How to boost audio signal for long run? (1 Viewer)

[CyrusSanii]

I have my home theater in 1 room of my house and all works great. I now want to use my computer as a PVR but it is located in another room of the house. The computer is recording the video/audio at acceptable levels when in the computer room.

When I play back to the TV though (50 ft away), my video signal comes through fine, however the audio is so weak from the computer I have to crank the volume up to near the max thus increasing the noise in the signal to unbearable levels.

What is the best way to have a long (ie 50 ft)audio RCA jack signal run?

I have a wireless controller to manage the PVR functions in case you are wondering....

 

[Jim Rakowiecki]

You may need an A/V distribution amp like this
http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...t%5Fid=15-1172
Niles makes one and there is one available from parts express but the RS version is the most economical.

 

[Leo Kerr]

Depending on your options, look into runing a PCM line from the computer to your receiver (assuming, of course, that both your PC and your receiver have digital interconnect options.)

Your PC really shouldn't have troubles pushing a signal 50', though. That's odd.

Lots of people make Distribution Amplifiers for a variety of prices - we used to get Videotek ADA-16s all the time at work, paying $1600/ea for them (1980s) but then we were also pushing signals 1500 feet or more. (we're not using the stand-alones any more, we've migrated to the Videotek Omniframes and modular system - much cheaper, and occupies a lot less rack space...)

Leo

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Leo’s right, something’s wrong. Try switching the video cable over for audio and see what happens.

A few other things, make sure the volume control on your computer is turned up enough. If you have it down to where your desk speakers are playing at a comfortable volume then it’s probably set too low. Also, if you have the audio cable split, one side going to the desk speakers the other to your system, that will reduce your signal level.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Leo Kerr]

Oh, yeah.. and genereally, that's especially true if those external, unbuffered devices are off at the time you're using the other 'side.'

Leo

 

[CyrusSanii]

Thanks folks for the replys. I think I may have narrowed down the cause on this.....

1) Does an AV distribution actually boost the signal or does it just make the signal the same as the input on all its outputs? I suspected I needed to boost my signal by say 2x in order for it to reach its destination at normal levels.

2) I don't have a digital output on my PC only analog

3) The video cable is svideo so I couldn't swap....but I did try using a different RCA cable and going to the computer without a splitter seems to work.

Conclusions:
1) The RCA cable is faulty
2) The wall jacks are faulty
3) The splitter is faulty
One or more of the above must be the issue.

Now I just need to figure out which....thanks again for the ideas.....