its mushroom picking time of the year. chanterelles, elephant ears(hedge hogs),
shaggy manes, king boletes, are on the menu.
yesterday found a ten pound cabbage mushroom. made into the best soup with vegetable broth.

good luck john when you assume the position.

That sounds like the yearly physical, Ray.

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Home audio question for you folks (can't find a specific forum for this, so I picked The Lounge of Computer Technical Help).

This is a stupid, total audio novice question, so forgive my dumbness. My son and I like to hit the Goodwill store once a week while waiting for my daughter to finish her gymnastics class and sometimes we find some interesting items. I picked up a Vizio VSB211 sound bar on the cheap (obviously - it's Goodwill) a couple weeks ago and hooked it up just fine with the TV in our play room. Works well. Originally had a remote control and subwoofer, but those weren't included.

Today, I saw a powered subwoofer for a few bucks at Goodwill, so I got it after looking it up online and seeing it had positive reviews.

Thing is, I can't figure out what the hell cable I need to connect the sound bar and subwoofer.

The subwoofer has the usual speaker wire connections, which I won't be using, and a typical RCA audio connection, which is what I assumed I would use.

The sound bar has a sub out port, which I thought was RCA, but it's not. RCA is too big for it.



Anyone know the deal here? Is there a way to connect the two devices?

Is that an RCA with something broken off in it? Like an RCA male or an adaptor? It doesn't look right to me.

I think it's just the flash and a slight off-angle that makes it look weird.

Found a pic of the back panel here, looks the same:

https://uedata.amazon.com/VIZIO-VSB2.../dp/B007QWJ6KK

EDIT: I may just call Vizio when I get a chance. No rush. The sound bar works fine and if I can't hook up the sub, big whoop. I bought the sub for $9. I'd love to try, though.

EDIT 2: I wonder if it's some stupid proprietary connection? I used to have a Panasonic surround sound system that had a proprietary connection for the subwoofer, which made it useless once I stopped using the receiver.

the sound bar doesnt connect to the sub. both connect to the receiver.

although most sound bars can use bluetooth if you want.

Looking at the manual (downloaded it), the sub that came with it plugs directly into the sound bar. I guess that's kind of the point of the original package - you don't need a receiver. Plug sound bar into the TV (and power outlet), plug sub into sound bar and voila - better sound than the TV speakers.

I'm still wondering if it's a proprietary connection. I'll do some more investigating this weekend. I'll probably be running an errand to an electronics store, anyway, so I'll ask someone there.

No bluetooth on this. It's fairly old for this type of product - 2010, I think. Like I said, I picked both up separately from Goodwill on a whim since they were crazy cheap, as everything is at Goodwill. I know I'm spending way too much time on this, but now I really want to get to the bottom of it, even if it means I wasted a few bucks on the sub.

EDIT: I'm on the phone with Vizio and the dude is also confused. If it wasn't for those pics on Amazon, I would assume it was a broken port. Man, I'm wasting a lot of time on this stupid crap.

probably the sub you got would be too powerful for the soundbar. i guess try it and see.

Confirmed with Vizio that it's a proprietary cable and it's old enough at this point that they don't even have any that they could send me. Plus, there's no adapter to connect to an RCA sub. Oh, well. I'll find a use for the sub some day or sell it for $10.

The sound bar itself is quite nice and is an upgrade from the TV's speakers, so I'm cool with that.

Thanks for humoring me.

all good as long as your sound bar will change volume with your tv remote.

Yup, it does.

There are actually two separate volume controls. When using the sound bar's remote (I don't have it, but I had a spare universal remote that I setup), the volume on the sound bar itself is adjusted. When using the TV/cable box remote, the TV volume changes.

As the TV volume now goes through the sound bar, I use that, as it can be fine-tuned better. Plus, when I turned the volume of the sound bar itself up, there was eventually a bit of a hissing on the highest levels (though only noticeable when no sound is coming through the speaker). So I have it at about 2/3 volume and then use the regular TV/cable volume up/down. Sounds really good when it gets to blasting, especially with music streaming.

Only thing I need to figure out is how to turn the sound bar on when the TV turns on. It's not a big deal, but it would be easier than hitting power on two remotes. Plus, my kids haven't remembered how to do it yet. I'll get to that eventually.

you need a remote that has a way to program sequencing. some do but after market ones are out there. ive had them and you can have one button start everything at once.

you line up each remote with the new one and push the buttons you want to go with the button you have on learning with the new remote.

I have been away from work all week at conferences. Unfortunately, alone. The first was in North Andover, MA, and I met a team from Marshall University. One woman spent a year working with my ex-girlfriend in another West Virginia college, and her and her husband own a second home, in High Point, NC, about a half mile from a friend of mine since kindergarten. Small world, indeed.

Now in NYC. Conference ended at noon, so I have been exploring the city and went to MoMA this afternoon. Worst part is the hotel is in Times Square. I much prefer the Upper East Side or West Side. This is complete madness around here. Zeno would hate it.

Conferences are much more fun with colleagues.

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next week some cold is moving in. is it time for the winter thread yet.

As you are well aware, or should be aware, I get to determine when the seasonal threads begin and end. Besides, no cold weather moving into the East Coast.

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as those there may believe it does , the world doesnt revolve around the east coast.

it is there in spite of things.

It would be cold there if it did, though.

I'm back, but probably not for long. The hounds of hell are snapping at my heels.

I had a great time. I may give a synopsis and post a few pics in the blog forum and here about my excursion across the pond.

Then John and I will plan the NYC gig. Then the world ends.

every heel should have a hound.

Time wounds all heels.

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oh and since you are here john. its been below freezing every day in montana and roads covered in ice and snow. is that considered winter conditions. have you no heart man.

the calendar only determines what days you have to drag your butt into work.

and i could care less what kind of mojo phone you have

zeno. it would be wonderful to see some of your pics of the trip.

no need for your pics of nyc and the yuppie food you are going to get stuck eating with you know who.

do eat lots of italian food as on the west coast most of it is pitiful and would make me homesick if i wasnt a realist.

when i go to far away places like aust. and new zealand it is so nice not to get american news. only a little blurb in their papers usually. they could care less about us here and its kinda nice to get a break.
the only thing we do for them is lie and say we will protect them from invasion.

Sorry about the mojo, Ray, but it's easier this way to respond. It was in the high 50s today, so it's cooler here too. BTW, I had Italian food in NYC although RI has great Italian food. Unlike Montana, which, I suspect, has few Italians.

And you don't get a winter thread before Thanksgiving.

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