how to set up Apple Tv with my TV+remote and external passive speakers?

[L int.]

Hey people,

I just got myself an Apple TV 4K 128 and would like to connect it to our (rather matured) Philips TV.

This TV has really bad sound quality, so bad, that in fact I have to very much rely on subtitles a lot of times.

My goal is to connect a pair of passive speakers to it, and I would like to be able to adjust the volume level with the Apple TV remote.

Can this be done at all? I do have the speakers already, and I am willing to buy a small amp/receiver, but it shouldn't be more than what I paid for the Apple TV.

Can you give recommendations when looking at the connections our TV has? It's mostly HDMI, but I imagine that there are other possibilities?

Needless to say that I feel very uncomfortable in the receiver/amp/cable standard world.

Thanks a bunch,

Joe

 

[Kenny99]

Connect the ATV (apple TV) HDMI to the TV-HDMI 2. Connect your speakers to the TV Audio out (you may need an amp but try it anyway)
The ATV remote MAY turn on the TV when you turn on the ATV. If not try another HDMI port on your TV. (The TV's documentation may have this information in it) If that doesn't work just turn on the TV with its remote and then turn on the ATV. You WILL be able to adjust the volume with the ATV remote while using the ATV.
Don't forget to setup the Audio out on the ATV settings to TV speakers.
Hopes this helps.

 

[L int.]

Thanks Kenny,

now I don't have an amp with optical in, so I have hooked up my old mini amp with RCA and plugged it into the mini headphone outlet on the TV. I can only adjust the volume on the amp itself, not with the remote (as expected).

Question: what device should I look for, to get control over the volume with the remote?

 

[mallbritton]

Question: what device should I look for, to get control over the volume with the remote?

I don't know if this is an idea you want to consider, but a pair of HomePod Minis might suite your needs. Set the minis up as a stereo pair and then tell the ATV to use them as audio out.

 

[priitv8]

Question: what device should I look for, to get control over the volume with the remote?

The original Siri remote could also learn the IR codes from your TV/AVR remote.
If you are not using HDMI, then IR control is the only possibility to make Siri remote change volume on your TV or AVR.

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/new-apple-siri-remote-2021-owner’s-thread-faqs-user-guides-news-posts-1-5.3196795/#AVRNOCEC

 

[Kenny99]

Thanks Kenny,

now I don't have an amp with optical in, so I have hooked up my old mini amp with RCA and plugged it into the mini headphone outlet on the TV. I can only adjust the volume on the amp itself, not with the remote (as expected).

Question: what device should I look for, to get control over the volume with the remote?

Connect your amp / speakers to the TV’s audio out, not the ATV.

 

[L int.]

Now I have gotten myself an affordable DAC to try things out - it does just convert from Toslink and Coax. No HDMI.

Everything works, but the one thing I was hoping to accomplish most is volume change on the amp with the ATV remote, but that does not work.

My setup: ATV hdmi TV > TV optical DAC > DAC rca amp > amp to speakers.

TV speakers on TV itself are disabled, and TV speakers on ATV are selected. But the ATV remote adjusts the internal TV speakers volume fine (if selected), but doesn't change volume levels on the ATV (which I would like to see).

Should the remote be able to change volume levels from the ATV (before they hit the amp), or did I misunderstand something here?

Or is optical the problem here? Does what I want only work with an HDMI DAC?

 

[priitv8]

Apple TV remote does not change volume of the device itself (what it sends to HDMI).
Apple TV remote can only control external device's volume, if they are connected via HDMI. That is the special control wire (pin 13) that transmits commands to the other device. No HDMI - no remote control. This feature is called HDMI CEC (Consumer Electronics Control).
Finally - appleTV remote should be able to learn IR code of your amp. Essentially - it can become the remote of your amp, but only the volume buttons can be taught like this.
Alternatively - it may also go easier with your TV remote. It should turn aTV on and off and control all the menu actions. HDMI connection between TV and aTV is needed again, but aTV does not have any other, so that is given.
The catch here - I do not believe TV-s can change the audio level on their optical out. They can change the level of headphone output or perhaps the RCA stereo output (if such thing is configurable on your TV).

 

[L int.]

Thanks so much for clarifying this!

Still I feel like I may have a wrong idea about one thing here. You write about the IR code of my amp...my amp doesn't have such a thing. Just a big volume knob (I believe it's called potentiometer).

I thought I could turn that knob to a level that's needed at max, and then lower from there with the ATV, or HDMI CEC connection or whatever...
So I basically want to use my ten year old amp for this, or is that wishful thinking?

 

[priitv8]

OK, I see your problem.
I was under the impression IR remote has been a commonplace since 1970. Must be wrong.
Your options could be:

• using analog out from the TV - this way adjusting volume on the TV set would be conveyed to the amp
• use some remotely controllable volume adjuster / preamp somewhere in the signal path. Searching on amazon hints, that they tend to come in a form of DAC mostly.

Considering the latter - I do not see a reason to just add another box to the system, to achieve what the TV can do already (option 1 in the list).
The reason for bad audio from a flat panel TV is the (nonexistent) speakers, not the digital-to-analog converter chip inside. So at the end, audio quality from the analog/headphone out will not be drastically worse than from external DAC. But the system and setup would be simpler.
This all applies when you are satisfied with stereo sound.
For surround, you will need a more complex solution.

 

[L int.]

I too thought that the internal DAC would be good enough, but I got one of those cheap ones to convert from optical to RCA and it's a MAJOR difference - the headphone out of the TV has an ear piercing treble/crunch to it, it's unbelievable.

Now the headphone out is the only analog out, and volume can only be changed with the TV remote in the headphone menu. Cumbersome...it's a Philips TV after all.

But yesterday all of a sudden I realized that we had an old NAD amp sitting still in a moving box. That one has IR remote control. So everything is set up right now, and sound is soft and nice.

Thanks for your help - much appreciated.