Audio out on LG tv

[Merlin5]

Hi guys. I just bought a 32" LG 6300PLA because of the bluetooth so I can use my wireless buds. Lip syncing is perfect with the terrestial tv, can't see any lag, but it lags a bit with streaming services such as iplayer, youtube and netflix which is disappointing. So I was thinking I could use my wired buds for streaming services. But there's no audio out phonos on the back of the set, only component in, so how would I do that? HDMI to RCA cable?

On my 12 year old 32" Samsung LCD, which by the way has a better picture imo, I connected red and white phono/RCA from its audio out sockets and into the phonos at the back of my headphone amp, and then plugged my headphones into the front of the headphone amp, which worked perfect.

 

[lucid]

What you need is an Optical to Analogue Stereo RCA convertor box. This one is a bit fancy with a volume control for the analogue out, but it was the first example I found with a wall wart power supply rather than taking power from one on the USBs on the TV, and it's only £20 so hardly breaking the bank.

USB power on the TV is all 5V but the current varies depending on the USB standard, so it can't always be relied on as having enough current unless you check in to it properly. LINK


Don't bother with HDMI to RCA cables. They won't work in the vast majority of cases. For a start, HDMI is digital whereas stereo RCA is analogue. They're different "languages", and so changing the shape of the connector is about as much use as trying to hold a phone conversation with someone in a language you don't speak and expecting a different shaped phone to make it work.

Second, the only HDMI socket with a 'sound out' signal is HDMI ARC, but that signal is buried inside a data stream which means it needs to be stripped out using a decoding circuit. A bit of wire with some plugs on the end won't do that.

 

[Merlin5]

What you need is an Optical to Analogue Stereo RCA convertor box. This one is a bit fancy with a volume control for the analogue out, but it was the first example I found with a wall wart power supply rather than taking power from one on the USBs on the TV, and it's only £20 so hardly breaking the bank.

USB power on the TV is all 5V but the current varies depending on the USB standard, so it can't always be relied on as having enough current unless you check in to it properly. LINK


Don't bother with HDMI to RCA cables. They won't work in the vast majority of cases. For a start, HDMI is digital whereas stereo RCA is analogue. They're different "languages", and so changing the shape of the connector is about as much use as trying to hold a phone conversation with someone in a language you don't speak and expecting a different shaped phone to make it work.

Second, the only HDMI socket with a 'sound out' signal is HDMI ARC, but that signal is buried inside a data stream which means it needs to be stripped out using a decoding circuit. A bit of wire with some plugs on the end won't do that.

Thank you lucid, that's excellent. I've never used optical/toslink, but that looks perfect for the job. Doesn't look it comes with a toslink cable, and the LG tv was a shop floor clearance at a cheaper price with no box or cables other than the mains power cable. But I might have one somewhere.

I presume I can turn the tv volume to zero, but still have volume through the headphones with both the converter volume control and the headphone amp volume control?

 

[Merlin5]

By the way, is there any way I'm ever going to be able to get bluetooth as good with iplayer, youtube and netflix as I'm getting straight from live terrestial channels? It's a real pity. I was so excited when I saw how well the sync is with BBC, ITV, etc, absolutely spot on. But then a little delay, not much but noticeable to me, with streaming. The odd youtube video is perfect, but mostly not, and sometimes the sync quality can vary on the same video. The AV sync adjust is greyed out and only useable on internal speakers.

 

[lucid]

Your TV wouldn't have come with an optical cable in the box even if bought new. It wouldn't have come with an HDMI cable, or an aerial fly lead, or a full set of RCA cables or any other "aftermarket" type cables either for that matter, so what's the difference? TV + remote + batteries + basic instructions + mains cable (if separate) and maybe any special adaptor leads if Component/AV is on a jack rather than RCA sockets. That's about your lot. The rest of any cables required you buy appropriate to your needs. This is the case with an optical lead. They're not expensive.

Regarding volume, you don't need to buy that particular Pot-to-RCA DAC. It was just shown as an example of the sort of thing. You could get one with a simple stereo out, and then run it exactly as you did with your older Samsung TV. The function is simply to add a viable way to connect; a set of RCA sockets. Your headphone amp should be the master volume control.

Regarding Optical output - It's fixed level. It does not track the volume of the TV. The level stays constant.

 

[Merlin5]

Your TV wouldn't have come with an optical cable in the box even if bought new. It wouldn't have come with an HDMI cable, or an aerial fly lead, or a full set of RCA cables or any other "aftermarket" type cables either for that matter, so what's the difference? TV + remote + batteries + basic instructions + mains cable (if separate) and maybe any special adaptor leads if Component/AV is on a jack rather than RCA sockets. That's about your lot. The rest of any cables required you buy appropriate to your needs. This is the case with an optical lead. They're not expensive.

Regarding volume, you don't need to buy that particular Pot-to-RCA DAC. It was just shown as an example of the sort of thing. You could get one with a simple stereo out, and then run it exactly as you did with your older Samsung TV. The function is simply to add a viable way to connect; a set of RCA sockets. Your headphone amp should be the master volume control.

Regarding Optical output - It's fixed level. It does not track the volume of the TV. The level stays constant.

Thanks lucid. I'll buy the one you linked.

Reason being, my old Samsung tv only has non HD freeview built in. So I watch HD freeview on it via a Manhattan T1 set top box connected to the Samsung, and it's an excellent picture. When I watched with headphones from the headphone amp, I would turn the tv volume down to zero with the Samsung Remote, but could control the headphone volume with the Manhattan remote and just leave the volume pot on the headphone amp at a set volume which saves me getting out of bed to adjust the headphone volume. If that all makes sense, lol. So it's very convenient. So if I can have that converter box you linked sitting on my bedside table, I can do the same with its volume knob.

 

[lucid]

Did you have the Manhatten connect to the old TV via SCART?

 

[Merlin5]

Did you have the Manhatten connect to the old TV via SCART?

HDMI from Manhattan to HDMI on tv. Aerial into Manhattan, and 'loop out' from Manhattan into 'aerial in' on tv.

 

[lucid]

HDMI from Manhattan to HDMI on tv. Aerial into Manhattan, and 'loop out' from Manhattan into 'aerial in' on tv.

That's kind of surprising. I would expect a HDMI connection to be fixed volume as far as the source goes. With digital audio, changing the signal level volume has the same effect as reducing the signal resolution.

If it was controlled in the signal level from the Manhatten then I wonder if they were doing this in the transcoding stage between AAC and PCM?

Maybe something else was going on (HDMI CEC control of the TV plus the line output to variable perhaps?

Whatever it is, or was, is moot really; you had it working that way and that's that It's still dammed irregular though

 

[alex24]

Can you adjust lip sync setting on the TV? My similar LG can, I think. Also may be worth digging into why the sync is off before wiring yourself to the TV.

Failing that, does your headphone amp have a DAC or optical in?

A headphone DAC/AMP with toslink may be a better option, also for other uses and the sound quality would be way better. They are a bit more money but maybe one second hand.

 

[kona786]

In regards to lip sync issues on the built in apps, try an amazon fire stick. You can can bluetooth directly to the stick. 35 quid or so to try it out.

I use LG with YouTube and Bluetooth, haven't noticed any lag recently, did notice in when I bought it back in 2019. LG C9.

And no lag with content off USB.

 

[Merlin5]

​

That's kind of surprising. I would expect a HDMI connection to be fixed volume as far as the source goes. With digital audio, changing the signal level volume has the same effect as reducing the signal resolution.

If it was controlled in the signal level from the Manhatten then I wonder if they were doing this in the transcoding stage between AAC and PCM?

Maybe something else was going on (HDMI CEC control of the TV plus the line output to variable perhaps?

Whatever it is, or was, is moot really; you had it working that way and that's that It's still dammed irregular though

Oh I don't know but yeah, it works perfectly.

Can you adjust lip sync setting on the TV? My similar LG can, I think. Also may be worth digging into why the sync is off before wiring yourself to the TV.

Failing that, does your headphone amp have a DAC or optical in?

A headphone DAC/AMP with toslink may be a better option, also for other uses and the sound quality would be way better. They are a bit more money but maybe one second hand.

Unfortunately, the audio sync adjust seems to be for internal speakers only. No idea why they didn't make it useable for bluetooth as well, very annoying. I don't have DAC or optical on my headphone amp just 4 pairs of RCA so I'm going to buy the
optical to RCA converter box that lucid linked me to earlier.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rybozen-Di...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

In regards to lip sync issues on the built in apps, try an amazon fire stick. You can can bluetooth directly to the stick. 35 quid or so to try it out.

I use LG with YouTube and Bluetooth, haven't noticed any lag recently, did notice in when I bought it back in 2019. LG C9.

And no lag with content off USB.

Ooh, now that sounds good! I don't know anything about the amazon fire stick. Does it have iplayer, YouTube and Netflix on it and I would bypass the tv's own smart apps? And bluetooth to the stick is likely to be more in sync?

edit: Checked it out so ignore my questions. I see what it does now. I went to buy a stick from Currys, then John Lewis, but no returns once opened, so stuff them, I'll buy it from amazon itself.

 

[kona786]

Ooh, now that sounds good! I don't know anything about the amazon fire stick. Does it have iplayer, YouTube and Netflix on it and I would bypass the tv's own smart apps? And bluetooth to the stick is likely to be more in sync?

It runs on Android so yes should have all the apps.

It plugs in via HDMI so acts as a totally separate source so yes it bypasses TV apps.

Yes it was in sync last I checked. Easily returnable if it doesn't meet standards.

The 4K version is worth the extra. It's just faster and slicker in general.

 

[Merlin5]

It runs on Android so yes should have all the apps.

It plugs in via HDMI so acts as a totally separate source so yes it bypasses TV apps.

Yes it was in sync last I checked. Easily returnable if it doesn't meet standards.

The 4K version is worth the extra. It's just faster and slicker in general.

Thanks. The 4K is £40 and the Lite version is £30. I don't have 4K but is the Lite version a bit slow then?
Though my wireless buds will be bluetoothing direct to the stick, I'm not too optimistic it'll lip sync any better than streaming from the tv's built in youtube, netflix and iplayer. But definitely worth a go since Amazon always take things back. Well at least, I hope I'm not being over confident when I say that. They usually take things back, and hopefully opening the box on this won't be a problem. I can say it's faulty though, they don't normally question it.

 

[kona786]

Not tried the Lite it older stick are very sluggish now.

Definitely worth a go. The way the TV implements lip sync on apps can vary widely between TV models and manufacturers.

Amazon will accept a returns if it doesn't meet quality standards. Especially within 30 days.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[ALD]

Thanks. The 4K is £40 and the Lite version is £30. I don't have 4K but is the Lite version a bit slow then?
Though my wireless buds will be bluetoothing direct to the stick, I'm not too optimistic it'll lip sync any better than streaming from the tv's built in youtube, netflix and iplayer. But definitely worth a go since Amazon always take things back. Well at least, I hope I'm not being over confident when I say that. They usually take things back, and hopefully opening the box on this won't be a problem. I can say it's faulty though, they don't normally question it.

There is sync adjustment in the settings including a visual display to get it set right.

 

[Merlin5]

There is sync adjustment in the settings including a visual display to get it set right.

For my tv model you mean? Not for bluetooth, only for the internal speakers.

 

[ALD]

For my tv model you mean? Not for bluetooth, only for the internal speakers.

Nope on the Fire Stick.

 

[Merlin5]

Nope on the Fire Stick.

Oh! That's great then, looking forward to trying it out. Have to say though, yesterday the sync on YouTube, Netflix and iplayer was pretty much perfect, not sure why. Though there were still some things which weren't. Maybe the software updates improved it. Sounds like I might be able to tweak it perfectly with the stick. My sister in law said she has one and I can borrow it to try. I think hers is 4K. Do you know if the Lite version also has the sync adjustment?

I really wish the LG had as good a picture as my old Samsung LCD. The LG is good but whatever I do, I can't get it to look quite as nice. The Samsung just has a cleaner, sharper and more refined picture with nicer skin tone. I thought led was meant to be better.

 

[kona786]

Oh! That's great then, looking forward to trying it out. Have to say though, yesterday the sync on YouTube, Netflix and iplayer was pretty much perfect, not sure why. Though there were still some things which weren't. Maybe the software updates improved it. Sounds like I might be able to tweak it perfectly with the stick. My sister in law said she has one and I can borrow it to try. I think hers is 4K. Do you know if the Lite version also has the sync adjustment?

I really wish the LG had as good a picture as my old Samsung LCD. The LG is good but whatever I do, I can't get it to look quite as nice. The Samsung just has a cleaner, sharper and more refined picture with nicer skin tone. I thought led was meant to be better.

A week later anything to report?