Moving to a new place - it's got 'unidentified' RCA wall plates ? Help !

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Moving to a new place - it's got 'unidentified' RCA wall plates ? Help !

markoneswift

35 posts

Geek

#180836 23-Sep-2015 14:10

Hey geeks :-)

Quick question - I'm moving into a new rental place and it has a wall plate in the lounge with 6 RCA sockets ( 3 red, 3 black) in it. There are red and black single RCA plates dotted around the lounge and where there is a plate, there is an accompanying double power outlet.

My question is - would this arrangement have been used for some kind of hard-wired surround system do you think ? I'm wondering whether I could make use of the RCA outlets for my 5.1 system - obviously not for all speakers but for the ones at the back of the room it would be great instead of trailing cables everywhere. Can stereo sound by transmitted over a single RCA ( I'm thinking not ?) - my amp has traditional spring clamps for its speaker outputs and my speakers have screw terminals too so converting / adapting RCA cables could be tricky.

Any thoughts / advice on this would be awesome cheers :-)

wellygary

8312 posts

Uber Geek

#1392692 23-Sep-2015 14:19

A single rca plug is a two wire connection ( centre pin and edge) so each "plug" can run a single speaker ,

redwingNZ

31 posts

Geek

#1392693 23-Sep-2015 14:20

Not an expert but I had something similar at the house we brought this year.

I brought a banana plug 6 socket wall plate ($15 or so on TM), pulled the RCA one off the wall and un-soldered the connections then replaced with the banana ones. Plugged my AMP speaker connections in and it worked a treat.
I guess it comes down to whats behind the wall. Pop the plate off and have a look.

MikeAqua

7773 posts

Uber Geek

#1392736 23-Sep-2015 14:54

Perhaps the RCA's were carrying audio channels around at line level to speakers with integrated amplifiers (requiring a power supply).

Mike

graemeh

2078 posts

Uber Geek

#1392737 23-Sep-2015 14:55

markoneswift: my amp has traditional spring clamps for its speaker outputs and my speakers have screw terminals too so converting / adapting RCA cables could be tricky.

It is actually very easy all you need is a cheap RCA to RCA cable and a pair of wire cutters, scissors or even a sharp knife. Cut the cable in half, bare the wires and you have a two screw terminal to RCA plug adaptors :)

markoneswift

35 posts

Geek

#1392754 23-Sep-2015 15:01

Brilliant thanks guys, awesome advice as always. I like the RCA / RCA and wire cutters approach GraemeH thanks for that tip.

MikeAqua

7773 posts

Uber Geek

#1392789 23-Sep-2015 15:29

You should check the capacity of the wires hidden in your walls.

If they were designed for non amplified signals, the capacity may not be that high.

Mike

JimmyH

2886 posts

Uber Geek

#1392956 23-Sep-2015 18:40

Have you tried asking the landlord?

I would expect that there is a good chance they will know what has been done.

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chiefie

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5877 posts

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#1392957 23-Sep-2015 18:42

JimmyH: Have you tried asking the landlord?

I would expect that there is a good chance they will know what has been done.

Ditto. Plus I won't imagine the landlord be happy if you go about and damage the fixture - given that you're renting their property.

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Dunnersfella

4086 posts

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#1392966 23-Sep-2015 18:52

My experience is that the RCA plugs were intended for standard loud speakers, but some muppet of an electrician attached the only wall plate he had sitting in the van... or was the cheapest at Radcliffs.
Just saying...