Connecting a new Panasonic LED TV to an old Technics AMP

[Wychburyman]

Hi
Thank you for a really informative site.

I have purchased a Panasonic TX-42AS650B TV, and have an old Technics Amp (at least 15 years old I think). The Amp has a spare channel that I ran a cable to on my old TV which had an audio left and right sockets. No problem. Good stereo sound.

The new TV also has Audio L and R sockets but the guide suggest it is for hooking up to a Camcorder. It also suggests I'll need to use HDMI cable if I want to run the TV to an amplifier. The old Amp does not have HDMI obviously.

Do I have to buy a new amp or receiver or can this be solved more simply and cheaply?
Thank you in advance

David

 

[Solandri]

I assume your amp is hooked up to an external speaker system you want to use instead of the TV's built-in speakers? e.g. Plug your blu-ray player to the TV via HDMI, but pipe the audio to your external speaker system.

You'll have to buy something to demux the HDMI video signal from the audio signal. aka HDMI audio extractor, or HDMI audio converter. Those cost about $25-$50 (they're expensive because HDMI carries audio as a digital signal, which needs to be converted to analog to work with older audio equipment).
http/www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=101&cp_id=10114&cs_id=1011412&p_id=10251&seq=1&format=2

Another option is to see if your TV supports something called an Audio Return Channel. If it does, it'll let you plug the blu-ray player straight into the TV. Then use the ARC to pipe sound from the TV back into your amp and your stereo system. However, ARC is usually a digital signal carried over HDMI (to support 5.1 playback). So you may need to buy the audio extractor anyway. I've seen a couple TVs which have analog RCA audio out which you can use as audio return channels, but they're the exception.

OTOH if what you're trying to do is run the audio through your amp first so you can run it through an equalizer, then play it over the TV's speakers, then you're out of luck. Because HDMI codes the audio as a digital signal, you need an analog-to-digital converters to do that. Those tend to be expensive, with the adapters costing $100+. At that point you're probably better off putting the money into a newer amp/receiver which supports HDMI natively.

 

[rexter]

You have few options, one mentioned above is probably the most expensive one.

You can also use the following below.

1 - 3.5mm to RCA if you already have it and plug it in to your TV headphone then to your amplifier.

http/www.amazon.co.uk/3-5mm-Phono-Stereo-Audio-Cable-A/dp/B000Q6LSVS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423111051&sr=8-1&keywords=3.5+mm+to+rca


or you can add an external DAC. Connect the DAC to digital audio out of your TV using the toslink cable and use the item mentioned above or use an RCA cord to connect it to you amplifier. Set the audio signal from your TV menu to optical and select optical on the DAC as well.

http/www.amazon.co.uk/Proster-Digital-Toslink-Converter-Adapter/dp/B00KNNSKV0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423111248&sr=8-1&keywords=dac

 

[Wychburyman]

I assume your amp is hooked up to an external speaker system you want to use instead of the TV's built-in speakers? e.g. Plug your blu-ray player to the TV via HDMI, but pipe the audio to your external speaker system.

You'll have to buy something to demux the HDMI video signal from the audio signal. aka HDMI audio extractor, or HDMI audio converter. Those cost about $25-$50 (they're expensive because HDMI carries audio as a digital signal, which needs to be converted to analog to work with older audio equipment).
http/www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=101&cp_id=10114&cs_id=1011412&p_id=10251&seq=1&format=2

Another option is to see if your TV supports something called an Audio Return Channel. If it does, it'll let you plug the blu-ray player straight into the TV. Then use the ARC to pipe sound from the TV back into your amp and your stereo system. However, ARC is usually a digital signal carried over HDMI (to support 5.1 playback). So you may need to buy the audio extractor anyway. I've seen a couple TVs which have analog RCA audio out which you can use as audio return channels, but they're the exception.

OTOH if what you're trying to do is run the audio through your amp first so you can run it through an equalizer, then play it over the TV's speakers, then you're out of luck. Because HDMI codes the audio as a digital signal, you need an analog-to-digital converters to do that. Those tend to be expensive, with the adapters costing $100+. At that point you're probably better off putting the money into a newer amp/receiver which supports HDMI natively.

 

[Wychburyman]

Thank you.
The audio L and R, the instructions say, is to hook up a camcorder to play on the TV. It has been suggested to me that on my new TV is an audio analogue L and R Input. Whereas on my old TV it is an audio Output L and R. But yes, I'm trying to hook up the audio L and R on the TV to my old Amp to play through the speakers.

I have been considering a new Amp anyway. I'm assuming if I go for a new amp (or receiver) it will have to have a HDMI connection. The TV instructions say that I should use the HDMI2 connection for hooking up to Amps.

Yes, the TV does have ARC

 

[Wychburyman]

You have few options, one mentioned above is probably the most expensive one.

You can also use the following below.

1 - 3.5mm to RCA if you already have it and plug it in to your TV headphone then to your amplifier.

http/www.amazon.co.uk/3-5mm-Phono-Stereo-Audio-Cable-A/dp/B000Q6LSVS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423111051&sr=8-1&keywords=3.5+mm+to+rca


or you can add an external DAC. Connect the DAC to digital audio out of your TV using the toslink cable and use the item mentioned above or use an RCA cord to connect it to you amplifier. Set the audio signal from your TV menu to optical and select optical on the DAC as well.

http/www.amazon.co.uk/Proster-Digital-Toslink-Converter-Adapter/dp/B00KNNSKV0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423111248&sr=8-1&keywords=dac

 

[Wychburyman]

Thank you.

I have been considering a new Amp to upgrade my system (although it will have to be a modest price). I'm assuming if I go for a new amp (or receiver) it will have to have a HDMI connection. The TV instructions say that I should use the HDMI2 connection for hooking up to Amps.

Do you have any suggestions or do's and don'ts? The last thing I want to do is buy a new Amp that is unsuitable.

 

[rexter]

Thank you.

I have been considering a new Amp to upgrade my system (although it will have to be a modest price). I'm assuming if I go for a new amp (or receiver) it will have to have a HDMI connection. The TV instructions say that I should use the HDMI2 connection for hooking up to Amps.

Do you have any suggestions or do's and don'ts? The last thing I want to do is buy a new Amp that is unsuitable.

First thing though is we need to know about your speaker.s and your system, is it stereo or 5.1 or more, make and model and if possible power ratings? how much are you willing to spend on a receiver?

Why won't you try the DAC as mentioned above first, you might find it unnecessary to upgrade, especially if your amp already working good for your speakers and it don't cost much either. would you consider a better DAC or an preamp?

However, if you're set to upgrade your amp then you might want to check on this receiver. http/www.amazon.com/Harman-Kardon-AVR-1650-Discontinued/dp/B00548SKMI/ref=sr_1_14?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1423220292&sr=1-14&keywords=harman+kardon+receiver

 

[Solandri]

I have been considering a new Amp to upgrade my system (although it will have to be a modest price). I'm assuming if I go for a new amp (or receiver) it will have to have a HDMI connection. The TV instructions say that I should use the HDMI2 connection for hooking up to Amps.

Yes a modern A/V receiver will take HDMI in and provide HDMI out. However, the purpose of an A/V receiver is to let you select between multiple HDMI inputs. e.g. If you have a cable box, bluray player, and PS4 all providing HDMI output, you can plug them all into the receiver, it will pipe the output to your speakers, then a single HDMI out cable can go to your TV.

But an A/V receiver is completely unnecessary if you're connecting these devices directly to the TV, and using ARC, some sort of DAC, or plugging into the headphone jack to send audio to your speakers. In the former case, you use the receiver to select input source. In the latter case, you use the TV to select input source. They both provide the same function. You should only go through the trouble of replacing your current amp with an A/V receiver if you're not satisfied with your current amp's performance, or if you need new features like 7.1 support or TOSLINK.

If you do go the A/V receiver route, you're going to have to concern yourself with things like 3D support and 4k support. Both of these aren't required for most current home theaters, but are necessary if you want to future-proof your receiver purchase. Whereas if you use the TV for switching between your inputs, upgrading to a 4k TV in the future will automatically give you that capability since you'll still be able to pipe the audio from that TV to your existing amp and speakers.