x10 device to control RCA/3.5mm audio jacks?

[misha680]

Hi guys - I am thinking of changing this so that I am actually wiring up:

3.5 mm cable

to

RCA cable.

However, the 3.5mm cable has L, R, and ground, whereas my RCA only has L & R. I have found that when I split my
3.5mm cable, I needed to actually have _three_ universal modules: L, R, and ground, to avoid buzzing.

What can I do with ground for RCA? Is there something I can hook it up to?

Thank you
Misha

[Brian H]

An RCA connector has One signal to the Tip and the Shield is the shell of the connector.

  (  .  ) -Shield/Common
     ^
    Signal
You should not have to switch the shield as it should be common to all the signals.

More details on what you are connecting may assist us.

[misha680]

Oh ok. Well I currently have:

3.5 mm cable

  L                  - UM506 -  L

  R                  - UM506 - R

  Ground        - UM506 - Ground

I would like to do

  L - UM506 - RCA L
  R - UM506 - RCA R
  Ground - ?

I found that, at least for the 3.5 mm cable, when I do _not_ connect grounds, I get buzzing on my speakers. I would like to avoid for
RCA. Its just a way to turn my music on and off (Creative Xmod to my stereo).

Thank you
Misha

[Brian H]

What happens if you just connect all the grounds together?
Yes floating grounds will give you HUM

[misha680]

No I mean if I'm _just_ connecting the 3.5mm to the RCA, then there's a ground on the 3.5mm as a separate wire but the ground on the RCA is the shielded connector.

I guess what you're suggesting is to connect the ground cable on the 3.5mm cable to the shielded connector on the RCA cable, is that correct?

Thank you
Misha

[Brian H]

Yes connect the ground from all the cables together. Both RCA's and the one from the 3.5 mm