Active TopicsActive Topics  Display List of Forum MembersMemberlist  Search The ForumSearch  HelpHelp
  RegisterRegister  LoginLogin
PowerHome General
 PowerHome Messageboard : PowerHome General
Subject Topic: Internal speaker _and_ line out? Post ReplyPost New Topic
Author
Message << Prev Topic | Next Topic >>
judetf
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: January 23 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 234
Posted: May 16 2008 at 15:48 | IP Logged Quote judetf

Not a PH question, per se, but caused by PH and maybe someone has some thoughts. Thanks in advance.

I'm running PH on a basic laptop. When I plug a line-out AV cable into the laptop, I can listen to iTunes/WinAmp from the PH machine on my stereo system.

I'm wondering if there is some way to be able to send certain audio out through the internal speakers, without having to unplug the line out. I'm running Windows XP.

(I'd be happy with a solution that required changing WinXP sound/audio settings each time I wanted to switch from one to the other, and I'd be happy to have it only ever be one or the other. I just don't want to have to unplug the cable each time.)

Thanks
jtf
Back to Top View judetf's Profile Search for other posts by judetf
 
BeachBum
Super User
Super User
Avatar

Joined: April 11 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1880
Posted: May 16 2008 at 15:55 | IP Logged Quote BeachBum

Sounds like a USB add-on sound to me. You could also put a splitter on the line and run another speaker and use X10 or Insteon to control the lines… Not a convenient solution.

__________________
Pete - X10 Oldie
Back to Top View BeachBum's Profile Search for other posts by BeachBum
 
jostim
Groupie
Groupie
Avatar

Joined: February 12 2007
Location: United States
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 45
Posted: June 04 2008 at 13:02 | IP Logged Quote jostim

In Winamp you can set what output device to use this way:
Options -> Preferences -> Plug-ins -> Output

I think you can do this similar in Tunes

PH itself uses the audio device that was installed first.

- jos

__________________
- jos
Back to Top View jostim's Profile Search for other posts by jostim
 
judetf
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: January 23 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 234
Posted: June 05 2008 at 08:17 | IP Logged Quote judetf

Additional research lead to the conclusion that with a laptop, the internal speaker and the external headphone/line out jack are mutually exclusive. When you plug a line-out cable into the jack, it actually physically disables the internal speaker.

The solution, I believe, is as BeachBum suggested, and will require adding a USB sound-card/line-out option. Once installed and available to the OS, I think it will be relatively trivial to differentiate which is used by which application. I'll report back once I have such a device.

Thanks
jtf
Back to Top View judetf's Profile Search for other posts by judetf
 
judetf
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: January 23 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 234
Posted: July 03 2008 at 09:32 | IP Logged Quote judetf

Problem solved!!!

Last night I received the $7 ($9 with shipping from Amazon) USB "speaker card," and it works _perfectly_ for what I wanted. My PH laptop now recognizes both the new USB line out as separate from the PC speaker/internal line out. That means I am now able to spit my PH TTS messages from the PC speaker and have iTunes play from the USB line out which is running to an amplifier.

This is great for my setup as I have a KPL button to "read" the forecast to me, and it's located near to where I keep the PH laptop, so the PC speaker is perfect. I don't need/want that to come over my stereo speakers... (I don't keep my stereo receiver on all the time, and usually when I want to hear the forecast (in the AM), it's not on).

jtf
Back to Top View judetf's Profile Search for other posts by judetf
 

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

  Post ReplyPost New Topic
Printable version Printable version

Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum