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Fri 31 Mar, 2006 09:24 pm
My monitor died this morning. I went to the computer shop and picked up a second hand CRT for $65 that works great. My old monitor had an extra plug, that plugged into the sound card. I didn't know what it did, only that the pink plug went into the pink hole. Now I'm thinking that it may have been providing power to my speakers. Does that sound right?
Yes, it does make sense. I had a monitor that plugged in like that, but my first monitor and the one I have now don't have that feature, so it looks like you're going to need speakers that plug into your puter.
Pink generally is the microphone connection, green is speakers. Many monitors feature built-in mikes and/or speakers. If your speakers are not built into your monitor, your monitor has nothing to do with your speakers.
OK, I've just looked at my old monitor, and it does have a mic connection (5 years and I never saw it!). So why sound from the headphones, and not from the speakers?
Yeah, I was thinking about the green connection too. When I got my new puter, I couldn't get the speakers to work and it was because I plugged them in the wrong one.
They were suppose to go in the green one.
There's not even a static hum when I connect the speakers. The monitor has been dying for a while, and it's demise didn't really surprise me. But what's the odds of the speakers dying at exactly the same time. I don't like coincidences.
The speakers have also got a power plug, but it's never been connected to anything, and they've always worked. I don't know much about audio.
Do you have a green plug in thing in the back of your computer?
If so, try plugging the speakers in there, but you'll have to reboot your computer for it to work.
That's where the headphones are plugged in. I'm a bit confused (a not uncommon occurence). The speakers and monitor were both from my old Packard-Bell. The monitor has got a plug for the speaker power supply, but I only removed the monitor this morning, and don't remember unplugging the power supply for the speakers. But since the speakers have a got an inbuilt volume control, that suggests they've got an amplifier, and needed a power connection. Which means I'll either have to find a 16v DC supply, or buy some passive speakers.
Most outboard computer speakers are wall-powered; they hafta be plugged in to a wall socket ... usually via a transformer or "wall wart".
On soundcards, blue typically is line in, black, if present, is rear speakers, and yellow, if present, subwoofer/center channel.
Now I'm confused
Try taking your headphones out of the green one and connect the speakers there to see what happens.
Don't forget to reboot after you make the connection.
The speakers, passive or powered, hafta be plugged in toi the green jack on the soundcard - that's the speaker output.
No rebooting should be necessary ... you're not changing anything in the machine or its software.
Ok! Sorry about the bad advice, Wilso. I should know better than to try help in the copmputer world, lol.
Not bad advice, just an unnecessary step. Won't hurt anything, but won't accomplish anything either.
I've tried it. Plug the speakers in, and nothing. Plug the headphones back in, and it works fine. I've got the right jack, it must be the power requirement.
Good luck with it, Wilso.
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