tommy wrote: Thu Oct 20, 2022 1:07 pm
Anyway, I'm wanting a decent way to convert the optical digital output of the TV to RCA jacks. Anyone know of anything with decent converters on the cheap for that task?

You need a DAC with optical in and RCA out. There are a number of these on Amazon for $11-$50. They sound good enough for TV. There are more fancy ones available in the audio market, I think Schiit makes one that is around $100. Used ones are even cheaper.

had to come up with a way to do this during a stretch when i had no money, but a decade later it's all still working.

raspberry pi 3 or later model, 512GB SSD with a USB3 cable, plex media server installed on the pi, usb disk plugged into to the pi. plex player app (no ads) available on iphone / android / windows / macos / linux. integrates with tidal too. also does movies if you got them. if you have a router that lets you open ports, you can easily (really easily) set up secure remote access and stream to your phone out there in the world.

setting up the pi so you can install the media server and access the usb disk over the network to add new rips / purchases is basically an afternoon's work following tutorials. it runs very happily on a little bookshelf and requires no active cooling.

got a couple otherwise defunct android cellphones and tablets running the plex app around the house. sounds good enough. easy.

motorbike guy wrote: Thu Oct 20, 2022 2:28 pm

tommy wrote: Thu Oct 20, 2022 1:07 pm
Anyway, I'm wanting a decent way to convert the optical digital output of the TV to RCA jacks. Anyone know of anything with decent converters on the cheap for that task?

You need a DAC with optical in and RCA out. There are a number of these on Amazon for $11-$50. They sound good enough for TV. There are more fancy ones available in the audio market, I think Schiit makes one that is around $100. Used ones are even cheaper.

I've got one of these from Schiit https://www.schiit.com/products/modi-1 . It does what's mentioned above plus has a USB input in case you want to use it with a computer at some point (which is the way I use it). It sounds good and seems well built.

motorbike guy wrote: Thu Oct 20, 2022 2:28 pm

tommy wrote: Thu Oct 20, 2022 1:07 pm
Anyway, I'm wanting a decent way to convert the optical digital output of the TV to RCA jacks. Anyone know of anything with decent converters on the cheap for that task?

You need a DAC with optical in and RCA out. There are a number of these on Amazon for $11-$50. They sound good enough for TV. There are more fancy ones available in the audio market, I think Schiit makes one that is around $100. Used ones are even cheaper.

Yep, was already aware of the type of device I need. I won't be using it for "tv". A Smart TV just happens to be my audio app source. Looking for recommendations for any specific DACs with decent sounding D/A converters in it for audio playback. Looks like Schiit got 2 mentions so I'll start there.

I work for a company that makes high-end home automation systems and have one of our distributed audio systems for my basement and ground floor, which allows me to send audio from my living room television, a CD player, or any of three streaming audio servers to any of the rooms on those floors. Kind of like Sonos but with fewer native options (the big names…Spotify, Pandora, Tidal, etc. plus Airplay and Plex) and a way better UI. For the second floor I have a Sonos Connect:Amp with a pair of bookshelf speakers in the bedroom. Streaming is mostly Spotify, with some Airplay (mainly for Bandcamp
stuff) and Plex for my local library.

If you already have a couple stereos, assuming they have aux inputs, maybe consider grabbing a couple used gen 1 Sonos Connect units. You control it with your phone but it is not the audio source, everything is native within the Sonos app.

I listen through Behringer MS16s... or a pair of Advent speakers through a Yamaha deck.... or a JBL Bluetooth speaker... or in my car. Those are the only options. I'm currently investigating some bookshelf speakers if anyone has a good suggestion.

I've listened to a lot of stuff through monitors but I'm looking for a different sound from bookshelf speakers. I was looking at Polk Audio. I dunno.

Also, I have concerns with these setups where I slingshot my signal from my phone to my Hi-Fi.. I feel like the phone's audio output is so unpredictable, I'd hate to damage my speakers somehow through some OS error. Not to mention, I have shite signal strength for WiFi and can't really afford any monthly plans for audio. I've tried Amazon Music and Spotify and don't like either of them that much. Amazon is slow as molasses and Spotify always had incomplete albums up. The best source seems like random YouTube videos... but the volume levels would still make me hesitant in some way to just send it straight to the Hi-Fi... but maybe I'm wrong because I've had televisions hooked up to it before. Hmm....

Adam P wrote: Thu Oct 20, 2022 6:35 pm If you already have a couple stereos, assuming they have aux inputs, maybe consider grabbing a couple used gen 1 Sonos Connect units. You control it with your phone but it is not the audio source, everything is native within the Sonos app.

This is a great idea. BUT Sonos no longer supports this device. it looks like it only works with the Sonos S1 App. Which scares me a little in terms of longevity. I already have a Sonos product that is on the S2 app. Do you happen to have devices on the both, and how's your experience integrating or keeping them separate?

That’s a great point, and I should’ve elaborated. The gen 1 Sonos Connect is a decade+ old piece of kit, and only works with Sonos S1. I suggested it primarily due to the price point…the Connect can be had for around $100, and the ZP80 (its predecessor) for even less. It is definitely a roll of the dice, so the trade-off for getting into the ecosystem for comparatively cheap is the potential for failure at any time. It can be potentially mitigated slightly if the previous owner has not used it to claim an upgrade discount, so there’s that.

I think gen 2 Connects go for around $200. Spending more gets you into the S2 operating system, which means compatibility with all current Sonos products. Additionally, IKEA sells Sonos speakers under the Symfonisk line which are supposed to be pretty good quality, and don’t have the voice assistant feature that some Sonos units have.

To answer your question, I only have S1 stuff…I got a good deal on a bunch of Connect:Amps and Zone Players locally. I set the Zone Players up at my parents’ house and hung on to the Connect:Amps.

I don't do any other thing when I'm listening to music. I concentrate totally on it.

I don't listen to music in my car, neither at work.

At home I go with CD.

My 'tv' is an older macmini using a 32" TV as a monitor. I have a wireless kybd as the remote and we watch everything via chrome, desktop app, or a USB DVD drive. The headphone out of the mini goes to the HiFi so I don't need to touch anything to switch between spotify app/movies/tv/youtube/whatever unless I'm listening to LPs which just involves turning the knob to phono. Everything is on the same network so it's pretty simple to move files around and there's nothing in the world I hate more than apple tv remotes or trying to navigate smart tv UI. It's curmudgeonly but I really prefer it to a "normal tv."

We have a little bose colorsound in the kitchen to play stuff while we cook or eat dinner off of phones, but I think it would be easy enough to connect that (or other bluetooth/wireless speakers) to the mini, i've just never bothered to try.