Video does not play without an audio connection

[parme]

I have a sony FD Trinitron KV-24LS35U tv. I wish to connect the video output from my computer to this tv and the audio to my hifi system. However, the video will not display on the tv without the audio also connected to the tv. Connections are RCA analog with composite video. Plugging in a random audio source does not fool it. Does anyone know:

1) How the tv knows that the random source is not the correct audio and therefore will not display the video, and if there is any reason for this behaviour.

2) Any workarounds so that I can route the audio directly to the hifi and watch the video on the tv.

TIA

[Midzuki]

> 1) How the tv knows that the random source is not the correct audio
> and therefore will not display the video,

Very good question...

>and if there is any reason for this behaviour.

Original Manufacturer's Stupidness, I presume.

> 2) Any workarounds so that I can route the audio directly to the hifi
> and watch the video on the tv.

Distribute the audio signal onto both your hi-fi amplifier and your TV set,
then click the "shut-up" button of this latter. HTH.

===========================

[TBoneit]

Have you tried a new Video cable. It sounds like your video cable has an open ground, the shield, and plugging in the audio completes the video circuit. You could also test this by touching the ground of the RCA plug (The outer shell) to the plug on the TV and seeing if the video appears.

If you have access to a continuity tester/Ohmeter mesaure from end to end on the center pins and then one the outside shells they should both show contimuity and there should be no cenection from the center pin to the outside shell of the plug.

Oh one other possibility is that the ground on the plug in the TV or video source have become broken that will also have tha effect.

Workaround would be to get Audio Y cables and feed one leg to the TV and the other to the HiFi.

To put it another way I doubt it is the TV, More likely the cable or something in the computer. I can not think of anyway the TV could be comparing the audio to the video to determine if they match.

[parme]

Thanks Midzuki and TBoneit.

TBoneit wrote: You could also test this by touching the ground of the RCA plug (The outer shell) to the plug on the TV and seeing if the video appears.

I tried this and the video appears when I do it. What you describe fits exactly with what I'm experiencing so I think you are right. I've ordered an s-video cable since its supposed to be better video quality anyway and I'll see if that makes a difference. Thanks so much for your detailed reply, it was very helpful.