Splitting RCA audio jacks

[Art Begun]

A HD cable box had only 1 set of audio jacks for output. Video wise it has 2 sets of outputs.... one for the HD cables and the other for normal definition output. THe HD output of regular definition channels is awful so most of the time we will want to use the regular output jacks to get a good picture of non HD tv. But they only have one set of audio jacks. Can we split the audio jacks so one set is in line with the HD video input jacks on the TV and the other is in line with the regular definition input video jacks. Otherwise we would have to move the audio jacks when switching back and forth from HD and regular TV. (You have to ask why did they design it this way???)

[TimS]

Sure

[B]

I can't see (or understand) your setup, but are you sure the TV doesn't have audio IN and audio OUT, such that you would use a daisy-chain of separate cables to go from box to box? In that case, the design of the cable box is OK/good.

-B

[Neil Wagner]

Art,

Take a closer look at the HD cable box and you may find it has a digital audio output, either RCA coax or optical. If so, your solution would be to connect the analog RCA audio outputs from the box directly to the TV for use when watching non-HD programming. Connect the digital audio output to your home theater sound system so when you're watching HD programs, you can hear them in all their 5.1 channel Dolby Digital glory (sometimes, depending on the specific program, and also on your local station's digital broadcast format of choice). ___ Neil