TV/soundbar question

[boatman37]

Hey guys. Been thinking about a new TV and might run tonight and get one. Our current TV is a 42" Toshiba we bought in about 2012 and got a Sony soundbar. Problem is the soundbar volume doesn't work off the same remote so you have to work both remotes to balance the sound then muting is another issue. My daughter bought an LG TV and soundbar and they both work off the TV remote. From reading it sounds like most newer soundbars can be connected and work off the TV remote? Whatever I get I want to be sure they both work off the one remote. FWIW looking at about 70-75" TV. Likely Samsung, Toshiba or LG.

Advice on soundbar integration as I know very little about this...lol?

 

[M Prod]

Look into getting a master remote like the Logitech Harmony. They're fantastic. You set them up on their website and the options for what types and brands of components they control are endless. We have two ..one for our living room setup, and one for our home theatre in the basement. They seamlessly connect and control every component of which we have many. I'm sure they would work with a tv/soundbar/ whatever else you can throw at it.

https://www.crutchfield.ca/S-kjah9f...&awnw=g&awcr=386765349497&awdv=c&awug=9001574

 

[Blueone]

Hey guys. Been thinking about a new TV and might run tonight and get one. Our current TV is a 42" Toshiba we bought in about 2012 and got a Sony soundbar. Problem is the soundbar volume doesn't work off the same remote so you have to work both remotes to balance the sound then muting is another issue. My daughter bought an LG TV and soundbar and they both work off the TV remote. From reading it sounds like most newer soundbars can be connected and work off the TV remote? Whatever I get I want to be sure they both work off the one remote. FWIW looking at about 70-75" TV. Likely Samsung, Toshiba or LG.

Advice on soundbar integration as I know very little about this...lol?

I have a Sonos sound bar and it’s inputs come from the TV....So the remote works fine....there is a setting in the TV to turn off the TV’s internal speaker and use an external speaker

 

[Stingrayaxe]

I have the Bose sound bar and sub. The Bose sound bar came with a remote that paired to the TV/cable box. So know i use the Bose remote for everything. Only thing I don't like is the remote is not back lit. Hard to see if the room is dark. Great sound but at a high price.

 

[boatman37]

Cool. Thanks for the responses. My remote I use is actually for the cable box from my cable company and not the actual TV controller but it runs everything on the TV. I looked awhile back at trying to connect my current soundbar to that remote and IIRC they said you needed a DVI connector or something. My soundbar only has the RCA plugs and they said you couldn't do it with those?

 

[DanW]

I have several harmony remotes. They are great and it makes it easier for anyone to use the A/V equipment even if they’re not familiar with it.

Dan

Look into getting a master remote like the Logitech Harmony. They're fantastic. You set them up on their website and the options for what types and brands of components they control are endless. We have two ..one for our living room setup, and one for our home theatre in the basement. They seamlessly connect and control every component of which we have many. I'm sure they would work with a tv/soundbar/ whatever else you can throw at it.

https://www.crutchfield.ca/S-kjah9f...&awnw=g&awcr=386765349497&awdv=c&awug=9001574

 

[duffman04]

Cool. Thanks for the responses. My remote I use is actually for the cable box from my cable company and not the actual TV controller but it runs everything on the TV. I looked awhile back at trying to connect my current soundbar to that remote and IIRC they said you needed a DVI connector or something. My soundbar only has the RCA plugs and they said you couldn't do it with those?

I set up my soundbar (Sony) as the aux device on my cable remote. I think it is hooked up through the optical connection. I was then able to program the remote to use the aux volume control when you have the cable selected on the remote. This means I am able to control the cable box (channel selection, search, etc) and soundbar volume without switching devices on the remote. Not high tech, but works for me.

 

[JVM225]

I got an 80” TV for my basement man cave a few years ago and paired it with a sound bar, DVD player and the TV provider’s box.
Several different brands there.
Like M. Prod, I picked up a Logitech Harmony remote. It works great! The instructions made it pretty easy to program too, and I’m not a tech guy.
I even have a button on it that I can press to go directly to Amazon Prime Video or Netflix with.

 

[boatman37]

Well ended up with a 65" Samsung UHD but no soundbar. They had a few there but they had the soundbar and external box speakers and I didn't want that so figured I can order a soundbar later but got it home and hooked it up and it sounds pretty good without one. My old soundbar won't work with this TV as it does not have RCA jacks. So we'll see. May get a soundbar later or not at all. Got my cable box remote connected to control the TV so I can run everything from that remote

 

[Iprof]

Well ended up with a 65" Samsung UHD but no soundbar. They had a few there but they had the soundbar and external box speakers and I didn't want that so figured I can order a soundbar later but got it home and hooked it up and it sounds pretty good without one. My old soundbar won't work with this TV as it does not have RCA jacks. So we'll see. May get a soundbar later or not at all. Got my cable box remote connected to control the TV so I can run everything from that remote

Check to see if your sound bar has a fiber optic input. I have an old sound bar that has a fiber optic input that works perfect with my new 55' 4k TV.

 

[Shaps]

Well ended up with a 65" Samsung UHD but no soundbar. They had a few there but they had the soundbar and external box speakers and I didn't want that so figured I can order a soundbar later but got it home and hooked it up and it sounds pretty good without one. My old soundbar won't work with this TV as it does not have RCA jacks. So we'll see. May get a soundbar later or not at all. Got my cable box remote connected to control the TV so I can run everything from that remote

i am pretty sure your new TV has a digital audio output.
Just get one of these (or something similar)
https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Optical-Analog-Converter-Adapter/dp/B003OND0N4

Should let you keep your old sound bar.

 

[boatman37]

It does have a coax and another port but didn't pay attention to what it was. There are 2 HDMI's but one is hooked to the cable box and one to my Blu-Ray player. Have to look later but pretty sure my old soundbar only has the RCA cables. Either way it sounds pretty good without one so no hurry

 

[sbw1]

You can also run everything through a receiver with multiple zones and program a universal remote. We have a Samsung big screen and a Yamaha receiver that processes video content from the TV plus satellite radio, CDs, turntable, FM/AM. etc. Zones allow you to watch the home theater in the living room with surround sound and listen to music on the deck or listen to the same programming in both locations. The universal remote/ receiver combination has a menu called "synchronize" that allows you to pair everything up so the sound is the same from all the speakers and components.

 

[Joint Custody]

I have the sonos sound bar and sub. what is great about the sonos system you can add speakers all around the house through wifi. I have 14 speakers all through house , garage, backyard. You can play your music and control all speakers and playlist from your phone and turn each zone on and off.

 

[hblock72]

Just about all of the new TV's and sound bars use HDMI in/outputs which link everything together and enable you to control everything with the TV's remote.

 

[JVM225]

I have the sonos sound bar and sub. what is great about the sonos system you can add speakers all around the house through wifi. I have 14 speakers all through house , garage, backyard. You can play your music and control all speakers and playlist from your phone and turn each zone on and off.

I’ve looked at the Sonos speakers for a solution to get multi room playing of streaming music.
They seem pretty pricey though.
Are the speakers really worth it?

 

[bajturner]

I set up my soundbar (Sony) as the aux device on my cable remote. I think it is hooked up through the optical connection. I was then able to program the remote to use the aux volume control when you have the cable selected on the remote. This means I am able to control the cable box (channel selection, search, etc) and soundbar volume without switching devices on the remote. Not high tech, but works for me.

This is the easiest solution. I've done this as well in the past.

 

[bajturner]

I’ve looked at the Sonos speakers for a solution to get multi room playing of streaming music.
They seem pretty pricey though.
Are the speakers really worth it?

They can seem pricey...definitely buy them on sale. I have a bunch of Sonos running in our house...9 zones including two home theatres and a portable. They all work really well and the system / app does an awesome job of unifying multiple streaming services and your own library. I would say the sound is pretty good.

In one zone, I have a Sonos Port (used to be a Connect) that feeds into a traditional, decent audio system (originally ~$4K (Canadian pesos) worth of gear): AVR, speakers, sub...not including the Port) and I would say it sounds better than any of the Sonos speakers...but not much. The comparable Sonos-only setup would be less than $2K, you wouldn't be giving up much in sound quality (if anything, depending on the listener...maybe it's even better?), and you would gain simplicity. It doesn't sound as good as a $10K system, but that's not really a reasonable comparison.

A cool feature we use on Sonos is the ability to distribute an analog input to the Sonos system. My daughter has a turntable attached to a Sonos Amp in her bedroom. She can spin vinyl and in addition to listening in her room, and we can group other zones and listen to it throughout the house! Luckily we have some overlap in our musical tastes...

 

[Joint Custody]

I’ve looked at the Sonos speakers for a solution to get multi room playing of streaming music.
They seem pretty pricey though.
Are the speakers really worth it?

I am happy with them.
Each speaker on there own sound ok however when you have multiple ones going the sound is good and you dont have to have the volume up as loud. My only wish is that they put out a little more bass.

 

[370Dancer]

Look very seriously into Roku's soundbar and wireless speakers.
1. Built in Roku Ultra. You get the top of the line streaming box as part of the soundbar.
2. One remote (the Roku Remote) will run TV power and audio, and voice search, etc. Don't think it will help with a cable box directly though. However, if you get the app for your cable company (mine is Spectrum), no cable box is needed unless you don't have internet.
3. The sound from the Roku wireless speakers is mind blowing for what they are. No sub needed.
I did buy all Roku TVs for this very reason, and any that didn't have Roku O/S get Roku Ultras behind them.
One remote, killer pic and sound, and the Admiral is PLEASED because it is so easy to use.
Prior to this, I was all in on Harmony remotes (3 generations worth), and the Harmony Hub, connected to Alexa so the Admiral could say "Alexa, turn on Ellen".
Full disclosure, I quadrupled my money in Roku stock, but not until after I had been a customer for 15 years. I still have a Gen One box. I invested because someone FINALLY made watching TV regardless of the source easy again.