Audio Splitter Switch

So basically this is a normal audio splitter (two female ports and one male port) with a switch in the middle of it.
This is my first instructable so leave comments and let me know how it is :P

Some friends and I have a set up with a TV, a couple game consoles, and a stereo system. Originally there was a normal splitter on the input for the stereo system so we could have an audio out on the TV as well as a computer plugged in at the same time (so we wouldn't have to go to the back of the stereo system to switch the plugs all the time). The problem with this however was that whenever one was turned on or off, the volume would half or double, meaning there would be a sudden deafening blast of sound or everything would get quiet and someone would have to get up and adjust the volume.
To fix this I came up with the idea of making a splitter that had a switch on it that we could put next to the controller for the stereo system. This way whenever someone got up to turn on the stereo system or a console, they could switch the audio input, thus no more annoying volume changes.

What you will need:
-Wire (three colors would help but isn't necessary)
-1x Male audio port
-2x Female audio port
-2x Small switches
-Soldering iron (make sure you solder in a well ventilated area!)
-Solder
-Hot glue gun and sticks (or something else like shrink/crimp tubing or electrical tape to cover exposed wires)
-Some strong glue (ie. super glue, crazy glue)

Step 1 Prepare the wires and male port

Strip both ends of each of the three wires and twist the ends so they are easier to solder.
Repeat this two more times to have three sets of three wires.
As I said before, three different colored wires would be helpful so you can tell which is left, right, or ground. If you want to use only one color, you could color the ends of each piece with a dry erase marker or something to help tell each apart.
The wire was twisted by lining up the ends of three lengths of wire, putting them in drill, and having someone use the drill while you hold the other end of the wires. The knot is just so the wires don't unravel.

The male audio port was salvaged from a broken pair of speakers I found in an electronics dump. In most cases you'll find a white, red, and black wire inside the larger wire casing. Red is usually the right channel, white is usually the left channel, and black is usually the ground. In the port and wire I used, red was right, white was ground, and gray was left.
If these aren't the colors in your wire and you happen to have a voltmeter, don't worry. You can place one lead of the voltmeter on a wire and the other end on part of the port to tell which wire is which. Also, in the case with this type of wire (separated into two lines, each containing two wires) the common color in each is the ground. If you need to use a voltmeter, the tip of of the male port is the left channel, the ring is the right channel, and the sheath is is the ground.

Comments

[Jimmimak]

Don't know if you're aware, but you can buy double pole double throw (DPDT) switches, so theres no need to do this. It's equivalent to what you have here - 2 inputs, one 2-way mechanism, 4 possible outputs but only 2 activated at a time.

[thouartodd]

True, but I made this with stuff I salvaged from a computer dump so everything was free :P

[Jimmimak]

I need to find a computer dump! :)