Solved! i've researched so hard my head hurts-please help with precise advice RE: tv toslink-only audio output?

[the_cr@bby_dolly]

tldr, i know, but i dont know a way to edit w/out sacrificing critical questions.

ive researched this so hard, my head hurts-please offer precise advice RE: tv toslink-only audio output? i HAVE read this site, not lazy, plenty confused.

got a hand-me-down panasonic TC-P50S60 50" viera tv. its ok BUT for lousy sound. signal comes through comcast/xfinity box [coaxial, & hdmi]. arc hdmi is cloning laptop monitor. id REALLY rather avoid soundbar if possible; moveable speakers to put right next hard-of-hearing viewer late at night is desired. im an audio-fan, but admit this is over my head, esp. limited by budget. looking for an education on appropriate system for the future, with the potential for wireless [so far i am finding wireless subwoofers only, not speakers].

for now, an adapter/converter seems the choice, but i STILL run into a bewildering mess RE; phone jacks, coaxial, bidirectional, to/from, SPDIF, etc.

OK, i will NOW get to what i hope is the issue. must i have a 2.5 jack? [dont have]. must i have a separate receiver? can my gorgeous wired-speakers converted to rca through an adapter/converter be employed? if so, can i use 2 sets for front & rear? if not, can i use 1 set converted speakers for rear WITH a sound bar in the front? and why why WHY would a manufacturer put out a device with ONE audio output incompatible with almost anything other than soundbars? is it a proprietary conspiracy? forget that last one. no point.

i dont think im dim, but even when ive checked other Q&As here, im still not getting it. what do i need? how do i use correctly? responses steering me in the right direction are MOST appreciated & will ease brain pain. gracias, merci, danke.

 

[helpstar]

Which comcast box is it?

A digital audio source is the optimum choice to go

You could get bluetooth speakers plus a bluetooth transmitter which converts spdif or RCA or 3.5" to bluetooth, like:
https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Tr...words=bluetooth+csr8675&qid=1580366587&sr=8-1

 

[americanaudiophile]

If your gorgeous wired speakers are passive then you would need an stereo amplifier or receiver. That amplifier would need an optical input and it's own remote for volume. You could connect 2 pair of front speakers and position one pair near you. "Rear" speakers for surround sound would not have the same sound as the fronts and wouldn't make TV sound clearer.
Marantz and Denon make stereo receivers with HDMI inputs.

 

[hang-the-9]

tldr, i know, but i dont know a way to edit w/out sacrificing critical questions.

ive researched this so hard, my head hurts-please offer precise advice RE: tv toslink-only audio output? i HAVE read this site, not lazy, plenty confused.

got a hand-me-down panasonic TC-P50S60 50" viera tv. its ok BUT for lousy sound. signal comes through comcast/xfinity box [coaxial, & hdmi]. arc hdmi is cloning laptop monitor. id REALLY rather avoid soundbar if possible; moveable speakers to put right next hard-of-hearing viewer late at night is desired. im an audio-fan, but admit this is over my head, esp. limited by budget. looking for an education on appropriate system for the future, with the potential for wireless [so far i am finding wireless subwoofers only, not speakers].

for now, an adapter/converter seems the choice, but i STILL run into a bewildering mess RE; phone jacks, coaxial, bidirectional, to/from, SPDIF, etc.

OK, i will NOW get to what i hope is the issue. must i have a 2.5 jack? [dont have]. must i have a separate receiver? can my gorgeous wired-speakers converted to rca through an adapter/converter be employed? if so, can i use 2 sets for front & rear? if not, can i use 1 set converted speakers for rear WITH a sound bar in the front? and why why WHY would a manufacturer put out a device with ONE audio output incompatible with almost anything other than soundbars? is it a proprietary conspiracy? forget that last one. no point.

i dont think im dim, but even when ive checked other Q&As here, im still not getting it. what do i need? how do i use correctly? responses steering me in the right direction are MOST appreciated & will ease brain pain. gracias, merci, danke.

Most TVs only have optical audio out it's not a conspiracy. Most people that use a surround sound setup do so with a A/V receiver that is placed between the TV and the source, then sends the picture to the source and does the audio processing. The less connectors and processing a TV has to do the cheaper they can make it, that is how they make all those super cheap TVs for black friday sales, they tend to have less options to lower cost.

If you want to stick standard speakers on the TV you need an optical to analog converter box. Not sure why you could not find an answer for this, it's a pretty common question, even a quick web search for "how to connect optical out to analog speakers" will give you a ton of things to look at.