new tv

[cj]

I recently bought a new flat screen tv that I hooked up directly to the cable line coming into the house( no cable box). The sound quality was crummy so I returned it and went with a different manufacturer and still the sound quality is bad...sounds like its coming from an empty can, that is, it sounds hollow. I am wondering if its because I don,t have a cable box. I tried to tweak the bass and treble but it still sounds hollow, for lack of a better word. Anyone else have a similar problem?

Thanks, CJ

[recyclebinned]

Have you tried getting any channels using an antenna instead?

[Sjouke Burry]

cj wrote in news:az9Yr.23983$ [e-mail]:

Those flatscreens are the worst speaker boxes you can imagine. Put two speakerboxes and a small amplifier on it.

[George]

Can you reveal the model? Some flat panels have speakers acceptable for average needs and many don't. You may have the latter.

[Smarty]

Quite possibly a defect in the TV itself, and unrelated to the cable box or other source. What leads you to believe that the TV itself has good sound which is somehow being degraded by the cable input? Most likely it is exactly the opposite situation, good cable signal audio and a TV with hollow sound.

[cj]

The first tv that I bought and returned was a Polaroid ( 22 inch) and the one I have now is a Westinghouse (22 inch). Both have a hollow sound, no mater how much bass and treble adjusting I do. Thanks, CJ

[notbob]

Flat screens have crap sound spkrs. Make sure yer TV has an audio out plug or at least a headphone jack. Then, get a pair of cheap "powered" computer spkrs. Powered means they are amplified and can boost even ear/headphone level output. You can get 'em dirt cheap or even free at swap meets, garage sales, thrift shops, Walmart, etc. I bought a set, two adj stereo spkrs w/ separate sub-woofer. Better than ANY TV spkrs and only $10, brand new. I was later given a similar setup, free.

nb

[Ed Pawlowski]

Both are low end brands, possibly made on the same assembly line in China. Go for a Samsung, LG, Panasonic, etc. and you may have better luck. Be sure to listen to one in the store for comparison.

[trader4]

And also, it's a 22" which I would think would limit the sound quality as well. Even in a 42" the sound isn't real great. Hard to imagine it's due to the cable signal, if he has a decent pic.

[Nate Nagel]

Even the big ones will likely sound flat, as the speakers are really there to simply allow the thing to be demonstrated in the store; most consumers are going to at a minimum use one of those "sound bar" things and really the majority will be using an A/V receiver/amp with a set of small (and some people will go large!) 5.1 or 7.1 speakers.

nate

[George]

Agree, the smaller size low end brands tend to have tiny speakers and a low power amplifier. I picked up a 22" LG for an elderly relative a few weeks ago for their bedroom and it had pretty decent sound.

[Jon Danniken]

LCD screens are expensive, and there is fierce competition to make them affordable. Most people also consider a large LCD TV to be part of a home theater system, and they will have additional speakers and amplifiers for them.

Something has to give, and this something is often the speakers and/or sound processing.

Jon

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, If picture quality is good and sound is not good, some sets have cheap speakers built-in. What brandm nodel TV? What is audio power output rating?

[Meanie]

The general consensus is dead on. It has nothing to do with your cable at all. It's completely related to the TV. As others have stated, low end models will do that. Add low end models to the smaller size TV and you'll have strings and can sound.

Samsung, Sony, Vizio, Toshiba and Panasonic (mostly Plasma) are your better options with Samsung and Sony at the top.

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Hi, It is not even a main stream brand. At that size, little tiny speakers with flat plastic cabinet, what can you expect? Just not enough to have decent pair of speakers, Another case of you get what you pay for.

[Nil]

On 19 Aug 2012, cj wrote in alt.home.repair:

Bass and treble controls will do nothing to affect a "hollow" sound quality. Those controls only affect the bass and treble (surprise, surprise!)

Try hooking your computer speaker system up to the TV as a test. You will almost certainly hear a dramatic improvement. Then look for a permanent solution.

[Frank]

I agree. Neither old company is probably making the TV's but putting their names on cheap Chinese junk.

I just bought a couple of HD Samsungs and quality is terrific. Sound is fine but if you want more of a surround sound seller recommended speakers.

[Jim Elbrecht]

And I'll say that the Vizio [36? 42?] I got a few years ago has a great picture, but borderline sound. Good enough for me-- but many reviewers suggested getting a sound bar for it.

[The price on the Vizio was so good, I could have bought a sound bar & been happy, but I can live with mediocre sound]

Jim

[Home Guy]

(polaroid? westinghouse? Can you hear me laughing up here?)

Because those brands (and those sizes) are all that you americans can afford these days...

[gpsman]

Except they don't.

Wrong... and that makes no sense.

What leads you to believe you know these things you obviously have no method of learning...? -----

- gpsman