Fixing Audio Problems - Information supplied by Taunton Press

Here are pix of the connectors needed when customers have audio problems with their DVD's.
The first 3 are the same thing (NOTE: the colored bands on each connector, Yellow is video.  Red and White are audio).
If a customer is playing his DVD or VHS on a stereo system player (DVD of VCR)  and into a mono receiver (TV or Speaker)
he needs to "Y" the connection.  He cannot just plug one connector in and then plug the other end into his receiver.  He will only get
one track of the stereo audio.  The cable pictured below (in the first 3) does that as a single unit.  The end with 3 connectors goes into
the player.  Yellow to video, red and white to the 2 audio outputs.  In turn, the yellow connector on the other side goes to video in on the receiver and the white connector to the audio.  In the past, it was common practice for those without stereo speakers and receivers to
just use the white audio output on the player and connect it to the one audio input on the receiver.  That doesn't work anymore.

An alternative is to use a "Y" output connector to a single input connector for audio.  This channels both audio outputs into one
input.

OR if an individual is playing their DVD on a computer they must use a Stereo Mini Plug out.
A stereo plug has 2 bands on the connector.

A Mono Plug only has one band.  It will only pick up one track of the audio.

This is true whether they are playing into headsets or speakers.  If there is a mono plug, anywhere in the line, they will only hear one track of the audio. 

If they are playing the audio from the stereo PC with the stereo mini-plug into a mono headset or speaker, then they need to use the "Y" adapter in order to hear both channels.

There are also, adapters that will switch the stereo mini-plug into the mono mini plug for mono headsets.

All of these connectors are available at Radio Shack and most other electronic outlets.

gary