Speaker Series and has no direct way to connect to a typical Home Theater Component. That is even if you purchased an AVR, the Speakers and AVR are not designed to work with each other. While something as you proposed might work, I really am not positive how well it will work.

I totally understand the desire to have a neat and clean setup. If you could provide a link to the Converter you are considering, I will do my best to ascertain how well it would work.
Cheers,
JJ


----------



## MikeBiker (Jan 3, 2010)

Gary,

I can understand your frustration but, if I were you, I'd sell the Klipsch set-up and replace it with an HTIB. You don't have to hook up the speakers that you don't want to use. Sometimes trying to get incompatible components to work together is just not worth the effort it takes.


----------



## tesseract (Aug 9, 2010)

Welcome to HTS, Gary!

Understand, the Klipsch ProMedia is meant to be a desktop system, not to fill a room with sound.


----------



## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

Parts Express (and other companies) sell Toslink to RCA "converters" (basically an inexpensive DAC) for >$40-

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=180-997

It seems that your Klipsch Pro Media is self powered, so the "converter" above should be all that you need. I hope it helps.


----------



## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

Sorry, you probably need a cable (RCA to 3.5 stereo), too. Here are several from the same company-

http://www.parts-express.com/wizards/searchResults.cfm?searchFilter=rca to 3.5 mm


----------



## tshifrin (Nov 24, 2011)

+1 on the PE 180-997 and cable; it will do exactly what you need it to do.

G'luck,
Tom


----------



## gkitf16 (Nov 23, 2011)

*Found a solution to my speaker issue*

Thanks everyone for your input. I eventually found this to be the solution to my speaker connectivity issue (currently out of stock on Amazon):

amazon.com/gp/product/B0057UNPWS/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details

Cost was about $64. Well-built metal case and solid jacks and optical ports. Bright blue LED indicators and solid selector pushbuttons. Retains selected channel in memory even after total power off.

Connection was plug and play, and didn't require an intermediate RCA/miniplug cable. It also provides both 2.1 and 5.1 channel DAC, with 3 discrete outputs for L/R (center) and front/rear when using 5.1. Complete with a basic optical cable which worked fine, but I upgraded to a better-built Media Bridge cable for another $8.

Sound quality of the Klipsch has to be heard:fireworks1:. With the premise these are "only" computer speakers, but are heavily under-rated as such. For less than $120, I find the audio experience challenges many 5.1 or better systems. I placed the sub into the corner of the room diagonally, with the satellites flanking the TV console. Sound imaging is seamless. You cannot tell where the sub is located by listening. It has more than enough presence and power to handle anything I've tried without distortion. Movies are superb, with no problems pounding out the extreme tracks and quiet scenes as well. The satellites have discrete mid and hi drivers, giving them a clean and pure sound. A great compact system without all the spiderweb of wiring and big money.:spend:

If I had to whine about something (and I'm REALLY being picky here) you don't get remote control of volume. Sometimes commercials will blast you, their tracks are played way too hot. You must actually get up and turn the knob a hair if you must adjust the volume (rarely). One other minor note, on a few (very few) broadcasts, the primary audio channel, usually the actors, does not get decoded by the box, but you can still hear the background music and sound effects. No problem. Simply click the TV speakers on in the menu, and enjoy the program. DVD soundtracks are not affected by this. A pleasant side effect of this, is some commercials also get hit with this feature. Their audio gets defeated the same way!!!:woohoo: Haha!:bigsmile: Effective payback so I don't have to listen to their pitch! What's not to love?!

So if anyone else finds themselves in my position, this will make it happen for you.


----------



## WooferHound (Dec 8, 2010)

Glad it's working good now . . .
I was going to suggest that you plug the Klipsh speakers into the headphone jack on the TV.


----------



## wgmontgomery (Jun 9, 2011)

That's actually a very good idea (headphone jack on TV) if it has one. That should allow you to use the TV remote to change the volume. The TV may not have a headphone out; my Panny plasma doesn't.


----------



## gkitf16 (Nov 23, 2011)

Absolutely love the TV. (sorry, getting off-topic at first here!) I used the screen "burn-in" color slides by D-Nice, ran them continuously for the first week 24/7 from an SD card in the card slot (another really sweet little feature). Then set the display to presets he recommends, gorgeous, perfect picture, no more adjustments needed.

The headphone out jack and RCA audio outputs were features they decided to omit from the Panasonic Viera plasmas. Optical and HDMI are the only options. Probably only a couple of bucks to have an analog out mini-jack on-board somewhere. Never hurts to have it for those odd situations like this. Of course the optical output is probably the cleanest audio output signal, whether it's going thru a DAC like mine or straight to a home theater sytem. And you can get wireless headphones these days as well.

So many toys, so little time.....:hissyfit::yikes::hsd:


----------

