Problems Connecting Laptop to Home Stereo

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

dylandavis@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I am seeking help on a problem I'm having when connecting my Dell
> Inspiron 9300 laptop to my stereo amplifier, a NAD C340.
>
> I went the cheap and simple route, buying a cable that hooks into my
> laptop's headphone port, with 2 RCA outputs that I connected to the
> "auxillary" input on my stereo receiver. When I do this, I get a lot
> of buzzing, and can barely hear anything playing on my computer. This
> happens even when all volume levels are turned up to the max. This
> confuses me because when I use this cable to hook up my mp3 player and
> walkman, the music plays through my stereo loudly and clearly.
>
> Can anyone tell me why I am able to get good sound results with my mp3,
> walkman, etc, but NOT through my laptop?
>
> I would really appreciate any advice that anyone could give.
>

What happens when you disconnect ALL other cables from the laptop,
INCLUDING the AC adpater?
mike

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Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

I still get buzzing when I disconnect all cables and run on battery
power, and I don't get a buzz when I listen to the headphones.

I think that I have overestimated the severity of the buzz in my post -
it is not that loud, and I think that it is just distortion from
turning up the volume very high, which I have to do in order to hear
any sound at all from the stereo when my laptop is connected. I'm
pretty sure that it is not a grounding issue, etc. The buzz is not
bad.

The real problem is the fact that, even when my laptop volume and the
stereo volume are turned to the max, I can barely hear my music. And,
as I stated before, I have no trouble when I hook up my mp3 player or
walkman to my home stereo.

Incidentally, when I plug regular headphones in to my laptop, it sounds
great. Is this just a big mystery?

Thanks for the responses so far. It's great to see people helping
others! Any other input is still greatly appreciated.

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Quaoar-

You have given me many great suggestions. I, too, find it ridiculous
that my computer has an S-video output, but the headphones port is the
ONLY audio output. No seperate line out, etc.

Anyway, great suggestions. I will try them all and report back. Many
thanks!

Quaoar wrote:
> dylandavis@gmail.com wrote:
> > I still get buzzing when I disconnect all cables and run on battery
> > power, and I don't get a buzz when I listen to the headphones.
> >
> > I think that I have overestimated the severity of the buzz in my
post
> > - it is not that loud, and I think that it is just distortion from
> > turning up the volume very high, which I have to do in order to
hear
> > any sound at all from the stereo when my laptop is connected. I'm
> > pretty sure that it is not a grounding issue, etc. The buzz is not
> > bad.
> >
> > The real problem is the fact that, even when my laptop volume and
the
> > stereo volume are turned to the max, I can barely hear my music.
And,
> > as I stated before, I have no trouble when I hook up my mp3 player
or
> > walkman to my home stereo.
> >
> > Incidentally, when I plug regular headphones in to my laptop, it
> > sounds great. Is this just a big mystery?
> >
> > Thanks for the responses so far. It's great to see people helping
> > others! Any other input is still greatly appreciated.
>
> It's suprising (and I'm a little baffled) that there is an S-video
> output but no complementary audio output except the headphone port.
I'm
> wondering if you go into the sounds control panel and change the
speaker
> option you might be able to improve the output signal?. Is there a
> separate audio card control panel with adjustable power output level?

> You have checked that the microphone input is muted? Are you using
the
> correct line-in on the amplifier? You might try a higher quality AR
or
> Monster cable as a last resort - I know that AR audio cables are a
big
> improvement over the typical thin generic audio cables that come
> standard with A/V equipment. Have you tried connecting the audio to
> your television to hear what happens there?
>
> Q

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Hi,

Sounds like the problem I have connecting my turn table to my stereo - in order to hear it properly, I have to run it through a pre-amp. Why you'd need to do this with a notebook is puzzling, though.

Just my two bits.

MP

I still get buzzing when I disconnect all cables and run on battery
power, and I don't get a buzz when I listen to the headphones.

I think that I have overestimated the severity of the buzz in my post -
it is not that loud, and I think that it is just distortion from
turning up the volume very high, which I have to do in order to hear
any sound at all from the stereo when my laptop is connected. I'm
pretty sure that it is not a grounding issue, etc. The buzz is not
bad.

The real problem is the fact that, even when my laptop volume and the
stereo volume are turned to the max, I can barely hear my music. And,
as I stated before, I have no trouble when I hook up my mp3 player or
walkman to my home stereo.

Incidentally, when I plug regular headphones in to my laptop, it sounds
great. Is this just a big mystery?

Thanks for the responses so far. It's great to see people helping
others! Any other input is still greatly appreciated.


[comp.sys.laptops]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

JHEM wrote:
>
> dylandavis@gmail.com wrote:
> > No, in fact it sounds great when I just plug my headphones in to my
> > laptop. That's why I'm so baffled!
>
> Are you certain the audio cable you're using is a stereo cable? E.g., three
> conductors on the mini-phone plug?
>
> Are you certain that it's fully inserted? Some need to be pushed in until
> they "click". Also, the laptop's internal speakers will usually turn off
> when the plug is correctly inserted.

Another "Are you certain..."

Are you certain you're using the correct amplifier input?

Different inputs, *way* different results (i.e., impedance matching).

Notan

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

dylandavis@gmail.com wrote in message news:<1112198720.246720.197100@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>...
> Hello,
>
> I am seeking help on a problem I'm having when connecting my Dell
> Inspiron 9300 laptop to my stereo amplifier, a NAD C340.
>
> I went the cheap and simple route, buying a cable that hooks into my
> laptop's headphone port, with 2 RCA outputs that I connected to the
> "auxillary" input on my stereo receiver. When I do this, I get a lot
> of buzzing, and can barely hear anything playing on my computer. This
> happens even when all volume levels are turned up to the max. This
> confuses me because when I use this cable to hook up my mp3 player and
> walkman, the music plays through my stereo loudly and clearly.
>
> Can anyone tell me why I am able to get good sound results with my mp3,
> walkman, etc, but NOT through my laptop?
>
> I would really appreciate any advice that anyone could give.

Are you sure that the headphone jack plug is EXACTLY the same shape as
the plug on the cable to the stereo unit. Sometimes the tip of the
plug is slightly different and it makes poor contact. I use an
extension lead (male headphone jackplug on one end and female
headphone jackplug socket on the other) with the same type of cable
you are trying to use. I sometimes get buzzing if the junction
between the two cables isn't perfect. Try rotating the plug - does it
help?

rgds

Richard

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

RichardHenshall@utvinternet.com (Richard Henshall) wrote in message news:<4f52affd.0504060535.26b4746c@posting.google.com>...
> dylandavis@gmail.com wrote in message news:<1112198720.246720.197100@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com>...
> > Hello,
> >
> > I am seeking help on a problem I'm having when connecting my Dell
> > Inspiron 9300 laptop to my stereo amplifier, a NAD C340.
> >
> > I went the cheap and simple route, buying a cable that hooks into my
> > laptop's headphone port, with 2 RCA outputs that I connected to the
> > "auxillary" input on my stereo receiver. When I do this, I get a lot
> > of buzzing, and can barely hear anything playing on my computer. This
> > happens even when all volume levels are turned up to the max. This
> > confuses me because when I use this cable to hook up my mp3 player and
> > walkman, the music plays through my stereo loudly and clearly.
> >
> > Can anyone tell me why I am able to get good sound results with my mp3,
> > walkman, etc, but NOT through my laptop?
> >
> > I would really appreciate any advice that anyone could give.
>
> Are you sure that the headphone jack plug is EXACTLY the same shape as
> the plug on the cable to the stereo unit. Sometimes the tip of the
> plug is slightly different and it makes poor contact. I use an
> extension lead (male headphone jackplug on one end and female
> headphone jackplug socket on the other) with the same type of cable
> you are trying to use. I sometimes get buzzing if the junction
> between the two cables isn't perfect. Try rotating the plug - does it
> help?
>
> rgds
>
> Richard

An interesting discovery for me was that I experienced exactly this
original problem at the weekend, using a different PSU for the laptop.
The one that gave the buzzing had a three prong cloverleaf
(mickey-mouse) mains connector, where the quiet one had a two prong
(figure-of-eight) mains connector.

Could this be the explanation - an earth loop?

rgds

Richard