Dell complaints

[hotrodlincoln]

One of my PCs has an ABIT SR7-8X motherboard that I was given approximately 2 years ago. The case that it's in doesn't have an earphone jack/plug. Abit's web site has nothing on this board since it's an older product. From what I can tell, the motherboard may not have a place to plug a cable in to support an earphone jack/plug.

Is there any way to add an earphone jack to this PC, like via a PCI card, or some way to use a USB port? I want to listen to MP3s or streaming audio without disturbing those around me.

TIA!

Hotrodlincoln

[Rocke_T_Sinetist]

I take it you don't want to have to fumble in the back to unplug the speakers and substitute the headphones. Also, that the case does not have an internal speaker (not a squawker, those little piezo things).

It's possible. Drill holes, mount 5-pin headphone jack and 3-pin speaker jack. On the 5, one pin is ground, two pins are audio L and R, and the other 2 pins feed-thru audio when the jack itself is not in use. Run the feed pins over to the 3-pin, and plug the speakers there.

Easiest way to feed it is from the original jack, just plug into it and hook the audio and ground to the 5-pin. Another way is to build both addon jacks, and the connecting wire, into a small plastic box (Radio Shack).
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

[Nomoredells]

http://www.uabit.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=48&page=6&model=25
Use the option for http download.

[hotrodlincoln]

only once - because the volume was so intense that I nearly blew out my eardrums. Even lowering the volume with the volume slider control in Windows Media Player did nothing. (I'm sure that it should have, but it didn't.)

There's no internal speaker, and I don't see anywhere to connect another jack to the motherboard in the online manual.

Rocke, where would I connect a "5-pin headphone jack and 3-pin speaker jack"?

[Rocke_T_Sinetist]

That's odd, because the jack in the back is 'line level'. That is, its maximum voltage is expected in the range of 1V, and the amount of current it can source (at 'full volume') is expected to match a load in the range of no less than 600 Ohms (speaker = 8 Ohms). Also, it is always supposed to be under control of the Windows volume sliders.

You have amplified speakers plugged in there now? And the slider controls them, but not headphones? Something major bogus there. The 'jack' solution would not get around that. All that gives you is a more-accessible place to plug the 'phones, which also cuts the speakers off when you do.

What about the vendor solution, in the link above? I didn't click it, but 'abit' is the vendor and would know more about it than I would.

The 'jack' idea is that, the jack feeds audio out the 'feed' pins when nothing is plugged in, and cuts them off when something is. So you have ground, two 'in' pins (L & R) and two 'feed' pins (L & R).

Where the speakers go does not need this switching utility, thus only requires 3 pins, L, R, ground.
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'

[diashto]

Just get yourself something like one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Plantronics-PC-Headset-Speaker-Switch/dp/B000069E1V
http://www.amazon.com/One-Touch-Multimedia-Selection-Switch/dp/B000BSLPAU
http://www.thesourcecc.com/estore/Product.aspx?language=en-CA&catalog=Online&category=ComputerSpeakers&product=2600204

[hotrodlincoln]

[hotrodlincoln]

I was digging through some boxes, looking for some software, when I stumbled upon a pair of Harmon/Kardon speakers.

VOILA!

I replaced my original speakers with them and now my problem is solved.

How, you may ask?

Simple. The master speaker, the one with the power, bass and treble control knobs, also as a jack for headphones! Just turn them on, plug in my earbuds, and now I'm as happy as a porno spammer getting free unlimited access to IHateDell.net

(sorry - couldn't resist saying it that way!)