| Author |
Message |
Naja
Member
06-28-2003
| Friday, January 10, 2014 - 7:30 pm 
Dogdoc, I don't have LG tvs, but I think one thing they have in common is you have to go into the sound settings of the tv and enable where you want the sound to come from. There are videos on youtube showing how to do almost all these things for all kinds of tvs and speakers. I suggest going to youtube and typing in something like "how to connect/install speaker bar". Make the search more accurate by including the model of speaker bar or TV.
Heck, I used youtube videos to learn how to adjust my refrigerator door and how to replace a dvd burner on a laptop. Now I'm a pro....LOL
|
Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Saturday, January 11, 2014 - 5:52 am
Thank you Naja. I will try that. I called Best Buy, where I bought both the sound bar and the tv and the Geek Squad lady told me they would not give advice over the phone!
She said I should have somebody from Geek Squad come to the house. ($$$$)
The tv is hooked up to Comcast Cable. I don't know if that makes a difference or not.
|
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Saturday, January 11, 2014 - 8:04 am
Optical digital audio cables are an industrial standard, they're all made to the same specifications. In turn all optical digital audio connections on TVs, receivers, sound bars, etc., are made to the same standard. That said it can be a little tricky to get the optical plug lined up exactly right. While it may look square it actually isn't and has a small hump or bump on one edge. It's not always obvious but the point is you have to aligned the bump-out on the plug with the corresponding bump-in on the TV and sound bar receptacle. Once that connection is done then, as Naja mentions, you most probably will have to go through the setup menu on the LG to switch the sound output to optical digital. Some TVs do this automatically some don't and I'm not familiar with LGs. There also may be a setting on your sound bar. I have a Samsung HDTV with an Boston Acoustics and as I remember there was a setting on the sound bar from optical digital input. If you tell me what model LG you have I can look on the their website and see the layout of their connections in the back of the TV. Maybe I can "talk you" through the installation....I do this kind of stuff all the time for myself and neighbors...one of those "useless" guy skills. 
|
Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Saturday, January 11, 2014 - 1:33 pm
Mack, it turns out we don't have the digital optical cable. It didn't come with the sound bar.
My LG is model LS4500.
We are running out to Best Buy to get the cable now. I will get back to you.
Thank You!
|
Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Sunday, January 12, 2014 - 8:21 am
Thank you Naja and Mack!
It is working. Thank you for the advice about how to insert the optical plug, Mack. You were right! It only goes in one way. It was nice to have a 'heads up' about that.
All we had to do was to, connect the tv to the sound bar, plug in the sound bar and set it to d.in and plug in the wireless woofer.
The guy at Best Buy said we could turn the sound on the tv to the lowest amplitude and turn the sound up on the sound bar.
It works great!
|
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Sunday, January 12, 2014 - 1:29 pm
Might be a menu choice to turn off the TV speakers and if that's available it's the best option. Will be in the TV's menu for sound and there should be a speaker on/off setting. This should not turn off the optical digital out.
|
Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Sunday, January 12, 2014 - 1:49 pm
Good advice and nice going getting it setup, Dogdoc!
|
Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Sunday, January 12, 2014 - 4:57 pm
This is what makes TVCH so special. We help each other out. Thank you again Mack.
Thank you Jimmer.
|
Mack
Member
07-22-2002
| Monday, January 13, 2014 - 8:34 am
Glad it's working. Just happens that I dropped Mrs. Mack off at the airport yesterday and stopped by Best Buy on my way home for some speaker wire. While I was in that part of the store two different people came up looking for digital optical cables for their new Samsung sound bars. Interesting that Samsung, who I really like, didn't include that in the package.
|
Dogdoc
Member
09-29-2001
| Monday, January 13, 2014 - 2:51 pm
I am glad I am not the only one! lol
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Thursday, March 27, 2014 - 4:14 pm
My not-so-old flat screen TV has only two HDMI ports in the back. I have DVD player and TiVo plugged into them now. I'm interested in maybe a Roku or more possibly what's looking like a new streaming device from Amazon which would need to be plugged into HDMI. Place where I bought my TV said plugging and unplugging devices from HDMI as needed would not mess up software set-up, etc. involved with devices -- only mess things plugging and unplugging from 'lectric. True? Anything more I should know?
|
Dcwood13
Member
05-15-2011
| Thursday, March 27, 2014 - 6:49 pm
I have an older TV with only one HDMI port, and I have a 3-port HDMI switch that I have plugged into the TV and I have a DVD, Roku, and Chromecast plugged into the switch. I can keep all my devices plugged into the switch and access each when I need. If you search for HDMI port on Amazon, you'll find all kinds and all prices. I hope that makes sense.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Thursday, March 27, 2014 - 9:28 pm
Thanks.  Will do.
|
Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Friday, March 28, 2014 - 7:10 am
HDMI cables are heavy and the connections are relatively flimsy. So it would probably be best to avoid messing with them a lot by repeatedly unplugging them and then plugging them back in. Another possibility is getting a small sound system or speaker bar. It would improve your sound and you could plug everything in through it.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Friday, March 28, 2014 - 8:46 pm
This HDMI switch on Amazon has good reviews. Looks like what I need if I do get another device that needs HDMI hook-up.
Link
|
Dcwood13
Member
05-15-2011
| Saturday, March 29, 2014 - 10:47 am
Oooh. That one has a remote. I went cheep, so if my switch doesn't automatically switch to the active device, I have to get up and push a button (which really isn't a problem). I like your choice.
|
Citruscitygal
Member
08-07-2003
| Saturday, May 24, 2014 - 4:01 pm
I'm finally coming out of the dark ages and moving from VCRs to DVRs. I'm looking for input on the providers you use and how you would rate them on price, reliability of picture & equipment, pros/cons of satellite vs cable and service calls if necessary.
I will be needing "whole house" service that provides recording many shows at once and the ability to watch on any TV in the house.
We are not currently in an area that gets ATT Uverse service so that is out. I'm aware of DirecTV & Dish Network, currently have Time Warner Cable. Not sure how I feel about having to sign a contract with Direct and concerned about rumors of a merger of Comcast/Time Warner. Don't know much about Dish.
Thanks in advance.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Saturday, May 24, 2014 - 6:57 pm
I have had TiVo for ten years this month. I am and have always been OTA only - never had cable or satellite. I love my TiVo. I'm on my third box which is not the most current. I'm not techie. Really no problems until maybe hard drive is giving up which maybe a real techie could replace / fix? I am not. So basically no problems otherwise. There is a number you can call for tech help. It is pretty good. I've always gotten lifetime service with each box as opposed to paying monthly fee. I love it. Would not have TV without my TiVo. It can work with cable, but not satellite.
|
Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Saturday, May 24, 2014 - 9:22 pm
You are ahead of me, Citruscitygal. No DVR's here yet. As a matter of fact, I almost do not watch television anymore. I watch a few shows online.
|
Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Sunday, May 25, 2014 - 6:43 am
Since TIVO began, we've been a customer. It has usually been through DirecTV (we got a lifetime subscription when it was available), and we love it. There was a year or two when DirecTV and Tivo weren't buddies, but we weren't forced to change or anything. We just had two boxes. They've been integrated again for quite a while.
How many shows you can record will depend on how many lines you run to the house. We're able to record two on two different TVs (both have receivers) for a total of 4 shows at any one time, and for our little family, that is sufficient.
DH had DirecTV's DVR downstairs for a bit in the "in between" years (we only had one Tivo box at that time), and I hated it. Fortunately, I didn't have to use it, and he kept saying it was the same, just a different look. But it was harder to set up season passes and things. That's been probably 5 years ago, though, so I'm sure almost any service you get will work easily.
|
Mamapors
Member
07-29-2004
| Sunday, May 25, 2014 - 6:52 am
I have always been a Comcast user. Their new system, the X1, allows you to record 4 and watch a 5th. I have the main box in my bedroom, then smaller boxes in two other places. I can set recordings from any box, watch recordings from any box. I love my Comcast. I use them for Internet also.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Sunday, May 25, 2014 - 7:27 am
How many shows you can record will depend on how many lines you run to the house. We're able to record two on two different TVs (both have receivers) for a total of 4 shows at any one time, and for our little family, that is sufficient.
Lines? What lines? I have one TV in a one bedroom condo. On my current TiVo Premier HD box, I can record two programs at the same time. More up-to-date boxes record four (or more?) programs at the same time. I needed to get a little TiVo receiver (I think they called it) for it to get software and programming wirelessly instead of over phone line. Now I think the "receiver" is built into the box.
Check out the TiVo web site. I would recommend TiVo. Maybe I'll update even though my current box is working fine.
|
Teachmichigan
Member
07-22-2001
| Sunday, May 25, 2014 - 4:29 pm
For us, it's how many lines are run from the satellite dish into the house. I don't know how it works for cable.
|
Citruscitygal
Member
08-07-2003
| Wednesday, May 28, 2014 - 10:27 am
Thanks for the input. I hadn't considered TIVO since I didn't know it was still available. I'll look into it.
Any additional comments are welcome.
|
Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Wednesday, May 28, 2014 - 10:57 am
I would highly recommend TiVo. Here and there in the past I've heard it is best DVR system.
I grew up with print TV Guide (the TV Guide). With all the cable channels, it went downhill. I could not imagine TV without a print TV Guide??? With TiVo, don't need it. Now I cannot imagine TV without TiVo.
|
