# Problem! DVD player has no RCA audio out for headphones.



## theslaz

Just purchased a Samsung Plasma TV and a Samsung Home theater system. The home theater system or the Tv do not have any rca audio out connections. My wireless headphones require such a connection.
As it stands now; I have the Tv hooked to a digital Tv box, which has rca connectors for audio out, and this is where I have the headphones connected. The only problem is; I can only use the headphones when watching a Tv program. I would like to use the headphones whilst watching a movie through the Dvd player or a movie streamed via Netflex through the Home Theater system.

Is there any easy solution to this??


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## Mike P.

Welcome! What is the model number of the TV?


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## eugovector

I think I see where mike is going but to can also use re analog audio outs of your DVD player in the sane way as you are currently using your tuner box. You'll just need an RCA sworn to select between the outputs


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## theslaz

Tv is a Samsung Plasma model PN50C540 and the Home theater is a Samsung 5.1 Ch Blu-ray model HT-c6530.


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## Mike P.

On the back of your TV is an audio out jack that takes a 3.5 mm plug. You need a 3.5 mm to female RCA "Y" adapter. Any source going into the TV will go to your headphones.


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## theslaz

Thank you! I obviously over looked that. Will purchase an adapter and let you know.


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## eugovector

Mike, I'm not sure the DVD player/surround system passes audio via HDMI, in which case, hooking to the back of the tv won't yield any sound.

Slaz, with your current config, do you get sound from the tv speakers?


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## theslaz

No sound from the Tv speakers at all with it hooked to the Dvd!
In frustration; I did try hooking my headphones to the speaker output connectors on the back of the Dvd. This did work; but there was terrible static and could not be used comfortably.


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## eugovector

Hmm, shouldn't be any static from the outputs unless they are damaged/malfunctioning. Could be RF interference if you placed your transmitter too close to your equipment.

Mechanical RCA switch sounds like the answer to me, something similar to this: http://www.hometheatershack.com/hom...AV_RCA_Selector_Switch_Box_with_AV_Cable.html


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## Mike P.

eugovector said:


> Mike, I'm not sure the DVD player/surround system passes audio via HDMI, in which case, hooking to the back of the tv won't yield any sound.


I have a Samsung DVD player connected to a Samsung LCD with HDMI, I have my wireless headphones connected to the headphone jack on the TV using the above mentioned adapter. I was thinking slaz would get the same results using the audio out jack on his TV.


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## eugovector

Mike P. said:


> I have a Samsung DVD player connected to a Samsung LCD with HDMI, I have my wireless headphones connected to the headphone jack on the TV using the above mentioned adapter. I was thinking slaz would get the same results using the audio out jack on his TV.


Yes, but I think in this case, with the DVD player integrated into the HTIB, the HTIB may not pass audio via HDMI out, only video (I'm sure it would save the manufacturer a buck or two per system). A standalone DVD player certainly would when connected directly to the TV.


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## Mike P.

I took his first post to mean the DVD player was connected to the TV and Netflex was through a Home Theater system. Slaz, can you clarify this?


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## theslaz

Nope. Just purchased an adapter at our local "The Source" (Radio Shack); tried it and there is no sound coming from the headphones.
Curious about your comment on "Static" from my stereo connections. What interference are you talking about? All my equipment is in one spot; one would think that they would work together!


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## eugovector

You flat out shouldn't have static from the analog outputs without a bad cable, or something significant wrong with the component. The more likely culprit is that the static is present in the wireless signals to the headphones due to RF interference. Does the static get better/worse as you move closer/away from the transmitter? Does the static get better/worse as you as you move the transmitter closer/away from the other equipment?


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## theslaz

Mike P. said:


> I took his first post to mean the DVD player was connected to the TV and Netflex was through a Home Theater system. Slaz, can you clarify this?


Sorry! Dvd player is the home theater system. Actual name is 5.1 CH Blu-ray Home theater System. Sorry not up on all the "terminology"!


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## theslaz

Just tried the headphones hooked to the external connections. There really is no static; I think what I meant is that the sound sounds weird; probably because I have it hooked to the left and right rear speakers only. The headphones would probably work hooked up in this fashion, if I knew what speakers to hook them up to. Does this make sense?


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## Mike P.

We're trying to figure out what you have and how it's connected. You have a digital Tv box connected to a Samsung Plasma PN50C540 TV. What is the model number of the "5.1 CH Blu-ray Home theater System" and what type of cable is connecting it to the TV?


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## eugovector

Okay, the problem is that, according to the manual, you have no audio output from the DVD player what so ever. I don't know how you have your headphones hooked up to the rear speaker outputs, but don't do it again. You can damage your headphones as those output can put out much more wattage than standard RCA line Outs.

At this point, I'm not really seeing anyway to get audio from the built in DVD player to your headphones if there is no audio transmitted along with the HDMI output. Can someone else take a look at the manual and see if they're seeing something I'm not?

The closest I could get would be some sort of device that would convert Speaker Level inputs to Line Level, something like this: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_142SLC4/Scosche-SLC4.html?search=speaker+line+level&tp=2001


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## WooferHound

theslaz said:


> Just tried the headphones hooked to the external connections. There really is no static; I think what I meant is that the sound sounds weird; probably because I have it hooked to the left and right rear speakers only. The headphones would probably work hooked up in this fashion,


The speaker output is too strong to feed into any headphones, they will be overpowered. The static you hear is the background noise and hiss generated by the amplifiers. You will not hear this with regular speakers hooked up to the speaker outs.


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## theslaz

Thank you; I will disconnect the headphones! I checked out your link and it looks promising; I will research it further.
I did some research on this problem before I posted it in this forum. One possible solution I found (maybe) was this link on Ebay. Could you check it and tell me what you think.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/HDMI-Analog-RCA-...217?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56405c6fd1
The link was working this morning.


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## theslaz

I will type the link as it appears to be too long.
(//cgi.ebay.ca/HDMI-Analog-RCA-Composite-Video-L-R-Audio-Converter-/370446987217?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56405c6fd1)


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## theslaz

Mike P. said:


> We're trying to figure out what you have and how it's connected. You have a digital Tv box connected to a Samsung Plasma PN50C540 TV. What is the model number of the "5.1 CH Blu-ray Home theater System" and what type of cable is connecting it to the TV?


Tv is a Samsung Plasma model PN50C540 and the Home theater is a Samsung 5.1 Ch Blu-ray model HT-c6530.


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## eugovector

theslaz said:


> Thank you; I will disconnect the headphones! I checked out your link and it looks promising; I will research it further.
> I did some research on this problem before I posted it in this forum. One possible solution I found (maybe) was this link on Ebay. Could you check it and tell me what you think.
> http://cgi.ebay.ca/HDMI-Analog-RCA-...217?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item56405c6fd1
> The link was working this morning.


Once again, I think the problem is that the HDMI output from your DVD player/avr only sends video, not audio. If you can hook up an HDMI cable from your "DVD player" to you TV, and you get sound from your TV's built in speakers, then a product like the one you linked may work. If you dont get sound, then it won't. 

So, are they connected via HDMI? Are you getting sound from the speakers built into your TV?


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## WooferHound

The HDMI converter that you linked to looks like it would work but it doesn't have a HDMI feedthrough to continue the signal through to your TV. 

It was late last night when I wrote my post or I would have suggested that if you are handy with a soldering iron you can convert your Speaker Outputs to Headphone Level by putting some 120 or 150 ohm resisters in the +positive wires between the speakers and headphones. You can convert the Speaker Outs to Line Level by doing the same thing but use 5000 to 10000 ohm resisters instead of the lower values.


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## eugovector

WooferHound said:


> The HDMI converter that you linked to looks like it would work but it doesn't have a HDMI feedthrough to continue the signal through to your TV.
> 
> It was late last night when I wrote my post or I would have suggested that if you are handy with a soldering iron you can convert your Speaker Outputs to Headphone Level by putting some 120 or 150 ohm resisters in the +positive wires between the speakers and headphones. You can convert the Speaker Outs to Line Level by doing the same thing but use 5000 to 10000 ohm resisters instead of the lower values.


But the HDMI output on the particular Samsung HTIB doesn't appear to carry audio so that converter won't work. Also, if you're going going to use this exclusively for headphone, modifying your speaker outputs would work, but you wouldn't be able to use the speakers that come with it then.


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## theslaz

What about what you suggested in a previous post?

"The closest I could get would be some sort of device that would convert Speaker Level inputs to Line Level, something like this: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_142SLC4...+level&tp=2001"

I had a look at the web site and I would be interested in trying this if it would work. It has room for 8 inputs, which would cover all my external speaker connections and than it has 2 sets of rca audio jacks which would cover my wireless headphones.
One thing I am curious about is the HDMI connections. My Telus Digital box is hooked to the HTS just with a HDMI cable and obviously it is passing sound through these cables. Now why wouldn't the HDMI cables from the HTS to the Tv be passing sound. On the same note; my Apple Tv is connected only via a HDMI cable and it passes sound to the HTS. Just curious; is it only my $600.00 Samsung HTS that doesn't pass sound through it's HDMI connections???


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## eugovector

In most applications, the samsung is the last stop for audio as it's the one with the speakers. No need to send audio any further, so why spend extra for the electronics needed to do so (even if it only costs them cents per unit)?


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## theslaz

What about your previous suggestion? Do you think it is viable?

The closest I could get would be some sort of device that would convert Speaker Level inputs to Line Level, something like this: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_142SLC4...+level&tp=2001


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## eugovector

theslaz said:


> What about your previous suggestion? Do you think it is viable?
> 
> The closest I could get would be some sort of device that would convert Speaker Level inputs to Line Level, something like this: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_142SLC4...+level&tp=2001


I see the potential problems being:
1) It won't look pretty
2) It doesn't have speakers outputs, so you'll be running it in parallel to your speakers if you want to use both headphones and speakers. This could create a resistance load that your HTIB can't handle and damage your system.
3) You'll have to make sure you select stereo mode so you're not just listening to 2 of the 5 channels through your headphones.

Overall, you've got a tough situation here with no surefire short-term fix. I'd consider a cheap DVD player to get you by with audio outputs, and save up for a more versatile system in the future.


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## theslaz

Actually I have a Sony Dvd recorder that I could hook up in between and use it's rca out puts. Didn't want to do that as I have a wife that is electronic illiterate; one more connection/remote would put her over the edge. May have no choice as the headphones are a necessity in my household. I can't hear and my wife can hear a pin drop on the street. With the headphones, she can turn the volume down to a level that she can tolerate and I can turn the headphones to where I can hear!
Thanks for your help; much appreciated!


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## eugovector

Sure thing, I wish I had a better solution for you.


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## theslaz

Just some further information that I would like to pass on. I did some experimenting with settings on the Tv and the HTS. I found that under audio in the HTS setup menu that there is a setting "HDMI Audio"; here there is a choice for "on or Off". It was at off so I switched it to on. I than went into Netfex and played a movie. Success; sound was coming through my headphones; but sound was shut of through the HTS external speakers. Sound was coming from the Tv's internal speakers. This will work for me. What I did notice is; that when I switch from Netflex back to Television; this "On Of" setting reverts back to of.
What this means to me at this stage is: When I want to watch a Netfex movie, I have to plug my headphones into the external audio jack on the Tv and switch the HDMI setting to on. When I want to listen to a Television program; I have to plug my headphones into the Telus Digital box and when I want to watch a movie on my Apple Tv box; I have plug into that box. All workable for me at this time.
I have ordered the Scosche SLC4 four channel out put converter that was mentioned in a earlier post. I will give it a try when it arrives next week and will post the results! Sold out of Florida on Ebay for $16.00 )


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## eugovector

A ha, good to know. Too bad they shut off the HT speakers when you set it to "on". I think using the HDMI to the TV is the best bet, better then running a lot of wire to the scosche unit.


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## theslaz

I received the "Scosche" output converter today in the mail. Hooked it up and works like a charm. All I did was connect the speaker wires to the input connectors on the front speakers and for the rear speakers that aren't accessible; I just spliced into the wires. Took all of 30 mins.
I definitely would recommend this little device for those people that may have the same problem I did with no rca outputs on their Tv or HT!
Got it from Florida via Ebay. Cost $16.00 plus $6.00 shipping to Canada.


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