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Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Alan Cox
I am about to buy a new Samsung TV (probably). I have in mind one which they say is WiFi compatible provided you have a dongle. As I have an Apple TV, I am wondering if I need a dongle. Help, please.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Mick Burrell
I suspect that what they mean is there is no wireless interface built in but if you buy a (USB?) wireless adapter it can join your wireless network. However, it's quite possible that you could connect your Apple TV to it by cable - probably ethernet. You would need to look at the specifications of the specific model of TV you intend to buy to see what connections it has available.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Lionel Ogden
Mick is correct in suggesting that the dongle referred to is to enable the Samsung TV to access your wi-fi network and thereby the Samsung smart TV apps. This would enable you to view such things as BBC iPlayer and a host of other things which the Apple TV cannot access. You could still use your Apple TV connected by most likely an HDMI cable for all the apple specific stuff for which it is excellent

You could avoid the need for a dongle by going a little way up the model range to a Samsung Smart TV.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Alan Cox
If only I had taken Lionel's last suggestion. I failed to do so, so got a dongle and it works a treat. Trouble is there's so many things built into these Smart sets, that it will take me an age to get the best out of it.And the sound quality is not all that bright but perhaps that's my ears at fault

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Alan Cox
I meant to say thank you to both Mick and Lionel or their ever wise advice. So . . thank you.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Lionel Ogden
I don't think there are many of the modern slim TVs that have decent sound. It would seem that the cases are too slim to house decent speakers. "Which" reports on TVs always refer to the indifferent sound quality. We have our smart TV plugged in to our Bose audio unit and the sound is fine.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Since this thread has developed into TV sound quality I wonder if anyone could recommend a smallish speaker(s) set-up that would improve our slim-line Panasonic output. We use Sennheiser wireless headphones for serious listening but would like to improve the sound in general.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Douglas Cheney
I have listened to one of these Roy and they are very good for sound
Panasonic SC-HTE80EB-S Wireless Speakerboard with Bluetooth Wireless Technology - Silver

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Many thanks Doug. That device and the other option, Denon DHT-T100 Soundbar for TV which you added via email seem to be good solutions. Am investigating. Roy

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Mick Burrell
Give us an idea of budget Roy.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Roy Rainford
The one on my shortlist, Denon DHT-T100 Soundbar, is £196 which is enough. However on checking our TV I find only two HDMI sockets, one connected to the SKY box and the other to the Apple TV device. So if we go ahead it seems that we would have to unplug the Apple TV when not in use. Not a problem, just slightly inconvenient.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Douglas Cheney
It connects through an optical cable not HDMI

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Mick Burrell
If it has a headphone socket (highly likely) these may fit the bill:

Speakers

My computer speakers died and I have a pair of these arriving today so I can't give a personal opinion (yet) but they get very good reviews, claim to "fill the room with sound" (!) and are fairly unobtrusive.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Thanks Mick. The TV does have a headphone socket so would the speakers have to connect there? I thought they would have an RCA cable plugged into 'Audio Out' L & R sockets at the back of the TV. I wouldn't want to use the headphone socket because that is taken by the wireless headphones transmitter.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Mick Burrell
They are designed to connect to a 3.5mm headphone type socket. You could probably get a converter but I suspect not worth the hassle.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Am "Snookered" and think will stick with headphones. Thanks for all the replies.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Lionel Ogden
Perhaps an HDMI doubler would solve your problem here is a link to the amazon page.


http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_12?url=search-alias%3Dcomputers&field-keywords=hdmi+doubler&sprefix=HDMI+doubler%2Caps%2C1160

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Thank you Lionel. I didn't know a doubler was available. It should solve the problem when/if we get a sound bar or speakers.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Trevor Hewson
Roy, if you have a spare input available on your stereo (eg Aux or Tape) you could connect your TV's 'audio out' to that. However this won't help unless your speakers are suitably sited either side of the TV. Ours are not, but we still use this facility for radio programmes recorded on our PVR.

Re: Do I need a dongle?

Avatar Roy Rainford
Thank you Trevor but we don't have a stereo. Perhaps that is what we need! However living in a flat limits the sound level somewhat hence the use of headphones.
 
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