Audio output impedance on new Insignia HDTV?

[Jeffhs]

I have an Insignia (rebadged Osram-Sylvania) 19" flat-panel HDTV. The set supposedly has stereo sound, as it has an MTS/SAP decoder. However, the two puny speakers mounted on the back of the set do not do justice to the TV's stereo capabilities. I have two Infinity brand computer speakers from my old Win98 system, and would like to use them with the TV, but I am wondering if there will be an impedance mismatch if I connect them to the set's headphone jack or if I would be risking damage to the set's audio output stages.

Thanks in advance.

[dieseljeep]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

I have an Insignia (rebadged Osram-Sylvania) 19" flat-panel HDTV. The set supposedly has stereo sound, as it has an MTS/SAP decoder. However, the two puny speakers mounted on the back of the set do not do justice to the TV's stereo capabilities. I have two Infinity brand computer speakers from my old Win98 system, and would like to use them with the TV, but I am wondering if there will be an impedance mismatch if I connect them to the set's headphone jack or if I would be risking damage to the set's audio output stages.

Thanks in advance.

It wont hurt the set at all. Headphone jacks are attenuated to prevent ear damage. I use a computer sound system, plugged into the headphone jack of my daily watcher. It's an amplified system with a sub woofer and two smaller speakers for stereo separation. Sounds great and you dont have to worry about damaging the set, as you are slightly loading the output stage.

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by dieseljeep

It wont hurt the set at all. Headphone jacks are attenuated to prevent ear damage. I use a computer sound system, plugged into the headphone jack of my daily watcher. It's an amplified system with a sub woofer and two smaller speakers for stereo separation. Sounds great and you dont have to worry about damaging the set, as you are slightly loading the output stage.

I tried plugging my speakers into the TV's headphone jack; they work, but with much less audio, even at full volume, than when using the set's built-in speakers. My external Infinity speakers are not amplified. Could this have something to do with the problem? This is exactly the reverse of the problem many owners of this set are experiencing, according to the reviews I read online before purchasing mine: the sound through the set's own speakers is barely audible in many cases, even at full volume. My set provides adequate sound volume through the speakers at the midpoint of the on-screen volume control, but external, non-amplified speakers connected to the headphone jack do not work even half as well; however, if I connect a pair of headphones to the jack, I get as much volume as I get from the TV's own speakers, and with the volume control set at midrange or lower.

[jr_tech]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

I tried plugging my speakers into the TV's headphone jack; they work, but with much less audio, even at full volume, than when using the set's built-in speakers. My external Infinity speakers are not amplified. Could this have something to do with the problem?

Yup! As pointed out above, the power to the headphone jack is limited to prevent hearing damage when used with earphones. There is just not enough power to drive un-amplified speakers to a decent volume.
jr

[Electronic M]

Time to look for an amp, me thinks.

[Jeffhs]

jr_tech and ElectronicM:

Thanks much. I figured it was something simple like that. My next step will be to connect the TV's audio output jacks to my stereo system, which has much better speakers (6" woofers, 3.5" tweeters and powered subwoofers). I read here, in response to the first post I made regarding connecting my TV to an external sound system, that connecting the set's audio output this way will work as long as the TV audio is kept low, so as not to overdrive the stereo's audio inputs.

[jr_tech]

I suspect that your tv has a pair of standard analog red/white marked RCA audio output jacks on the back or side, that will provide the appropriate level to drive your stereo system "aux" input. On my S0ny set there is a menu option that sets the analog audio outputs to a "fixed" level or "variable" level controlled by the tv's volume control. Your set may have such an option, or perhaps two sets of jacks, or not.
jr