by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
A man explained,
I have a new Vizio flat screen TV, but it doesn’t have any audio output jacks, nor even an earphone jack. It only has an ‘optical’ output called SPDIF, whatever that is. I don’t have a cable box, satellite box or anything with audio out jacks—just the cable from the wall to my TV. So how do I connect my loop amplifier that uses RCA plugs to my new TV?
The TV manufacturers are changing their familiar analog audio output jacks to digital outs at the behest of the entertainment industry to try to cut down on illegal copying of their music (copyright issues).
In case you are interested, SPDIF is the new Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format (more commonly known as Sony Philips Digital Interface). SPDIF is usually implemented in consumer products as TOSLINK, an output connector from which the digital signal is emitted into an optical fiber cable.
What this means is that we hard of hearing people are up a creek without a paddle when it comes to connecting our loop amplifiers to our new TVs.
You see, at the present time, loop amplifiers such as the Univox DLS-50 do not accept digital inputs, thus you need to have a device that either puts out analog audio (uses RCA jacks), or you will need to get a digital (optical) to analog converter such as the Gefen TV Digital Audio to Analog Adapter (Part No: GTV-DIGAUD-2-AAUD).
The cheapest source I can find on the Internet is NextWarehouse.com. They have it for a delivered price of $57.15 (free shipping and no tax).
You’ll also need to get a digital cable to connect your TV to this gizmo box. Then you plug your loop amplifier RCA cables into the RCA jacks on this adapter and voila—analog sound for your loop amplifier. It’s that easy.
Very useful info, thanks. But my problem is that my LG LCD TV doesn’t have any kind of output :/, not even that digital one, something that really pissed me off when I checked that. Don’t know if there’s any way I can make it work.
Did you find a solution?
I am in the same boat!
Hi Ivan,
I believe you are out of luck if you want use a FM/bluetooth transmitter or loop amp from your TV unless….
You’re using HDMI sources (DVD/Blu Ray players or set to boxes) then you may be able to use a HDMI decoder with passthrough. Basically you plug it inbetween your set top box and your TV. The HDMI goes from your set top box, into the decoder, which decodes the audio and puts it out to analog, and then outputs the video to your TV.
I’ve never used one of these but am looking at this for my significant other who uses a Siemens bluetooth transmitter which require analog in. And her TV’s analog audio outs do not work when using HDMI. Fingers crossed if it will take the audio out for her bluetooth transmitter while still outputting it to our TV for my listening.
Although you could avoid all this messy setup by getting a AV Receiver/Amplifier with HDMI decoding and most importantly ANALOG PREOUTS. You just take the front left and right speaker pre-outs from it. Or whatever channels you want which have the best quality dialogue on them. Or better yet use a amplifier with zone 2 preouts because that will usually be a downmixed 2-channel output.
Best of luck, and avoid LG at all costs in the future! Also no name brands even more so.
How do I connect my lg tv to my pioneer receiver.? It has no rca outputs. It only has rca inputs…It does not have a optical …The lg model is 43lf5400 ..thanks for any info
Hi Gus:
Typically, you’d hook your TV to your receiver via an HDMI cable. What are you hooking the loop amplifier into?
Cordially,
Neil
My Panasonic Plasma TV has an optical Toslink audio output. I connect a headphone to it through a Digital-to-Analog audio converter. It works only if I play DVD, or watch TV through cable/satellite receivers. I had been doing this since 2008. But it doesn’t work if I simply watch local TV channel through air without cable/satellite receiver. I ditched both recently. So now what is my solution for this?
Hi Josh:
What do you hear with the headphones now?–total silence, or buzzing or other racket?
I take it that you get a good picture and good sound through the TV speakers now, but just not on the audio outputs–is that correct?
One thing you might check is whether your TV is set to output Dolby 5.1 sound or PCM (standard stereo). If you don’t have a Dolby DAC, it won’t work. The solution is to set your audio output to PCM. Then it should work.
Cordially,
Neil
I have the exact same tv and I’m having the problem trying to figure this out. I was told by a Best Buy employee that I would have to get a receiver with an HDMI out. Plug the HDMI cable from the TVs HDMI input to the receiver’s HDMI output. Then connect your other devices like Blu-ray player into the HDMI inputs on the receiver. I also asked someone else at a different store. They said in order to do the above the HDMI input on the TV would have to be HDMI ARC. I don’t know. I’m so frustrated with it.
Hi Eric:
If your TV has an HDMI output, then you can get an HDMI to TosLink (optical) and RCA audio outputs adapter. Then just plug a patch cord from the adapter (either optical or RCA depending on the TV) to the input of the loop amplifier.
Here is one on eBay that should do the trick. https://www.amazon.com/Optical-Converter-Extractor-Splitter-embedder/dp/B01D5Q631U
There are a number of other makes available too.
Cordially,
Neil
Hi, Neil, I bought the unit that you suggested, the instructions are pretty useless, it tells you what you have, but no diagram to show what you are to hook up and where. Some things are a no brainier, but do I use the HDMI, or the SPDIF, or both, or TV to converter, converter to receiver ?? I have a couple of grand (+) worth of stereo equipment that I would like to use. Help !
Hi Biff:
Which unit did you purchase? The one I recommend is the Contacta HLD3 loop driver.
The Univox DLS-50 mentioned in that article is no longer made.
Before I can really help you, I need you to tell me or confirm the make and model of loop driver you have so I know what jacks it has on the back.
Whether you use HDMI or TosLink (SPDIF) depends on what audio outputs your TV has. If your TV has a TosLink audio out–and if you had the Contacta HLD3, you could just plug the TosLink cable that comes with the unit between the TV and the loop driver.
If your loop driver only accepts analog audio (like the DLS-50 did), then you need the gizmo box I mention in this article and connect the TVs Toslink audio out to the gizmo box’s audio input, and the RCA audio outs of the gizmo box to the DLS-50.
So let me know exactly what you have on the TV and the loop driver and I’ll help you get it working.
Cordially,
Neil
just bought new smart tv,with only blue tooth output. works well with
my blue tooth headphones.and my hearing aid.just ordered,blue tooth
anolog output from hong kong,
for my closed circuit hearing aid amp.hope this solves your problems
Thank you all. I’m finding the suggestions and responses helpful considering I’m in the same boat. One problem is: If I manage to get analog audio via D-A converter from my Samsung, I then need to split that into my RF device to my streamer, and a pair of speakers for everyone else in the room.
I got one of these and it fixed the problem. I can only play tv sound through my soundbar through my Roku. Live antennae TV will not play through my soundbar because there isn’t any kind of audio output on the TV. I’m starting to think tv manufacturers are no longer including an audio output because eventually live TV will be a streaming paid service.
I have a Samsung smart tv, only a couple years old. No rca Jack’s, no headphone Jack. My question is will my tv work with a bluetooth adapter or am I wasting my time?
Hi Brian:
What are you trying to do–hook your TV to a loop system?
If you have a cable box of some sort, it may have audio outputs on it that you could use instead of hooking directly to your TV.
How were you proposing to use the Bluetooth?
Cordially,
Neil