Stereo Signal through mono question

[Jajuka89]

Hey guys, I have a mono CRT TV that I use sometimes. I was trying to find ways for getting stereo sound through external speakers, but I read and saw someone suggesting getting a Y cable to mix both L+R audio channels together into 1 mono channel. My question is, will that be okay to do ? or will it damage my TV's speaker ?

I know it wont be officially stereo Left+Right, I just want to make sure I don't miss any dialog or sounds coming from the right channel when watching a DVD or VHS movie.

[BiggusDickus]

So its a mono CRT you are connecting to a pair of external stereo speakers? What connection on the TV are you using?

[The Admiral]

Originally Posted by Jajuka89

[Show spoiler]Hey guys, I have a mono CRT TV that I use sometimes. I was trying to find ways for getting stereo sound through external speakers, but I read and saw someone suggesting getting a Y cable to mix both L+R audio channels together into 1 mono channel. My question is, will that be okay to do ? or will it damage my TV's speaker ?

I know it wont be officially stereo Left+Right, I just want to make sure I don't miss any dialog or sounds coming from the right channel when watching a DVD or VHS movie.

Can you be more specific as your post is quite unclear, please? Are you connecting a stereo DVD player / VCR to a mono TV and then want to get the mono sound coming out of the TV to an external amp/receiver or possibly a pair of powered speakers? If so, where are you getting the TV sound from? Do you have a Mono-OUT RCA-type connector at the back of the tv, or are you trying to get it out of the headphone jack?
Or, are there any stereo-OUT RCA connectors at the back of the DVD player/VHS?

[Jajuka89]

Originally Posted by The Admiral

Can you be more specific as your post is quite unclear, please? Are you connecting a stereo DVD player / VCR to a mono TV and then want to get the mono sound coming out of the TV to an external amp/receiver or possibly a pair of powered speakers? If so, where are you getting the TV sound from? Do you have a Mono-OUT RCA-type connector at the back of the tv, or are you trying to get it out of the headphone jack?
Or, are there any stereo-OUT RCA connectors at the back of the DVD player/VHS?

Let me re word it a bit.

"Hey guys, I have a mono CRT TV that I use sometimes. I read and saw someone suggesting getting a Y cable like this one https://a.co/d/jdMSFO0 to connect both L+R audio channels together into 1 mono channel(The CRT TV speaker).

My question is, will that be okay to do ? or will it damage my CRT TV's speaker ?

The reason I'm looking into this is because I don't want miss any dialog or sounds coming from the right channel when watching a DVD or VHS movie."

[BiggusDickus]

If the sound source is a DVD or VHS player connected directly then no problems.

If there was some kind of amplifier in the system that may need some thought.

[The Admiral]

Originally Posted by Jajuka89

Let me re word it a bit.

"Hey guys, I have a mono CRT TV that I use sometimes. I read and saw someone suggesting getting a Y cable like this one https://a.co/d/jdMSFO0 to connect both L+R audio channels together into 1 mono channel(The CRT TV speaker).

My question is, will that be okay to do ? or will it damage my CRT TV's speaker ?

The reason I'm looking into this is because I don't want miss any dialog or sounds coming from the right channel when watching a DVD or VHS movie."

Ok, I think I understand now. I can give you a two-level answer. In practice, using a Y connector to merge a stereo signal L&R into a mono one might very well work. You will not lose any sound from Left or Right, they'll just be combined. That's the practice. However, be aware that the theory recommends that you don't do that as you might overload the RCA-in on the TV side.

Technically, to do things well and safely, merging a stereo signal L&R (or two mono signals) into a mono signal (L+R) requires soldering a 1kΩ resistor to the end of each cable (L&R) and then tying them together before connecting to the RCA-in jack.
As I said, you may try the connector and everything will probably work perfectly well. The theory tells you not to do that though.
Hope that helps a bit.

[Jajuka89]

Thank you both for the input I appreciate it.