Need audio/visual/tv input - no sound...

I have a pretty decent tv setup. Plasma hangs on the wall, all the audio/visual/dvr/stereo stuff is in the closet with wiring hardwired in the walls during construction. The only cable that runs from the closet to the plasma is the S-video cable.

Well, my family/kids don't like putzing with the surround sound, etc. They just want to turn on the TV, and get sound. The plasma doesn't have speakers. So, I bought a sound bar to attach to the bottom of it, plugged the rc jacks into the speaker outputs on the tv, and into the speaker bar. No sound...

Doesn't the tv get input from the dvr via the s-video cable?! There is no way to plug the audio bar into the dvr etc, as its in a closet 40 feet away, and this would defeat the purpose.

Am I doing something wrong? Or, am I basically screwed here?

Thanks...

 

The TV has audio output, but maybe it doesn't have an amp or something to power the speakers. So you would need some kind of power source for the speakers too.

 

You're basically screwed - S-video is just that, video only. It's also pretty poor quality by todays standards - I don't believe you're getting 1080 from it for example....

HDMI carries both, but it sounds like your system is older than that, right?

There are solutions - For example, you could add a wireless audio transmitter in the closet and feed wireless speakers - I haven't checked, but guess you could get a "receiver" that could then plug in to your sound bar.

If your kit does have HDMI, could you use the S-video cable to pull a new HDMI cable thru the wall? - They support really long runs and your quality will improve.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Nope, sorry - From his description he doesn't have any audio feeding the TV.

Nothing going in, nothing comes out

 

The easiest solution is run an HDMI cable from the dvr to the tv. Unless your tv and dvr are very, very old they both should have HDMI connections.

Also, you might be able to run one audio cable directly from the dvr to the sound bar and bypass the tv.

 

This is Correct.

Without knowing more about your system bpu, it would be impossible to provide the easiest possible work-around for your situation.

Since all of your stuff is in the closest, I'm assuming you have an IR-repeater/blaster system set up to control all of the components in the closet.

If so, your easiest bet is to simply buy an "activities" based Universal remote, such as a Logitech Harmony One (or if you are using RF, the Harmony 880).

Using an activity based remote, you push one button and the remote does all the work of turning on the relevant devices and switching them to the proper inputs.

I personally have a Logitech Harmony One remote, which is a fantastic remote. I just purchased one for my dad two weeks ago for $150. Had it set up for him in a couple of hours, and it has replaced 5 remotes, and can control ALL of his devices, including the PS3 (with the proper adapter) and his Sony DVD-Recorder.

 

That's true, I missed that. He would need an audio input running from his DVR to TV if that's where the audio signal is coming from. But the external speaker bar attached directly to his TV still won't work unless the TV has built-in power for them, or else he would need some kind of external power supply/receiver.