Am wanting to connect my soundbar (oooh, get me) to an old dvd player (yes, how quaint). Soundbar says an optical cable is needed, dvd player says a coaxial digital connection is needed.

Is confused. Will these two work together?

Can anyone shed some light on this please? Thanks. 🙂

They’re two different cable types so no won’t work together like that.

Is there no optical out on the dvd player?

Wow, that was quick so thanks! Yes, that’s what I was worried about. Dvd player has a L and R Audio Out plus a Video Out that’s for connecting to TV. It’s probably 10 years old.

Are you sure your displayed hasn’t got an optical connection? It is a small black plastic socket that is square in shape, maybe quarter of an inch square. It might have a plastic plug in there. I’d be surprised it it doesn’t have both coax and digital (toslink) connections. Every DVD player I’ve had has and I’ve always only had cheap bottom of the range David players (no point in anything else with digital output).

wobbliscott – no it hasn’t, this is a very low tech home! In fact the dvd player is nearer to 15 years old. There’s definitely an optical connection on the soundbar though.

Looks as though I’ll need to replace the dvd player so that means more confusion with regard to blu-ray!

Are there no RCA connectors on the soundbar? One Red and one white round connectors, maybe with a yellow video connector

You could always get a cheap convertor to convert the coaxial digital signal to an optical one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cable-Mountain-Digital-Coaxial-Converter/dp/B001U7GW68

They’re two ways of transmitting the same signal. Optical is also known as Toslink.

Perhaps an adaptor is an easier/cheaper option?

Pah, beaten to it because my chips needed collecting 😛

Thanks chaps. 8) No other connectors on the soundbar and will take a look at that convertor, didn’t know such a thing existed.

Rather handily I discovered that RicherSounds website gives a good spec listing that includes inputs/outputs. From looking at their dvd/blu-ray players not all have an optical connection, instead having coaxial.

Excellent help, much appreciated. 😀

How modern is your kit? For a soundbar I would have thought that you would connect your DVD/Blue Ray player via HDMI and connect your TV to your soundbar with the digital signal from the DVD/BR play being ‘passed through’ the TV and into the soundbar. Having all the devices plugged into the TV and the soundbar doesn’t sound the best and most efficient way to connect everything up.

Obviously if your DVD and TV don’t have HDMI then you’ve not got much option.

wobbliscott – yes, have realised that a rethink is needed. TV is around 8 years old but does have HDMI, soundbar was bought last month. I was hoping to be able to connect (Samsung) soundbar to (Samsung) TV wirelessly via SoundConnect but TV can’t do this.

Ancient Panasonic dvd player only has Audio Out plus Video Out.

Also ended up with this separate and ridiculous badass sub but that connects wirelessly to TV.

Am happy to replace the dvd player if needs be.

Thanks for your thoughts so far. 🙂

EDIT: there is no ARC function on TV.