Computer Sound

[danbaron]

Probably, everyone knows the answer to this except me.

Normally, I never use any sound on my computer. I have no use for it.

But, I am going to need it for something soon.

I remember a long time ago, computers came with built in speakers.

I have Windows 7, and I tried testing my sound, and, I hear nothing.

Am I correct in concluding that new computers do not come with built in speakers, and that I have to connect external speakers in order to be able to hear anything?

:p

[peter]

Hi,

It seems you have the time oversleep! Or you have a stone age computer!
You need a sound card, to make noise.
Or your Motherboard got a sound chip. In this case, plug in a speaker to your Computer.

[kryton9]

Since you are running Windows 7 Dan, that means you probably have a computer with built in sound, plug speakers or headphones up to the round plug with a green color to it. The red plug is for microphones.

http://www.techiwarehouse.com/i/Motherboard/Motherboard2.jpg
Audio out jack in the picture

[danbaron]

Thanks guys.

Yes, peter, I did sleep for 20 years.

But, I found the speakers that came with the computer.

They use USB for the power, so I don't have to turn them on and off, which is good.

You're right, Kent, the plug is green (that's a good picture - thanks). So, I plugged it into the green hole. (There are also 4 other holes, black, yellow, blue, pink.)

I went to the control panel, changed the view to, "Small icons", and clicked on, "Sound". Then, I clicked on the, "Sounds", tab, and tried testing the default sounds. I didn't hear anything, so, of course, I thought that once again I was embarked on an hours long ordeal just to be able to accomplish a simple task. But, fortunately, I tried restarting the computer, and amazingly, then, I was actually able to cause the speakers to produce sounds!

I still would prefer if there was a little speaker inside the computer or the monitor. To me, external speakers are just another device taking up space. On the other hand, I guess this way I could somehow run the audio output through two of my electric guitar amplifiers, or, do you think that would be overkill?!

:bom:

[peter]

Hi,

You need this here for inside:

[danbaron]

I think it's only for beeping.

http://www.amazon.com/PC-Internal-Mini-Onboard-Speaker/dp/B002W4M0DW

I need to be able to hear speech, too.

:oops:

[zak]

this is a usefull thread, i want to annoy Dan slightly: i buyed before a month a head earphones equiped with an electronics to filter the noise . but i found that it filter also the hoarseness in the human voice , such as when we have cold, treating it as a noise. so this is bad, and i have buyed another head earphones which have no electronics at all, and it is exact in translating the real sound. but my big speakers are good even they have electronics and could convey correctly the sound delicate characteristics.
i must not forget that kryton is a good teacher , i have reserved his picture as a reference.

[Michael Clease]

I think it's only for beeping.

I need to be able to hear speech, too.

:oops:



Dan the speaker output on the motherboard (not audio out green jack) should be able to drive a 4-8 ohm impedance speaker and produce normal quality audio.

What motherboard does your machine have?

[danbaron]

I have some big tube (valve) electric guitar amplifiers, zak. They each have two 12" speakers. I'm going to put one on each side of the computer, connect them to the green jack (Is it correct?, the plug is the male, and the jack is the female? Why would Jack be a female? Shouldn't the female be Jill?), and turn them up to 10, so I can accurately detect every wave of audio output. :bom:

Why do you need headphones? It doesn't make sense. :shock01: Maybe when I am speaking to someone else in the same room, we will each wear headphones, and talk to each other through microphones. This will be the way of the future! The headphones will filter out the noise, so we can hear the subtlest nuances of each other's voices. :wink:

-------------------------------------

I don't know what's inside my Machine, Mike.

I have lots of responsibilities. At this point, I'm grateful if when I turn on the computer, something doesn't go wrong. A long time ago I would open my computers. For instance, in a Macintosh I had, I installed an FPU (floating point unit). That was back when, if you didn't have one, it was almost faster to do floating point operations with a pencil.

But, I'm glad you indicated that in theory, I don't need external speakers. So, I feel that my initial post in this thread, was not so crazy. :p

[kryton9]

Dan, also many lcd monitors now have built in speakers, but not all do. Since you said your computer came with speakers, the monitor probably doesn't have speakers, but you never know?

You won't be happy sucking all that electricity to drive your guitar amps just to hear your computer. I would not recommend it.

[danbaron]

My computer is an "emachine", from Wal-Mart.

The "acer" LCD monitor was separate.

I connected the two speakers that came with the computer. I like the fact that because they are USB, they turn on and off with the computer. It's not so bad being able to hear the various sounds, as long as I keep the volume low. I guess I am not as much against sound as I was.

Concerning input devices, I have tried a lot. For a long time I used trackballs, and, overall I liked them. I also tried touch-pads. I wanted them to be good, but, to be honest, I think they should be bigger. Now, I just use the mechanical mouse that came with the computer. It works fine, and it is easy to clean. I can't say that I have found optical or laser mice to be better.

:idea:

[peter]

The mechanical mouse was made by a caveman.
To be modern, use a optical or a laser mouse.
Here you can see what your mouse has eaten. :D

[danbaron]

I had a Microsoft wireless laser mouse.

It worked OK.

Then, I upgraded my OS from Vista to Windows 7.

During the upgrade, Windows told me that my mouse was not compatible with Windows 7. No information about updating my driver, nothing - just basically, "You can't use this Microsoft wireless laser mouse (which is less than one year old) with Windows 7, sorry. But, why don't you buy a new Microsoft wireless laser mouse, that will work with Windows 7, today?!".

It doesn't surprise me one bit.

(Additionally, it is interesting to me that many victims of Microsoft, defend it. I guess that phenomenon is another instance, of the manifestation of the Stockholm Syndrome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_syndrome

Similarly, you can also see it in Libya, now, where many people love their dictator of over 40 years, Moammar Gadhafi. (You wouldn't believe that the bulk of humanity could be so stupid, unless you witnessed it daily, right?))

:evil5:

[kryton9]

I had the same problem with a microsoft joystick a few years back. Too bad it was a nice joystick, but the newer ms operating system did not like it they never put out a driver for it. Been a very happy Logitech User ever since for my joysticks and gamepads.

The new mice are very nice Dan. Old mechanical mice were cool for their time, but once you use optical and laser, no comparison.

Wacom also makes now affordable tablet input devices. I am thinking of getting one for drawing with, but they have one for just controlling input too.
http://www.wacom.com/bamboo/multi_touch.php

[danbaron]

It looks pretty good, Kent.

I am tempted.

We'll see.

:?: