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Wednesday, 04 November, 2009

I can get sound via USB but not via audio sockets.

Raymond Adams, , Australia


Although you mightn't realise it, that's like saying "my blue car will take me to the shops so why won't my broken red car?".

They're two entirely different systems. The sound card or onboard sound has chips that convert the data to sound. The USB-connected device (such as a headset) does exactly the same thing, but quite independently. The fact that one works has no bearing on the other.

You need to troubleshoot your PC sound. Depending on your operating system there should be a troubleshooter in the Help section. For instance, in Windows 7 it's called

Playing Audio Troubleshooter.

Much better to use that than fiddle around in the dark.

Paul Zucker



Reader solutions



MichaelPosted: 09/11/2009

re: No sound
Paul some USB devices (i.e Like handset for Skype) can have bearing on the other device like sound card or onboard sound.

Sometime when U install a USB device like some handset for skpe it will change the Default Sound Playback device in windows XP. So to use speakers U have to change it back to the sound card or the onboard sound in the Audio tab of Sounds and Audio Devices Properities.

(Good point. That's why using the audio troubleshooter is better than us explaining all the things it might be. -PZ)

JCPosted: 06/11/2009

re: No sound
Raymond, are you sure ....that you are putting the Audio cables....into the right sockets?
Whether it may be......'on-board Sound' or via an add-in Sound-card, you put cables into wrong sockets, you generally get no sound.
Period.
Most are marked....with an imprint, of what goes 'where', these days.
Usually, there are 4. (More, if you have "Surround Sound".)
The most common set-up is,
Microphone
Speakers/Headphones (this is the one you should be connecting to.)
Bass
Digital (Here, if you have Digital Speakers/Sound-card. Doesn't work...for Analogue,self-explantory.)
Still can't get Sound to work.........use the Troubleshooter program, download the proper drivers, refer....to Manufacturer's web-site.....for more info, like PZ has suggested.
Getting sound...via USB, means.....you have the right drivers.
No sound, means...you have the wrong ones.
(Simple enough, to understand.)

What sort of Speakers are you using?
How are they set?
How are they configured? (They may be configured wrongly, have you considered this?)
Look in......the 'Properties'...of your Audio program, via the "Control Panel" program, and, make sure they are set right.
And, go through the whole process, again....of the list I've provided.
My best guess, is, that you have plugged 'IN' a cable...somewhere you shouldn't have plugged one in.

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