Help with setting up home theater system

markanthony61

markanthony61

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Hi all, I do hope there is someone who can assist me, please. First off, here are the components I have:
1: Dell Optiplex 990 SFF desktop
2: Samsung LA32C350D1 TV
3: Dixon DN36WBT Home theater system with 5.1 speakers
Seconldy, currently the PC is connected via HDMI to the TV and all works 100%, video and sound (sound coming through Samsung TV speakers). Now, how I would like to set it all up:
Connect the PC to the TV and somehow connect Dixon system to all of this, so that I can watch movies, play games etc, BUT send the sound through the Dixon home theater system.
Thirdly, what I have tried so far:
1: connect PC via HDMI to TV, then use the "audio out" 3.5mm output on the TV to the Dixon system using 3.5mm male to RCA red and white to "Aux L and R" on Dixon system. No sound from Dixon speakers. Sound still comes from TV.
2: Disable HDMI sound, run a 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male cable from PC on-board sound card, speaker out jack, to "audio in" 3.5mm jack on TV. No sound from TV. ( I THINK this may be because of the HDMI, in spite of disabling it, as I have tested with another PC to the "audio in" on the TV and THAT sends sound to TV)
3: Plugged 3.5mm to RCA red and white cable directly from PC speaker out to Dixon system. No sound from Dixon.

Note that on EITHER PC, I can hear the internal speaker playing when selecting the on-board sound chip, so I know they are both working fine.
So, can anyone please advise how on earth I can get all three units to work together? I do not have a manual for the Dixon system so have no idea exactly what the "aux L and R" is actually supposed to do.
I will glady supply any images requested of the back of the TV and the Dixon system if required.
Thanking you in anticipation
 
markanthony60 said:
Hi all, I do hope there is someone who can assist me, please. First off, here are the components I have:
1: Dell Optiplex 990 SFF desktop
2: Samsung LA32C350D1 TV
3: Dixon DN36WBT Home theater system with 5.1 speakers
Seconldy, currently the PC is connected via HDMI to the TV and all works 100%, video and sound (sound coming through Samsung TV speakers). Now, how I would like to set it all up:
Connect the PC to the TV and somehow connect Dixon system to all of this, so that I can watch movies, play games etc, BUT send the sound through the Dixon home theater system.
Thirdly, what I have tried so far:
1: connect PC via HDMI to TV, then use the "audio out" 3.5mm output on the TV to the Dixon system using 3.5mm male to RCA red and white to "Aux L and R" on Dixon system. No sound from Dixon speakers. Sound still comes from TV.
2: Disable HDMI sound, run a 3.5mm male to 3.5mm male cable from PC on-board sound card, speaker out jack, to "audio in" 3.5mm jack on TV. No sound from TV. ( I THINK this may be because of the HDMI, in spite of disabling it, as I have tested with another PC to the "audio in" on the TV and THAT sends sound to TV)
3: Plugged 3.5mm to RCA red and white cable directly from PC speaker out to Dixon system. No sound from Dixon.

Note that on EITHER PC, I can hear the internal speaker playing when selecting the on-board sound chip, so I know they are both working fine.
So, can anyone please advise how on earth I can get all three units to work together? I do not have a manual for the Dixon system so have no idea exactly what the "aux L and R" is actually supposed to do.
I will glady supply any images requested of the back of the TV and the Dixon system if required.
Thanking you in anticipation
Click to expand...
I'm no audio expert but this says that it's HDMI output, not HDMI input.


1696628866501.png
 
markanthony60 said:
Correct, I am currently connected from PC to TV via HDMI, not from Dixon to TV.
Click to expand...

I think you should take a phone with a 3.5mm jack and plug it in your dixon, make sure the source is set to Aux or whatever and see if it plays. If it doesnt, connect a headset to the Dixon and pop in a CD/DVD and see if you get sound to determine if its a input or output.

Just sounds (pun intended) like your hardware is too old/incompatible with what you are trying to do.
 
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Rickster said:
I think you should take a phone with a 3.5mm jack and plug it in your dixon, make sure the source is set to Aux or whatever and see if it plays. If it doesnt, connect a headset to the Dixon and pop in a CD/DVD and see if you get sound to determine if its a input or output.

Just sounds (pun intended) like your hardware is too old/incompatible with what you are trying to do.
Click to expand...
@Rickster , the "aux" on the Dixon unit is not a 3.5mm jack, it's two RCA ports, read and white, marked L and R.
 
xSTatic said:
You most probably need to use the "Mic" ports on the Dixon system to get sound coming in from either the TV or directly from pc.

You can use a 3.5mm Female to 6.3mm male adaptor, like this (https://leroymerlin.co.za/lindy-3-5...mcVcCqeP5dGNxRAwGJ6bXVAOtBC7V-bRoCIJcQAvD_BwE) for plugging into the "Mic" port... that should work to get sound out of the Dixon system
Click to expand...
@xSTatic hmm, had not thought of that option, thank you. Will give it a try, there are two "mic" ports on the front of the Dixon, so will see if I can get 3.5mm male to 2 x 6.3mm male cable.
 
Can you change the Audio Output of the source settings on the TV to PCM or something when connected via HDMI to PC?

I have a feeling though that you will have to use an AV cable for both Audio and Visuals, or component cable for visuals, on the PC/TV if you are not able to change the Audio Output.
 
Lol, the workarounds.

Back in the days of Zakspeed, I had the following adaptors:

3.5mm to two RCA, for connecting laptops and portable cd players etc.

Two RCA to the MiC jack, this was for connecting the tv to the cheap dvd surround sound system.

And more weird ways that I cannot recall. But I tried them all.
 
RedViking said:
Can you change the Audio Output of the source settings on the TV to PCM or something when connected via HDMI to PC?

I have a feeling though that you will have to use an AV cable for both Audio and Visuals, or component cable for visuals, on the PC/TV if you are not able to change the Audio Output.
Click to expand...
@RedViking Yes, I can change the speaker from TV to external speaker, On the Samsung, but still no go. The idea of using the MIC inputs on the Dixon as suggested by @xSTatic will be my next attempt, will post back with results.
 
@xSTatic Thank you, sir, the solution of 3.5mm from PC speaker out to 2xRCA wih 6.3mm male audio jack adapters to MIC input on Dixon home theater works 100%. I now have "surround" sound.
 
Lupus said:
Well I mean you've got sound through all 5 speakers :)
Click to expand...
Well, yes, but I am not sure if the Dixon unit actually converts the sound coming in from stereo input to actual true surround sound. Will find out when I watch a novie, I guess
 
markanthony60 said:
Well, yes, but I am not sure if the Dixon unit actually converts the sound coming in from stereo input to actual true surround sound. Will find out when I watch a novie, I guess
Click to expand...
Yes more than likely it's just upscaling Stereo into L + R and blending the centre channel with both.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Note you will no longer get 5.1 on anything if you aren't using HDMI/Coax/Optical.

3.5mm will give you only stereo.
Click to expand...
@SauRoNZA I understand, the issue is that firstly, on the Dixon unit, the AUX in does not seem to work, the Coaxial red is marked "out" so I don't think that will work, the HDMI is also out only, and no optical option.
 
markanthony60 said:
@SauRoNZA I understand, the issue is that firstly, on the Dixon unit, the AUX in does not seem to work, the Coaxial red is marked "out" so I don't think that will work, the HDMI is also out only, and no optical option.
Click to expand...

The PC should be able to connect over HDMI and use ARC which will then bring the audio back over HDMI to the Dixon.

No analog cables required.
 
SauRoNZA said:
The PC should be able to connect over HDMI and use ARC which will then bring the audio back over HDMI to the Dixon.

No analog cables required.
Click to expand...
@SauRoNZA I hear you, however, my Samsung TV also only has one HDMI in, so that's also a no go for me. I appreciate all the suggestions, but my system seems very simple, not having the required connections. I am looking to perhaps get a different receiver that has HDMI in and out, in order to correct all this.
 
markanthony60 said:
@SauRoNZA I hear you, however, my Samsung TV also only has one HDMI in, so that's also a no go for me. I appreciate all the suggestions, but my system seems very simple, not having the required connections. I am looking to perhaps get a different receiver that has HDMI in and out, in order to correct all this.
Click to expand...
That's fine, as long as it supports ARC.

HDMI is designed to be bi-directional so IN/OUT is somewhat irrelevant to the TV itself.


LG Soundbar <> LG OLED TV with one HDMI cable.

Connected to the soundbar is my Apple TV and Xbox which sends video to the TV via the soundbar and audio to the soundbar itself.

Connected to the TV is my Playstation 5 which sends video the TV directly and audio via the HDMI through ARC to the soundbar in "reverse".

ARC port on the TV is both an input and an output made for exactly this reason so no more cables are required.
 
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