TV speakers used for center speaker?

[davemet01]

This is a great forum...your advices are really appreciated!

Here's my Center speaker dilemma.

I have a DLP TV (Samsung HL-S4666W) with a "DVI In" audio jack (RCA). (See image attached of back panel) Specs say that the TV speakers are 2- 15 watts.

My receiver is a Yamaha HTR-5940. The connection to send to center speaker, is a regular speaker connectors (I used to have an audio jack for ctr channel on my old Sony receiver) and there’s 105watts per channel on the receiver.

Some extra details: I send an HDMI cable from my DVD player to my TV and send a coax from DVD to Receiver.

Now for the questions:

- What is DVI?
- Can I use this DVI jack to send center speaker info into TV and use TV speakers as center speaker?
- Would I bust my TV speaker if I connect to the receiver? Using RCA audio cable, stripped on one side and leaving jack on the other end to plug in TV. (hope that part is clear!)

Any other suggestions without adding a new center speaker....there's just no room for it and the TV speaker already sound great. I did set my receiver to send the center sound into main speakers but they are a bit far from the TV.

Thanks for your advices!

Pierre

 

[Joe Schmoe]

The single most important factor in choosing a center speaker is matching it to the sound of your mains. Since the TV speakers almost certainly do not match your mains, using them as a center will probably sound terrible.
I would say that if you can't get a real, matching center, you are better off going ahead and sending it to your mains (should sound fine if you sit between the speakers.)

 

[j_garcia]

Will it work? Yes. Will it work well? Probably not, as Joe said.

 

[Swerd]

- What is DVI?
- Can I use this DVI jack to send center speaker info into TV and use TV speakers as center speaker?
- Would I bust my TV speaker if I connect to the receiver? Using RCA audio cable, stripped on one side and leaving jack on the other end to plug in TV. (hope that part is clear!)

DVI (digital video interface) is for digital video signals.

Do not connect the center channel speaker terminals to these DVI-IN RCA audio jacks. You will be sending an amplified signal into the smaller amps within your TV.

If I understand what you are asking, the two RCA audio jacks labled DVI-IN could be used if you also have a RCA jack on your receiver labled "preamp out center channel" or something similar. Such a preamp out jack will provide preamp level (unamplified) audio signals. They are usually meant to send audio to an external amplifier. Not all receivers have them - check your manual. Like the others have said, it may work, but it won't work well.

Look in your receiver's manual for how to set up "phantom center channel" where the receiver knows you lack a center channel speaker, and it divides the center channel signal from DVDs to the main L and R speakers.

 

[no. 5]

- Would I bust my TV speaker if I connect to the receiver? Using RCA audio cable, stripped on one side and leaving jack on the other end to plug in TV. (hope that part is clear!)

so, one end of the cable going into the TV's audio line in, and the other end into the recivers speaker level output?

if that's what you'r asking, I would not recomend that.

 

[davemet01]

so, one end of the cable going into the TV's audio line in, and the other end into the recivers speaker level output?

Yes...that was my plan! Ok bad idea. That's why I asked, I knew it was probably risky with the diff. in power.

I will abandon the idea. Thanks for your advices!

Pierre

 

[j_garcia]

Hmmm I missed that part about connecting to the speaker outputs...yes, bad idea.

 

[markw]

My take on that DVI/Audio input jacks combo.

check your manual for confirmation, but here's what I think they are for.

You will be feeding a DVI video source to the TV. Must likely, you'll be feeding that source's digital output to your big HT receiver to availal yourself of DD, DTS, or whatever, thereby totally bypassing the need for TV audio in these instances.

But. let's assume the kiddies are watching "The Little Mermaid" for the 15,238th time or the wife is doing her early morning yoga. Do you really need, or even want to use the "big" sound system for these?

I think they allow you to run a red/white analog interconnect from the corrosponding output on the source to these input jacks to allow you to use the TV's internal amp and speakers when you so desire. Also remember that not everyone has a HT sound system. The only effect this might have is you that may have you turn the volume all the way down on the TV when using the big HT system.

It's always better to have a choice and not use it than to need one and not have it.

 

[j_garcia]

Yes it would work if it were preamp level he wanted to send to those inputs, but that was not what he was looking to do.

 

[markw]

Yes it would work if it were preamp level he wanted to send to those inputs, but that was not what he was looking to do.

true, but I'm of the belief that knowing the intended function of some of these plugs that lurk on the back of these things is a good thing to know.

A little knowledge doesn't hurt but a lack of it certainly can.

Gee, is it me or am I starting to sound like a demented fortune cookie?

 

[davemet01]

Marw. Thanks! It's always good to know as you said.

For now I will stick with the phantom setting of the HT receiver and when I get fed up I'll invest in a center speaker.

 

[Nick250]

I think they allow you to run a red/white analog interconnect from the corrosponding output on the source to these input jacks to allow you to use the TV's internal amp and speakers when you so desire. Also remember that not everyone has a HT sound system. The only effect this might have is you that may have you turn the volume all the way down on the TV when using the big HT system.
It's always better to have a choice and not use it than to need one and not have it.

Thats exactly what I do. DVI from the cable box to the plasma and also the stereo analogs from the cable box to the receiver. I usually don't fire up the whole system just to watch TV, so this way I have a choice. I also send a digital audio connection from the cable box to the TV for when I want to watch TV with the whole system.

Regards the OP, having the TV audio on at the same time as the main systems sounds pretty bad in my listening room. No center channel would be much better than using the TV speakers. No harm in testing it out though, it might well work for you.

Nick