TV speakers as center channel? (1 Viewer)

[Nathan Eddy]

I finally got an HDTV. Panasonic Viera TH-50PX80U. Now I'm wondering what all of you who buy these super-thin TVs are doing with their center channel speaker. I used to just set mine on top of the TV, but that's impossible now. Too precarious. I've got a low-end paradigm center channel speaker that I've wanted to upgrade for a while. It sounds a little muddy. But now that I have a TV too thin to support a center speaker, I'm thinking about just using the TV speakers for my center channel. Does anyone else do this? Couldn't I just get a cable that has one connector on one end, and two on the other, and go straight from my center channel output on the DVD player to the audio input on the TV? I couldn't possibly hurt my equipment, right?

Of course I would have to rely upon the DVD player to do my Dolby Digital processing, since I'm bypassing the receiver. And that means I'd have to stop using my digital coax. I've got a Pioneer 563a player, so I don't think this will be a problem. It has all the analog outputs for each channel.

Am I missing anything? Anyone else do this?

 

[chuckg]

The speakers in your TV are probably pretty crummy....

Try putting up a little shelf, or put the center channel below the screen, or use two centers one to each side, or set your audio to "phantom center"

 

[JohnRice]

The first problem with your idea is that the center channel volume will be controlled separately from the rest of the system, which makes it almost unusable. Second, it will never come close to blending into the rest of the system, even when the volume is correct. You are better off just turning off the center channel on the receiver, thus enabling "Phantom" mode. A single, matched center channel speaker is always best though. Use brackets to mount it to the wall.

 

[Nathan Eddy]

Unfortunately, this is impossible. I've got my TV set up in a corner because of my 90 degrees sectional couch. This is the only way everyone can view without some of them turning sideways. So to mount a center on the wall--in the center of the TV--it would have to span two walls, one which has a window right where I'd need a bracket. (Yes, the window is partially behind the TV, but I've got really thick, dark drapes on it and basically don't use it. Light isn't a problem.)

My set up is horrible, but we're getting a new home theater couch soon, and moving to a bigger place. So this is temporary for now. I suppose I can get by with using the phantom mode for a while, but I miss that center anchoring the dialog.

 

[chuckg]

Maybe you could cut a board long enough to span across the corner, tie one end to a wall with brackets, and put a leg under the other corner. Ugly, but possible.

Can you put the speaker below the TV and aim it up a bit?

 

[JohnRice]

If you're moving soon, I would just live with Phantom for the time being and make your life simple.