LG 4K TV & Sound Bar Setup: Cable Connections & Trouble-Shooting

  • Thread starter Thread starter DaveC426913
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Sound
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the setup and compatibility issues of an LG 4K TV and a "wireless" sound bar. Participants explore the nature of the connections required for the sound bar, the implications of its "wireless" designation, and the customer experience related to purchasing technology components.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses frustration over the sound bar's requirement for cables, questioning the definition of "wireless."
  • Another participant suggests that "wireless" may refer to Bluetooth streaming from mobile devices rather than a direct connection from the TV.
  • A participant points out that the TV may not support Bluetooth connectivity, leading to compatibility issues.
  • Several participants discuss the role of salespeople in ensuring compatibility between the TV and sound bar, with differing opinions on their responsibilities.
  • Some participants argue that salespeople are primarily focused on making sales rather than providing accurate information about product compatibility.
  • Concerns are raised about the quality of setup manuals and user experience, with some participants indicating that the manuals are inadequate.
  • There is a debate about the expectations of customer service and the perceived lack of fiduciary duty from salespeople.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the compatibility of the TV and sound bar, with some asserting they are compatible while others maintain they are not. There is also disagreement regarding the responsibilities of salespeople in guiding customers.

Contextual Notes

Participants express frustration over the lack of clarity in product descriptions and the setup process, highlighting potential limitations in the provided manuals and the assumptions made about customer knowledge.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering purchasing an LG 4K TV and sound bar, as well as those interested in the customer experience related to technology purchases and compatibility issues.

  • #31
DaveC426913 said:
I just dropped $1700 on a 4K TV and "wireless" Sound Bar from LG.

The setup instructions of the sound bar (6 pictures in a manual 2 pages long), show how to connect them with
- optical cable
- HDMI
Those are the options.

How is this a wireless sound bar if it requires cables??

Not that it matters; it doesn't work no matter which way I slice it.

I hate hate hate hate hate technology.

What kind of sound bars did you buy?? tell me it will helps me a lot.
 
Computer science news on Phys.org
  • #32
I'm old school, I hooked up the TV sound as well as the devices that send video to the TV to my stereo. I'm wondering how common it is for people to have stereos or home theater setups that they can connect along with the TV.

Best Buy has a fairly high turnover rate, and a fairly low percentage of the sales people know that much about the products they sell, and the products themselves change from season to season, adding to the confusion. Just watch out for accessories like cables, Best Buy tends to have a large markup on them.

- - -

About LG 4K TV audio - I bought a 4K OLED TV, the next to lowest model. At least in the case of LG OLED TV's, there's a potential issue with audio delay. DVRs and 4K blu-ray players already delay audio so that it is synced up with the video signal and typical video processing time. The LG TVs add an additional delay. You can go into the settings, and select a setting that let's you adjust the delay, and although the "delay" range is like from -4 to +10, this is an adjustment to the default delay, not the actual delay, so 0 translates into the default delay and -4 is still too much additional delay. I had to choose a third option which disables the audio delay completely. Using Dolby Atmos may also affect the audio delay, but I don't use it, since I'm sending sound from the DVR or 4K player to the stereo in parallel with the video being sent to the TV. If I'm using the stereo, I set the TV audio volume to 0.

- - -

About LG streaming services (NetFlix, YouTube, ...) - apparently the network cards used in LG TVs go out frequently enough that it is a known issue. Using the default fast.com benchmark, when the network card on our LG TV went out, the speed dropped from 25 Mbps to 0.8 Mbps. I checked this after noticing the streaming services stop streaming and had long delays and/or dropped to a low resolution format. I had the card replaced under an extended warranty, as LG's warranty people had me call 3 different service shops, none of which could replace the network card.

My impression is that the 4K blu-ray player's streaming services are better quality than what I get from the LG TV.
 
Last edited:
  • #33
[ignoring likely spam setup in previous post...]
rcgldr said:
I'm old school, I hooked up the TV sound as well as the devices that send video to the TV to my stereo. I'm wondering how common it is for people to have stereos or home theater setups that they can connect along with the TV.
I've never had a rack stereo system, only the mini system I had in college. Since then I've done a "home theater in a box" setup. The downside is if you want to upgrade you're pretty much replacing the entire thing. Upside is they've gotten cheap.
I bought a 4K OLED TV, the next to lowest model.
I think that needs to be my next jump. I'm on my third LCD/LED and the improvements have been only incremental. My next TV needs a high dynamic range - that's the final frontier IMO.
 
  • #34
rcgldr said:
I'm old school, I hooked up the TV sound as well as the devices that send video to the TV to my stereo. I'm wondering how common it is for people to have stereos or home theater setups that they can connect along with the TV.
russ_watters said:
I've never had a rack stereo system, only the mini system I had in college. Since then I've done a "home theater in a box" setup. The downside is if you want to upgrade you're pretty much replacing the entire thing. Upside is they've gotten cheap.
My stuff is truly "old school". Other than the receiver I bought a few years back, the power amp and speakers are 20 years old, which replaced the 30 year old stereo setup I now have in the "computer room". That receiver has a dial tuner. The speakers are heavy and bulky, but sound much better than the home theater systems you can get these days.

rcgldr said:
I bought a 4K OLED TV

russ_watters said:
I think that needs to be my next jump. I'm on my third LCD/LED and the improvements have been only incremental. My next TV needs a high dynamic range.
I went from a 2005 Mitsubishi rear projection CRT HDTV (three 9 inch "monitors", red, green , blue) to a 2017 LG 4K OLED TV. The 2K LCD TVs never had much of dynamic range (color palette) compared to the old CRT base projection TV's and it wasn't until the OLEDs came out that the 4K LCDs improved their dynamic range to stay competitive. They're still limited by being a shared back lit technology. Once I saw the OLED had resolved the dynamic range issue, I waited for the prices to come down before I bought one.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: russ_watters
  • #35
DaveC426913 said:
"Properly connected" for a "wireless bluetooth-connected device" means "connected wirelessly by bluetooth".

The TV does not have bluetooth capability.
You shouldn't have to, but you can supply that deficiency with a
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D1JM5S9/?tag=pfamazon01-20 (this one sells for $36.99 at Amazon):

51xHtmdnNQL._SX466_.jpg


Perhaps you could try explaining the situation to the store manager, maybe with a hint at returning the TV (it's a discontinued model -- I imagine he wouldn't be too eager at that prospect), and see how much he might be willing to discount a Bluetooth transmitter.
 

Attachments

  • 51xHtmdnNQL._SX466_.jpg
    51xHtmdnNQL._SX466_.jpg
    28 KB · Views: 516
Last edited:
  • #36
sysprog said:
Perhaps you could try explaining the situation to the store manager, maybe with a hint at returning the TV (it's a discontinued model -- I imagine he wouldn't be too eager at that prospect)...
After 2 years they are unlikely to accept a return...
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: sysprog
  • #37
russ_watters said:
After 2 years they are unlikely to accept a return...
Touché -- I hadn't noticed the thread age... :oops:
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: russ_watters
  • #38
Hey, there's always hope... :biggrin:
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
5K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
4K
Replies
2
Views
900
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 80 ·
3
Replies
80
Views
69K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
10K