Digital to analogue audio converters?

[Sydknee]

We had the same problem with our TV. My solution might not be suitable for you due to the location of your headphone socket.

 

I had a set of USB powered computer speakers that came free with my computer and we're soon ditched as they were pretty low powered for music etc. The TV has a USB socket to power them so I gave them a try and although not top quality they are far better than the TVs speakers. I can even hear a bit of bass now!

 

You can get a cheap set from almost anywhere for under a tenner!

[Timleech]

Update -

 

Our set has no audio out on the SCART.

I bought one of the digital-analogue converters as per my link, it works very well.

A minor irritation is that the volume level can't be controlled from the TV remote, BUT the TV has tone controls set on screen via the remote, these do affect the digital out. When listening via the internal speakers the tone controls need setting to make the sound acceptable, & then reset to flat for the external system.

The converter comes with a little 'wall wart' 240 to 5V power supply, this probably consumes more power than does the unit itself, & there's no simple way to switch it on & off. At the moment, it's plugged into the same socket as the telly & we try to remember to switch that off at night.

If I really run out of things to fiddle with, I'll look inside our stereo amplifier to see whether it uses 5V DC that I can tap into.

 

Tim

[AndrewIC]

5V at what current? The USB should be capable of delivering 100-500mA at 5V, so perhaps you could drive the convertor off that?

 

Edit: convertor, not convector. You won't get that much heat out of it...

 

Further Edit: just looked at the item. 2A! Ouch.

Edited January 12, 2014 by AndrewIC

[DaveP]

I've got one of the cheapo digital-analogue converters for my surround system. Been playing with a watt-meter on the electrics to see what's drawing what (oh so, so tempting).

 

The DAC wall-wart is drawing 3W from the mains. I haven't tested what it's delivering to the DAC yet, but I'm probably going to make up a USB power cable for it and see how it does.

[Timleech]

I've got one of the cheapo digital-analogue converters for my surround system. Been playing with a watt-meter on the electrics to see what's drawing what (oh so, so tempting).

 

The DAC wall-wart is drawing 3W from the mains. I haven't tested what it's delivering to the DAC yet, but I'm probably going to make up a USB power cable for it and see how it does.

 

Well, after having it on for 2.5 hours, the wall-wart is warm to the touch but the actual converter is stone cold. The electrical energy leaving it must be trivial, so my guess is that its consumption must also be trivial.

 

Tim

[Timleech]

5V at what current? The USB should be capable of delivering 100-500mA at 5V, so perhaps you could drive the convertor off that?

 

Edit: convertor, not convector. You won't get that much heat out of it...

 

Further Edit: just looked at the item. 2A! Ouch.

 

If you look at This one, they all look the same, among other confusing information about power it says "consumption 0.5W max", which sounds a bit more like it.

 

The USB must be worth a try.

 

Tim

 

Edit - This one comes supplied with a USB supply cable.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Timleech

[AndrewIC]

That sounds more reasonable. You may have to make a lead up.

[Timleech]

Not yet tried the USB supply, but it was working fine until last night, when the light came on but there was nobody at home. No output at all.

I was all set to post a question on here - any simple way to check that it's the cheap converter box that's failed rather than the digital audio out from the telly? This morning, though, it worked fine when I tried it.

There must be a processor somewhere which got its knickers twisted & needed rebooting.

BTW, is there a simple way to push something into the input which ought to give some sound out if it's working? What would flicking a connection from a single dry cell across the input do?

 

Tim

[AndrewIC]

I suspect it would need a digital source, not a rattle of DC.