Samsung TV connected via optical to amp - can't mute or alter volume

Murmansk

This is kind of a continuation of a question I posted a few days ago.

I've got a new Samsung TV and have found I couldn't connect it to my amp and Bose speakers because the TV sends out digital and the amp wants analog.

With the help of someone on here I got a box of electronics from Amazon which takes the optical sound output from the TV and turns it into analog which I send to my amp and the speakers then work.

I also connect the TV to my Humax box and do most of my TV watching via that box. PROBLEM: I've discovered that when I watch TV via the TV itself if you see what I mean, ie not via the Humax, when I try to change the volume or mute it, I just get a little box that appears on the screen saying "optical"!!!

If I watch via the Humax box I CAN mute and change the volume (on the Humax remote) but if I'm watching via the TV, because, it would seem, I'm using the optical output for sound, I can't. I have to crawl on the floor and adjust the volume on my mini amp that I use for the Bose speakers!

I'm getting a bit bitter and twisted that having paid over £500 for a new TV, I can't now use that TV's remote to change the volume! 

The symptoms I'm getting seem to suggest that sound sent from the TV via the optical cable can't be varied at all? But surely it could be muted ie turned on and off but I can't even do that via the TV's remote.

It's a nice picture but the sound is a bit of a problem!

victor2

It seems it is a known problem. Long discussion about it here, with some solutions apparently...

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/tv/optical-audio-no-volume-control/td-p/1616348

Murmansk

victor2 said:

It seems it is a known problem. Long discussion about it here, with some solutions apparently...

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/tv/optical-audio-no-volume-control/td-p/1616348

Ah ha, thanks, will take a look

Phantom151

That is quite normal unfortunately. Think of the optical output as a pre-amp signal. It is a low power signal that relies on the amplifier it is connected to to amplify. The higher the input signal, the more chance of major distortion.

debitcardmayhem

only choice I can see is change the sound back to TV speakers(to mute) , I have the same with optical, but I have changed to hdmi arc on my sound bar which allows control from tv

victor2

debitcardmayhem said:

only choice I can see is change the sound back to TV speakers(to mute) , I have the same with optical, but I have changed to hdmi arc on my sound bar which allows control from tv

I do likewise with my Samsung TV and Bose speakers. Bought a new amplifier when I bought the TV, which would drive the speakers and connect via HDMI to the TV. It has optical, but I don't use it.

cx6

Optical-out is not volume controlled - the TV will always output a maximum brightness down the optical cable irrespective of the TV volume setting.

By connecting the TV optically to your amp you are moving volume etc functions to the amp. That is the whole point.

To mute / change volume use the controls on the amp.

Alternatively send the convertor back and buy one with a volume control - this one for example has volume on the converter (analogue) side.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Converter-Toslink-Coaxial-Optical-Adjustable/dp/B07G71BG3V/ref=sr_1_4?crid=227VZH5MVPS0Q&keywords=optical+to+3.5mm+volume+remote&qid=1643545320&sprefix=optical+to+3.5mm+volume+remote,aps,511&sr=8-4

googler

Feeding optical out is like the traditional Tape Out on the amplifier. It's a fixed level signal, and the operator is expected to control the volume on the other end of it.

Standard practice. Get an amplifier with remote control volume, or the alternative digi-analogue box with volume, as suggested above.