TV speakers will not produce sound in HD mode (1 Viewer)

[Agm29fevr]

Just had Fios installed yesterday and our Samsung HDTV will only play sound in the HD mode thru the surround sound receiver, not through the TV speakers. I want to be able to have the option of surround or just the tv speakers. Currently this is the set up; HDMI coaxial running to a JVC VCR, then red/white/yellow to a Magnavox VCR, then red/white to a Kenwood Surround receiver, then red/white to a GE Digital DVD player. (The Magnavox VCR also connects to a RF converter via coaxial that connects back to the cable/Fios box) Samsung tv is model LN40A330J1DXZA - Version SQ01. On the phone for hours with Fios and Samsung today. Samsung suggested connecting Surround directly to TV and then going into the TV menu to turn tv speakers off when wanting to watch Surround, but this didn't make sense to me because we aren't getting sound from tv while in HD mode. Could someone let us know if we need to re-run the connect order or buy different cords or what??? Completely stumped! Thank you for any help.

 

[schan1269]

I don't even understand what you've done. "HDMI coaxial to a JVC VCR" and red/white/yellow to another. What? Plus you have (cause you stated it this way) red/white to a DVD player. Should be worded dvd to surround. Regardless what?

 

[Jason Charlton]

Hoo boy...
OK, so you have:

[*] TV
[*] FiOS STB (set top box)
[*] Kenwood Receiver
[*] DVD player
[*] 2 (!!!) VCRs
[/list] Several questions:

[*] What is the model number of the Kenwood? If it's really old, we may need pictures of the back of the unit.
[*] What is the model number of the DVD player?
[*] Why do you have two VCRs?
[*] Why is one VCR connected to the FiOS box? Doesn't the FiOS box have a built-in DVR for recording?
[*] What do you mean by "HD mode" when referring to your TV?
[/list] Some things to keep in mind:

[*] Setting up a system to use the surround sound speakers OR the TV speakers is often WAY more complicated than just using the surround system all the time (it has a volume control, right? Why would you NOT want to use the better speakers all the time). This is mostly due to needing to make multiple audio connections between devices.
[*] VCRs on modern HD displays look like garbage, and trying to connect Hi-Def sources (FiOS) with standard def (DVD, VCR) adds yet another layer to the complexity.
[/list] Without more information from you, there's little concrete advice we can offer.

 

[Agm29fevr]

Thanks for the responses. Sorry, i am not techy at all ...this is my boyfriends set up & it mskes sense from ur answers to just listen to the surround. Thank you.

 

[schan1269]

When the day comes for him to modernize his AVR...there is a feature called "HDMI pass through in Standby". You can find it in almost all the current Yamaha(the only one that "might not" have it is the 373). Other manufacturers have it as well. Basically a more modern AVR would make this much simpler. HDMI passthrough in standby allows the AVR to be bypassed when you just want to watch a DVD or the FiOS...and only works for HDMI sources.