How to Connect Speakers to TV without Audio Output?

How to Connect Speakers to TV without Audio Output? You bought a lovely flat-screen television for your living room, and while the picture is lovely, the onboard speakers are less than desirable. You wished to connect your brand-new television to your surround-sound speaker system. But, to your surprise, it lacks an audio output, also known as an RCA output.

What should you do now? How do I connect external speakers to a television that does not have an audio output?

Is it necessary to purchase a brand new speaker system and discard a perfectly good set of speakers whose only flaw is the lack of digital inputs? No, not always.

Why don't most modern televisions have RCA outputs anymore? Most modern televisions do not have RCA outputs because HDMI ports can handle both outgoing and incoming digital audio signals. This means that the HDMI board is in charge of pretty much everything.

That may not be what you want to hear if your stereos only have analog inputs, but that doesn't mean there isn't a solution.

You can still connect your modern television to your RCA-equipped stereo surround sound speaker system in a variety of ways. Some of them sound better than standard RCA cables.

4 Ways to Connect Speakers to TV without Audio Output

1. Using TOSLINK Cables

If you have an HDTV, it should have TOSLINK outputs. TOSLINK is a fiber optic connection system that is standardized. This converts digital signals into light, which is then transmitted through the fiber optic cable and decrypted at the other end.

If your speaker system has a TOSLINK input, you're in luck; simply connect one end of the TOSLINK cable to the TV and the other to the speakers.

However, even if your speakers only have RCA inputs, you can still connect them to your TV. You must obtain a DAC (digital to analog converter). There are several brands of converters to choose from, and they all appear to work the same way. Connect one end of the TOSLINK cable to the television's output jacks and the other end to the converter's input jacks. Then, connect a standard RCA cable to the converter's output jacks and the other ends to the speakers.

The advantage of using TOSLINK fiber optic cables is that they can be used with 5.1 surround sound systems.

2. Using an HDMI Switcher Box

Your television almost certainly has at least one HDMI port, and even older televisions use this technology. The great thing about this is that the HDMI also transports digital audio data. If your speakers have an HDMI port, then you only need to connect the two ports.

If your speakers only have RCA inputs, what will you do? An HDMI switcher box is needed if so.

To use this, connect one end of your HDMI cable to your TV and the other to the HDMI switcher's input. Next connect the HDMI switcher box to the speakers via the RCA cable outputs.

With this method, you can connect many HDMI devices to a TV with one HDMI input. Some offer intriguing capabilities like picture-in-picture output, which shows two video sources on one screen.

ALTERNATIVE VIDEO: How to Connect Speakers to a TV

3. Using the 3.5mm Headphone Jacks

Computer speakers can connect to TVs without RCA outputs cheaply. Most current TVs have 3.5mm audio ports for headphones.

Computer speakers can replace TV speakers. You may avoid computer speakers because you think they sound bad. Today, many computer speakers sound good. Subwoofers add “oomph” to your music.

4. Using the Audio-out of Your Set-top Box

If you have a set-top DV-R or Digital Cable box, you can connect to your speakers via the HDMI or TOSLINK outputs. If you're using a DVD or Blu-ray player, chances are it has RCA outputs. You can connect the HDMI for video output and the RCA for audio output to the speakers in this case.

Is It Alright to Intercept the Audio Wires?

If you have some electrical knowledge, you might consider opening the case of your television, tracing the cables for the speakers, and then bypassing them so you can connect them directly to external speakers.

This may appear to be a good idea, but it is not. Your television's speakers are low wattage, low impedance, and low powered, which means the drivers that power them are not very powerful. As a result, if you connect large speakers directly to your television, they will not have enough power. Not only will you get sounds that are no better than what came out of your television's built-in speakers, but you may also cause irreversible damage to your television's audio drivers. Even worse, because you opened up the television to connect your speakers directly, you void the warranty.

Quick Guide: Connecting External Speakers To TV

Using external speakers as a temporary solution is just one of several reasons to connect them to your TV. Connecting those surround sound external speakers is the best way to create a cinematic experience in your home for a better audio experience.

Here are some methods for connecting external speakers to a TV that does not have an audio output:

Before you begin, make sure you have your TV's user manual on hand. Because not all television sets are the same, your steps should be guided by the proper instructions.

RCA cables

This is one of the most basic and common methods of connecting your TV to a speaker system.

1. Examine your wires. The cables and connectors come in two colors: red and white.
2. Connect the red wire to your TV's red port and the white wire to your TV's white port.
3. For more information, consult the TV and speaker manuals. These cables only transmit stereo sound and not surround sound.

3.5mm analog cables 

Headphone out port.

1. The headphone out port, like phones and tablets, connects the TV to the speakers.
2. For TV and speaker, utilize 3.5mm and RCA jacks.
3. This approach does not support surround sound.

HDMI cable for the TV and receiver or soundbar

Because of its surround sound capabilities, this method is preferred.

1. Check to see if your television has an HDMI output port, which is usually labeled HDMI-ARC.
2. Connect the two devices using the HDMI cable.
3. Unlike the previous two methods, this method transmits surround sound without loss of quality.

Optical Cable

This is one of the less common methods for achieving the same results as an HDMI cable.

1. Inspect your TV's optical output.
2. The TV or soundbar cable transmits surround sound. Verify if both devices support optical cables.
3. These slimmer wires are more discreet than RCA or HDMI cables.

There are various ways to attach external speakers to a TV without audio output. First, learn your TV and speakers' capabilities.

Watch this: How to Connect Speakers to TV with No Audio Out

Conclusion – Connecting Speakers to TV

If your new TV doesn't have RCA outputs for your home's surround sound system, don't worry. You don't need to replace your speakers or spend a fortune on a new sound system.

With some creativity and the correct gear, you can connect your TV to your sound system. You've connected external speakers to a TV without an audio output.

This post will help you improve your TV's speakers. Skill and the correct tools can solve your problem cheaply.

FAQs on Connect Speakers to TV