Help! My computer won't speak to me!

[cosine]

Yesterday, my computer played sounds just fine. Last night it just decided to be obtuse and stopped making noise when I directed it to do so.

Suggestions?

[cordex]

Have you answered the typical questions yet?

"Is your computer turned on?"
"Are your speakers plugged in to both their power supply and the correct audio output port?"
"Are your speakers turned on?"
"Are your speakers muted or turned down?"
"Is your sound muted or turned down within your operating system?"
"Is your sound muted or turned down within the application you are trying to get sound from?"

[cosine]

Have you answered the typical questions yet?

"Is your computer turned on?"
"Are your speakers plugged in to both their power supply and the correct audio output port?"
"Are your speakers turned on?"
"Are your speakers muted or turned down?"
"Is your sound muted or turned down within your operating system?"
"Is your sound muted or turned down within the application you are trying to get sound from?"

Yes, I've checked all that. All is as it should be.

[cosine]

Something must have happened to the set of speakers my computer was using. I went and stole the speakers off of another computer, and they work fine.

Looks like it's time to get a new set of computer speakers.

[K Frame]

Uh... maybe you made it mad?

Try ordering it some flowers...

[cordex]

Cosine,

I have the feeling that something must have happened to the set of speakers your computer was using.  I bet that if you go steal the speakers off another computer they will work fine.

It's probably time to get another set of computer speakers.

(Now I have successfully completed my Indian Tech Support merit badge.)

[Brad Johnson]

Have you answered the typical questions yet?

"Is your computer turned on?"
"Are your speakers plugged in to both their power supply and the correct audio output port?"
"Are your speakers turned on?"
"Are your speakers muted or turned down?"
"Is your sound muted or turned down within your operating system?"
"Is your sound muted or turned down within the application you are trying to get sound from?"

You missed the last question - "Has your cat or any other animal chewed through the speaker wire?"

Brad

[cosine]

Cosine,

I have the feeling that something must have happened to the set of speakers your computer was using.  I bet that if you go steal the speakers off another computer they will work fine.

It's probably time to get another set of computer speakers.

(Now I have successfully completed my Indian Tech Support merit badge.)

I did. They worked fine. You deserve your Indian Tech Support badge. 


But why? Why would my set of speakers work fine, and then suddenly just decide to stop obeying orders? I did absolutely nothing out of the ordinary (well, except for ignoring it for a couple of hours while I ran some errands.)

[Brad Johnson]

Try plugging the speakers into the headphone jack of something to see if they still work. 

If so, try plugging some headphones into your sound card to see if it's crapped out. 

If so, try reseating it and make sure it's not as simple as a dirty pin in the slot or a flaky connection.

Brad

[cosine]

Try plugging the speakers into the headphone jack of something to see if they still work. 

Can't really. The speakers are built into my monitor.

I've tried the headphones straight into the sound card, and it works fine. Just like when I substituted a different set of speakers.

It just seems that the speakers built into my monitor decided they'd lived a long and full life and thus decided to die on me. 

[Sindawe]

But why? Why would my set of speakers work fine, and then suddenly just decide to stop obeying orders? I did absolutely nothing out of the ordinary (well, except for ignoring it for a couple of hours while I ran some errands.)

Probably because they are cheaply made peices of junk.  I had a set of PC speakers at work just crap out for no reason as well.  Same at home.  At work I just "borrowed" a set from an unused work station, while at home I used an old amplifier/receiver my sister bought 20+ years ago and a set of speakers I got 25+ years ago.  Sounds MUCH better than most PC speaker systems and at zero cost to me.

[Brad Johnson]

At least replacements are cheap. Heck, find a garage sale and you can probably snag a decent set for a buck or less.

By the way, did you meter the power supply?  I presume it has one of the little DC converters, and they have a bad habit of keeling over just when you need them most.  Good thing is you may be able to find a cheap replacement at Radio Shack, Circuit City, or Best Buy.

Brad

[wmenorr67]

Hey if they are built into the monitor all they are saying is time for a new monitor you always wanted.

[Manedwolf]

Typically, if speakers are built into a monitor, they're lowest-bidder suck by default.

There's a reason why the good Bose and Harmon-Kardon sets cost. 

[Vodka7]

There's a reason why the good Bose and Harmon-Kardon sets cost. 

Uh-oh, don't let Bogie see that one!

Personally, I love my Klipsch 2.1's--they've got to be running around six or seven years old now with absolutely no problems whatsover.  They're expensive, but I love them and they sound fantastic.  I paid $199 for them back in the day, but I hear they're running around $150 now.  And expensive or not, they're the *only* piece of my computer that I haven't upgraded, and I've got no urge to replace them either.

[Gewehr98]

Bogie, nothing.

There's a reason why the good Bose and Harmon-Kardon sets cost.

That's a contradiction in terms, "good Bose" - unless one means their noise-cancelling aviation headsets.

Most folks outgrow the Bose phase of their lives. 

One of my favorite poems:

If you own Bose, then hold your nose
and test your ears as well.
For when you get your hearing back
youll know theyre not too swell.
Youve got 12 bucks of paper cones
and a flismy cardboard box --
not enough to be bare bones,
much less to say It rocks!
No top, no bass, just muddy noise
and cabinet resonance too.
Its clear now that the K-Mart boys
gave you a royal screw.
Why buy Paradigm or Energy, B&W or NHT
when you can shell out twice as much
for Taiwan quality?
But be indignant; tell yourself
you dont really think it sucks.
(what else can you do after flushing 600 bucks?)
You know as much as all us snobs
who put your purchase down.
Cuz now you is an awdeohfyle
with direct reflecting sound!

[Manedwolf]

Bogie, nothing.

There's a reason why the good Bose and Harmon-Kardon sets cost.

That's a contradiction in terms, "good Bose" - unless one means their noise-cancelling aviation headsets.

Most folks outgrow the Bose phase of their lives. 

One of my favorite poems:

If you own Bose, then hold your nose
and test your ears as well.
For when you get your hearing back
youll know theyre not too swell.
Youve got 12 bucks of paper cones
and a flismy cardboard box --
not enough to be bare bones,
much less to say It rocks!
No top, no bass, just muddy noise
and cabinet resonance too.
Its clear now that the K-Mart boys
gave you a royal screw.
Why buy Paradigm or Energy, B&W or NHT
when you can shell out twice as much
for Taiwan quality?
But be indignant; tell yourself
you dont really think it sucks.
(what else can you do after flushing 600 bucks?)
You know as much as all us snobs
who put your purchase down.
Cuz now you is an awdeohfyle
with direct reflecting sound!

Well, I know their car stuff absolutely blows. My car was done with all Infinity Kappa Perfect components, which make Bose sound like a dollar-store radio in sound quality. There's lots of better competing brands, now.

What I meant was that for computers, Bose's basic Acoustimass set is really not bad. But overall, their stuff isn't that great. They're selling their name.