Totally NUDE cable problem/question

John P. Cooper · December-26th-2005, 09:53 PM

I need a cable or patch cord or device to connect external speakers from my TV and/or VCR to my speakers.

I need RCA plugs on the TV/VCR end and bare stereo wires on the speaker end.

I went to RottoShack today and the guy suggested a 99 dollar device for the hook up as he said it would require amping the speakers. I declined.

Is there a cable or cord that will do the trick?

Can I simply strip a phono cord at one end and slip them into the speaker 'clips'?

Chris D · December-28th-2005, 10:13 AM

I think the tech is right in this case. What will be powering the signal, John?

Nefertiti · December-28th-2005, 10:58 AM

It's a question of power, not only cabling. There are RCA outputs that have enough power to drive headphones or small passive PC speakers, but definitely not larger speakers.

John P. Cooper · December-28th-2005, 03:32 PM

I assumed that since the TV monitor has outputs for external speakers that they would be self powering.

No?

The Shack wanted 100 dollars for a liitle box. Not worth it to me. I can always use on of my old VCRs and plug it into my receiver and use the speakers I use for listening to music.

Logistics - my stereo rig is on the opposite side of the living room from my TV monitor and I do not want long speaker wires all over the place.

Chris D · December-28th-2005, 03:56 PM

Those RCA jacks are most likely for patching the TV output signal into a receiver or some other preamp that would then use the accompanying power amp to run the speakers. If the output was for powering speakers directly, they wouldn't be RCA jacks but speaker wire terminals.

John P. Cooper · December-29th-2005, 03:06 AM

Chris-

I will take a look at the back of the TV tomorrow.

Just fried my oldest VCR tonight....and in the middle of a movie. Absolutely no power. I have just unplugged it and I hope to try plugging it in agin to pop out the tape so I don't have to open it up.

HA! Just pulled my back-up VCR out of the closet. MIB Panasonic. So happy to read that it is "Year 2000 Compliant" Whew! PV-9450 : gets good reviews online. Another Cooper buy and never use item, but coming in handy. I hope to revive the Zenith that just died to use as a possible source for good stereo sound thru my audio system.

The Zenith has slowly become problematic, but it has served it lifespan well. Gotta be pushing a decade on this one. Heavy usage.

Time to either put it out to pasture or put it out of its misery.

BTW - The item that ScheissShack wanted to sell me was a wireless device for 100 clams, so there must be a wired device for less.

See my story on inept encounters in the thread of such matters on this forum.