How to Connect Surround Sound to an Olevia LCD TV
By Bruno Fuerte
Olevia is a value-priced brand of HDTV that was produced by Syntax-Brillian until the company folded in 2009. Some Olevia TVs, especially smaller models, have average sound quality from the built-in speakers as well as limited input and output connectivity. Owners can, however, easily connect an Olevia TV's audio output signal to a surround-sound system for optimum audio quality.
Inspect Your Setup: Optical vs. Stereo
Check your connectivity. On the back of the Olevia TV, look for an output labeled "Optical." If your model is so equipped, this is the preferred method because it transfers a high-quality digital signal to your surround sound system. Follow the setup instructions in the "Optical Digital Audio Output" section that follows. If your set is not equipped with an optical output, locate the white and red "Audio Out" jacks on the rear of the set and follow the instructions for the "Stereo Output" section that follows.
Connect other devices to the TV. Whether you use an optical audio cable or stereo RCA cables, all output from the TV can be sent to your surround-sound system via that single connection (although stereo RCA cables will not reproduce true digital sound). If your surround-sound system has limited input connectivity, this method will allow you to experience audio from multiple devices, such as DVRs, DVD players and video games, that are connected directly to the Olevia TV rather than directly to the surround-sound receiver.
Turn the TV on and disable the built-in speakers. This process varies, depending on the Olevia model you have, but generally can be found in the on-screen audio setup menu. Consult your Olevia manual for directions specific to your model.
Optical Digital Audio Output
Plug one end of an optical audio cable, sometimes called a "toslink" cable, to the "Optical" port on the rear of the Olevia TV. Plug the other end of the cable into an available optical port on your surround-sound system.
Tune your surround-sound receiver to the "optical in" input source. You should hear audio from any device that is currently playing on the Olevia TV. (See Tips for expanded usability of this setup.)
Adjust sound appropriately. Because you are utilizing a digital audio connection, your surround-sound system should have full functionality with advanced digital settings such as Dolby decoding and speaker-by-speaker adjustments.
Stereo Output
Find the stereo output on the rear of the Olevia TV (these inputs are on the side of some Olevia models).
Plug one end of a dual RCA audio cable into the corresponding red and white input jacks on the TV. Plug the other end of the cable into available stereo-input jacks on your surround-sound system.
Tune your surround sound receiver to the "stereo" input source. You should hear audio from any device that is currently playing on the Olevia TV. While this stereo connection is not capable of reproducing true digital surround sound or Dolby encoding, many surround sound systems feature settings such as "5 Channel Stereo" or "Simulated Surround" that enhance the stereo audio signal.
References
Tips
- If you connect multiple devices to your TV rather than to the surround-sound system, it is not necessary to change inputs on the surround-sound receiver when you change output devices. All devices send their signals through the Olevia TV and into the single optical cable. For example, when you switch from watching cable TV to a DVD, the DVD audio, channeled through the TV, will automatically output to the surround sound system via the optical audio cable.
Warnings
- Outputting all devices through stereo RCA cables is recommended only if your surround-sound receiver has limited connectivity. The stereo signal will downgrade the audio quality of digital input devices such as DVD or Blu-ray players. Such devices should be connected directly to the surround sound system if possible.
Writer Bio
Bruno Fuerte has worked as a writer, editor, manager and internal communications specialist since 1989. His work can be found in "Journal and Courier," "The Times," "Orlando Sentinel" and "The Miami Herald." Fuerte is a graduate of Purdue University, with a Bachelor of Arts in communication.