RCA Pinout
A single-conductor coaxial connector for unbalanced line-level audio and composite video.
Overview
The RCA (phono) connector is a ubiquitous two-contact connector carrying one unbalanced signal per plug: a center pin for the signal and a surrounding ring for ground/shield. Cables typically come in color-coded bundles (white/red for stereo audio, yellow for composite video).
Each RCA connection carries exactly one channel, so stereo audio needs two and component video needs three. The same connector is also used for S/PDIF coaxial digital audio.
Pinout
| Pin | Name | Function | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Signal (center) | VIDEO / AUDIO / SIGNAL | Center pin: audio or video signal conductor |
| 2 | Ground (shield) | GND | Outer ring: ground / shield return |
Notes
- Unbalanced, nominally line-level. Color coding is convention, not electrical: any RCA plug fits any RCA jack.
Reference: Wikipedia — RCA connector· verified 2026-06-27