How to get TV coaxial out to analog 5.1?

[David_413]

Hi. I have a Toshiba TV which has a coax out. Can I get 5.1 sound from the TV if I use a DTS decoder? And also if I connect my laptop through HDMI to the tv, will it be able to feed 5.1 trough the tv?

 

[AudioEnthu]

Update: Having said all that, I came across an interesting thread in another community:
https/community.sony.com/t5/Television-Picture-Sound/How-to-get-5-1-audio-out-from-Sony-Bravia-32-EX-310/td-p/191303


I don't think your TV (and I am not sure how recent your TV is) is capable of producing 5.1 sound. For a DTS decoder to work, the source audio should be 5.1. If your TV's audio is not 5.1 (I am quite sure), then all you will get from a DTS decoder is 2 channel sound.

The best way to achieve this, in my opinion and experience, is to have the audio come from a source that is capable of providing 5.1 audio. For instance, some DVD players have 5.1 decoders built in and all you need to do is to wire it with your 5.1 home theatre speakers.

Simply connecting your HDMI cable from the laptop to the TV is not the solution to get the 5.1 audio experience. That is because your TV might not be capable of decoding 5.1 audio.

If you want to connect your laptop to the TV and want to have a 5.1 experience, then here's what you need at a minimum:

1. Connect your laptop to your TV using a HDMI cable. You seem to have already done, so that's fine.
2. Get yourself a USB sound card. My best bet is the Asus Xonar U7.
3. Connect the USB sound card to the laptop and configure it. From the USB sound card, connect a cable (digital / direct to front, rear, centre input sockets) to your home theatre. A simple home theatre system will do. I have an old Philips SP 100 and it works perfectly.

Let me know what you think.

 

[jsmithepa]

Hi. I have a Toshiba TV which has a coax out. Can I get 5.1 sound from the TV if I use a DTS decoder?

Assuming this is a DIGITAL AUDIO coax out, just plug it in to your digital receiver. Whatever decoding, whether Dolby Digital or DTS is selected by the receiver. Typically, you can only get surround out this way if the broadcast stations (OTA) sends your surround. Typically you cannot get surround by going for example: BluRay Player --> TV --> Receiver. Lots of TVs don't "pass-thru" surround information. You must go BlueRay --> Receiver --> TV instead.

And also if I connect my laptop through HDMI to the tv, will it be able to feed 5.1 trough the tv?

TVs don't have surround built-in, it got 2 speakers, that's it. to get surround from your laptop, you want to hook it up to your fully digital AV receiver.


All these questions suggests you don't have an honest-to-God, multi HDMI AV receiver. Trying to do things any other way == mucho pain if at all possible.

 

[David_413]

Thanks for the answers. My tv is this: http/www.toshiba.co.uk/discontinued-products/40l5453db-40-smart-3d-led-tv/ .
And this is the decoder I wanted to connect to it: http/www.ebay.com/itm/SPDIF-Coaxial-Digital-DTS-AC3-5-1-2-1CH-to-Analog-Audio-Decoder-Converter-51A-UL-/161859768742?hash=item25af9811a6:g:KBMAAOSwYHxWILFU.

Although it seems that the external sound card solutions might be best.

 

[AudioEnthu]

Thanks for the answers. My tv is this: http/www.toshiba.co.uk/discontinued-products/40l5453db-40-smart-3d-led-tv/ .
And this is the decoder I wanted to connect to it: http/www.ebay.com/itm/SPDIF-Coaxial-Digital-DTS-AC3-5-1-2-1CH-to-Analog-Audio-Decoder-Converter-51A-UL-/161859768742?hash=item25af9811a6:g:KBMAAOSwYHxWILFU.

Although it seems that the external sound card solutions might be best.

Oh I have the decoder that your link talks about! I did try connecting the digital audio out (optical) to the decoder, but all I could get was 2-channel. That proved that the TV was supplying only 2.1 output through the digital out cable.

You could try using an HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) solution, but for that, you'd need a receiver that has a corresponding HDMI ARC input.

I still think the easiest way out is the Asus Xonar U7 or similar external USB sound card.