From: mark@mark-one.inet-uk.co.uk (Mark Powell)
Subject: Re: Hi-fi TV sound?
Organization: Mark-One Public Access UNIX (+44 942 273926)
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 02:11:02 GMT

In article <1993Jan8.100834.4969@wraxall.inmos.co.uk> des@inmos.co.uk (David Shepherd) writes:
>wilcox@vax.oxford.ac.uk wrote:
>: Is it possible to obtain, fairly cheaply, devices which pick up television
>: signals and output decent stereo sound through an amp to speakers? I ask
>
>I'm afraid that this doesn't quite fit into the description of being 
>cheap, but, in this situation you could use a Nicam video recorder -
>when I watch TV I always use the video channel as (i) my video has
>remote control while the TV doesn't, and (ii) I feed the stero out
>signals from the video into my amplifier and get the sound through my
>hi-fi system. The only time I don't do this is the rare times when I
>want to watch one channel and am recording another - then its back to
>mono TV speaker.

Exactly what I do. No point in buying a NICAM telly. Just listen to it
all through your Hi-Fi.

>The disadvantages are
>
>i) cost - This isn't the cheap add on unit solution that you want.

Don't know. You're getting a good video with all your recordings in
very good Hi-Fi stereo. An add-on NICAM decoder, such as the Arcam,
won't get you any of that. Yes, it can be of a much greater fidelity,
but it's still only live. Recordings will still be mono on your old
video. Personally, the video which also has a satelite decoder built-in
(a NEC model isn't it?) seems a nice option, for ease of use and quality
sound.

>ii) room arrangement - options for where you put things in a room can
>be drastically limited if the TV has to go between the speakers rather
>than be stuck in the corner as usual!

This is critical. Stereo especially Dolby Surround (TM) just doesn't
work otherwise. I've a nice AKAI I-HQ NICAM Hi-FI Dolby Surround video
at the mo. which is amazing for filling the room with atmosphere.

>iii) connecting it all up - you may find that your amplifier doesn't have
>enough inputs to cope with two tape machines (video and cassette) so
>you may need a switch box as well.

True. My Ion Obelisk 2 only has one set of AUX sockets, nevermind a
second set of tape in/outs. I'd have to swap between NICAM decoder
for the television and the video for recordings. Painful. My present situation
is just leaving the variable output of the video in he AUX socket. 
[That way I can adjust the volume of both Hi-Fi and video connected 
surround speakers via the videos remote. Yes, I am bone idle.

>If your TV has a SCART socket then a cheap solution would be to
>get a SCART cable through which you could connect the (mono) sound
>from the TV into a hi-fi system - at least you would be avoiding the
>tinny tv speaker.

Yeah, the mono signal through Hi-Fi speakers is okay for voice. The 
soundtrack really needs the stereo. However, the mono videos don't
really have sound as a high priority. Unlike, the HI-Fi videos where
it's often the only notable feature.

>david shepherd: des@inmos.co.uk                     tel: 0454-616616 x 625
-- 
Mark Powell

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