# no dialogue through PA system



## the_edge (Dec 10, 2009)

I'm a primary school teacher running a film club for the kids. We use an Acer Travelmate 2303LCi, hooked up to a projector. When using the laptop speakers or normal desktop computer speakers the sound is fine. 

However, we've got a new PA system. I have tried running the sound out through the laptop's headphone jack, through an audio cable, into the line in channel of our mixer/amp. When I do this, the music/sound effects are fine, but there is no dialogue.

I've tried everything I can think of, but don't really know what's going on. Sound card problems? How would I remedy it? Any advice would be very gratefully received.

AJ


----------



## yustr (Sep 27, 2004)

AJ, Welcome to TSF :wave:

It most probably not the laptop as you said headphones work correctly. (By that I assume you can hear both the sound track and the dialog of the movie.) So it must be in the mixer. Yu mention that you're plugged into "the" line in channel. Does the cable you're using only have a single plug (on the far end from the laptop plug? If so, you need to get a stereo mini-headphone to RCA cable. You'll plug both of those (normally a red/white pair) into a corresponding pair of jacks on the amp.

You also need to go into each DVD setup screen and select 2 channel stereo only not 5.1 audio. 

Hope that helps. If not, post back with make and model # of the mixer/amp and we'll try to help.


----------



## the_edge (Dec 10, 2009)

Hi 

Further to my above post, I have tried:
* stereo mini-jack to twin RCA connectors 
* stereo mini-jack to twin 1/4" jacks

Both allow full sound to be heard through the speakers, but the sound is terrible and crackly no matter what I do.

Here is the mixer I am using:









The laptop is connected to the amp by about 15 metres of audio extension cable, namely:








Even my rubbish beginner's intuition tells me that this might lead to a lot of degredation in sound quality. Is this the case? Is there a better way of solving my problems? 

Thanks for any help or advice you can offer. Apologies if I'm being a jack-*** - I am a complete noob to all this.

AJ


----------



## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

Do those red and white RCA jacks support input?


----------



## the_edge (Dec 10, 2009)

The red and white inputs route straight through to the main mix, or through to the control room mix. I have them set to main mix, and my speakers connected to main mix output.


----------

