What am I doing wrong?

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So I'm in the office today trying to set up my laptop to output to the new LCD TV we have. It has VGA in so it is easy to get it to output video, but I cannot get it to output audio.

I have a 3.5" to 3.5" audio cable, which can't work as there's no single audio in jack.

I have an RCA cable, single 3.5" out to 3x3.5" inputs. I've attempted using these to no avail. The only source recognised by the TV is the VGA out from the laptop. I can't get it to pick up the sound at all.

It's getting annoying now. I know the sound won't be amazing being fed from the lappy, but it'll be better than the horrible little speakers it has.

I could get some external speakers for the lappy but to be honest, don't want to.
 
If the 3 RCA jacks are red, white and yellow then you should be able to connect the 3.5mm output of the laptop to the red and white ones.

This should work (its how we have ours set up in the office) but it might be that the audio will only work if you have it set to composite in (if the TV is crap?) or you might have to dig through the menus.

I appreciate that you're colourblind so just pick one of the colours and test it into each of the 3 on the back of the TV, or get a wingman!

P.S. If your 3.5mm jack cable has 3 connectors on the end it may well be proprietary - pop to a supermarket and get a proper audio one, should only cost you a few quid :)
 
surely you need a cable that has 3.5mm plug on one end, and an RCA (red/white) plugs on the other end? They available in lots of places, supermarket etc
 
Thanks guys.

I was of the impression that I'd be able to just ignore the yellow output and just use the two audio connections.

I'm not wanting composite video, so figured I could just not plug that in. Wonder if that is what is confusing matters.
 
Usually the LCD has an audio input that you can select to tie to the same AV channel as the VGA. (often named 'PC'). Quite often, this input is a 3.5mm jack or a SPDIF input, so you could use a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable or a digital cable.

I suggest you have a quick read of the manual, it should tell you which one will work.
 
plugging a red/yellow/white cable into a normal headphone out socket doesnt work, you need one that is 3.5mm to white/red to work as the "pin" (whats the correct phrase for this?) out is different when the cable has to carry video too....
 
Usually the LCD has an audio input that you can select to tie to the same AV channel as the VGA. (often named 'PC'). Quite often, this input is a 3.5mm jack or a SPDIF input, so you could use a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable or a digital cable.

I suggest you have a quick read of the manual, it should tell you which one will work.

This, usually only one audio input will work with the PC input (if at all). In my experience, using the composite audio inputs won't work, as TVs tend to view them as exclusive groups and won't let you mix video from one type with audio from another.
 
also, how old is the lapper? Does it not have HDMI or in dells case a display port? most built in the last 18 months or so have that! Audio will then carry over that with the video, easy ++
 
3.5mm jack is TRS, RCA is a phono plug.

So yea, it does matter.

Gilly, did you get it working?

I'd missed the single 3.5" in jack on the telly :o

Cinch once I had that, simple 3.5" to 3.5"

also, how old is the lapper? Does it not have HDMI or in dells case a display port? most built in the last 18 months or so have that! Audio will then carry over that with the video, easy ++
It's a corporate one. No video out except VGA.
 
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