Help needed: DVD, TV and amplifier question.

[plastic penguin]

You will need to change the audio settings so it is outputting from the headphone out.

Tried looking in the audio 'menu' and can't find anything that relates to headphone settings. Unless of course there is a sub-menu. Terribly frustrating.

 

[plastic penguin]

/

 

[simonlewis]

You've sorted it finally, congrats.

 

[plastic penguin]

You've sorted it finally, congrats.

Thanks. Phew!

 

[The_Lhc]

You've sorted it finally, congrats.

Thanks. Phew!

Well don't leave us hanging like that! We need a pay-off, what did you do?

 

[plastic penguin]

You've sorted it finally, congrats.

Thanks. Phew!

Well don't leave us hanging like that! We need a pay-off, what did you do?

I didn't. Went back to the living room to make sure it hadn't gone up in a puff of smoke.

TBVVVVH, it was luck than judgement. I spoke to RS at lunchtime and the chappie I was dealing with had the day off. Anyway this other guy was puzzled by the whole thing and suggested I buy a bluray player which has HDMI connections. At that point I flung the phone down with disgust and sulked for a while.

Anyway, the headphone socket on the TV has a default setting, so it's disabled immediately when the cable is inserted. Then I thought I could hear the neighbours talking and realised, after a while, it was very low sound coming from the amp. Turned up the volume on the TV (not hi-fi) and the hi-fi speakers sprang to life.

Basically set the amp to whatever volume level and let the TV volume do the rest. So simple...

Please don't give me a hard time. It's the first TV we've had in 9 years, and trying to mix modern stuff with older gear is a puzzle to me.

 

[The_Lhc]

Please don't give me a hard time.

I'm not, I just wanted to know how you fixed it...

 

[plastic penguin]

There is one snag. When you want to return the TV to its own speakers you have to unplug the headphone lead.

Why is it so complicated? with old CRT the amp could be played thru the TV without pulling out of leads...

|(

 

[The_Lhc]

with old CRT the amp could be played thru the TV without pulling out of leads...

No, it really wasn't! The TV is playing through the amp, not the other way around. It's the amp making the noise, the TV is providing the noise for the amp to make. I mean, you wouldn't say "I'm playing my amp through my CD player" would you?

 

[plastic penguin]

Okay, point taken - you know where I'm coming from though.

Mrs. P is being very facetious. She asked when are getting a HD box. At that point I just walked out and headbutted the garage wall.

 

[chebby]

She asked when are getting a HD box. At that point I just walked out and headbutted the garage wall.

By 'HD box' does your wife mean 'HD television'? (I know a lot of people still refer to their TV as 'the box'.) In which case you have one already. The new LG.

Or... does she mean an HD PVR 'box' (or Blu-ray recorder with HD Freeview and built in hard drive)?

If the latter, then I agree with her, a Blu-ray recorder (with Freeview HD and built-in hard-drive) would make life a lot simpler. You could do the lot then. (Especially if it has an RCA phono audio output.) Blu-rays, DVDs (upscaled), CDs, recording 'off air' so you need only watch the stuff you know you are going to like (including skipping through the ads), recording Freeview radio programmes so you listen to them at your leisure when it's the right time for you, BBC iPlayer, pausing 'live' TV when you want to go and make a cuppa or answer the phone or whatever, recording two things at once, watching one thing and recording another etc. etc.

Your old DVD recorder is half redundant now (no Freeview) and has all the wrong connectivity for your needs (no HDMI for a start).

 

[plastic penguin]

She asked when are getting a HD box. At that point I just walked out and headbutted the garage wall.

By 'HD box' does your wife mean 'HD television'? (I know a lot of people still refer to their TV as 'the box'.) In which case you have one already. The new LG.

Or... does she mean an HD PVR 'box' (or Blu-ray recorder with HD Freeview and built in hard drive)?

If the latter, then I agree with her, a Blu-ray recorder (with Freeview HD and built-in hard-drive) would make life a lot simpler. You could do the lot then. (Especially if it has an RCA phono audio output.) Blu-rays, DVDs (upscaled), CDs, recording 'off air' so you need only watch the stuff you know you are going to like (including skipping through the ads), recording Freeview radio programmes so you listen to them at your leisure when it's the right time for you, BBC iPlayer, pausing 'live' TV when you want to go and make a cuppa or answer the phone or whatever, recording two things at once, watching one thing and recording another etc. etc.

Your old DVD recorder is half redundant now (no Freeview) and has all the wrong connectivity for your needs (no HDMI for a start).

Yup, the latter. (walks out to the garage again) :hand: :shhh:

 

[chebby]

Yup, the latter. (walks out to the garage again) :hand: :shhh:

I can honestly say the last month or so with our new Humax has been brilliant.

We only watch a couple of hours TV per evening, and now it is all only what we want to watch, with no adverts and no missed bits, and plenty of stuff recorded during the week to get us through the desert of 'crap' weekend evening television.

One click and an entire series will be recorded without having to remember to set the recording every week.

Superb PQ and SQ. (Excellent with iPlayer too.)

I am sure your wife will love it. It's the best item of AV/Hi-fi I have bought in years.

 

[John Duncan]

Agreed, though I wouldn't get a bluray recorder as see no need to archive stuff to disc; I'd keep the player and PVR separate. But maybe that's just me.

As such, any normal person might buy this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-DMR-PWT500EB-Recorder-Blu-ray-Player/dp/B005GCXV0I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1337018694&sr=8-1

EDIT - ha! Just seen the video on the page and it's Tom whatsisname off of Stuff...

 

[plastic penguin]

Agree - now we've come into the 21st Century may as well make the most of a HD TV. Dunno the exact path at the mo. I watch little television, little'un probably is the most TV-enthused person in the house.

Suppose I'm suffering from extreme Tele lag...

 

[chebby]

I watch little television...

All the more important that what little you do you watch is only what you really enjoy, when you want to watch it, in HD whenever possible, and with the ability to easily skip through adverts.

(Not to mention recording fave radio stuff then listening to it exactly when you want to.)

 

[chebby]

Agreed, though I wouldn't get a bluray recorder as see no need to archive stuff to disc...

The point of suggesting a one box Panasonic Blu-ray, HDD recorder was not for archiving to Blu-ray discs, but to record to it's built-in 1TB HDD.

I'd keep the player and PVR separate. But maybe that's just me.

Not just you. That's what I have done too.

I just thought that might be a 'box too far' for poor PP and his garage wall.

 

[plastic penguin]

I watch little television...

All the more important that what little you do you watch is only what you really enjoy, when you want to watch it, in HD whenever possible, and with the ability to easily skip through adverts.

(Not to mention recording fave radio stuff then listening to it exactly when you want to.)

Cheers - I'll certainly look into the options.

Meantime, we're going away for a long weekend to the New Forest on Friday evening. I'll try and post some pics before I go and show you my lash up system as it stands at the moment.

Been threatening to this for a while...

 

[BenLaw]

+1 to the blu ray recorder idea. I do find the option of 'archiving' to disc handy. My parents had cabinets upon cabinets of VHSs and I kind of have the same habit. I find it useful for films I'll watch again but am not too bothered about SQ and PQ and/or don't want to have to shell out for the disc. I also record a lot of music such as Jools Holland, edit the best songs and create compilation discs - in 20, 30, 40 years time there should be some amazing stuff which you just wouldn't be able to get elsewhere. So I'd add that to the good reasons you've already been given!

 

[BenLaw]

I watch little television...

All the more important that what little you do you watch is only what you really enjoy, when you want to watch it, in HD whenever possible, and with the ability to easily skip through adverts.

(Not to mention recording fave radio stuff then listening to it exactly when you want to.)

Cheers - I'll certainly look into the options.

Meantime, we're going away for a long weekend to the New Forest on Friday evening. I'll try and post some pics before I go and show you my lash up system as it stands at the moment.

Been threatening to this for a while...

Yay, pictures!

 

[plastic penguin]

I watch little television...

All the more important that what little you do you watch is only what you really enjoy, when you want to watch it, in HD whenever possible, and with the ability to easily skip through adverts.

(Not to mention recording fave radio stuff then listening to it exactly when you want to.)

Cheers - I'll certainly look into the options.

Meantime, we're going away for a long weekend to the New Forest on Friday evening. I'll try and post some pics before I go and show you my lash up system as it stands at the moment.

Been threatening to this for a while...

Yay, pictures!

Wouldn't get too excited, Ben. Although it sounds 'on the money', aesthetically it's pretty...erm...erm... basic.

 

[BenLaw]

I watch little television...

All the more important that what little you do you watch is only what you really enjoy, when you want to watch it, in HD whenever possible, and with the ability to easily skip through adverts.

(Not to mention recording fave radio stuff then listening to it exactly when you want to.)

Cheers - I'll certainly look into the options.

Meantime, we're going away for a long weekend to the New Forest on Friday evening. I'll try and post some pics before I go and show you my lash up system as it stands at the moment.

Been threatening to this for a while...

Yay, pictures!

Wouldn't get too excited, Ben. Although it sounds 'on the money', aesthetically it's pretty...erm...erm... basic.

Takes all sorts aesthetically and otherwise, doesn't matter, I just like seeing kit pics

 

[plastic penguin]

I watch little television...

All the more important that what little you do you watch is only what you really enjoy, when you want to watch it, in HD whenever possible, and with the ability to easily skip through adverts.

(Not to mention recording fave radio stuff then listening to it exactly when you want to.)

Cheers - I'll certainly look into the options.

Meantime, we're going away for a long weekend to the New Forest on Friday evening. I'll try and post some pics before I go and show you my lash up system as it stands at the moment.

Been threatening to this for a while...

Yay, pictures!

Wouldn't get too excited, Ben. Although it sounds 'on the money', aesthetically it's pretty...erm...erm... basic.

Takes all sorts aesthetically and otherwise, doesn't matter, I just like seeing kit pics

Fair enough - I'll do my upmost to bore you...

 

[plastic penguin]

Another really dull question: Noticed since the new TV has been rigged to the amp that the SQ - via DVD or direct thru the headphone socket - isn't as impressive as the old CRT. So wondering whether a Humax box or a Bluray player will improve matters?

(For the record, I've tried adjusting the TV audio setting: Bass and treble to no avail. It just sounds a little cardboardy. The opposite to the CRT which was really open and trebly).

Your wisdom would be appreciated.

 

[BenLaw]

Probably because you're using the headphone socket. You'd be better using the optical out with a dac, something like the stuff I linked to from amazon.