Tip #2610 - Speaker Troubleshooting
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Speaker Troubleshooting
Well, I must have
hit a soft spot with some of you, because ever since I mentioned how to
hook up a microphone and how to test your computer's microphone, several
of you have been asking about the speakers. I don't know if you all perked
up when you realized that the computer speakers are involved in the process
of installing and testing the mic, but I've gotten many e-mails from you
all telling me that you're now having trouble with your speakers working
properly. A coincidence? I think not! : )
If you are having
trouble with your speakers working (aka, there is no sound coming out
of them!), this tip is definitely for you, so let's get started. There
are various causes to this particular problem. One could be that your
sound card isn't working or maybe your speakers just simply aren't connected
properly. Some other causes could be that there is no power going to the
speakers, the volume on the speakers could be turned down, the volume
on the sound card could be turned down too low or worst case scenario,
you have some bad hardware.
Well, before we delve
into all of those options, let's make sure your speaker setup is correct.
Somewhere along the line, your speakers may have gotten messed up and
it could be causing problems with your sound. The settings could have
been tampered with when you installed another program or something similar
could have caused some trouble.
So, to check the setup,
go to Start, All Programs, Control
Panel and click on the Sounds, Speech and Audio Devices
icon (Sounds and Multimedia Properties for older versions of Windows).
Now, click on the Sounds and Audio Devices link and choose
the Audio tab. Under the Sound Playback
section, click on the Advanced button. Next, you can
choose which speaker setup is right for your computer. There's plenty
of setup options to choose from. If you're not sure which one to use,
you can always go with the default option of "Desktop Stereo Speakers."
Once you're done, click OK twice.
Okay, if your setup
was already correct, let's take a look through the different causes we
talked about above.
1.) Sound
card does not work - If you think this might be your problem,
try plugging another set of speakers or a pair of headphones into your
computer. Don't use a game or any other program that you use to test the
card. Instead, use a CD or a sound file. If you still can't hear anything,
you may need to look into more sound card troubleshooting.
2.) Speakers
are not connected properly - Locate the speaker ports on your
computer tower (or wherever they plug into) and just make sure they're
connected tightly.
3.) No power
to the speakers - Check the power supply and make sure the speakers
are plugged in properly. Most speakers have a little LED light that will
tell you if the speaker is on or not. Make sure that light is lit.
4.) Volume
on the speakers is turned down - If this is your problem, you
are very lucky! If you have a volume knob on one of your speakers, just
make sure it is turned up loud enough for you to hear. Most have little
numbers to tell you what volume you're at. You should also see the words
"Max" and "Min." This helps you figure out which way
to turn the volume knob. If your speakers don't have a knob, go to your
sound icon located in your desktop tray, double click on it and make sure
the volume is turned up. Also, ensure that you don't have the "Mute
All" box selected.
5.) Volume
on the sound card is turned down - You can turn the volume of
the sound card up or down through the software that came with it. Open
that software and just make sure the settings are set to a proper sound
volume.
6.) Bad hardware
- Let's hope you've resolved your speaker problem by now, but
if you haven't, you may have some defective speakers. If you plugged another
set of speakers or a pair of headphones into your computer and they worked,
then you've probably already figured out that the other speakers are bad.
If you have a warranty on the speakers, you can always call the manufacturer
and have a new pair sent to you. Or, if you just want to buy a new set
of speakers, you can surely do that as well.
Hopefully this has
helped you troubleshoot your speaker problems. Once you get them all straightened
out, you will once again enjoy sound while using your computer!
~ Erin
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