A home theater creates a unique sound atmosphere when watching movies. The depth and power of the sound is simply mesmerizing. However, not many people know that home theater speakers can be used to reproduce sound from a TV. The TV is not designed to create high-quality audio. Its speakers are simply not capable of reproducing sounds over a wide range of frequencies.
Even if you buy an expensive one modern model, then you won’t get excellent sound quality. Agree that it is much more pleasant to watch programs surrounded by surround sound, rather than through standard speakers. There are several ways to send audio from your TV to home cinema. Next we will look at each of them in detail.
Ways to output sound from TV
Depending on the specific model home theater and TV, there are several connection methods. In this case, you may need cables or adapters that are not included with the equipment. You'll have to buy them separately.
1. The most the best way To transmit multi-channel sound from a TV to a cinema is to use a digital optical output. It is often installed on the latest TV models and provides the best quality audio signal transmission. Make sure there is a similar connector on your cinema receiver and TV. A special fiber optic cable is used for connection, which is immune to any electromagnetic radiation. In this regard, you get excellent sound quality without interference or distortion. Connect a cable from the OPTICAL OUT jack on the TV to the OPTICAL IN jack on the theater receiver. It is imperative to feed the audio signal from the TV output connector to the receiver input connector. Otherwise, sound may not be transmitted.
2. It is likely that your equipment may not have an optical output. Dont be upset. You can output sound using a coaxial connector. It also supports multi-channel audio. To connect, you will need a coaxial cable and the presence of similar connectors on your equipment. Use a cable to connect the COAXIAL OUT (S /PDIF - OUT COAXIAL) jack on the TV to the COAXIAL IN jack on the theater receiver. Again, it is very important to observe the direction of signal transmission from the TV to the receiver.
3. A simple and popular method of transmitting sound using a cable that has two RCA (“tulip”) connectors of different colors at the ends - red and white. The analog composite connector is very common and is used in almost all home theater systems. True, the quality of audio signal transmission is noticeably inferior to the method described above. To connect, you will need a cable to connect the AUDIO IN port on the receiver and the AUDIO OUT (LINE OUT) port on the TV. Color coding will help you avoid mistakes.
It may happen that the audio output jacks on the TV are busy or missing for some reason. There is a way out of this situation. Can be used with TV headphone output. You will need a special cable on one end of which is a 3.5 mm miniJack (connect to the headphone output on the TV), and on the other - a pair of RCA connectors (connect to the AUDIO IN input on the receiver).
4. You will almost never see a SCART connector on a home theater receiver, but it is still found on some TVs. It can be used to listen to TV through cinema speakers. To do this you will need a SCART - 2RCA cable. Use this cable to connect the SCART OUT jack on your TV to the AUDIO IN jack on your receiver.
Important information
For any connection method, all equipment must be turned off and de-energized. This is for safety and to avoid possible damage that may occur due to static electricity. Only after you have completely completed the connection can you turn on the devices. By the way, for some reason many people believe that the sound of a TV through a home theater will be of poor quality due to the fact that in most cases the audio signal source is monaural. So this opinion is wrong. Naturally, you won’t be able to achieve superior sound quality. But in any case, the sound processor of the cinema receiver will refine the signal to the optimal level. Don't forget about cable and satellite television, which carries good quality sound.
conclusions
As you can see, it is possible to output sound from your TV to your home theater speakers. Wherein big amount ways. Before purchasing cables, make sure that the required connectors are present on your equipment. Good luck with your connections.
I decided to make a short entry in which to answer one interest Ask: What is the LAN connector on the TV for? Be it Samsung, LG, Toshiba, Sony, or some other manufacturer. Indeed, now in almost every TV you can find a regular Ethernet (LAN) connector. Everyone is used to connecting the Internet through this connector on the computer.
If the TV has a Smart TV function, then in principle it is clear why a LAN connector is needed - to connect the TV to the Internet. If, for example, there is no built-in Wi-Fi, then you need to buy an external Wi-Fi receiver. And as practice shows, cable communication is always more reliable. If the router is located close to the TV, you can connect via cable.
But, If there is no Smart TV, then why do you need a LAN connector? Which looks something like this:
And it is needed mainly for work. You can look in the specifications of your model; most likely, DLNA support is indicated there. Perhaps an Ethernet connection is needed for some other functions or software updates. It all depends on the manufacturer.
But basically, this is watching movies, photos and listening to music via DLNA. You can read more about this technology at the link above. How it works: you have a router to which a computer or laptop is connected. You also connect a TV to the router (By network cable) , and after simple setup, you can watch movies and photos on the TV screen that are on your computer. You can also connect your computer to your TV directly, without a router.
Or you can connect. It's even more interesting this way. If via DLNA you can only play a movie or open a photo, then via HDMI absolutely everything will be displayed on the TV: desktop, folders, etc. Just like on a monitor.
LCD TV allows, in addition terrestrial television, watch a video image, the source of which is various external devices, connected to it through separate, specialized video and audio inputs. Such signal sources are: DVD player, VCR, video player, video cameras, game consoles, satellite receivers, TV set-top boxes of cable operators and so on. The compatibility of the LCD TV and these sources is determined after analyzing the characteristics of the devices and instructions from the TV and the signal source. The first instructions say what and how exactly can be connected to the TV, and the second - what connectors and inputs the TV must have in order to connect to it this device. How can you determine what types of signals an LCD TV must “understand” in order for it to suit you?
If you need an LCD TV just to watch regular television, in the meter or decimeter range, any LCD TV that is sold in our online store will do, the main thing is that it has a built-in TV tuner.
If you also want to watch videos from external devices, many questions arise. When buying a TV, it is very important to take into account in advance all the devices that you will want to connect to it in the future, and take into account when purchasing that your LCD TV is equipped with a sufficient number of necessary connectors. Otherwise, you will later regret a wrong purchase (unfortunately, there are many such cases). LCD TVs have a wide variety of different connectors, and not everyone can understand them. The buyer of a device equipped with almost all available connectors faces another problem - choosing the most optimal and best one from all these connection options. Let's figure out how best to connect external devices to the TV when there is a choice, let's analyze the paths of standard external signals in the TV.
HDMI connection
Currently, all modern LCD TVs are equipped with HDMI connectors. Depending on the diagonal of the TV and its advanced level, the number of HDMI connectors varies from 1 to 7. An HDMI connection combines the transmission of two types of signals: video and audio. Since the HDMI connection is initially completely digital, it allows you to transmit high-definition video (FullHD and HD Ready), as well as multi-channel audio in different formats.
There are several versions (standards) of HDMI inputs. If you are buying a large diagonal LCD TV (36" or higher) with a FullHD matrix, you should focus on TVs with HDMI inputs version 1.3 and higher. It allows you to fully view high-definition video and supports modern multi-channel sound standards.
DVI connection
The DVI connector originally appeared on computers. With the advent of LCD monitors, a lossless way to transmit a digital video signal was required, since both the computer and the LCD monitor use a digital imaging method, unlike CRT monitors, which require an analog signal.
For this purpose, the DVI standard was adopted, which made it possible to transmit digital image without converting it to analog form and back. However, for backward compatibility, this standard allows you to transmit the same image in analog format. Thus, there are 3 types of DVI connectors: transmitting only in digital format DVI-D, only in analog DVI-A and universal DVI.
RGB connection
A color video image is formed from the three main colors R G B, that is, red signals R, green G and blue B colors, based on information about the color and brightness of each point in the video image. If you decide to connect an external device to your TV that has an output signal in RGB format, it is logical to use the RGB input on the TV - this is a convenient way that provides high-quality signal transmission. LCD TVs usually have RGB input via a SCART connector. The high quality of connecting devices via the RGB input is quite similar to connecting via the component input, which TVs are also equipped with.
Component connection (Y Pb Pr)
Component signals are usually called a combination of a brightness signal (“Y” component) and color-difference signals that determine the “amount” of color (blue component “Pb” and red component “Pr”). Through the component input and RGB, all kinds of program sources in digital format can be connected to the LCD TV: DVD player, digital satellite tuner, decoders digital television, computer, game console, etc. Component input connectors can be made with “tulips” (RCA) or bayonets (BNC), and there is also a connector type designation: Y Pb Pr. Thus, if you have a DVD player or other device with a component output, when buying a TV, pay attention to the presence component input at the model.
S-Video connection
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Another type of television connection is S-Video (Separate Video, translated as “separate video”). Do not confuse its name with the S-VHS standard (Super VHS, a video cassette recording format). The S-video video standard was developed when video players with picture quality superior to standard over-the-air signal quality began to appear on the market, and in order to evaluate their advantages over conventional television broadcasts. This format uses separate luminance and chrominance channels (signals) to record and playback video. As a result, in addition to simplifying the circuitry of the video player and TV, this gave a good gain in image quality. Thus, if your VCR or other device has an S-Video output, we recommend choosing a TV with the same input. Also, S-Video is a great option for anyone whose DVD player doesn't have HDMI, component jacks, or RGB. In general, this type connections are already very outdated.
Composite connector
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The most common (but not the best) standard for connecting external devices to a TV was a composite signal. It is a combination of all components of video information in one signal. It is the composite signal that is produced by the television tuner or terrestrial television receiver. All VCRs, camcorders, DVD players, etc. were previously equipped with composite connectors. It is difficult to find a device that does not have composite outputs.
The composite connector is made in the form of an RCA connector (like a composite one), and is usually located next to the audio connector (also an RCA type). Usually, they are indicated together: RCA audio/video. A TV usually has an RCA audio/video input for receiving signals from external sources and an RCA audio/video output for transmitting it TO external devices.
Quite interesting is the universal SCART connector, which allows you to immediately connect all signals: RGB, composite and stereo sound, and the connection is bidirectional. Some versions of SCART allow the connection of both S-Video and component signals, at the expense of limiting the functions of transmitting composite and RGB signals, because the number of pins in the SCART connector is limited. There may be several such connectors, and the connection possibilities different types signals in each may differ; in such cases, you should check the instructions.
VGA connector
Some LCD TVs have special connectors, standard VGA, or otherwise - D-Sub, which make it possible to connect a computer and use the TV as a computer monitor. This connection can, for example, be used for computer games and so on. Please note that even if correct physical connection, for the devices to work together correctly, you may also need additional customization TV inputs and computer outputs, which are described in the TV operating instructions. The VGA connector receives the signal in analog format, which somewhat degrades the image quality from digital signal sources.
Best type of video connector
With all the variety of standards for connecting external devices, there are options with better and worse signal transmission quality. The best connectors are those that transmit the signal without the distortion that occurs when transcoding and converting a digital signal to analog and vice versa.
Let's arrange all connectors in descending order of quality: HDMI, DVI, RGB/YPbPr/VGA, S-Video, composite.
Always try to connect external devices through the connector with the best signal quality.
When buying an LCD TV, pay attention not only to the number and type of video connectors (remember that their number should be no less than the devices you want to connect), but also to their location. The connectors on the back of the TV are designed for fixed connection device It is advisable to have as many of them as the number of devices permanently included in the TVs (plus spare ones if necessary for expansion in the future). Connectors on the front or sides are made for temporary connection of devices, such as video cameras and cameras.
Let's summarize: evaluate what sources of video/audio signals you have or are planning in the future, determine what types of video outputs they have, select the connection type with the best video signal transmission quality, write everything down on a piece of paper and choose such a TV model in the store, so that it has all the inputs listed on the sheet.
Modern TVs are capable of transmitting excellent picture quality, up to 4K resolution, can play 3D video, and are equipped with built-in satellite receivers, but the sound quality, even of expensive models, is poor. This is understandable, because TVs are becoming thinner and you physically cannot install good acoustics there. But there is a solution - buying a home theater or AV receiver with high-quality speakers. Even with the help of budget acoustics you will get good quality sound. In this article I would like to talk in detail about how to output sound from a TV to a home theater receiver.
Attention!!! It doesn’t matter which connection method you use, before connecting the cable, all equipment must be turned off and de-energized.
Output sound from the TV to the home theater/receiver using an HDMI cable.
One of the most modern methods To transmit sound in high quality (not only sound, but also video) is the HDMI interface. As for transmitting sound from the TV to the receiver, this interface is also suitable, but with a few caveats - your TV and home theater must support Audio Return Channel (ARC) technology.
ARC (Audio Return Channel) is a technology that allows you to transmit surround sound from a TV to a home theater/receiver using an HDMI v 1.4 cable.
But in order to use this technology, your TV must have an HDMI (ARC) connector.
An HDMI connector with ARC support should also be on the home theater receiver, you can find out this information from technical documentation to the audio system.
If your TV and audio system support ARC, all you have to do is connect them to each other using an HDMI cable version 1.4, preferably 1.4b. Please note that the cable must be High Quality, because if the quality of the cable is poor, problems may occur when playing audio on a home theater; in particular, the sound may disappear for several seconds.
After you have connected your TV and home theater/receiver with a high-quality HDMI v 1.4 cable, make sure that ARC is enabled on both the TV and the audio system. All that remains is to select in the TV settings to play sound from the audio system (instead of the built-in speakers) and enjoy high-quality sound.
This method allows you to achieve excellent sound quality without the use of unnecessary wires and, in my opinion, is the most preferable.
Play audio from your TV on your audio system using an optical cable.
Another way to transfer sound from a TV to an audio system is using an optical cable. To do this, make sure that your TV and home theater receiver have an optical cable connector. The TV must have an OPTICAL OUT connector, and the home theater receiver must have an OPTICAL IN connector.
If such connectors are available, all that remains is to purchase an optical cable of the required length and connect the TV and home theater.
What is the advantage of this method - the optical cable is not “afraid” electromagnetic radiation, so there will be no interference when using it, plus it is capable of transmitting excellent sound quality.
Output audio from your TV to your home theater receiver using a coaxial cable.
If the first two methods do not suit you, then connecting using a coaxial cable (RCA-RCA) is your salvation.
First of all, see if such a connector is present on your TV and audio system.
After this, use a cable to connect the COAXIAL OUT (S/PDIF - OUT COAXIAL) jack on the TV and the COAXIAL IN jack on the theater receiver. After that, you can enjoy multi-channel sound on your home theater.
Set up audio playback from the TV to the receiver using an analog connection.
If all the methods described above do not suit you, you can use the most in simple ways, namely, use an analog connection, for example, a connection using RCA (in common parlance - a tulip).
Use it to connect the AUDIO IN port on the receiver and the AUDIO OUT (LINE OUT) port on the TV. In addition to the “tulip”, you can use various adapters, for example mini Jack - 2RCA, SCART - 2 RCA (if 3RCA, then yellow (transmits video) does not need to be connected), etc. The main thing is to choose an audio connector on the TV with an OUT prefix and on a home theater receiver with an IN prefix.
Connect? There is a connection!
03/31/2009 17:25 Vladimir Zakamenny
In previous articles we talked about media and file formats, about the main multichannel audio formats, and also about 3D audio technologies. This time we will talk about different types of connections for audio and video signals.
Interfaces for video signal transmission
Composite interface
The oldest type of connection currently used. On cheap TVs this is the only video input. It is a single RCA (tulip) connector, usually yellow.
In the VHS era, this was the only way to transmit video, but with the advent of DVD, new ways to connect video devices to a TV have emerged that provide higher image quality.
To the advantages composite video interface It can be attributed to the fact that almost all televisions are equipped with it. The main drawback is that it coarsens the image a little, removing small details.
S-Video (orY/C)
Interface S-Video (Separate Video) is used to transmit video signals. It is a round four-pin connector that uses separate wires for the chrominance (C) and luminance/sync (Y) signals (hence the name Separate Video).
A connection using this standard provides good image quality when using simple DVD systems, but on high-quality players and TVs it produces noticeable blurring of the picture. Difference in image quality between composite interface And S-Video can only be seen on TVs with a fairly large diagonal (25 inches and above).
Component interface (or YUV)
It consists of three RCA type connectors in green, red and blue colors, designated Y, P/r, P/b (or Y, C/r, C/b). Separate wires carry the brightness/scan signals (Y) and two color difference signals (U and V). It is in this format that color information is encoded when recording on DVD, as well as when broadcasting broadcasts.
This type of connection allows you to get the best image quality for a TV (specifically for a TV, since final signal processing occurs in its path). Fully appreciate all the benefits component interface only possible on large diagonal TVs (29-36 inches or larger).
It is a standard interface for computer monitors, video projectors, plasma panels and LCD televisions. It includes signals of three primary colors, synchronization signals and a special channel for transmitting service information. Interface VGA allows you to transmit video images with virtually no distortion, with very high quality. The connector is usually HD D-Sub 15 pin.
DVI interface
Interface DVI (Digital Visual Interface) is used to transmit video signals in digital form. Since the video signal is transmitted digitally, the image is transmitted without any distortion or interference. Designed to transmit video images to digital display devices such as LCD monitors and projectors.
Data format used in DVI, is based on PanelLink, a serial data format developed by Silicon Image. Uses technology for high-speed transmission of digital streams TMDS (Transition Minimized Differential Signaling, differential transmission of signals with minimization of level differences) - three channels transmitting video streams and additional data, with a throughput of up to 3.4 Gbit/s per channel.
Single link DVI consists of four twisted pairs(red, green, blue, and clock), providing the ability to transmit 24 bits per pixel. With it, the maximum possible resolution of 2.6 megapixels at 60 Hz can be achieved.
There are three types DVI: DVI-A- analogue transmission only, DVI-I- analogue and digital transmission, DVI-D- digital transmission only. With analog transmission, an RGB signal bandwidth of 400 MHz (−3 dB) is achieved; with digital transmission, the minimum clock frequency is 21.76 MHz, the maximum clock frequency in single mode is 165 MHz, the maximum clock frequency in dual mode limited only by cable.
Interfaces for audio signal transmission
Line output
This is the main interface for transmitting audio signals between the individual components of the music complex. This interface is used to connect stereo speakers, so when using a multi-channel speaker system, this connector will not be used.
Microphone input
Microphone input designed to connect a microphone. The microphone can be used to amplify the sound of the human voice, for karaoke, and for calibrating surround sound. The number of such inputs determines how many microphones can be connected simultaneously.
Headphone output
Headphones are used for individual listening to music, to maintain silence in the room, for example, at night. Connecting headphones directly to your home theater can be convenient if your TV does not have a headphone output. You can also listen to music CDs using headphones without turning on the TV.
Subwoofer output
A subwoofer is a special loudspeaker for reproducing low-frequency bass sounds. When watching movies, the subwoofer helps reproduce the sounds of gunshots, explosions, etc. Many multi-channel amplifiers and AV receivers provide an output for connecting an active (with its own built-in amplifier) subwoofer.
It consists of six line-level (RCA) connectors that are used to transmit multi-channel 5.1 audio in analog form. Most home theaters are equipped with this output.
6.1CH
These are seven line connectors that are used to transmit multi-channel 6.1 audio in analog form. Using this interface, you can connect a media player, amplifier or sound card 6.1.
Represents eight line inputs, which are used to transmit multi-channel 7.1 audio in analog form. The 7.1CH connector is used to connect a power amplifier or active 7.1 speaker system to a home theater.
Coaxial interface
Coaxial input used to transmit a digital audio signal, and both multi-channel and stereo audio can be transmitted through this interface. To connect via digital coaxial input You can use a simple shielded audio cable with an RCA connector (“tulip”).
Optical output
Used to transmit digital audio signal over optical cable. Both multi-channel and stereo audio can be transmitted through this interface. Of the advantages optical interface It can be noted that it is completely protected from electrical interference.
Mixed interfaces (audio and video)
RCA jack(also called phono connector, or CINCH/AV connector, and also in common parlance " tulip") is a connector standard widely used in audio and video equipment.
Name RCA comes from the name Radio Corporation of America, which introduced this type of connector in the early 1940s for connecting phonographs to amplifiers.
In Russian, this type of connector is often called “tulip”.
Connectors RCA used to transmit video signals and stereo audio: yellow - for video, white - for mono audio or the left channel of a stereo audio signal, red - for the right channel of a stereo audio signal.
SCART (or Euro connector)
European standard for connecting multimedia devices such as TV, VCR, DVD player. The same age as the composite interface, proposed by the French association of radio and television equipment developers Syndicat des Constructeurs d’Appareils, Radiorecepteurs et Televiseurs (abbreviated SCART). Other names: Peritel, euro connector, Euro-AV.
SCART unifies the connections of various devices, it combines all the necessary signals in one multi-pin plug. It is a flat double-row 21-pin connector, which outputs video signals of various formats, stereo audio signals, and control signals. The shape of the connector makes it impossible to connect the plug by mistake. A small limitation is that physical force must be applied to connect or disconnect the socket and plug.
Today, every television or video device produced for Europe is equipped with at least one SCART. Before the standard SCART a large number of different connectors were used, which often made it difficult to connect devices made by different companies. There were differences both in the physical design of the connectors and in the signal specifications.
DV (IEEE 1394)
Serial data interface. In some cases it can be used to transmit audio and video signals. It has become widespread thanks to miniDV video cameras. Using the DV interface, you can connect your camcorder to a DVD recorder and immediately transfer video from it to a DVD disc.
When recording from digital video cameras, it is advisable to use a digital interface rather than an analogue one for connection. DV (IEEE 1394). Choice digital interface will allow you to avoid the loss of quality that occurs when using analog video interfaces (composite, S-Video).
HDMI interface
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface - multimedia interface high-resolution) is a digital connector that consists of two types of small-sized connectors: 19- and 29-pin. In any of the options, it provides transmission of eight-channel audio in 192 kHz / 24 bit format and a video signal compatible with high-definition television standards. Requires a digital decoder in the TV.
HDMI It has throughput ranging from 4.9 to 10.2 Gbps, the recommended cable length is 1.5 m, but connection distances up to 5 meters are possible. The standard supports CES and European AV.link control protocols.
This interface provides support for HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) technology against illegal copying. Is a modern replacement for analogue connection standards such as SCART or RCA. This is the most promising format for the coming years, and with quality that is excessive for a classic DVD. Interface HDMI backwards compatible with DVI.
DisplayPort
New signal interface standard for digital displays. Adopted by VESA (Video Electronics Standard Association) in May 2006. DisplayPort It is intended to be used as the most modern interface for connecting audio and video equipment, primarily for connecting a computer to a display, or a computer and home theater systems.
Supports HDCP version 1.3 and has twice the throughput of Dual-Link DVI, low power supply voltage and low sensitivity to interference, the Mini DisplayPort connector is approximately the same size as USB.
Technology implemented in DisplayPort, will allow you to simultaneously transmit both graphic and audio signals. Main difference from HDMI- a wider channel for data transmission (10.8 Gbit/s instead of 5 Gbit/s), which will provide high resolutions. Maximum cable length DisplayPort three times more than HDMI- 15 meters versus 5. Well, instead of HDCP, copy protection, DPCP (DisplayPort Content Protection) technology with 128-bit encryption will be implemented.
Universal connectors (for connecting external devices)
USB
USB- serial interface for data transfer. There are two types of this interface, differing in the shape of the connector: USB Type A And USB Type B. Interface USB (type A) Used to connect a USB flash drive or external hard drive with support for this interface. On a home theater with a USB interface, you can listen to music and watch video files recorded on a flash drive. Using the port USB (type B) You can connect your home theater to your PC and listen to music or watch videos from your computer.
Ethernet
A common technology for transmitting data in computer networks; almost all modern computers are equipped with an interface Ethernet. With it you can connect your home theater to your home local network and view photos, video files saved on your computer’s hard drive, and listen to music in MP3 format. In home theaters as an interface Ethernet Typically 10/100BASE-T Ethernet with an RJ-45 connector is used.
RS-232- serial interface for data transfer. Through this interface, using special software installed on your computer, you can remotely change the home theater settings. On some models, via RS-232 you can change the firmware of the digital part of the devices or change the technological parameters.
FireWire (iLink)
FireWire (iLink) - serial data transfer interface. In some cases it can be used to transmit audio and video signals. AV amplifiers and receivers typically have multiple audio and video inputs. With their help you can connect all your audio and video equipment. On the amplifier's remote control, you can select the desired audio source to amplify or AV source to watch on your TV.
