Q. I sometimes have trouble with the sound from my TV’s speakers. The volume is too low and hard to hear and sometimes I can’t hear it all. When I hook up the TV to my stereo system, no problem. Everything sounds great. Any idea why the TV speakers would be a problem? — David, Fairfax, Virginia.
It appears that you’re getting a clear audio signal from your cable or satellite set-top, which is why the sound isn’t an issue when you connect your set to your stereo system. So the problem is likely with your television.
There are several things you can do to check your set’s audio connection and sound level. Sony.com’s Troubleshooting page has some useful tips and they are:
For starters, turn up the volume of your TV. If you can’t hear anything at all, make sure the set isn’t set on Mute. If you simply aren’t getting a proper volume level, then let’s go to the next step, which is…
Making sure there are no headphones connected to your TV. Having headphones connected to your set can cause the same lack of sound as hitting the Mute button.
If you still don’t have a solution, then click on the Menu on your TV’s remote control and go to the Audio or Sound setting. Then, make sure the Multichannel sound feature is set at Stereo. If the show you’re watching is in stereo but your TV is not set for stereo, the sound could come from just one speaker, which would explain the low volume.
Still having a problem? Then, go back to the Sound/Audio feature in the Menu and make sure the Speakers setting is turned to On.
After taking the above steps, if you still are having a sound issue, make sure all your connections from your set-top to your TV are secure.
And, try connecting a different set-top to your TV to see if that makes a difference. You could be having a sound issue with a cable set-top, for instance, so try connecting a DVD or Blu-ray player to see if the sound level improves.
If you still don’t have sound coming from your TV’s speakers at this point, you basically have two options. Connect your TV to a stereo or Surround Sound system or bring your TV in for a repair.
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Hello Phillip Swann,
Some headphones require a stereo mini plug connection instead of the more common red and white composite connection. If a stereo mini plug did not come supplied with the headphones, contact your local electronics retailer for information regarding the availability of an RCA-to-stereo mini plug cable.
Regards
James