Driving the TV speakers too..

[korben_dallas]

Hi all,

I'm having a little difficulty figuring out how to drive the TV speakers along with the surround sound speakers. My Audigy 2 has the standard three 1/8" connectors for analog surround out, and it has a number of digital outs (take your pick). But the TV only has analog stereo input via RCAs.

With a Radio Shack splitter, I could split the front l/r off the sound card into 2 stereo cables, one going to the speakers as normal and the other goes to the stereo in of the TV? I'm concerned this would cause a level problem though, since the signal would be cut in half.

I'd really hate to have to buy a receiver just to do this, but I'm not sure there is another way.

[stanger89]

Line level outputs (the ones on your soundcard) are voltage output signals, meaning they output "x" volts regardless of what they're connected to (within reason). Short answer, since you won't be dropping the resistance/impedance too much a splitter will be fine.

FWIW, speakers and amps are a little different because they are power amplifiers, which for lack of a better explanation are voltage and current sources, and depend very much on the impedance of what they're connected to so splitters there can be bad.