Chromecast using TV as a display to speakers

[skippy]

Using a Chromecast (not audio), Is there anyway to pass thru to a set of active speakers?

I’d like to use the TV as a display to show track info, but use my speakers for the sound. What would be the best way to connect to the speakers from the TV with no loss in quality?

I currently use rca - XLR from my Sonos...

Any ideas?

 

[jjbomber]

Using a Chromecast (not audio), Is there anyway to pass thru to a set of active speakers?

I’d like to use the TV as a display to show track info, but use my speakers for the sound. What would be the best way to connect to the speakers from the TV with no loss in quality?

I currently use rca - XLR from my Sonos...

Any ideas?

What TV and speakers are they? Normally it's an optical output from the TV to a digital input on the speakers if you have the relevant connections.

 

[skippy]

Haven’t got the TV yet, Just need to make sure I can get the right outputs.

Speakers are Genelec 8050’s XLR connections

 

[jjbomber]

Haven’t got the TV yet, Just need to make sure I can get the right outputs.

Speakers are Genelec 8050’s XLR connections

Playing the devil's advocate as always, I would buy an Oppo 105 or 205 DVD player. Insert the Chromecast in the front HDMI input and use the XLR outputs at the rear. The Oppo has a brilliant onboard DAC and that will sing. However I am very good at spending other people's money! That would knock a huge dent in your TV budget.

I am not great on TVs, so wait for BigBoss to steer you in the right direction there.

 

[skippy]

That’s another idea, but I’m just trying to keep it as simple as can be...

From your previous post I’m taking I need a TV with a digital out, into a dac then into the speakers?

 

[jjbomber]

That’s another idea, but I’m just trying to keep it as simple as can be...

From your previous post I’m taking I need a TV with a digital out, into a dac then into the speakers?

This is where my knowledge falls down. You can use the RCA analogue outputs on the TV but there is something about having them earthed properly for connecting to XLR inputs. You can buy RCA to XLR cable or just use an adaptor if you already have a suitable XLR or RCA cable. A cable would be something like this:

https://www.nordacoustics.co.uk/product-page/nord-xlr-to-rca-cable

 

[Gray]

You can use this: http://cpc.farnell.com/unbranded/8226-out/scart-adaptor/dp/AR71327?st=scart%20adapter to get analogue audio from the SCART socket of a TV. (You just use its red and white RCA sockets) You should be OK, they had 2,296 of them in stock when I looked.

No need then to use a DAC before your XLR inputs.

The RCA to XLR lead you've got is obviously wired to allow unbalanced sources such as the TV to connect to the balanced Genelec input.

 

[skippy]

So to make this even easier, if the TV has the RCA outputs I could just plug in my current RCA to XLR cables, I could have Spotify/Netflix/YouTube on the screen and the sound would just go straight thru to the speakers?

No loss in quality?

Hopefully soon Spotify will bring in their hifi tier...

 

[jjbomber]

So to make this even easier, if the TV has the RCA outputs I could just plug in my current RCA to XLR cables, I could have Spotify/Netflix/YouTube on the screen and the sound would just go straight thru to the speakers?

No loss in quality?

Good question. The TV DAC won't be great in quality, but then Spotify and You Tube will be MP320 quality, so it will be good enough.

 

[Gray]

So to make this even easier, if the TV has the RCA outputs I could just plug in my current RCA to XLR cables, I could have Spotify/Netflix/YouTube on the screen and the sound would just go straight thru to the speakers?

No loss in quality?

The SCART adapter idea just gives you equivalent RCA sockets if the TV you buy doesn't have them.

As for loss of quality (compared with optical digital out via DAC to Genelec) note what jj has said - that you'll be using the (potentially inferior) DAC in the TV but, the source quality is less than perfect anyway.

 

[skippy]

Been trying to post a reply for the last 3 days but keep getting an error code from WHF!

So, picking up on what you're both saying, whether it be scart to RCA or RCA, this way seems like it will be transferring a compromised signal over to the speakers?

I think I'm right in believing the optical out from the TV into an external dac would be the best way forward.

I'm aware of the current Spotify bitrate, but I'm hearing they may increase their quality soon so it'd probably be worth the extra investment...

Thanks for the comments

 

[Gray]

Been trying to post a reply for the last 3 days but keep getting an error code from WHF!

So, picking up on what you're both saying, whether it be scart to RCA or RCA, this way seems like it will be transferring a compromised signal over to the speakers?

I think I'm right in believing the optical out from the TV into an external dac would be the best way forward.

I'm aware of the current Spotify bitrate, but I'm hearing they may increase their quality soon so it'd probably be worth the extra investment...

Thanks for the comments

Whether from the SCART socket or RCA on the set, you'd be using the same analogue output from the TV. This means that the digital has been converted by the TVs internal digital to analogue converter (DAC).

If you took the digital output from the TV, you'd be able to use an external DAC of your choice to do the necessary conversion.

But we are questioning the benefit of that option - even if Spotify improve sound quality. Why not try the easiest, no-cost, option first?

You could always buy a decent DAC later if you're not happy with the sound - but don't be expecting any miracles.

 

[skippy]

After listening to your posts...

I have an older big plasma in the basement, decided to mount this, it has an optical out and usb (to power the CC).

I signed up to Tidal hifi and ran the optical to a cheapo $20 Amazon dac I've had for my workshop speakers. This is a noticeable step up from my Spotify/Sonos set up - I tried Tidal before thru my Sonos at the same time I had a Spotify account, but I didn't feel there was any major difference (or enough to warrant keeping Tidal).

I also have a CC audio which i swapped out for the CC. Thru the dac this was better still. I'm wondering whether I'm losing something thru the TV connection with the CC or the CCA is just a better processor?

With this in mind I wouldn't mind upgrading the dac I have, also is there anything out there which has 2 optical inputs so I could switch between the CC and CCA (or some sort of splitter - 2 to 1), wouldn't wanna spend crazy money and I'm not too bothered about MQA as my PC is 30 foot away unless there's a way of doing this? I've ripped the ceiling down in the basement, running cables would be simple, reading up on usb, cable length is an issue...

Thanks again...

 

[Gray]

If you find that the requirement for 2 optical inputs is limiting your DAC choices, this switcher would give you more choice (as well as a spare input):

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-signal/psg00950/3-way-optical-selector-switch/dp/AV14637