2 devices into the same input on audio receiver

[egeekial]

Okay, I wasn't sure where to post this, so I hope this is the right place.

Let me start you off with some background information:
I'm in a college dorm. My roommate and I both have computers, and we have both of them hooked up to an audio receiver.

Yeah, I could buy speakers or something but don't want to. I like the surround sound and nice big speakers. And... I'm in college and don't want to spend more money than I have to.

We originally had both computers hooked up to separate inputs (Input1 and Input2), but then we could only have sound for one computer at a time.

So I go to Radioshack and get an RCA Y-splitter, so we can put both computers into the same input. This works fine for his computer which only has a 3 foot cable to the receiver, but not so fine for my 25 foot cable. My computer's sounds is very faint even when there is no sound coming from his computer. When I plug mine directly into the receiver, the sound is normal. With the Y-splitter, though, my sound output is much lower.

I can't really figure it out. Does anyone have any ideas why, and what can I do to enable both to have sound at the same time without killing my output?

 

[Excelsior]

There is no way...?

 

[vi edit]

Ever hear of headphones?

 

[egeekial]

Yes.

but I don't want to use headphones

 

[AlienCraft]

You have the input impedances all messed up. You'll need an a/b box (you'll have to make it) .
PLUS you run the risk of frying one or the other computers output chips as they do not like to see another device especially when both are operating simultaneously. Try a simple mixer to combine the signals and keep them isolated from each other.
Try this instead.... Radio Shack simple mixer $39.95

 

[her209]

Unplug your roomies connection from the Y and see if its still faint. If it is, disconnect, and reconnect to the other connection.

 

[egeekial]

Originally posted by: her209
Unplug your roomies connection from the Y and see if its still faint. If it is, disconnect, and reconnect to the other connection.

not faint... what do you mean reconnect to other connection?

 

[her209]

Originally posted by: egeekial
not faint... what do you mean reconnect to other connection?

The other connection on the Y. Duh!

 

[PHiuR]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: egeekial
not faint... what do you mean reconnect to other connection?

The other connection on the Y. Duh!

!!!!

 

[egeekial]

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: egeekial
not faint... what do you mean reconnect to other connection?

The other connection on the Y. Duh!

Did it. When both are plugged in, my sound is faint.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: egeekial

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: egeekial
not faint... what do you mean reconnect to other connection?

The other connection on the Y. Duh!

Did it. When both are plugged in, my sound is faint.

< I'm an audio engineer for over 25 years. If you ignore my advice, your sound will suck. I'll bet you didn't read my response , did you?

 

[egeekial]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: egeekial

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: egeekial
not faint... what do you mean reconnect to other connection?

The other connection on the Y. Duh!

Did it. When both are plugged in, my sound is faint.

< I'm an audio engineer for over 25 years. If you ignore my advice, your sound will suck. I'll bet you didn't read my response , did you?

Heh.
I really don't want to spend $40 to do something stupid like this...

 

[NutBucket]

Then do something else:roll:

It won't work as described. Don't blame us.......

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: egeekial

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: egeekial

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: egeekial
not faint... what do you mean reconnect to other connection?

The other connection on the Y. Duh!

Did it. When both are plugged in, my sound is faint.

< I'm an audio engineer for over 25 years. If you ignore my advice, your sound will suck. I'll bet you didn't read my response , did you?

Heh.
I really don't want to spend $40 to do something stupid like this...

Then live with using 2 inputs or buy headphones/your own stereo.

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: egeekial

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: egeekial

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: egeekial
not faint... what do you mean reconnect to other connection?

The other connection on the Y. Duh!

Did it. When both are plugged in, my sound is faint.

< I'm an audio engineer for over 25 years. If you ignore my advice, your sound will suck. I'll bet you didn't read my response , did you?

Heh.

I really don't want to spend $40 to do something stupid like this...

Well, you're doing it wrong. How much is your sound card worth, because eventually one will let go and you'll have to replace it. You are loading the input with two different impedances and one will be louder than the other. The very least you can do is to use a resistor in each line to isolate them and bring the impedance more equal.

 

[egeekial]

Hmm... I could just input the sound from my computer into his, and then just use one input into the receiver. But then would my sound be only as good as his?

 

[AlienCraft]

I GOOGLED "simple resistor mixer" and got this......Simple Resistor Mixer
Read down a little and see the resistor addition to the Y cord I spoke of.

 

[egeekial]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft
I GOOGLED "simple resistor mixer" and got this......Simple Resistor Mixer
Read down a little and see the resistor addition to the Y cord I spoke of.

So I could just add resistors into the Y-adapter?

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: egeekial

Originally posted by: AlienCraft
I GOOGLED "simple resistor mixer" and got this......Simple Resistor Mixer
Read down a little and see the resistor addition to the Y cord I spoke of.

So I could just add resistors into the Y-adapter?

Yes, but where how are you going to get the resistors in place for free? You will need board, some wires, resitors...relatively cheap, but very labor intensive if you don't know what you are doing.

IMO your only options:

1) plug your PC into his line in or vice versa and then ouput to the stereo
2) buy the simple $40 mixer you cheap bastard

 

[egeekial]

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Yes, but where how are you going to get the resistors in place for free? You will need board, some wires, resitors...relatively cheap, but very labor intensive if you don't know what you are doing.

IMO your only options:

1) plug your PC into his line in or vice versa and then ouput to the stereo
2) buy the simple $40 mixer you cheap bastard

I wasn't going to get them for free. I was just going to get them from Radioshack. I don't see why it would be so difficult to just solder in a couple of resistors... I'm talking about using the Y-splitter at the bottom of that site (without the potentiometers).

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: egeekial

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: egeekial

Originally posted by: her209

Originally posted by: egeekial
not faint... what do you mean reconnect to other connection?

The other connection on the Y. Duh!

Did it. When both are plugged in, my sound is faint.

< I'm an audio engineer for over 25 years. If you ignore my advice, your sound will suck. I'll bet you didn't read my response , did you?

Heh.
I really don't want to spend $40 to do something stupid like this...

then you be screwed =P

 

[godmare]

omfg, read aliencraft's advice, and quit trying to half ass your way around, lazy sh1t

 

[KoolAidKid]

As you said, couldn't you just run a line from your Line Out to his Line In? Then run another wire from his Line Out to the receiver?

 

[Thegonagle]

Buy the mixer. Those Y-splitters are made to split a mono signal into two channels, not connect two discreet devices to a single input.

My layman's understanding/theory is that your friend's computer is grounding (absorbing) most of the signal from your computer. (And according to AlienCraft, this is bad! I'm inclined to believe this.)

 

[kajames]

Your problem can be easily solved by MIXING the signals from the two sources