best way to hook laptop up to tv

[chuchichan2524]

I'm trying to hook my powerbook up to my tv and stereo. The picture is no problem. I'm using an s-video cable for that. But, I'm having a problem with the audio. I can't get stereo sound for some reason. I'm using some sort of cable that came with my camcorder. It has the red and white connectors on one end and the other end I plug into the headphone jack on the laptop. I'm plugging this into my stereo, but sound comes out of only one speaker. Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[khisayruou]

Not entirely sure, but could the audio cable actually be mono instead of stereo?

 

[CanadaRAM]

Check your Sound preferences just in case you have it panned hard to one side.

Just get a stereo mini-jack to 2 x RCA cable at RadioShack for $8 and be happy.
Camcorder cable is probably broken.

Test... if you swap L for R on the camcorder cable where it goes into the Aux in or Line in or Tape in of the stereo, does the single channel you hear move to the other speaker? That's a reasonable indication that the problem is the cable.

If you swap L for R and the sound stays on the same speaker, then the problem is your stereo, not the cable.

 

[exeterbohemian]

those camcorder-type plugs that seem to use a normal stereo minijack are actually quite misleading... there was some concern about this raised when the video ipods came out. see, the pin arrangement is different to add room for the video. which means that the stereo audio from your computer is actually going to the white and yellow plugs, not the red and white. if i remember it correctly, white should be right, and yellow should be left. try hooking it up like that and see what happens.

 

[i4k20c]

how do you this? what cables would i need? do i need some kind of program?