Solved! How to use TV speakers as main and ceiling speakers for surround sound

[sirphi]

I've Yamaha TSR7850. I only have Ceiling speakers and I connected them for surround sound and want to use TV speakers as the main speaker. I tried connecting the HDMI out from receiver to HDMI in to TV. I've set top box connected to receiver through HDMI. However, I only get surround sound for some movie channels or get all sound in Ceiling speaker for some news channels. But no sound whatsoever from TV. How to configure this correctly so I get main audio from TV and surround sound from Ceiling speakers?

 

[helpstar]

Which TV model is it? Most likely you will have to find the option to use the integrated speakers of the TV inside the TV´s menu.

 

[Sonic Illusions]

I'm sure that you know you have a nice A/V receiver and you simply want ambient surround going to the ceiling temporarily. The Yamaha is capable of fully immersive surround, but you only want it to deliver to the ceiling speakers for now. You must configure the receiver -speaker setup section of MENU- for the amount and types of speakers connected. For example, you only want basic surround. This is an experiment: Using the PRE-OUT FRONT connector on the back of the Yamaha, connect a pair of RCA cables from that output to the correct RCA audio input of your TV (see TV manual for choosing audio source and select ANALOG). Many TVs can use seperate audio inputs when HDMI is used for video sources. When you plug into the Yamaha, you're turning off the main channel amps and sending a volume-controllable signal to the RCA outputs. You can set the TV volume as needed. By selecting the surround mode for 4 speakers (mains and surrounds) you should get the correct signal sent to the ceiling speakers AND to your TV, which should be connected to the "PRE OUT FRONT" RCA jacks. Connect your ceiling speakers to the "R SURROUND L" speaker terminals. The only amps in the Yamaha that will be active will be the 2 surround amps. Good luck!

 

[sirphi]

Which TV model is it? Most likely you will have to find the option to use the integrated speakers of the TV inside the TV´s menu.

I've Sony Bravia. If I use the integrated speakers, the only way is to turn off the receiver and let the HDMI pass through. I'm trying to have receiver consider TV as main speaker and ceiling as surround sound.

 

[sirphi]

I'm sure that you know you have a nice A/V receiver and you simply want ambient surround going to the ceiling temporarily. The Yamaha is capable of fully immersive surround, but you only want it to deliver to the ceiling speakers for now. You must configure the receiver -speaker setup section of MENU- for the amount and types of speakers connected. For example, you only want basic surround. This is an experiment: Using the PRE-OUT FRONT connector on the back of the Yamaha, connect a pair of RCA cables from that output to the correct RCA audio input of your TV (see TV manual for choosing audio source and select ANALOG). Many TVs can use seperate audio inputs when HDMI is used for video sources. When you plug into the Yamaha, you're turning off the main channel amps and sending a volume-controllable signal to the RCA outputs. You can set the TV volume as needed. By selecting the surround mode for 4 speakers (mains and surrounds) you should get the correct signal sent to the ceiling speakers AND to your TV, which should be connected to the "PRE OUT FRONT" RCA jacks. Connect your ceiling speakers to the "R SURROUND L" speaker terminals. The only amps in the Yamaha that will be active will be the 2 surround amps. Good luck!

Thanks for your response. I don't have RCA cable and I'm trying to find a way to use HDMI cable so I'd get high quality feed. Do you know of a way to use just HDMI? I tried connecting HDMI to ARC of TV as well but it still doesn't work. Can you pls. advise?

 

[sirphi]

Thanks for your response. I don't have RCA cable and I'm trying to find a way to use HDMI cable so I'd get high quality feed. Do you know of a way to use just HDMI? I tried connecting HDMI to ARC of TV as well but it still doesn't work. Can you pls. advise?

I actually found a RCA cable and connected as you said. However, if the Receiver is on, there's still no audio in the TV. Only when it's on standby mode, TV speakers are turning on.

 

[helpstar]

Which Sony Bravia is it? Please post the complete model number, there are thousands of Bravias on the market.

 

[Sonic Illusions]

Yes, we should have the TV information. Your receiver should be delivering a signal to be amplified, through the RCA connectors, if connected as I mentioned above AND according to your manual - see link and pasted info below. You are basically using the TV's amplifier and speakers, just as you would use any other power amplifier, which will work. You MUST configure the TV for analog audio input for that A/V input. Did you turn up the TV volume as well as the receiver's? The TV's volume must be turned up maybe 3/4 of the way.

https://manual.yamaha.com/av/18/tsr7850/en-US/3832211851.html
"When connecting an external power amplifier (pre-main amplifier) to enhance speaker output, connect the input jacks of the power amplifier to the PRE OUT jacks of the unit. The same channel signals are output from the PRE OUT jacks as from their corresponding SPEAKERS terminals."

"CAUTION

• To prevent the generation of loud noises or abnormal sounds, make sure the followings before making connections.
• Unplug the power cable of the unit and turn off the external power amplifier before connecting them.
• When using the PRE OUT jacks, do not connect speakers to the corresponding SPEAKERS terminals.
• When using an external amplifier that does not have the volume control bypass, do not connect other devices (except the unit) to the amplifier."

 

[sirphi]

Yes, we should have the TV information. Your receiver should be delivering a signal to be amplified, through the RCA connectors, if connected as I mentioned above AND according to your manual - see link and pasted info below. You are basically using the TV's amplifier and speakers, just as you would use any other power amplifier, which will work. You MUST configure the TV for analog audio input for that A/V input. Did you turn up the TV volume as well as the receiver's? The TV's volume must be turned up maybe 3/4 of the way.

https://manual.yamaha.com/av/18/tsr7850/en-US/3832211851.html
"When connecting an external power amplifier (pre-main amplifier) to enhance speaker output, connect the input jacks of the power amplifier to the PRE OUT jacks of the unit. The same channel signals are output from the PRE OUT jacks as from their corresponding SPEAKERS terminals."

"CAUTION

• To prevent the generation of loud noises or abnormal sounds, make sure the followings before making connections.
• Unplug the power cable of the unit and turn off the external power amplifier before connecting them.
• When using the PRE OUT jacks, do not connect speakers to the corresponding SPEAKERS terminals.
• When using an external amplifier that does not have the volume control bypass, do not connect other devices (except the unit) to the amplifier."

My Sony TV model is XBR-65X900E. I'll play around the TV menu and let you know.

 

[hang-the-9]

I've Yamaha TSR7850. I only have Ceiling speakers and I connected them for surround sound and want to use TV speakers as the main speaker. I tried connecting the HDMI out from receiver to HDMI in to TV. I've set top box connected to receiver through HDMI. However, I only get surround sound for some movie channels or get all sound in Ceiling speaker for some news channels. But no sound whatsoever from TV. How to configure this correctly so I get main audio from TV and surround sound from Ceiling speakers?

You can't do this for just sending surround sound to the other speakers, and using the TV speakers for center and left/right, the TV sends sound to the speakers directly. To do what you want you would have to somehow configure the speakers to connect to the receiver to run the speakers, which is not possible. Now you may be able to have the TV play all sounds as well as the receiver if you have the option in the TV to enable TV speakers at all times even with external audio running. That would be in your TV options. The real solution is to get front speakers to use with the Yamaha.

 

[Sonic Illusions]

Using the TV speakers for L/C/R is not the objective. The objective is to use the receiver's out (with whatever source) and output the analog L+R to a TV input. HDMI will be used for video and analog audio can be input to the TV. I have done this, but for a different reason. My TV is ALWAYS just a monitor. Whatever the reason, to have basic surround, this should be possible in this situation.

For now, it seems a waste of the potential of full surround, but with 2 TV speakers, you at least have the image near the center of the screen on one axis, which sort of gives you a "center of screen" acoustic image at a minimum. You won't have the wide-field only good properly spaced and raised mains can deliver (tweeter at listening position ear level for killer imaging). No time to run through the manual tonight, but hope should not be lost. WIll the experiment pay off? Maybe.

If you're on a budget like a lot of us, you can get great surround with relatively inexpensive speakers, sor less than 50 bucks each (shop and review). Grab a sub later. You've got a nice receiver with capabilities ready to go.

These tricks are used with high-end rigs, but the physics are the same, no matter the size or quality of speakers. Simply aligning mains and center speakers with the TV "screen center" as referenced above, PLUS time-aligning front-to back can produce an amazing sound-stage from inexpensive speakers. The center should be no exception, if possible. If the voice coils of the center and mains are placed aligned with the face of the TV/ monitor, the timing of the sound will originate at the image. And the tweeters aligned with screen center in height as well - all this will pay off big-time. The optimal listening position will be at at screen center. Also, be careful of time-smearing issues from reflective surfaces, especially the back wall, walls near speakers and floors. I've installed many "budget" systems with a very rewarding audio experience and also many high-end rigs (like mine) which are capable reproducing very accurate imaging across the entire sound spectrum, at realistic levels and at frequencies above and below human hearing(you feel it!). I even tune the speakers with EQ (your receiver) to the room for a flat response with a dedicated microphone and spectrum analyzer. Many A/V receivers are equipped with built-in version. The sky is the limit with A/V, but you've gotta start somewhere.