Connecting speaker wire to audio plugs

[DanUK]

Hi guys. I hope you can help me please?

I need to hook my Tv up to my AV receiver and the only wire that's between the two is a bare speaker wire (red / black). Unfortunately I cannot run any other cables that way due to the way it was plastered back in.

Doing some research it seems it is possible, although not ideal, to add Audio jack (white / red) plugs onto a speaker cable.

I've ordered 2 lots of these from Amazon so I can chop the plugs off and hopefully attach them to the speaker wires: Belkin F3Y116bf1M 1m Portable Y Audio Cable Belkin F3Y116bf1M 1m Portable Y Audio Cable: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006W95DPU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_66w8yb1G7Z27B

Here's my questions if I may:

1) if I were to chop the ends of the above and strip the wire could I use a terminal block connector to connect them? I.e red speaker wire to the red audio plug wire?

2) would it be better to solder these together?

The terminal connector block I mention is:

3A BLOCK CONNECTOR STRIP for jointing cable 3A BLOCK CONNECTOR STRIP for jointing cable: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003ZWE7HW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_V8w8ybM30MK8G

Just to also mention there is only one speaker cable so hopefully the red wire can hook up to one, and the black to the other?

Thanks in advance!

 

[DanUK]

Thanks egg67. Sorry if this is getting confusing.

So, forget about the TV for now. The setup in my loft is the AV receiver I linked - to that:

• 2 x ceiling speakers
• 1 x center speaker
• 4 HDMI inputs (things like Amazon Firestick, Apple TV etc) - all 4 HDMI's are currently used (on the second picture of the AV unit, picture 2, the 4 inputs next to the HDMI out)
• to the HDMI OUT is my projector
• infrared repeaters so I can control it from downstairs

What I'm missing is being able to connect the TV to it so I can use the sound from the TV through the AV unit and out through the speakers mentioned. The only wires I can access, due to plastering/pinning and now not being able to relay any cables are:

• 1 x speaker cable (red/white) - linked on previous post the type of them
• 1 x HDMI cable (4k ready)

One of the things I tried, which I thought would work but didn't was:

As the receiver accepts digital in, I thought I'd try the following:

• HDMI into the TV
• I had to connect it to the other HDMI as it was in a different part of the wall - I used a: UGREEN HDMI Adapter, HDMI Female to Female Connector: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B2HPAE6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
• HDMI into one of these: Cablesson HDelity HDMI audio extractor ARC - HD Digital: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009D70JIY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
• Digital cable into the optical in

The TV never discovered it though and kept using its inbuilt speakers.

Thanks again!

 

[egg67]

That setup might work just go to settings on Sound settings on TV turn off speaker, on AV turn off ARC

 

[DanUK]

Ah, I did try it with ARC switched on the AV unit. I'll try without. I also confused myself with the converter ( Cablesson HDelity HDMI audio extractor ARC - HD Digital: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009D70JIY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 )

The optical cable obviously goes into the TOSLINK OUT port. Should the HDMI be in HDMI IN or HDMI OUT?

Thanks again!

 

[egg67]

AV out to TV in, so if you think about it, it will be out, in, out, in till it gets to TV, try not to think about the signal going back with the ARC

 

[DanUK]

Thanks. Sorry I'm confused (doesn't take much!). I mean for the box I mentioned - so it should be on the HDMI OUT and then the TOSLINK OUT to the TV OPTICAL IN on the AV unit? Then on the AV unit disable ARC in the settings, and on the TV disable speakers?

As a backup, would it not work if I tried the 'SAT' HDMI IN on the back of AV direct to the TV?

Sorry to drag this out!

 

[egg67]

No all you are trying to do is send sound to AV, with most setups you have lets say a sky box, firestick, games consul all connected to the AV in's, then the AV out goes to the TV for the pic and sound of AV is of, as the aerial goes to the TV and not the AV the AV needs a sound source but not a picture source that is why we have ARC, so think that ARC is going backwards, so you need to Connect the HDMI from the TV to the out on the box then the optical to the AV

 

[DanUK]

Thanks. That makes sense. That's what I tried before with no joy, but maybe that's because ARC was enabled on the AV. I'll try without. Thanks!

 

[dmxtothemax]

Have a look on e bay there are lots of video to cat 5 convertors.
most of them are designed to convert video and audio together,
but that should be no problem, hook up the video and audio
then at the other end just don't use the video output.
Cat 5 will be quite happy in speaker wire.

 

[DanUK]

Thanks dmx. How would this connect to the AV unit though as there's no cat5 input?

I think my only options other than splitting the HDMI OUT on the AV unit as someone suggested before is either a COAX in or DIGITAL OPTICAL IN (which I have a converter for, but didn't work).

Thanks again!

 

[DanUK]

And so the story evolves!

I tried some bits tonight:

1. using the ARC box I linked above: HDMI into 'HDMI OUT', disabling ARC on the AV, optical cable from the box to the optical in - nothing worked and the TV didn't recognise the 'smart link' and reverted to its own speakers
2. I then tried connecting the HDMI direct from the TV to the 'SAT INPUT' on my AV (linked above too) - this found the speakers and it disabled the TV speakers and said it was using the media. If I used the volume control on my TV it made a buzzing noise through my ceiling speakers (linked to the AV unit) but I couldn't hear the TV sound

Any thoughts?

Thanks again. I really appreciate your help.

 

[egg67]

Have you tried to plug the HDMI for TV to the HDMI out on the AV? Like I said the HDMI sat is a in so will not get the sound for TV , so try from it in the out if that works get a good splitter, I have done it before.