Looking for another strange product...

...except I wouldn't have thought this one was so strange.

Basically I have a customer who needs to output audio to multiple TVs in a classroom simultaneously. I'm fine with any kind of connector at this point, since it seems to be something difficult to find, but I wouldn't have to adapt if it used 3.5mm stereo connections.

I've already checked Monoprice and chatted with their technical support but they claim not to sell such a device. Any ideas?

You can do this passively with RCA Y-jacks (example link). Every time you do that, you drop the audio levels and add some noise, but you can kinda compensate for that by turning up the volume on the TV.

One step up would be to get some sort of distribution amplifier (example link). Of course, you can spend more money on fancier distribution amps.

Yeah, I thought I might be able to chain a bunch of splitters together, but I'm also going to have to run pretty long lengths of cable to get to all the TVs. I'd imagine that the drop in audio would be pretty significant, wouldn't it?

What sort of TVs ???

Would an RF modulator and distribution amp work ok ???

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103095

Cheers

Cris

I apologize, I should have explained the whole setup from the beginning, and seen if you guys had alternative suggestions.

The room I've been asked to look at is a classroom with four large flatscreens. What they've done is run long VGA cables to each of these screens back to a box that splits a single VGA connection into four simultaneous outputs. They then have visiting professors plug their laptops into the single VGA cable to do presentations.

The issue they're having is that they didn't think ahead and include a way to distribute the sound. They've been plugging in a little portable speaker to the laptops that get connected.

What they'd like to do is have the laptop deliver audio to the four TVs in addition to the VGA signal.

Is there a better way to do this? One that could work with a variety of laptops?

Use HDMI instead and find a box that has different inputs, including VGA+Audio.

Might be hard to find, so you could instead use two boxes.

1. VGA+Audio to HDMI converter
2. 1x4 HDMI splitter

Links:
VGA to HDMI adapters:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10114&cs_id=1011404

http://aluratek.com/vga-to-hdmi-1080p-adapter-with-audio

http://www.amazon.com/HDMI-VGACONVERTER-VGA-Audio-HDMI-Converter/dp/B0015YWV1G

HDMI splitters:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=101&cp_id=10113&cs_id=1011301

http://www.amazon.com/PTC-Certified-Amplified-Splitter-Distributor/dp/B0012N1YDG

Ahhh that makes more sense

How about justing using an Audio Distribution Amp, I did a little Googling and this came up pretty quick...

http://www.markertek.co.uk/Catalog/Audio-Distribution-Amplifiers/KR-105A

I'm sure you could find something in the US that does this.

As for getting the signals to the TV's I'd use Audio over Cat5 boxes similar to these...

http://cpc.farnell.com/1/1/64469-stereo-audio-over-cat5-av19284.html

I would expect that over longer distances Cat5 would be both cost effective and not degrade the signal too much.

Edit - Or go for an OTT one box solution... http://www.futureshop.co.uk/atlona-1x10-...r-7-p-4532.html

Edit again - A more cost effective solution... http://www.pixels.uk.com/products/DataBay/AVE300.html

Cheers

Cris

If you wish to remain mildy patriotic, RDL do a simple 4 way DA:

http://www.rdlnet.com/product.php?page=528

If it's anything like their other products, you shouldn't have a problem. £96 over here in the UK from Canford.

HDMI might be a good idea. How long is the workable length for HDMI? The furthest run would be around 30'.

I'm not sure what the working spec is for distance. You can always go with a repeater as Cris suggested, since they have them for HDMI as well.

I suggested HDMI because I assumed the TVs were HDMI, plus it will let people use their digital outputs from their computers instead of VGA. That includes Macs which would require an adapter for VGA. I do suppose most Windows machines are still shipping with VGA ports - which is amazingly hard to believe.

Keep in mind that not every computer with HDMI routes audio over HDMI. Some just have an HDMI port for video only.

If it's just four outputs, you can very likely get away with just Y-splitters. Either daisy chain a bunch of Y-splitters together, or wire up your own distribution block with a few bucks' worth of radio shack parts (i.e., wires and connectors only, no circuitry).