Do I need a receiver?

I'm a complete noob to audio, so bare with me.


I bought a Panasonic soundbar for my Panasonic TV. I figure this would be the easiest set up. I finally got my HMDI cable in the mail, so I hooked it up last night.

On the soundbar, there are HDMI ports: IN and OUT. The way they explain it is to connect the DVR to the soundbar and the soundbar to the TV. This works, but if I switch to PS3, it goes back to TV speakers.

I just want the audio from my TV to output to the soundbar. Can this be done? Or do I need to route mt DVR and PS3 through a receiver to soundbar to TV?

My TV is the Panasonic VIERA Plasma TC-P50S30 and my soundbar is the Panasonic SC-HTB520

https://panasonic.ca/english/audiovideo/plasma/tcp42_46_50s30.asp
https://panasonic.ca/english/audiovideo/hometheatre/SCHTB520.asp

you dont need a receiver.

what kind of pvr is it? not that it matters, but take an optical cable from the pvr optical out to the soundbar optical in. for video you can use hdmi or component from the pvr hdmi/component out to the tv hdmi/component in.

for your ps3 take the hdmi out to the soundbar hdmi in.

finally take the hdmi out on the soundbar to the hdmi in on the tv.


if your soundbar has an options menu or the ability to program a series of function on the remote (i believe its called macro), then set it so that when you switch to the pvr on the tv, the input on the pvr itself switches to optical.

My PVR is Rogers HD dual tuner. This old one, but it has HDMI.

There's a bit of a complication with the PS3... I don't remember if I set the audio to be component only or HDMI and component (if that's even an option)... but I need the component for my headset.

Can I just attach the optical cable from my TV to the soundbar?

Here's a picture of the back of my soundbar.



Ordered 2 optical cables from Monoprice... I would have bought it for a little more somewhere local, but TigerDirect, CanadaComputers, Infonec were all sold out... Didn't bother checking out other stores other than Futureshop ($25 lol). I got 2 for about $4 each at Monoprice (includes shipping).

I don't mind waiting as the soundbar for PS3 really only benefits me if I play movies. Gaming I wear the headset. I'll try your method once my order comes in.

alternatively yes you could connect your pvr hdmi out to the hdmi in on the tv and then pass the sound to the sound bar if you then connect your tv optical out to the sound bar through optical in.

i use the above method when my ps3 is up stairs to stream movies to the tv from the computer. i dont have the stock sound bar attached to my tv so the only way i can get sound is to run an optical out from the tv to the optical in on my receiver.

Y'all r both to asian

BBarger30 wrote:

Y'all r both to asian

That's racist... you redneck hillbilly!

Thanks for your help zuey! I'll give it a try when the cables come in.

What sucks is I have another problem and Panasonic isn't being very helpful... Since the wall where my TV is cannot support any weight, I just have it on top of a TV stand and the soundbar in front. This blocks the sensor on the TV so I have to aim at the ceiling to change to turn the TV on.

Panasonic knows this is an issue and even made an "IR Blaster" which converts your soundbar to a sensor. Problem is only one place in all of NA carries it and they don't ship to Canada... even Panasonic doesn't sell it in their store in Canada or US. Total BS... that "IR Blaster" should have been included with the soundbar!

I could make a trip to Buffalo (ship it there), but that seems exessive for a $15 device.

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