I just bought a home theater system from walmart for 158 dollars. I cant seem to get it to work and the directions dont have a step by step guide. Please help. I have the red and white cables going from the theater system to the tv so far.
"I have the red and white cables going from the theater system to the tv so far." Something doesn't sound right here.
From the RCA to the TV you should have a single HDMI cable, not red and white cables. This carries video to the TV. Keep it straight in your head what is an input and an output, it's amazing to me how many people confuse these. Your DVD is in your RCA home theatre system, it's the "source" so video information is coming out of the RCA going into the TV. Your HDMI cable should be from an output on the RCA and to an input on the TV. If your TV is older and doesn't have HDMI you have to look to see if your RCA has component video out or any other video out you can connect to the TV.
If you want to watch TV off the air using the TV built in tuner you also need an optical cable coming from the audio output of the TV to an optical audio input on the RCA. If you have any other source like a cable box you will have a problem because these little HTiB systems don't have multiple inputs.
Generally the "red and white" wires are the speaker wires. Normally that's what you see from the RCA to the included speakers.
Just FYI, the RCA is not 1000 watts, it's more likely closer to 50 watts. Unfortunately the Federal Trade Commission has become very lax about audio system power ratings allowing deceptive marketing practices.
Those home theater in a box are not a very good system. Don't expect to get 1,000 watts of power from that unit at all. They are not flexible for adding anything to them or for up grading. Check and see what video and audio output your unit has and then match that with the tv. Keep in mind that your tv only has an optical audio output and more than likely the unit you purchase does not have an optical audio input. This in a common issue with consumers who purchase a home theater in a box and then find out they can not connect the tv to the unit to hear the sound coming from the tv. Use HDMI output on your home theater it it provides one, if not then component cable (Reg, Green and Blue RCA jack for the video and then optical for the audio. If it has only an RCA jack then use the Yellow for the video and the Red and White for the left and right audio signal. Keep in mind, you get what you pay for. Hope this will help you out.