If we are going to set up a live broadcast, different audio devices will connect to an analog mixer, which finally connects to the computer's sound card. Analog audio connectors and analog audio cables are similar in functionality but have own characteristics.

In a basic streaming set-up there are four essential kind of cables and connectors: mini jack, jack, RCA and XLR.

Because of the variety of devices using different standards, it is strongly recommended that you check all the connections before the "streaming day": you may need to find the necessary adapters, sold in every hi-fi or music store.

The mini jack standard is also known as a 3.5mm jack. They could be mono or stereo. The difference can be seen by the number of black lines on the connector itself: 1 black line for mono and 2 lines for stereo! You will usually need only stereo mini jacks!

              

Also known as 'Tulip' or 'cinch' cables. While portable audio equipment, such as walkmans or mp3 players, will have mini-jack outputs, bigger equipment, like domestic CD-players, DVD players and hi-fi devices, will use RCA outputs.

The RCA standard is a combination of two mono connectors: red color for the right channel, white (or black) color for the left channel! That means RCA cables are always pairs!

RCA cables have, typically, only "male" connectors. "Female" connectors are used to create extensions plugging two RCA cables together.

              

Microphones and headphones can come in all shapes and sizes, and they can have varying types of output connectors. Small microphones or headphones like the ones you might buy for a domestic video camera, or a mini-disc recorder, will usually have their own mini jack cable attached. However the more "expansive" versions, will use the jack standard.

The jack standard is the "major" version of mini jack: here also you should look at the black line separators in order to distinguish the mono cables and connectors from the stereo ones!

              

The standard for "professional" microphones is an XLR connection. If you use an expansive microphone, you will probably have such a connection. Be sure that you have the reductors or cross cables you need to connect such a microphone to the analog mixer!

    

As we already said: it is aways better to check all the connectors you need before streaming. You can easily find adapters and cables in major stores, hifi or music shops. Here below, as an example, a typical table of connectors and adapters from a professional retailer.