BeNME
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What do I need?
Connecting my laptop to my stereo system
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classicalguy
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I'd recommend an M-audio Transport, assuming your laptop has USB. There are many other options, including the TBAAM for less money.
BeNME
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Got a problem. I went out and got a RCA Y cable. All the guides I found tell me to plug the red/white ends into either the Aux or Tape out portion of my stereo. I have neither...one of the sections on my stereo is called "MD/Tape" but that didn't work
vo328
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What kind of stereo are you using (Brand and Model)? That would help us help you better.
classicalguy
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"Went out and got a RCA Y cable. All the guides I found tell me to plug the red/white ends into either the Aux or Tape out portion of my stereo. I have neither...one of the sections on my stereo is called "MD/Tape" but that didn't work."
Be careful - you might blow something out. Your laptop's audio output is probably has a mini-rca stereo jack. This jack has both the left and right channels on one jack. Your receiver probably has standard mono left and right RCA connectors. If I'm right, you will need a cable that has a mini-rca stereo jack on one end, and two regular mono rca jacks on the other end. You don't want to combine or split any channels - just route the correct channels from the mini stereo jack to the standard mono jacks. You do not want a splitter.
You can plug into any of the INPUTS on your stereo (other than an input for a record player). Do not plug your laptop outputs into your receiver outputs. You want laptop outputs to go into receiver INPUTS. Think of it like water - you want the water (sound) to flow from your laptop to your receiver. You don't want the water to flow from your receiver to your laptop. If you hook outputs to outputs, you can blow somethiing out.
So you may have the wrong cable, and it certainly sounds like you're hooking it up wrong.
Be careful - you might blow something out. Your laptop's audio output is probably has a mini-rca stereo jack. This jack has both the left and right channels on one jack. Your receiver probably has standard mono left and right RCA connectors. If I'm right, you will need a cable that has a mini-rca stereo jack on one end, and two regular mono rca jacks on the other end. You don't want to combine or split any channels - just route the correct channels from the mini stereo jack to the standard mono jacks. You do not want a splitter.
You can plug into any of the INPUTS on your stereo (other than an input for a record player). Do not plug your laptop outputs into your receiver outputs. You want laptop outputs to go into receiver INPUTS. Think of it like water - you want the water (sound) to flow from your laptop to your receiver. You don't want the water to flow from your receiver to your laptop. If you hook outputs to outputs, you can blow somethiing out.
So you may have the wrong cable, and it certainly sounds like you're hooking it up wrong.
infinitesymphony
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Quote:
The Aux / Tape Out is useful if you want to use the stereo as a signal splitter, which it doesn't sound like what you want to do. The Tape Out is a line output, and you want an input, as classicalguy said. If this is just a boombox, chances are good that it doesn't have any inputs to accept audio from the laptop. If it's a receiver, any input should work.
| Originally Posted by BeNME /img/forum/go_quote.gif Got a problem. I went out and got a RCA Y cable. All the guides I found tell me to plug the red/white ends into either the Aux or Tape out portion of my stereo. |
The Aux / Tape Out is useful if you want to use the stereo as a signal splitter, which it doesn't sound like what you want to do. The Tape Out is a line output, and you want an input, as classicalguy said. If this is just a boombox, chances are good that it doesn't have any inputs to accept audio from the laptop. If it's a receiver, any input should work.
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