speakers for my tv .. help

[BoT]

ok, not sure if this is the right place but anyway.
sooo, i just bought a new tv. kinda had to because my old trusted samsung has a dead florescent bulb. 1 out of 4 but enough to have the whole unit turn of and leave the screen completely dark.
i am thinking of fixing it but really have no time on my hands right now, so it's in storage now.

to my problem, i used to use some 2.1 pc speakers with the samsung which are far from awesome but still beat the internal speakers.
setting up the new tv was a good feeling but at a first glance i couldn't really find a speaker out. so i looked again .. and again, and again. nothing.
no headphone jack, no pc speaker out, not even the red/white plugs. turns out the only way to get audio "out" of the tv is either hdmi or toslink. big

so i know that you guys might know a bit or two more about this then i do. is there a way around it? is there something like a converter?
things i have looked up so far are either way to expensive or there functionality is very questionable.
so i am also considering new speakers if they don't cost me an arm and a leg. i actually saw a sound bar fom samsung with a little sub and toslink and/or hdmi audio connection. pretty pricey thou.
any thoughts?

[Neuromancer]

Use the analog out ports from your cable box? You will need a $5 cable from radio shack to adapt stereo RCA to 3.5mm headphone jack though.

After you get it hooked up you will need to setup the cable box to use analog audio not HDMI, but should be fairly simple to do.

[BoT]

yea but what about the other stuff? i still have an htpc, wii and xbox going into the tv.
i thought about just using the speakers for the htpc and leave the rest on tv speakers

[The Duke]

take it back and buy a new one with more connections?

[BoT]

i know .. with any .. viable ones anyway.
who in there right mind would make a tv without it anyway ?_?
i mean not even a head phone jack, come on.

anyways, it was cheap and picture is great. i guess if i can't come up with anything i might throw in that samsung soundbar
oops, it's not samsung, it's polk audio, check it out and let me know what you think
Polk Audio Surroundbar IHT 6000 Instant Home Theater

maybe next tax season

[Neuromancer]

Well for multiple devices nothing will beat a home theater setup.. You can go cheap for now, get a decent HTIB, and upgrade the speakers later.

I bought a onkyo setup (refurbed) for 150 shipped. Then I spent 150 on a pair of polk monitor 40s for L/R channel

EDIT: missed your last post... yeah taht gives you a single analog and a single digital audio input.. You can probably find a HTIB with HDMI pass through for that money and still get half decent sound.

EDIT EDIT: http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-391-.../dp/B003QP3M8I

Something like that that supports HDMI 1.4a and you can plug 4 HDMI cables into to pass therough one to your monitor/TV.

Start off with a pair of bookshelves, that later will get demoted to rear/surround dutties wehn you get some better fronts. then grab a center channel and sub if that is your wish...

[BoT]

that denon looks pretty nice and that does sound like a good step up plan. i am contemplating

[The Duke]

ya that would be a nice setup with the Denon

[Neuromancer]

Really you cant go wrong wit ha nice reciever. I dumped cheap 5.1 for good stereo sound a long time ago, and prefer my aunts 1980s era quadrophon over surround any day. (no separate subwoofer needed when you have a pair of 12" woofers in your front stereo channel )

[Cigarbug]

I'm curious about what you decided. As already stated, the HT receiver is the ONLY sensible way to go. You can build the whole setup on the cheap. You can get a nice Yamaha receiver for less than $200, a Sony powered sub for less than $100. A decent center channel speaker is important. I have Cable TV, HTPC, WD Live, DVD, PS3 running through receiver.

[BoT]

well, haven't really decided yet.
prob 1#: we have somewhat of an open floor plan. so the way it looks, the tv is on a stand with 2 drawers and 3 shelves cornered by 2 bookshelves. on the right of the room is the patio, on the left a wall, the back is open to the dinning area. so there is no wall.
i would like to go surround 5.1 but, which leads me to prob #2, we have 3 kids, 2 small. so free standing speakers are a no no and so are wires. which leaves me the option to place speakers on the bookshelves or behind, under, over, next to the tv.
prob #3, do i want to spend money on the receiver and a decent set of speakers, knowing that i still will be limited to 2.0 or 2.1? that's why i was eyeballing the sound bar.
on a long term view i think the receiver would be a good idea, especially considering that we plan to move anyway and the situation might be different in the next place. we planned to move end of last year but we might have to wait 2014.
so i am also contemplating to just wait it out and see how the situation in the new place will actually be.
the sound of the tv is not so bad. it's endurable but the lack of bass is something that bothers me a bit.

[Neuromancer]

i dumped cheap surround for quality stereo and couldnt be happier

[Cigarbug]

A soundbar might just do the trick.
On a side note...my kids never messed with wires, but I don't know how my dog survived puppyhood.

This one has a WIRELESS subwoofer too...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882262005

[BoT]

i dumped cheap surround for quality stereo and couldnt be happier

i am on the boat with that.

A soundbar might just do the trick.
On a side note...my kids never messed with wires, but I don't know how my dog survived puppyhood.

This one has a WIRELESS subwoofer too...
Newegg.com - Refurbished: VIZIO VSB210WS High Definition Sound Bar with Wireless Subwoofer System

thanks for the link, that looks good too.
the tv cabinet is about 6-7 off the ground so i can hide a small sub there .. along with the ups and wii board.


i am not an audiophile by any means but i do appreciate a good sound and i appreciate all the input here

[Neuromancer]

Since I had advice for purchasing a stereo unit...

does that make me

Stereo-tip-ical?