What I want to be able to do is run a projector off my laptop for downloaded movies & video clips for a party & then connect the audio through an amp to a speaker setup. My issue is that the only way I can think of to get the audio from the laptop to the amp is via the headphone jack single plug to rca . The problem is that when I do this I seem to be losing a lot of sound quality & I'm getting background or white noise (is that the right term?). Is there a better way to get the audio feed, a programme that reduces the background noise, a converter of some type or something else I can do short of getting a laptop with digital audio out? I keep thinking there must be a simple solution but I just can't get my head around it. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
What I want to be able to do is run a projector off my laptop for downloaded movies & video clips for a party & then connect the audio through an amp to a speaker setup. My issue is that the only way I can think of to get the audio from the laptop to the amp is via the headphone jack single plug to rca . The problem is that when I do this I seem to be losing a lot of sound quality & I'm getting background or white noise (is that the right term?). Is there a better way to get the audio feed, a programme that reduces the background noise, a converter of some type or something else I can do short of getting a laptop with digital audio out? I keep thinking there must be a simple solution but I just can't get my head around it. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
Headphone jack to RCA should work perfectly fine. Make sure the jack is not full of dust and perhaps try a different cable.
Another option would be to use a USB DAC.
One way is to buy a google chromecast which is a HDMI wireless receiver / player which plugs into your TV. This runs via your home network system, and plays videos etc from your laptop. You'll need to install an app on chrome if you use it. It all runs from your laptop, the HDMI receiver costs $50 from jbhifi.
Another way is to connect your laptop via the HDMI port to a HDMI port on your tv. (Assuming you have them). This way you need the physical cable, however. That may be a nuisance...? The tv then becomes the display of your laptop. This shouldnt need any tweaking or any special downloaded programs.
edit: accidently wrote chromecast was usb. it's not.
Distortion is the word you're looking for :)
Another suggestion is to lower the volume on the laptop and use the amplifier more to boost sound. So say 50% on laptop output, if you want it louder use the amp to make it louder... Laptops can add a lot of distortion to audio outputs so make the amp do the heavy lifting boosting the sound. The less the laptop sound output needs to work the 'cleaner' output you'll get.
Hope that made sense.
Plus one on the google chromecast, or AppleTV if you manage your media with iTunes. I’m assuming you’ve got a wireless connection you can tap into.
If you run the audio and video through seperate devices, you’re going to have problem syncing sound and vision.
Another option is a USB to HDMI converter, which is a bit more expensive, and you’ve got to have the laptop next to the amp.