PC Speakers..can I just plug them into the headset socket on my Toshiba SL738BHD TV?

almillar

It looks like you've got a digital audio output on your TV, so that's the BEST way to get sound out. The headphone thing will work with any crappy old speakers though.
Just think before you waste £40 whether you'll be happy watching films through these speakers too.
If you're buying a Blu Ray player, you'd be looking for a device with 2 optical inputs (and make sure the Blu Ray has an optical output).

Akenaton

Yep, this is a major design failing with most expensive TVs, they don't always have separate analogue Audio Outputs.

We just had this same problem with an even bigger screen Sony, where the sound was just so-so.

After looking and trying the various possibilities, of course looking for a solution that wasn't too expensive, we also went down the road of using the Headphone socket audio output.

Plugging into that socket kills the internal speakers on the vast majority of devices, which is what you want.

We tried a number of different 'PC speakers'. They weren't all the same, some were definitely better than others, noticeable on poor bass and top-end frequencies.
But even so for just general listening were better than the internal tv sound system.

Eventually, after much swopping and listening to various channels/Blu-Ray etc, we ended up with a cheapo surround sound system but just using two of the speakers.
Then we swopped different speakers, still using that amp 'til we got the sound more or less what we wanted, not surround sound, just good reasonable quality Stereo, with the sound coming from the direction of the TV.

Yes, the TV headphone socket will be Stereo (Left & Right Audio) and our sound system now stays permanently plugged in.

Also any other devices connected to the TV, Blu-Ray, PC etc, if connected via HDMI, send their sound to the TV, which then comes out of the Headphone socket.

So, i would say that you are going about it the right way, you should end up with a reasonable sound which shouldn't cost too much.
Just one proviso, The TV or Blu-Ray remote control should change the audio level out of the Headphone socket, but i suppose you can't be sure until it's tested.

We were lucky because we did have quite a range of different equipment and speakers to try out, but in my tests i found that you could actually spend quite a lot more for equipment but still not justify the improvement over the better-performing cheapos!

I can't really comment on the particular models you are looking at because you won't know if they are right for you until you plug them into the tv and place the speakers in position.
But at least with Argos, like you said, you can always take them back and maybe try another.
Good Luck with whichever system you go for.

DEBTMONKEY1A

Thanks! Will be hopefully buying one (or something!) tomorrow........

Does having a sub woofer help??? Not even really sure what it is...........(?!!!!!!!!)

santer_2

Subwoofer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subwoofer

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-subwoofer.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/how-do-i-choose-the-best-home-theater-powered-subwoofer.htm

http://hometheater.about.com/cs/loudspeakers/a/aasubwoofera.htm

DEBTMONKEY1A

Have got the 2nd one that Santer reccomended (tried 1st one-v.good but realised 2nd one had bigger speakers for same price so swapped!)-whilst its never gonna be an all singing all dancing suoer surround sound hi fi (!) its 100% better-music playback good (played a Depeche Mode concert DVD-fab!)-if you pull out headpohne Jack the tinny sound of the TV is SO CRAP it's untrue!

So..anyone buying a good quality hd tv-improve sound for £40 by plugging PC speakers via headphone jack to the TV!

Thanks all for the advice/help!:j