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RCA cable: 2 sources to 1 output

Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel

No Lifer
I need to setup wireless headphones for someone that is bed ridden in a nursing home and the TV does not have an audio output except for optical, oddly. There is a VCR and a cable box, they both have RCA audio outputs. The wireless headphone receiver also has RCA as input.

Can I just make a Y RCA cable where I just combine the 3 yellows and 3 reds and then plug each pair into each device?

I can't find such cable, so I'm wondering if it's because this wont work? Do I need to do anything to ensure that the output of one device does not cause anything weird with the other output device?
 
There's no reason why it wouldn't work, but you're then relying on that person to ensure that the only device that they have on is the one they want to watch. If both are on, not only will video likely not work in any capacity, but you have the possibility of over-driving the input stage of your wireless headphone base station, which can cause clipping, or damage depending on how much input voltage the base station can take.

Since wireless headphones already tend to be broadly mediocre sound quality wise, and they are for a non-particular person (you are using RCA video connections after all), why not just get a cheap <$20 DAC to do the conversion from the TV? A basic unit from Portta is $9-$13. Along with a cheap toslink cable, that $15 cost seems like an acceptable outlay of cash to remove such concerns and the need to hack together a solution. 🙂
 
That box looks interesting, so is it basically a fibre converter and will convert to RCA output? This would be the cable I use? :

http://www.amazon.ca/Digital-Audio-Optical-Fiber-Toslink/dp/B0042E53XE/ref=pd_bxgy_ce_img_y

Though we're badly running out of outlet space and not sure if I want to start daisy chaining power bars so think I'll stick to the Y connector. If it was someone's house or something I could make it nice and tidy but in a nursing home they'll tend to be more strict on that. We already have one of those 6 outlet converters plugged in and it's full after plugging the earphone station.
 
I used a couple of those and they did do the job. Unfortunately both units died within six months. I hope you have better luck.
 
Red Squirrel said:
That box looks interesting, so is it basically a fibre converter and will convert to RCA output? This would be the cable I use? :

http://www.amazon.ca/Digital-Audio-O..._bxgy_ce_img_y

Though we're badly running out of outlet space and not sure if I want to start daisy chaining power bars so think I'll stick to the Y connector. If it was someone's house or something I could make it nice and tidy but in a nursing home they'll tend to be more strict on that. We already have one of those 6 outlet converters plugged in and it's full after plugging the earphone station.
Click to expand...

Yes, essentially it is a DAC (Digital to Analog Converter). Prices from such things run from dirt cheap to ludicrous expensive. This one is very low-priced while being able to receive a Toslink signal (PCM Stereo only, not Dolby Digital or DTS).

Like I said earlier, there's no reason why you can't just do a Y connector, but it won't work if she ever leaves both devices on, and may even damage something. I'd probably get a larger surge protector first, but it's certainly your decision to make. 🙂
 
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