# How can I get audio output from both my computer AND TV to go through my speakers?



## chainsaw_Matt (Nov 12, 2008)

I'm not sure if this is the right category to post this in, so if not then I apologize. Here's my setup:

I have a desktop PC that's hooked up to my HDTV via VGA cable, and a second monitor via an HDMI cable, for a dual monitor setup. Now I also have my Xbox 360 hooked up to my HDTV via HDMI. So, when I play music or whatever from my computer, it comes out through the speakers, via an auxiliary jack that goes directly from the speakers into the desktop headphone jack. This is fine, but when I play games, the sound comes directly from the tv, obviously, since the tv is not connected to the speakers.

To remedy this, I bought an 3.5mm auxiliary splitter, female to two male. So, I plugged the speakers into the splitter, one male end into the computer, and the other into the tv via the headphone jack in the back. I thought this would solve the problem but now, music (or whatever audio) coming from the computer plays through the left speaker very clearly, but the right speaker is barely audible. Also, when I turn on my Xbox, there's no sound at all. 

My solution seemed sound, but I guess there's something I'm missing. Does anyone know what the problem might be, and if so , do I need any additional/different cords then I currently have? Any information would be great, thank you!


----------



## octaneman (May 13, 2009)

One of the 2 jacks is your primary output. For example on my PC the primary output is in the front not the rear jacks. Check your mixer board settings see that nothing isn't muted.


----------



## Influencer (Mar 4, 2009)

Also check all connections, it sounds like one of the plugs are not seated all the way on the computer side. It is possible to be a faulty splitter.

When using the tv, if you turn on a regular channel, does sound play through the speakers? If so, and no sound comes from the xbox, the tv may have a S/Pdif passthrough to allow for HD sound. It may default to sending any audio coming from HDMI to S/Pdif output instead of headphone jack. Check your tv's settings to make sure. Some Vizios also have a seperate headphone volume, so check for that as well.

Try connecting the TV straight to the speakers with the wire you were using for the computer and make sure it works that way first, that will allow you to know if the sound coming from the TV is working properly. If it is, and you know the sound is working properly from the PC, then it narrows the problem down to either the connections and/or the splitter.


----------

