First-time HDTV owner, Digital Audio receivers and speakers (1 Viewer)

[whosaidthat]

I have a Toshiba 42SL417U (http://us.toshiba.com/tv/led/42sl417u), which has a great picture for the money (Black Friday price of $550 in 2011), but terrible, horrible speakers. My laptop speakers are infinitely better, but I digress...
I have a Panasonic SA-AK633 stereo (http://www.chung-sim.com/foto1/panasonic.sa-ak630.jpg) I bought when I was in college, but it's rather clunky/bulky/ugly to have sitting out now that my TV stand looks rather clean. Plus, the kids have started climbing on them, and I just want something that looks cleaner and less like a college dorm setup.
I've used the fixed audio out to run sound through the stereo, but get very irritated with having to switch my remote to control the stereo, then back to control my cable box to change the channel, then back to the stereo when commercials start, or there's music (I think someone at the cable company secretly makes music/commercials infinitely louder than everything else as part of a plan to slowly drive people insane, but that's neither here nor there). It just doesn't feel very intuitive or clean.
As someone that knows very little about stereo hardware, I have a few questions about how the digital audio out port will work if I buy a digital receiver/new speaker(s):
1. Will the TV volume control the sound of the new speakers?
2. Is there a speaker system that I can just plug the digital audio into?
3. What, in your experience, has been the best speaker/digital receiver you've used (but is also moderately priced)?
I'm willing to spend $100-$150 on a quality speaker/receiver that will last for a while. (And is that a reasonable expectation? I have no idea!)
I really appreciate anyone that helps me out with this. I would just go to an electronics store, but I don't want to ask a sales rep working off commission for their opinion, and would like to at least have the appearance of knowing what I'm looking for ahead of time.
Thanks!

 

[whosaidthat]

I should have said that I'm not looking for a surround sound system, rather I just want a simple horizontal bar-type speaker, or something of the like.

 

[Robert_J]

You want a sound bar. Some of the cheaper models sound similar to TV speakers from what I've read. What is your real budget? What are your audio video sources (satellite, cable, Blu-ray, etc)?

I've used the fixed audio out to run sound through the stereo, but get very irritated with having to switch my remote to control the stereo, then back to control my cable box to change the channel, then back to the stereo when commercials start

Sounds like you need a Harmony remote. Once set up, it will easily control everything.

(I think someone at the cable company secretly makes music/commercials infinitely louder than everything else as part of a plan to slowly drive people insane, but that's neither here nor there)

If it's local commercials, then they are filmed with stereo audio. Compared to network 5.1 Dolby Digital, they are 10db louder. It's not a conspiracy, it's audio specifications. We all deal with that. Well, some do. I can't remember the last time I watched a local car dealer commercial. When the commercials start, I hit the skip ahead button and my DVR jumps ahead 30 seconds. A few clicks and I'm back watching the program. A "one hour" show is really only 45 minutes long. I go through a college football game in about an hour and ten minutes. I watch more series but spend less time in front of the TV since I went full time DVR about 10 years ago.

 

[whosaidthat]

Yes, a sound bar would be what I'm looking for. But specifically, I enjoy having my cable box in control of the volume (I use the Comcast remote), and assume that the digital audio (versus the fixed audio) would permit me to do that.
My source is Comcast (cable) and Blu-ray. I've experienced 5.1 surround sound, and to be honest I don't need it. I'm still living in an apartment, and I don't want to set up surround sound in a place that I may or may not live at in a year.
However, the more posts I read and the more I talk to people, it makes me second-think myself!
And yes, I DVR most things as well, but sometimes I'm just too impatient.

 

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[Robert_J]

So you need a sound bar that will work with a cable box and Blu-ray. Do you want one with a small sub? With those small speakers, I recommend it.
At least look at the Harmony remotes. Once you switch to the sound bar, that will control the volume. With your TV, cable box, Blu-ray and sound bar that is four remotes right there. My Harmony 880 will replace 16 remotes. I haven't gotten there yet but I'm close with 12 or 13. It works perfectly with all of my equipment and complex HDMI switching.

 

[Martino]

I've experienced 5.1 surround sound, and to be honest I don't need it.

1. Will the TV volume control the sound of the new speakers?
2. Is there a speaker system that I can just plug the digital audio into?

I'm willing to spend $100-$150

For just better sound from the TV - you might try a ZVOX system...since you don't want 5.1 surround and live in an apartment...
These connect to the digital audio out, and use your existing TV remote to control the volume. Anything that shows up on the TV will have the sound coming from the ZVOX. Once you set it up, you go into your TV menu and turn the TV speakers off....
They start at $199.00 though...a little more than your $150...
http://www.zvoxaudio.com/

 

[Martino]

It seems that when you use one of the digital inputs either the coax or the optical the other does not work.

The whole idea is to improve the bad speaker quality coming from today's flat panel speakers. Hook 1 digital output (either optical OR coax) from the TV output to the ZVOX input if your TV has one. If your TV does not have a digital output - use the RCA analog stereo output from the TV to the ZVOX.
Then hook all of your sources up to the TV with the best connection available for that source (HDMI if it has it) - then the TV becomes the hub...and whatever is showing on the screen will have the audio output to the ZVOX in stereo (2 channel). The crapy TV speakers are in stereo as well - usually hidden in the sides of the screen - and whatever is selected as the TV input will be converted into stereo and sent to the TV speakers. After hooking up the ZVOX - go into the TV menu and turn the TV speakers to OFF - all sound will now be coming from the ZVOX.
The ZVOX is setup to learn the volume command from whatever remote you want to use to turn up/down the volume. After it learns the commands - whatever remote you want to use for your TV volume will now work the ZVOX volume.
This is not a 5.1 receiver - but a stereo receiver with some internal processing, an internal amp, and some better quality speakers than what comes from the TV. There should be no reason to hook up both digital inputs at the same time...
From the thread starter:

(I think someone at the cable company secretly makes music/commercials infinitely louder than everything else as part of a plan to slowly drive people insane, but that's neither here nor there)

From their web site - the ZVOX also has another feature that the thread owner is looking for - namely:

Tame Loud Commercials.
Tired of commercials that blast you out of your chair? Our Output Leveling feature reacts instantly and turns them down to a lower level.

So - looking at want he wants and what he wants to spend - and the fact he does not want a 5.1 system - this is why I recommended looking at the ZVOX...it should work for what he is looking for.

 

[ShowMeCables]

Some Cable Remote controls will allow you to learn other devices and once that is done, you can program it to turn down a specific item, ie, your stereo receiver. The default setting is usually for the TV, but you should be able to tell your cable remote when it is turning down volume, to turn down the stereo volume.