I am in concert with Traffer's post (#15). We had SAME problem with a Samsung t.v., not all that old. For the first several minutes, too, sound was AOK... then, garbled. To be OCD, I plugged a DVD player in it's input, so there was no way there'd be a "cable" possibility as the culprit. Problem stayed the same . Step 3 was to take Audio Out of television, and plug those, using standard phono cables, into the stereo. Not only was the problem solved, but the sound has appeared to be awesomely better than just from the wee television's speakers. The big down-fall is now needing/using two remotes -- the second just for the sound; and, perhaps the extra pennies in electricity usage with the second device going as well... BUT, cheaper than a replacement television.
geo