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Soundbar hookup issue

post #1 of 21
3/19/13 at 5:32pm
Thread Starter 
Let me start by saying that I need things explained pretty simple as this is all new to me.

I just bought an Insignia HDTV and a polk 3000 soundbar. The only other thing I am running is a charter cable box.

I currently have a hdmi cord running from the cable box to the tv. I have a cable(picture headphone jack ends) running from the soundbar to the tv. I have sound but I know this is not the best way to hook it up.

The soundbar has an optical audio as does the cable box, but the tv does not. I hooked it up to the soundbar and to the cable box, but no audio.

Any help? Thanks
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post #2 of 21
3/19/13 at 5:44pm
Run an optical wire from the cable box to the sound bar.
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post #3 of 21
3/19/13 at 5:47pm
Thread Starter 
K shep, I tried that and no sound.
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post #4 of 21
3/19/13 at 5:57pm
What type of cable box do you have? I have a Motorola/Comcast.
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post #5 of 21
3/19/13 at 5:59pm
Thread Starter 
It is a Motorola dcx3501-m
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post #6 of 21
3/19/13 at 5:59pm
I don't understand why you are not getting sound when you use the optical cable from the cable box to the soundbar. That should work. Maybe the cable box has some setup control to tell it to send a signal out through the optical connection? (I have a foggy recollection that one of my cable boxes worked this way, a long time ago.)

If your TV is hooked to an antenna, as well as the cable box, you're not going to get sound from over-the-air channels through the soundbar if the soundbar is not connected to the TV.
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post #7 of 21
3/19/13 at 6:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by polkguy1123 View Post

It is a Motorola dcx3501-m

Are you using the optical cable supplied by Polk? If you have another optical cable try it. You tried the 1/8" to RCA adapter from your TV to the sound bar and got it to play but not the best sound, is that correct?
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post #8 of 21
3/19/13 at 6:21pm
Thread Starter 
Yes, the optical cable from polk. I dont have another one, but can get one tomorrow. Right now I am running the 1/8" without the adapter fom the soundbar to the headphone jack on the tv. That was the only way I could get any sound. The sound isn't bad, but I figured it wasnt the best connection.
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post #9 of 21
3/19/13 at 8:13pm
I looked up the manual for the soundbar, and in the trouble shooting hints I see this:
Quote:
Check that the audio format of the input source is set to PCM 2-channel audio.
Did you do that? (I guess you'd have to tell your cable box this, somehow.)
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post #10 of 21
3/19/13 at 8:22pm
Thread Starter 
I did see that. I can't seem to figure out how to change that on the box though.

I guess the other question is, is the way i have it hooked up right now a good way to do it or would i notice a difference hooking it up a different way?
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post #11 of 21
3/19/13 at 9:49pm
The big advantage an optical connection has is that it can carry a Dolby Digital 5.1 signal, while a simple left+right stereo connection gets you only two channels. But it appears that your soundbar only allows a two channel input, anyway, so I don't know that there is any advantage in using the optical connection.
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post #12 of 21
3/20/13 at 4:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by polkguy1123 View Post

I did see that. I can't seem to figure out how to change that on the box though.

Page 38 of the manual shows that the output can be changed to L-PCM.
http://www.wavebroadband.com/support/cable/docs/DCX3501M-Installation-Guide.pdf

Also, you did remove the protective caps from the ends of the optical cable, right? wink.gif
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post #13 of 21
3/21/13 at 6:15am
Thread Starter 
Ok, I went back to the place i bought the tv and soundbar yesterday. Apparantly the only way this setup will work is through my headphone jack. It sounds fine, but I'll never know if I'm getting all I can out of it. Thanks for all the help.
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post #14 of 21
3/21/13 at 6:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by polkguy1123 View Post

Ok, I went back to the place i bought the tv and soundbar yesterday. Apparantly the only way this setup will work is through my headphone jack. It sounds fine, but I'll never know if I'm getting all I can out of it. Thanks for all the help.

Please read:

http://www.polkaudio.com/downloads/manual/IHT3000MN_ENG.pdf

page 7.
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post #15 of 21
3/21/13 at 7:23am
Thread Starter 
Arnyk, I just read that and I agree that I should be able to hook it to the cable box. The problem is when i hook it to the cable boxes optical output I still get no soynd even with the setting set to pcm. Either it just won't work that way or the audio outputs on the box are not working.
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post #16 of 21
3/21/13 at 8:00am
Quote:
Originally Posted by polkguy1123 View Post

Arnyk, I just read that and I agree that I should be able to hook it to the cable box. The problem is when i hook it to the cable boxes optical output I still get no soynd even with the setting set to pcm. Either it just won't work that way or the audio outputs on the box are not working.

PolkAudio Customer Service 800-377-7655 (Outside USA & Canada: 410-358-3600)
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post #17 of 21
3/21/13 at 8:28am
Are you sure that the TV doesn't have an optical output? That seems strange that an HDTV (with an internal tuner) doesn't have an optical output. Also, it may be that the optical input of the soundbar isn't working. wink.gif
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post #18 of 21
3/21/13 at 8:37am
Thread Starter 
Yeah, no optical, just the Orange digital output jack on the tv.

Would the digital coxial cord with an adapter to 1/8" to go into the soundbar be a better connection than I have now?
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post #19 of 21
3/21/13 at 10:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by polkguy1123 View Post

Yeah, no optical, just the Orange digital output jack on the tv.

Would the digital coxial cord with an adapter to 1/8" to go into the soundbar be a better connection than I have now?

The following looks like it could convert the coax (orange) output of the TV (Exact model number?) to optical for the sound bar digital input:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10423&cs_id=1042302&p_id=2947&seq=1&format=2



This would give you the best possible sound quality.
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post #20 of 21
3/21/13 at 12:40pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks, I will see if I can find one locally. Tv model is Insignia 55" 1080p lcd NS-55L260A13
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post #21 of 21
3/21/13 at 1:48pm
You probably will not find a coax to optical converter locally. Even if you do, it won't be $15.00.
IMHO, use the 'audio out/headphone" output or you can buy/try the converter from Monoprice. Either way, It probably won't make a dramatic difference in sound quality (if any).
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