zapoqx

Hey guys
So I have a little interesting thing I wanna do.
I'm trying to come up with a cheap method to try and get my speakers to work on both my 360 and my DirectTV box so I don't have to keep switching the sound. I'm using a temp TV and the TV had a DVI port so we used an HDMI to DVI adapter to display video. So the audio is coming out of 2.1 speakers.
But my xbox was put on that same TV. So I had to keep switching out that video whenever I wanted to use either the 360 or the satelite. Well, I was hoping that there might be a way to at the very least connect my speakers to both the devices and not worry about the switching that out so much.
So a method was devised to try and make this work without having to get a receiver or switch box since I'm trying to save for a new TV anyways. The idea was to use a y adapter 3.5mm stereo male to dual 3.5mm stereo female. The speakers had a 3.5mm jack. So I got a 3.5mm female coupler. I then connect the speakers to the coupler, connected the y adapter to the coupler, then connected the lines from the direct tv and the 360 to the y-adapter.
Test time came and a problem came up. No sound. I was confused by this for a moment. Turned up the volume thinking maybe the split is causing the sound to be halved. Nothing still. I lowered the volume a bit and turned on the 360, but forgot to turn off the direct tv. All of a sudden, the Direct TV sound started to work with slightly lowered volume, but the 360 was in full force like nothing affected the sound. I turned the 360 off and the direct tv sound went out. That is when I knew that my method made the adapter an AND switch where in this case, the AND is both the Direct TV and the 360 needs to both be on for sound to work.

So I ask if anyone has tried to do a cheap method without having to buy a full fledged switch just for 2 devices and made it work? I figured this was the best category to put this under as well since this is technically general.

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Android412

Does your TV have an audio out connection? Either RCA or 3.5mm.

zapoqx

The temp TV? nope. Its basically a Computer monitor with just DVI and VGA. Hence the trick I was trying to use temporarily until I can get an actual TV.

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Android412

I found this DIY (says it costs about $15 in parts, and you need to solder some wires together)

How to Make a 3.5mm Audio Switch (diy)

Or on Amazon they have some switches (RCA) for $3.67, $6.99, and an actual 3.5mm switch for $14.51.

Amazon.com: audio switch

I know you said you didn't want to buy a switch, but for $3...


Other then that, I would suggest having the cables where they're really easy to reach, for when you have to swap them

Unless someone else has an idea

zapoqx

O_O YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER SIR! I didn't want to go for a switch mostly because the switches I saw were both audio and video. But those work very well!

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