the vynsane asylum

Okay, so I've set up my PC in the new house. The movers did a number on my monitor, there are a bunch of dead pixels up in one corner (no worries, they'll have to pay me for it and I can do better for the money nowadays).

The other thing is more odd, however. My crappy speakers aren't being recognized by my PC! I'm pretty sure it's not the soundcard (and thus motherboard - I'm only running the onboard sound).... but with my speakers plugged in properly and powered up - there's no sound.

I've gone into control panel and can't seem to get Windows to recognize them (they're not an option for playback of sound), even though the sound effects control seems to (showing speakers plugged in).

Long story short - no sound. No sound - no ability to catch up on the episodes of The Office that I have awaiting me.

Can anyone help me troubleshoot? I'm thinking of buying new speakers to see if those were wrecked in transit as a first option.

hell, it's likely NOT the speakers themselves man, that's all I can say, I would think maybe, just maybe, you have the sound output set up to run through a soundboard??

And at this point my well of knowledge is exhausted

Could that have changed itself, mabs? It's weird.... you can choose your playback means from a drop down list, but the only thing that shows up is the microphone/earset for my webcam - but when I check my sound effects program, it recognizes the speakers! Very odd..... and very quiet as well.

hmmmm... firstly, i don't think that windows can "recognize" any speakers... they're really just a peripheral output. you could have headphones plugged into the audio jack, and it wouldn't be any different to the computer, unless it's some weird proprietary audio input... but all i've ever seen is the same headphone audio jack. there's no signal traveling back to the computer over the "audio out" jack - only the "audio in" jack.

first thing's first... is it plugged into the correct audio port? usually there's three different headphone jacks: audio in, audio out, and auxiliary out. consult your owner's manual if you don't understand the little symbols they use to define these. audio in is usually a little microphone (as that's usually what you'd plug in there...) but the audio out and auxiliary out are usually confusing... if it's in either one that's NOT audio out, you won't get any sound.

if it's in the correct jack, then we have to test the speakers. plug them into a CD player or iPod or something that has the same headphone jack. if there's sound then, it's something in the computer.

check that stuff out and get back to me. also, what brand of computer/speakers are they? that may help me get more specific about everything.

Nice, Vyn. I'll try them in my ipod and see what happens..... what I meant about Windows not recognizing them was the weird fact that I couldn't choose them as an option for sound playback (wrong terminology I'm sure).

EDITED: .... and now they won't even power on (though they were before - I swear!!!!), so this might take a few minutes....

------------- still no power, they're DOA now for sure. For the record, they're Cyber Acoustics - I only travel 1st class.

I'm going to buy some new ones today (similarly cheap ones, mind you) and see if that sorts things out.

sounds like the movers owe you a little more money...

i never let anyone move my computer components, just for that reason. i always have every sensitive piece in my car when i move, which since i met my wife has been quite a few times.

Got some new speakers (upgraded to Sony this time), and we're back in action. I guess the problem wasn't that weird afterall - sorry if I alarmed anyone.

Dell, you make the special ed kid who waits for the schoolbus down the street, drooling, with his hockey helmet and diaper on - look like Stephen Hawking.