Digital Optical to Analog Converter

[JohnC]

I just purchased a Panasonic Viera Plasma TV model TC-P42S30. Since it has
no analog audio out for my legacy stereo, I purchased a FiiO Optical to
Audio Converter Model D3,
http://www.fiio.com.cn/product/index.aspx?ID=33&MenuID=020302 .But when I
hooked it up to the TV digital optical out, all I got was a pulsing sound
from my stereo.. The digital to analog converter worked fine on when
connected to the digital optical on the Blu-Ray but not on the Panasonic TV.

I took the converter to the store where I purchased the TV and the sales rep
connected it to a Panasonic TV and got the same results. Is this converter
not able to decode the digital signal from Panasonic TVs? Can anyone
recommend one that will work with my TV?

John

[spamtrap1888]

On Nov 16, 6:17 pm, "JohnC" <anonym...@news.groups.com> wrote:
> I just purchased a Panasonic Viera Plasma TV model TC-P42S30.  Since it has
> no analog audio out for my legacy stereo, I purchased a FiiO Optical to

> Audio Converter Model D3,http://www.fiio.com.cn/product/index.aspx?ID=33&MenuID=020302.But when I

> hooked it up to the TV digital optical out, all I got was a pulsing sound
> from my stereo..  The digital to analog converter worked fine on when
> connected to the digital optical on the Blu-Ray but not on the Panasonic TV.
>
> I took the converter to the store where I purchased the TV and the sales rep
> connected it to a Panasonic TV and got the same results.  Is this converter
> not able to decode the digital signal from Panasonic TVs?  Can anyone
> recommend one that will work with my TV?
>

Hmm... knowing how to RTFM, I suspect this factoid is important:

NOTE: The D3 does not support Dolby, DTS, or other surround sound
signals. Therefore, it is important that the digital audio output of
your device defaults to or can be set to PCM/LPCM output. Otherwise
the sound will be static.

Have you already taken this into consideration?

[stra...@yahoo.com]

On Nov 16, 6:17 pm, "JohnC" <anonym...@news.groups.com> wrote:

> I just purchased a Panasonic Viera Plasma TV model TC-P42S30.  Since it has
> no analog audio out for my legacy stereo, I purchased a FiiO Optical to

> Audio Converter Model D3,http://www.fiio.com.cn/product/index.aspx?ID=33&MenuID=020302.But when I

> hooked it up to the TV digital optical out, all I got was a pulsing sound
> from my stereo..  The digital to analog converter worked fine on when
> connected to the digital optical on the Blu-Ray but not on the Panasonic TV.
>
> I took the converter to the store where I purchased the TV and the sales rep
> connected it to a Panasonic TV and got the same results.  Is this converter
> not able to decode the digital signal from Panasonic TVs?  Can anyone
> recommend one that will work with my TV?
>
> John

Had a similar problem but the earphone jack works well enough. For
reasons that make no sense to me using the earphone jack disables
balance, bass and treble controls. Somebody in Korea believes that
earphones are perfect. Who knew? Anyway I use one of the USB ports to
take the 5 Volts and trigger a solid state relay to turn on the
receiver to run the speakers. It's only stereo but then again it's
only TV.

G²

[William Sommerwerck]

A related issue...

Though it's not the source of your problem, you might want to look into the
possibility of ground loops, especially if you wind up making an analog
connection between the Panasonic and your system.

It's difficult to find RF isolation transformers for cable systems. MCM
sells one -- the #33-8700 that seems to work okay. It's sometimes available
for ~ $10. You might also want or need a double-F connector, #33-480.

[JohnC]

"Klay Anderson" <kl...@klay.com> wrote in message
news:25552311.108.1321569151620.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@prnv30...
> Nope. With TVs you have to use this:
>
> http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=5980
>
> Text "Klay" to 50500 for contact info
>
> -.- .-.. .- -.-- / .- - / -.- .-.. .- -.-- / -.. --- - / -.-. --- --
> Yours truly,
>
> Mr. Klay Anderson, D.A.,Q.B.E.

I think that will do it. When RTFM (thanks spamtrap1888) the Panasonic will
provide Dolby Digital when an ATSC channel is selected and PCM when NTSC
channel is selected. I'm getting ATSC over the air so I need to convert
Dolby Digital. Looks like the Gefen unit will do this. I'll get it and
post back the results. BTW, I could find no menu option to change the
digital optical out fomat on the TV. Thanks to all for your help.

[stra...@yahoo.com]

On Nov 17, 3:44 am, "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgee...@comcast.net>
wrote:

I bought 2 of these directly from RMS for $5 each a couple of years
ago. They work very well. I had a hard time finding ANY 'galvanic
isolators'.

http://www.rmscommunications.net/pdf/MI2120VPG69&70.pdf

I had the very problem you're talking about and the isolators cleaned
all of it up. The problem was PCs in different rooms on different
branches and opposite phase connected by the antenna cables. The hum
was quite bad before the isolators.

G²

[Arny Krueger]

"JohnC" <anon...@news.groups.com> wrote in message
news:67ed3$4ec5ce16$40971c7d$25...@EVERESTKC.NET...

> I think that will do it. When RTFM (thanks spamtrap1888) the Panasonic
> will provide Dolby Digital when an ATSC channel is selected and PCM when
> NTSC channel is selected. I'm getting ATSC over the air so I need to
> convert Dolby Digital. Looks like the Gefen unit will do this. I'll get
> it and post back the results. BTW, I could find no menu option to change
> the digital optical out fomat on the TV. Thanks to all for your help.

Interesting. My 60" Mitsubishi DLP converts everything it receives,
whether OTA or from any HDMI or analog source, into 48 KHz stereo PCM for
its optical output. This allows me to use an ancient DAC with it and get
full functioning no matter what the source.

There may be a setup menu option for forcing the digital output of your TV
into PCM mode all of the time. Or not.

[William Sommerwerck]

<stra...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:865c4235-b47e-4574...@e2g2000vbb.googlegroups.com...

> I bought 2 of these directly from RMS for $5 each a couple
> of years ago. They work very well. I had a hard time finding
> ANY "galvanic isolators".

http://www.rmscommunications.net/pdf/MI2120VPG69&70.pdf

The MCM is spec'd at a 2.4GHz bandwidth, so it might provide better
performance in some systems. (I have no idea what the upper limits of cable
systems are.)

[stra...@yahoo.com]

On Nov 18, 5:27 am, "William Sommerwerck" <grizzledgee...@comcast.net>
wrote:
> <stratu...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

I'm using them with OTA digital TV which tops out at 700 MHz so it's
no problem at all. Our cable provider is currently topped out at
channel 135, under 900 MHz

G²

[Klay Anderson]

We have the Gefen new in stock new for $100.

Klay

[JohnC]

>
> "Klay Anderson" <kl...@klay.com> wrote in message
> news:25552311.108.1321569151620.JavaMail.geo-discussion-forums@prnv30...
>> Nope. With TVs you have to use this:
>>
>> http://www.gefen.com/kvm/dproduct.jsp?prod_id=5980
>>
>> Text "Klay" to 50500 for contact info
>>
>> -.- .-.. .- -.-- / .- - / -.- .-.. .- -.-- / -.. --- - / -.-. --- --
>> Yours truly,
>>
>> Mr. Klay Anderson, D.A.,Q.B.E.
>
> I think that will do it. When RTFM (thanks spamtrap1888) the Panasonic
> will provide Dolby Digital when an ATSC channel is selected and PCM when
> NTSC channel is selected. I'm getting ATSC over the air so I need to
> convert Dolby Digital. Looks like the Gefen unit will do this. I'll get
> it and post back the results. BTW, I could find no menu option to change
> the digital optical out fomat on the TV. Thanks to all for your help.
>

Yep. That did it. The Gefen DAC successfully converts the Panasonic
Optical Digital output Dolby Digital to 2 channel audio. Yippee!

This digital stuff is all new to me.

Thanks all,
John