Connect TV to speakers in front shell

Wife has been after me to see if I can connect our television to the speakers in the front shell. I know the wires are in the refrigerator top but I am not sure how to go about it. We set our 15" flat screen LCD tv on top of the fridge so the connection would be short. Any ideas come to mind? I know I could probably use RCA cables but still in the dark about the rest. We do not plan to install a radio.

Midwest Dave
2002 Dodge Grand Caravan w/ tow pkg.
2006-2720

One option would be to install a radio above the refrigirator with an Aux input. Then you could use the AV Audio out from the TV, and plugging it into the Aux input.

Walt

[Joe]

You need to know if the TV has output connections for external speakers or headphones. If so then you can probably do it although there may be some concern about impedance matching.

[Bill]

Following up on Joe's comment. Small TVs (like mine) with built in minispeakers may not have enough audio power output to drive the TM speakers to "room-filling sound". In that case, you would need an amplifier of some sort. Doesn't have to be a big one - but something.

Best bet is probably just to hook it up and try it. Find a plug that matches your TV audio output (assuming it has one) and hook 'em up to the wires above the refrig. You will probably find that the TV has a stereo output jack, which needs a matching stereo plug. Then you will need a single-stereo-to-two-mono adapter and a short cable. Radio Shack will have it all.

Bill

Looks like a trip to Radio Shack is in order. I did check the TV and it does have the RCA connectors for audio / visual out put. I might need to install an amp in the radio knock out and hopefully find one with the right out put connectors located on the front. Just thinking out loud! Thanks for your help everyone!

Midwest Dave
2002 Dodge Grand Caravan w/tow pkg. 3.8L-6cyl.
2006-2720

Many of the radios/cd player now have Aux input and amplifies the output to the speakers. If the radio has an RCA input connection, then all you need is RCA cable from TV audio out to Aux input on radio. If radio has the mini phono plug Aux input connection, you can get the RCA to mini phono plug cable at RadioShack. It may even have the cable with the radio.

Thanks Walt, I don't have a radio and probably won't but I'll still try to maybe put some jacks or something on the side of the fridge so I can plug in the RCA cables to the TV. I already have a couple of sets of RCA cables it will be just a matter of putting in the female connectors off the speaker cables. Each speaker has two wires so I'll need two connectors right and left.
A lot of good information here in the form. Thanks all!

Midwest Dave
2006-2720
2002 Dodge Gran Caravan w/ tow pkg.

Well this won't help MidwestDave, but if anyone who has a radio installed wants to do this without messing around with the wiring above the fridge, you could probably use an FM modulator, e.g. ...
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=4956678
...
Plug it into the 12V socket next to the fridge and connect its audio inputs to the TV's audio out (might need connector adapters from eg Radio Shack). Then tune both the FM modulator and the TM radio to the same (preferably unused) FM radio channel and you're in business.

You can also connect your iPod or if you don't have one (like me) you can transfer MP3 audio files from your computer to a flash drive and use the USB port on this device for playing them through your TM's radio/speakers.

Paul

Paul,

That FM modulator you mentioned reminded my that I had something similar that I could use to play mp3 files off of my GPS. I didn't like using it with my GPS, but I thought I might try as you suggested. The unit I have just has one of those mini plugs and it has a built in 9 volt battery. I happened to have a connector in my junk drawer so set up the tv in the trailer and put on a DVD. It was just as bad on the tv as it was on my GPS. Lots of static and distortion.

So, is that modulator you mention any good for this purpose? Do you have any static, or distortion, especially if you turn the volume up (I tested it with the DVD Independence Day and that is probably one of the best sources for audio)? Its entirely possible that the modulator I have is just a piece of junk, especially if yours works ok...

Mike Anderson

Mike,
I confess I have not used this unit. I was just proposing a solution and used it as an example. I've since searched the internet a bit and found a discussion on FM modulators here :
http://www.engadget.com/2005/08/11/a...for-non-ipods/

...at this site some people like the VR3 unit, and some don't. At least with Walmart you can always return it.
The concensus seems to be that FM modulators in general work OK, especially those that use vehicle power and those which connect directly to the antenna port on the radio, but don't expect audiophile quality.

I think yours must have something wrong with it if it sounds so junky, or maybe you have the audio level set too high into the modulator.

Paul