spdif output

[SpeedEng66]

was wondering I have a spdif out on the back of my tv can I use this and hook it up to a powered sub?
I read abunch of wiki about spdif all it did was confuse me more on what the hell a spdif is used for (it's a clean uncompressed source or something like that to be used with a reciever)

but all I want is to add a small sub to my tv system

so yea or nay?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Do you have an analog audio output on the back of the TV? A sub is going to be expecting an analog signal, so if you can have the TV's speakers on and additionally have the analog outputs on at the same time (and with variable volume), then you should be able to hook up a subwoofer as well.

 

[SpeedEng66]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Do you have an analog audio output on the back of the TV? A sub is going to be expecting an analog signal, so if you can have the TV's speakers on and additionally have the analog outputs on at the same time (and with variable volume), then you should be able to hook up a subwoofer as well.

no sir no analog outs on the tv (it's a odd ball tv it has 3 hdmi 3 component 2 rca all inputs and one spdif output)
I found a spare rca cable and shoved it in the spdif and to the powered sub..
it works but the level is soooo low (even with the sub volume/gain cranked all the way up and the tv main volume cranked up of course)
I guess I need to get a receiver..

 

[sswingle]

To answer your topic and summary, the answer is yes. Getting into your actual post, my answer turns into a no, as your sub wasn't designed to work with a spdif signal.

 

[chorb]

SPDIF is a digital audio stream, composed of 1's and 0's. Your sub is most likely expecting an analog signal and will not work (unless it has a digital decoder in it, ie DTS, Dolby, etc...)

As for why you are getting any sound through it at all somewhat baffles me. Maybe you are getting some faint analog crosstalk down the cable and your sub is picking it up.

 

[vshah]

what is the source for your TV signal? cable box?

 

[SpeedEng66]

Originally posted by: vshah
what is the source for your TV signal? cable box?

This is my basement tv
here's all of the items connected
wii (component)
ps3 (hdmi)
pc (vga)
basic cable tv (no box just a cable into the tv tuner)


my original goal was just to add a (powered)sub the tv speakers are good enough, I just wanted alittle more mids/lows to the sound..

soo new plan
My bro gave me some high end pionner elite thx something reciever (overkill really!)
I plan on using just the tv spdif to the reciever
and a really long optical toslink to connect my projector to reciever

I see on monoprice that there are mini toslink and regular (how do I know which ones I have?)

 

[chorb]

if your optical port looks like This then its a normal toslink (not mini)