Going from RCA to Bluetooth and back again.
May 30, 2013 11:19 AM Subscribe
Is there a bluetooth bridge that will work between a set of RCA jacks?
We watch all of our video entertainment with our projector. Mostly the latter, because if our kid doesn't see the screen, he doesn't ask to watch TV, and we don't have an ugly TV just sitting there all the time. We love it.
We're moving to a new rental, and just because of weird-room shapes, the stereo and the projector don't really have a close, obvious path for cords to go. Our projector is relatively utilitarian, and has no special features like wifi or bluetooth capabilities.
The video source (Mac laptop or a Wii depending) for the projector can live nearby the projector with no real problems, but I'm trying to figure out the audio problem. I'm wondering if a product exists (in a reasonably priced form, say under $100 total?) that will just act as a wireless...uh...wire from the RCA jacks on the projector to the RCA jacks on the stereo.
I can only find one way bluetooth receivers like this belkin option, but these only seem to receive audio, and not broadcast or act as a bridge of sorts.
Does this exist? What should I be searching for?
We watch all of our video entertainment with our projector. Mostly the latter, because if our kid doesn't see the screen, he doesn't ask to watch TV, and we don't have an ugly TV just sitting there all the time. We love it.
We're moving to a new rental, and just because of weird-room shapes, the stereo and the projector don't really have a close, obvious path for cords to go. Our projector is relatively utilitarian, and has no special features like wifi or bluetooth capabilities.
The video source (Mac laptop or a Wii depending) for the projector can live nearby the projector with no real problems, but I'm trying to figure out the audio problem. I'm wondering if a product exists (in a reasonably priced form, say under $100 total?) that will just act as a wireless...uh...wire from the RCA jacks on the projector to the RCA jacks on the stereo.
I can only find one way bluetooth receivers like this belkin option, but these only seem to receive audio, and not broadcast or act as a bridge of sorts.
Does this exist? What should I be searching for?
Response by poster: The projector doesn't have an amp, and is designed to work in tandem with a separate receiver.
The current stereo setup is used to play vinyl, CD's and direct mp3 player input, so we're not really looking to buy a whole new receiver and speakers just for the projector. We would then have to run cords (again, no close, obvious path) to speakers on the other side of the room.
posted by furnace.heart at 11:37 AM on May 30, 2013
The current stereo setup is used to play vinyl, CD's and direct mp3 player input, so we're not really looking to buy a whole new receiver and speakers just for the projector. We would then have to run cords (again, no close, obvious path) to speakers on the other side of the room.
posted by furnace.heart at 11:37 AM on May 30, 2013
Best answer: You could use a pair of wireless A/V transmitter/receivers. It looks like Channel Vision makes a relatively inexpensive audio transmitter ($64) and audio receiver ($52), so for a total of $116 that could be a solution. I haven't personally used those Channel Vision transmitter/receivers so I can't vouch for that equipment.
posted by RichardP at 11:52 AM on May 30, 2013
posted by RichardP at 11:52 AM on May 30, 2013
Best answer: I've used the version 1 of this Audioengine wireless adapter now at version 3, and it worked very well. It's not bluetooth but it is wireless; it is basically just an RCA cable with a two radios in the middle. Don't get distracted by the USB—you *can* use it for USB audio, but it also has RCA jacks on both ends and then you can (must) just use the USB for power.
It is $150 for the pair, but maybe you can find the W1 for cheaper?
posted by xueexueg at 12:04 PM on May 30, 2013
It is $150 for the pair, but maybe you can find the W1 for cheaper?
posted by xueexueg at 12:04 PM on May 30, 2013
Best answer: Looking around a bit I found a cheaper wireless A/V transmitter/receiver pair at Monoprice for $60. However, it appears to be a new product that won't be in stock for about two weeks. It supports both audio and video, but you could just not hookup the video on the receiver side. You might have to hook up the video on the transmitter side (as some wireless A/V transmitters won't transmit just audio, you have to provide a video source).
posted by RichardP at 12:08 PM on May 30, 2013
posted by RichardP at 12:08 PM on May 30, 2013
Are you sure that there won't be a slight delay in wireless transmission, which will result in the video not being sync'd with the audio? Even a tiny delay would likely be annoying and noticeable. I'd research whether there will be a delay before you commit.
I'd think you'd be better off getting a set of powered speakers (as a previous poster suggests) and leaving the stereo out of it. You can get cheapo speakers, of course, but I've seen reviews of very nice powered speakers in the $100-$200 range. Otherwise = long cables.
posted by seventyfour at 12:19 PM on May 30, 2013
I'd think you'd be better off getting a set of powered speakers (as a previous poster suggests) and leaving the stereo out of it. You can get cheapo speakers, of course, but I've seen reviews of very nice powered speakers in the $100-$200 range. Otherwise = long cables.
posted by seventyfour at 12:19 PM on May 30, 2013
you could also mount the project on the ceiling, get some "flat" cables for your projector, run them up the wall, and then paint over them
that'll be a lot cheaper than any wireless solution
posted by Oktober at 1:04 PM on May 30, 2013
that'll be a lot cheaper than any wireless solution
posted by Oktober at 1:04 PM on May 30, 2013
Best answer: Wireless solutions aren't especially expensive. If you can deal with a bit of lag and lower quality, you could be all in with a pair for (sorry, I could only find sites in the UK) £34 ($50). If your budget stretches further (£36 each, £72 for a pair), then you could go for a bluetooth receiver/transmitter with aptX, which is a high quality, low latency codec for bluetooth stereo sound.
I'd say that this is something worth thinking about, although you may need a spare USB socket around to keep the transmitters charged.
posted by ambrosen at 1:15 PM on May 30, 2013
I'd say that this is something worth thinking about, although you may need a spare USB socket around to keep the transmitters charged.
posted by ambrosen at 1:15 PM on May 30, 2013
I'm with oktober on this, and i'll add that i played around with a bunch of solution to this at 3 places i've lived now(Once with a projector, twice with an HDTV but the computer far away from the amp/speakers/etc)
I just got some adapters and a relatively heavy duty, but thin radio shack 10ft 1/8th in audio cable and ran it around the edges of the room and underneath/above/behind things from the source to the amp. I'm doing this in my current place and there's only one small place where you can see the cable, and i could hide it under the thick molding which i plan to do when i have a day off and the weathers bad and i'm bored.
if you buy the cables online it will be less than $10. You'll have better quality than wireless and no possible issues with interference or any weird BS.
And as another coin to toss in, i worked briefly with a company that had a bluetooth setup like what you're trying to build at their office. It worked... OK, but the quality hit was noticeable(and yes, it was the newest fanciest bluetooth stuff) and there were several times it inexplicably disconnected, refused to connect to a new device/reconnect to onet hat had already been paired, etc.
When i first saw their system i really wanted to just change my setup to working that, but having played around with it Vs setting up the hidden cable run... i'd do the cable every time.
posted by emptythought at 6:41 PM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
I just got some adapters and a relatively heavy duty, but thin radio shack 10ft 1/8th in audio cable and ran it around the edges of the room and underneath/above/behind things from the source to the amp. I'm doing this in my current place and there's only one small place where you can see the cable, and i could hide it under the thick molding which i plan to do when i have a day off and the weathers bad and i'm bored.
if you buy the cables online it will be less than $10. You'll have better quality than wireless and no possible issues with interference or any weird BS.
And as another coin to toss in, i worked briefly with a company that had a bluetooth setup like what you're trying to build at their office. It worked... OK, but the quality hit was noticeable(and yes, it was the newest fanciest bluetooth stuff) and there were several times it inexplicably disconnected, refused to connect to a new device/reconnect to onet hat had already been paired, etc.
When i first saw their system i really wanted to just change my setup to working that, but having played around with it Vs setting up the hidden cable run... i'd do the cable every time.
posted by emptythought at 6:41 PM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Rock Steady at 11:33 AM on May 30, 2013