mis-connecting audio and composite video

Use the cable you have. It's highly unlikely any damage will occur.

I believe audio is at a lower level than video, so try plugging the cable into the video input first.

PS: As the audio on the expensive cable has a black plug, it's probably the "left" channel of the stereo jack -- the "tip".

Do a little research on google. I'm sure you'll find a wiring diagram of those cables. They were pretty much standard among A/V cables. And yes that cable will do a decent enough job for video without getting into technical details.

Thanks. Yes, the black plug on the expensive cable is for the left channel ... but on the red/white audio cable it turned out that the white was the video and the red was the audio.

Presumably, this is a single-ended audio signal? What level is it? E.g., "line out" shouldn't cause problems with RS170 video *in*. Likewise, connecting the video to "line in" should be safe.

OTOH, depending on what sort of video device you are connecting to and the audio signal "while connected", the video device could misinterpret sync information in the "audio" signal...

Of course, you won't be able to "watch" the audio signal or *listen* to the video...

You can probably pick up something like this for $1 at deal extreme or their ilk. *If* you have some personal need for yellow and black :>

(some are yellow and white)

Why don't you try connecting the the "suspected audio" cable to some disposable *audio* device if you fear damage to your (more expensive) monitor? Or, a 'scope? (i.e., hook up camcorder. Speak into microphone while recording with pauses between your words/sentences. You can then look at either signal (audio or video) and should be able to recognize the constant "AC" of a video signal -- even without syncing the scope! -- vs. the bursts of "Hello"... "Testing"... "lah-dee-dah"... that you recorded on the audio track.

All this without having to know anything about electronics! :>

Nothing bad but the sound is horrible and the picture sucks. Try it. I have for silliness. Signal levels are comparable. The 75 ohm terminator on the video input will load the audio but not damage it.

The audio cable is not 75 ohm transmission line. You will get video through it but the edges may get smeary or have trailing edge rings. Niether case is optimum.

G=B2

If you cross the audio with the video in an analog consumer type audio/ video product there will be no damage done. Make sure if you are listening on an amplifier, you keep the volume control all the way down when you do the connection.

If you put video in to an audio input there will be a loud audio buzz from the video sync and composition. If the volume control is turned up, there could be damage to the speakers if anything...

Once connected, slowely turn the volume control up. If you have a buzz noise, then you know your connection is crossed! If you hear the sound and see the pictures, then you know you guessed correctly.

Jerry G.

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