Panasonic SA HT-692 Home Theater

[fazman]

I have a non working SA HT-692. Before I throw it out I want to try repairing it. The sub-woofer appears to be working because when I plug it in the pilot light it glows red. I plug in the system cable into the main part and nothing happens.

Is the cable OK? How can I test it? I touched the mail plug ever so slightly with the tip of my tongue and I "tasted" a weak current. I see used cables online and the prices are more than I'm willing to spend -- $50 and up..

I opened the cabinet and looked around carefully. I could not see anything amiss. I was looking for a blown fuse. I saw none.

If the unit is irreparable, can I use the sub woofer for a different application?

 

[everettT]

Unless it's a fuse, toss it and get an upgrade (whole system as well)

 

[BMXTRIX]

The 'system cable' is not a standard item in the A/V world. It's extremely proprietary and while it could fix everything, it's better to dump it all. The subwoofer is NOT a subwoofer, it's a proprietary speaker/amplifier thing. It has no standard 'LFE' or 'SUBWOOFER' input on it like you will find from thousands of other standard subwoofers.

The 5 main speakers do look to be pretty much industry standard and appear to be 4 ohm speakers. So, you could connect them to any standard A/V receiver.

What you want to do is toss the system if it isn't working and look for industry standard products that operate properly with other industry standard products. Powered subwoofers and 8 ohm speakers are typical. Many receivers can work find with speakers rated at 4 ohms as well. So, an entry level A/V receiver and a properly powered subwoofer would be where I would start, and connect them to the 5 speakers from the system. Upgrade the speakers as money allows.

 

[fazman]

Thanks for the information. I understand proprietary gear and industry standard products. I am able to recognize other gear I have is proprietary. Whenever I look to buy other systems in the future, I know what to look for and to buy. I assume that industry standard products are more expensive??

 

[BMXTRIX]

I assume that industry standard products are more expensive??

Brand new, they often are. But they often are of higher build quality and most people get rid of their old gear because it is outdated, not because it no longer functions. So, it depends on your location and how/where you buy your product from.
Online, Accessories4Less offers a number of A/V receivers that start under $200. But, it's JUST the A/V receiver. It is designed to have sources connected to it, like cable boxes, blu-ray players, streaming products, a home computer, etc.
https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrs530bt/denon-avr-s530bt-5.2-ch-x-70-watts-bluetooth-a/v-receiver/1.html

For some people $500 is a lot of money, for others $500 is the cost for some of their cables. But, complete home theater kits that are proprietary are almost always 'cheap' and of relatively poor quality. Some companies, such as Bose, have a very high premium on their proprietary products, so they are typically considered a terrible purchase for this, and other, reasons.

But, you can pick up used gear for not a lot of cash, it just won't adhere to the newest standards. That's what the newer products can do. They can handle 4K sources, and they can power a decent set of speakers of your own choosing.

I have kids and a older A/V receiver in my basement setup. I wanted super inexpensive speakers when (not if) the kids hit them with their shenanigans, so I have 5 speakers setup and those 5 speakers cost me 50 bucks. I thought that was pretty cheap. They don't sound great, probably similar to what the speakers you have sound like. It didn't come with a subwoofer, but I already had one.

I see the Panasonic for over $100 when working online right now. It may have been $300 new. You can get a 'standard' system for that price. From my link above, $140 for the Denon. They have 5 speakers (similar to what you already have) for $50. And on Amazon you can pick up a 10" subwoofer for $90. So, under $300 and you are into a industry standard 5.1 surround sound audio system with 4K capability and plenty of connectivity. Oh, and the subwoofer will blow away what the Panasonic delivered. Not to mention the A/V receiver itself.

So, it depends on budget, your location, and what you are looking to do. Make it a conversation if you want to get the most out of things.