How do i know if i need a new sound card?

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Shellbelle

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Hello,
I only have sound from my desktop when external speakers are plugged in. I have fiddled in the 'sounds' section of the control panel, but there still is no sound from my computer until I plug speakers in.
 
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Let me just make sure I am understanding this correctly: Are you trying to just use the built-in "speaker"? Because that is basically a buzzer, and the computer is not set up to use that as a full-fledged speaker. Also, that speaker is not connected to the built-in sound chip that the Windows Sound Settings control.

Casey

cklaubur

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Let me just make sure I am understanding this correctly: Are you trying to just use the built-in "speaker"? Because that is basically a buzzer, and the computer is not set up to use that as a full-fledged speaker. Also, that speaker is not connected to the built-in sound chip that the Windows Sound Settings control.

Casey
 
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Shellbelle

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Boy, do I feel like I've got egg on my face! I've been using computers for about 11 years, and I've never given a thought to external speakers being necessary to listen to YouTube videos, or PPS presentations...I guess I just assumed that since my computer makes dings and chirps and all the other sounds, that the sound from online sources would come from the computer's built-in speakers. I usually use headphones so no one around me will be disturbed by my stuff, but one day I had them plugged into the wrong computer and couldn't figure out why I didn't hear anything from the one I was working on. So I plugged in some speakers, and they worked fine. Then I plugged in my earphones into the right computer, and they worked fine. I'm obviously no computer geek, and only learn by trial and error (more error than trial, looks like). Anyway, I seem to learn something every single day, which is a good thing for a senior citizen.

Thank you all so very much for your answers to my silly question.
Shellbelle
 

erly_Cuylers

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don't feel silly, back in the old days computers were made that way. I myself remember sitting here with my budget comp thinking that was just the way it was. it's my guess you made an upgrade or were given a computer and realized you were not getting audio anymore. they don't make em like that anymore and you just did not know. I thought I was making a quantum leap when I spent $100 on a set of PC speakers just to enjoy that "oh, hook speakers up, get sound" bliss. myself not knowing just how far you can take computer audio the options are amazing. I think in a way computers and the way we use them, the growth and maturing of the Internet evolved as I learned over the last decade. so once I thought I had it, there was a whole new level coming around. so I know full well what you mean by trial and error. I sit sometimes now in hindsight thinking "if I only knew my computer could do that". but whatever makes you happy if you just want to hear the audio a set of speakers will be necessary. they range in price from $7.99 to the over complicated. in general any given set of standard PC speakers will give you decent audio.

see you in the ethernet, erly
 

gnomio

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if your using cans then a soundcard might be of some use. Get one with headphone amp. Asus Dg cards going for 25usd. They got a headphone amp. Cheap and perfect for cans
 

Shellbelle

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Hi erly! It's a real pleasure to be in this forum...so many forums give replies that make me feel like a dumb kid or a stupid fool. I'm not dumb nor a fool, but a lady in her 60s who just enjoys surfing the web, reading email and listening to music from my era. I am learning all the time, although it seems just when I get used to something, it immediately becomes obsolete. Half the gadgets out there are way beyond me and I have not the slightest idea what they even are or how to use them; but that's okay, because I really don't want to know. I like to keep it simple, but I want to know all I can to do that. I do a lot of research on 'how-to', and I've gotten by reasonably well. It's kind of scary when you talk about 'the old days' of computers, but when I think about it, the use of home computers was just beginning to be popular in the '80s and that was 30 years ago! I guess time does fly when you're having fun, lol.

Thank you for your very diplomatic answer, and now that I know my computers aren't malfunctioning I can trade in my cheapie little speakers for a nicer pair for further enjoyment.

Thanks again to everybody for all the nice answers, they were all helpful. Shellbelle
 
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