Post by Jerry Riggs on Feb 18, 2007 16:09:57 GMT -5
This is a quick guide on inexpensive ways to send sound from your computer to a stereo system.
There are some easier (but more expensive) methods, such as using a cassette tape adapter designed to connect a CD Walkman to a car stereo system, or buying one of those wireless transceivers that broadcasts the audio on a low-power radio frequency, but I like the following methods because the equipment can usually be had for only a couple dollars:
First, you need to determine what kind of audio inputs your stereo system has. Check the owners manual, or just look the system over for any holes marked "Microphone", "Aux", or "Line Input".
[Configuration 1]
If your system has one of the large input jacks that uses the kind of plug found on professional DJ headphones or electric guitars, you'll need this device:
This is called a 1/8" female to 1/4" male adapter plug, and this handy little gadget can be found at the Dollar Tree for only a buck! It comes in a clear plastic case like the kind cassette tapes are sold in, and the package also includes a pair of (extremely cheap) earbud headphones.
You'll also need my favorite piece of jerry-rigging equipment, the 1/8" to 1/8" double-male audio cord:
Plug one end of the double-male cord into your computer's headphone or speaker jack, and plug the other end into the small hole in the adapter plug pictured here:
Now plug the other end of the adapter plug into your stereo's input jack and you're ready to go!
[Configuration 2]
If your system has one of the small input jacks that looks like a standard 1/8" headphone jack, all you need is the the 1/8" to 1/8" double-male audio cord:
Plug one end into your computer's headphone or speaker jack, and the other end into the input jack on your stereo, and crank up the volume!
[Configuration 3]
This is the most common setup - Left and Right RCA input jacks, usually color coded white and red, respectively:
For this, you need a 1/8" male to L/R RCA adapter cord:
I've gotten one at a Dollar Tree in Oroville before, but I haven't seen them at the dollar stores around here. Your best bet for a cheap one of these is probably Radio Shack, which usually carries them for around $3 or less, depending on the length.
As with the other setups, plug the 1/8" plug into your computer's headphone or speaker jack, and the other end into your stereo system. Rock out as desired.
Alternately, you can use a male 1/8th" to female L/R RCA plug and a double male L/R RCA cord.
The plug looks like this:
And the cord, pictured here:
This cord shown here comes from a DVD player, which is why it has the third yellow plug-which is for video. If you have a DVD player or a VCR in your house, you might want to check and see if it has this kind of cord with it, as it's pretty useful for jerry-rigging.
[Configuration 4 - The Last Resort]
If all else fails, you can try hooking your stereo speakers directly to your computer. It's not the best way to do it, and you could have problems getting enough volume if your speakers require an amplified signal, but here's how you go about it:
If your speakers already have RCA plugs on them, all you need is a male 1/8" to female L/R RCA plug, shown here:
Just hook the male 1/8" end into your computer and then plug the speakers into the female RCA jacks on the other end.
If you have the kind of speakers that are just bare wire that goes into a clip-like thing on the back of your stereo, you'll need to put RCA plugs on them first.
For those of you (like me) who can't solder to save your life, Radio Shack carries "Solderless RCA Plugs" that only require hands, a screwdriver, and some finesse to put on--good eyesight is also a plus.
Well, that's about it for this tutorial. There's lots of other ways to jerry-rig a system (I haven't even gotten into wire-splicing yet) but this should be enough to get you going.
Besides, I don't want to give away all my tricks--I'm trying to run a business here, after all.
All the cords and plugs shown above can usually be had for only a few bucks at Radio Shack or any other low-end electronics store, and given the number of things you can do with them, it's usually worth the investment to keep a couple around--I have drawers, cabinets, and boxes crammed full of this stuff in random locations throughout my house.
There are some easier (but more expensive) methods, such as using a cassette tape adapter designed to connect a CD Walkman to a car stereo system, or buying one of those wireless transceivers that broadcasts the audio on a low-power radio frequency, but I like the following methods because the equipment can usually be had for only a couple dollars:
First, you need to determine what kind of audio inputs your stereo system has. Check the owners manual, or just look the system over for any holes marked "Microphone", "Aux", or "Line Input".
[Configuration 1]
If your system has one of the large input jacks that uses the kind of plug found on professional DJ headphones or electric guitars, you'll need this device:
This is called a 1/8" female to 1/4" male adapter plug, and this handy little gadget can be found at the Dollar Tree for only a buck! It comes in a clear plastic case like the kind cassette tapes are sold in, and the package also includes a pair of (extremely cheap) earbud headphones.
You'll also need my favorite piece of jerry-rigging equipment, the 1/8" to 1/8" double-male audio cord:
Plug one end of the double-male cord into your computer's headphone or speaker jack, and plug the other end into the small hole in the adapter plug pictured here:
Now plug the other end of the adapter plug into your stereo's input jack and you're ready to go!
[Configuration 2]
If your system has one of the small input jacks that looks like a standard 1/8" headphone jack, all you need is the the 1/8" to 1/8" double-male audio cord:
Plug one end into your computer's headphone or speaker jack, and the other end into the input jack on your stereo, and crank up the volume!
[Configuration 3]
This is the most common setup - Left and Right RCA input jacks, usually color coded white and red, respectively:
For this, you need a 1/8" male to L/R RCA adapter cord:
I've gotten one at a Dollar Tree in Oroville before, but I haven't seen them at the dollar stores around here. Your best bet for a cheap one of these is probably Radio Shack, which usually carries them for around $3 or less, depending on the length.
As with the other setups, plug the 1/8" plug into your computer's headphone or speaker jack, and the other end into your stereo system. Rock out as desired.
Alternately, you can use a male 1/8th" to female L/R RCA plug and a double male L/R RCA cord.
The plug looks like this:
And the cord, pictured here:
This cord shown here comes from a DVD player, which is why it has the third yellow plug-which is for video. If you have a DVD player or a VCR in your house, you might want to check and see if it has this kind of cord with it, as it's pretty useful for jerry-rigging.
[Configuration 4 - The Last Resort]
If all else fails, you can try hooking your stereo speakers directly to your computer. It's not the best way to do it, and you could have problems getting enough volume if your speakers require an amplified signal, but here's how you go about it:
If your speakers already have RCA plugs on them, all you need is a male 1/8" to female L/R RCA plug, shown here:
Just hook the male 1/8" end into your computer and then plug the speakers into the female RCA jacks on the other end.
If you have the kind of speakers that are just bare wire that goes into a clip-like thing on the back of your stereo, you'll need to put RCA plugs on them first.
For those of you (like me) who can't solder to save your life, Radio Shack carries "Solderless RCA Plugs" that only require hands, a screwdriver, and some finesse to put on--good eyesight is also a plus.
Well, that's about it for this tutorial. There's lots of other ways to jerry-rig a system (I haven't even gotten into wire-splicing yet) but this should be enough to get you going.
Besides, I don't want to give away all my tricks--I'm trying to run a business here, after all.
All the cords and plugs shown above can usually be had for only a few bucks at Radio Shack or any other low-end electronics store, and given the number of things you can do with them, it's usually worth the investment to keep a couple around--I have drawers, cabinets, and boxes crammed full of this stuff in random locations throughout my house.
