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Thursday, July 21, 2005

In-Case sound


[click photo for gallery]

I got really tired of not having sound coming from my PC when it didnt have any headphones plugged in, so I put a small audio amp and speaker inside the case.

I tried running it off the 12V line off the ATX powersupply, but for some reason the sound output would be all noisy with ticks and buzzes from the hard drive and motherboard and stuff... I don't know much about audio electronics so I don't know what I can do about it. So instead its running off a powersupply thats outside the case... much less elegant but it works. If anyone knows why it isn't working with the ATX power supply, let me know.

The next step is to make a front panel volume knob, as well as a plate in the back of the case with a jack that will pass through the line out if I plug in headphones instead.

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5 pillowblog: In-Case sound [click photo for gallery] I got really tired of not having sound coming from my PC when it didnt have any headphones plugged in, so I put a ...

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

awesome idea man, gotta bring it to linuxcaffe sometime. Hack the Planet! \m/.

Anonymous said...

My guess is a ground loop problem, similar to the problems with car audio where noise from the alternator can get into an aftermarket stereo. A ground-loop isolating circuit like those used in cars might fix it. Cars are also 12v, so it wouldn't be hard.

Sorry I don't know much more, I've never run into the problem, in computers or cars.

Anonymous said...

you need to either filter or isolate the 12V supply if you're going to use an amp coming off the PSU in that computer. Try ferrite beads on the wires of the 12V supply to the amp, or getting a 120VAC to 12V transformer and going directly from the 3 prong connecter inside the PSU. Isolating it would be the cleanest way to get the sound without artifacts from the computer. Filtering it is still going to leave noises from the fans.

if you go the transformer route, make sure you know if you are working with AC versus DC. If the amp runs off 12VDC, you'll have to get rectify it (transformers are AC devices) and start using resistors to get the voltage correct. If you get close, you should be fine, a lot of stuff has voltage regulation in it now.

just FYI. good luck!
(from a solderhead)

Michael Fuller said...

GET SOME MORE POSTS UP, D00D

Disposable McFakeName said...

just get a noise suppressor from a car audio shop $10 sweet

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