How to connect your computer to your stereo

Inexpensive solutions:

With Wires:
Computer OUTPUT to stereo INPUT - Stereo OUTPUT to Computer INPUT

Wireless:
Connecting your PC or Mac to your TV - wireless

Phono - Turntable
Connecting your turntable (phonograph) to your computer

Home audio Connections: Amplifiers, Receivers

Check out our Audio/Video Connection guide
Home audio amplifiers are pretty standardized as far as input and output levels. This includes "Integrated" Amplifiers (Preamp and power amp in one case) as well as Receivers - both stereo and surround sound. Surround sound receivers generally have other types of inputs (digital) and outputs that you normally will not find on stereo recievers/amplifiers. Normal stereo amplifiers and receivers have two analog RCA jack connectors for input or output for each device. All of these except the "phono" inputs are at a standard consumer "Line" levels. Surround sound amps and recievers have all of their analog inputs and outputs (except phono) at this same level. You can use any of these: Aux, Tape, Tuner, CD, etc for connecting your computers Line level output. Remember to go from output to input.
"Power" Amplifiers are another story. Home audio power amplifiers also have "Line" level inputs, but they have very little in the way of volume and tone controls and switching. They simply amplify the signal. These are not recommended for connecting to your computer.

Wired! Computer OUT to stereo IN:

(record your computer with your tape deck, or listen to your computer playing CD's or Internet radio through a "real" sound system)

Many people want to connect their computer audio to their stereo to play CD's or listen to movies that are playing on a DVD in their computer system. Sometimes computer speaker systems just aren't good enough volume or quality wise for them. To connect the audio output of your computer, you should use the "line" output of your sound card. You use a 3.5mm mini phone plug to Rca jack adapter with a RCA jack stereo cable which goes to the audio input of your sound system, such as the "aux" input, or if you want to use your computer to record audio from your sound system as well, you should use the "tape in" and "tape out" jacks. Most audio systems have two tape ins and outs so you can use your computer as a tape recorder as well as a regular cassette deck.

Here is what you need:


or, if you are a real stickler for audio quality, or want even longer length cables,
we make custom cables with fantastic sound quality:

Wired!
Stereo OUT to Computer IN:

(record from tape, CD, radio or VCR)

Many people want to connect their stereo tape player, CD or tuner to their computer in order to "record" the music to their computers hard drive. You could then play back music using your computer, edit the audio files or convert the files to MP3's with the appropriate software.
To connect the audio input of your computer, you should use the "line" input of your sound card. You use a 3.5mm mini stereo phone plug to RCA jack adapter with a RCA jack stereo cable which goes to the audio output of your sound system, such as one of the the "tape" outputs, Most audio systems have two tape ins and outs so you can use your computer as a tape recorder as well as a regular cassette deck.

Here are the parts you need:


or, if you are a real stickler for audio quality, or want even longer length cables,
we make custom cables with fantastic sound quality:

Wireless!
Connecting your PC or Mac to Your Stereo or Home Theater system:

The rest of what you need is included with the RFG-3000. How does it sound? Pretty good... The noise floor is not as good as you can get using real wires, and you may have to experiment to find the best "channel" (there are 4 send/receive channels) , but listening to CD's, MP3 files or internet radio from your computer, from across the room or somewhere else in the house without using wires is a great convenience. You can use your computer as an Audio jukebox for your expensive home stereo. If your video card has a "TV" output, you could even use it as a video server for your home theater. You could set up a picture slideshow (with appropriate software) on the computer and play it back on the television. The possibilities are endless.

Connecting a turntable (phonograph) to your computer.
You cannot connect a turntable directly to your computer. Why? A phono cartridge puts out an extremely small signal, which has a rather strange frequency response curve (due to RIAA equalization). A phono preamp is required to boost the signal and "straighten out" the frquency response. This is why you must plug a turntable into the "phono" input of a reciever or Amplifier rather than the "Line" or Tape inputs. Therefore you must connect the turntable to the Reciever, and then connect the Tape outputs to the computer, using the computer as you would a tape deck.

products:
Audio cables and adapters
Digital Audio Toslink cables
video cables and adapters
DVI cables and adapters/converters

Digital Video Capture Cards (ilink/firewire/1394)
HDTV cards and Analog Video Capture cards

SVGA to TV/video adapter connect VGA output to TV
TV/video to SVGA adapter connect Video games or VCR/DVD to computer monitor.

midi cables

DVI, DFP, P&D cables or adapters