Splitting an RCA out signal to play on two devices

[quiltedduck]

Hi,

Recently I've been trying to make a setup for video game tournaments to tap into the game audio. The game consoles are gamecube/wii and output standard composite video/audio.

My current setup is a female 1/8" stereo to dual male RCA. I put RCA 'Y' (male-dual female) splitters on each male RCA. I plug the male end of the splitters into the TV, and put the game output audio cables into the other female split.

This successfully streams the game audio to my headphones, but it deprives the TV of sound. Can anyone explain the reason for this, as well as a possible solution to get the audio to play through both my headphones and the TV?

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: For clarification, the TV outputs audio normally with everything set up except the headphones. As soon as I plug the headphones into the female end of the stereo-RCA converter, the sound cuts out on the TV and starts playing through the headphones. This seems unusual because splitting the signal with Y splitters is a common practice for capturing the video/audio output, and it never has issues sending the signal to both paths.

 

[alexoiu]

Hi, Not sure I've correctly understood the setup.
How I would do it:

2 x https/sewelldirect.com/images//products/SW-20142/SW-20142.jpg splitters
plugged in the game console L, R ports

1 x http/i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1799669684_1/100pcs-lot-3-5mm-1-8-font-b-Stereo-b-font-Female-font-b-Mini-b.jpg
for headphones, ends connected to different splitters (L and R)

and

2 x http/ep.yimg.com/ay/videoware/25-ft-rca-male-to-male-audio-or-video-cable-3.gif
for tv (each cable connected to the remaining ends of the 2 RCA splitters).

 

[quiltedduck]

Hi, Not sure I've correctly understood the setup.
How I would do it:

2 x https/sewelldirect.com/images//products/SW-20142/SW-20142.jpg splitters
plugged in the game console L, R ports

1 x http/i00.i.aliimg.com/wsphoto/v0/1799669684_1/100pcs-lot-3-5mm-1-8-font-b-Stereo-b-font-Female-font-b-Mini-b.jpg
for headphones, ends connected to different splitters (L and R)

and

2 x http/ep.yimg.com/ay/videoware/25-ft-rca-male-to-male-audio-or-video-cable-3.gif
for tv (each cable connected to the remaining ends of the 2 RCA splitters).

Adding the extra pair of splitters and male-male RCA cables worked. I don't fully understand why the cable was needed but I suppose it has to do with electrical gateways or whatever that would be called.

Thanks for the response. As a final note, the TV volume decreases dramatically. I can compensate by just upping the volume on the TV, but can you think of anything that would minimize the volume loss?

 

[alexoiu]

No problem.
It depends on the cable length, its quality and number of connectors. Try optimizing it (shorter cables and better quality).