HP dc7600 sound through headphones only

[MisterBob]

I have a HP dc7600 running Windows XP Pro. The other day I plugged in a pair of headphones to watch an online video. Strangely enough the audio still played through the internal speaker with the headphones plugged in. Since that incident, I now have audio only through the front headphone jack. The other jacks and internal speakers seem dead when playing windows audio (through the control panel and volume panel). All volume levels are up and unmuted.

I've also gone to HP's site and downloaded the latest version of the Realtek audio drivers. No luck.

Any suggestions on getting this fixed? Or am I stuck to plugging in a pair of speakers to the headphone jack?

Thanks,

Bob

[c0rnel]

Check the Sound properties to see which Playback device is playing the sound.

[MisterBob]

The Sound setup has "Realtek HD Audio output" as my default playback device. Clicking on the Advanced button it has the speaker setup as "Desktop stereo speakers". Volume levels are turned up. Yet the only audio I hear is through the headphone jack (when nothing is plugged in that jack, I have no sound at all.)

[Bill_Hicks]

What other options are available on the Advanced button?

[MisterBob]

The Advanced button brings up a dialog with two tabs (Speakers and Performance). The Speakers tab has a drop down list with several selections for different speaker selections (ranging from "No speakers" to "7.1 wide configuration speakers"). Since I only have the built in speakers in my desktop, I have the choice set to "Desktop stereo speakers".

The Performance tab has a few sliders for the amount of Hardware Acceleration and Sample Rate Conversion Quality. I've left both of those settings set all the way up. This tab also has a "Restore Defaults" button.

[RasterBlaster]

On the Playback tab, if you are using simple desktop speakers - nothing fancy, you should select Speakers as your default device:

If you have done this and you are still not hearing any sound - check the following:

 Make sure you speakers are connected to the lime green connector on the back.

 The volume adjustment on the speakers themselves ( I know - duh, but you never know).

 Make sure you are using powered speakers and that they are turned on/plugged into power.

Still not working? Plug the headphones in to verify sound still comes from the front port.

OK... now that you know the headphones work - unplug them and plug your speakers into the front port - where your headphones were just connected:

   If the speaker work - then the problem is likely with jack detect hardware. This is the hardware that is supposed to automatically switch the signal from the back to the front when headphones are connected (and vice-versa). If bad, not much you can do - except leave your speakers connected into the headphone port or replace the motherboard.

   If the speakers do not work, there is probably something wrong with the speakers (are they powered?).

More good stuff here: Troubleshooting Sound Problems in Vista

[MisterBob]

I'm running Windows XP Pro. Is there an XP alternative to the screen shot you provided?

I don't have external speakers. I only have the speakers built into the desktop box. Nothing is plugged into the back ports. The front headphone jack still works. My suspicions are growing stronger that this is a hardware failure. I may have to pick up a cheap set of speakers to plug into the headphone jack. :-(

[RasterBlaster]

Ahhh, ok. By "Desktop box" are you referring to the monitor? Some monitors have built-in speakers and yes - you have to run a cable from the back of the PC to the back of the monitor before it will work.

Almost all desktop PCs are designed to use a set of powered PC speakers. You can get a pair from a local store like Wal*Mart for about $10 for a cheap set.

The key here is that you get powered speakers. The PC box only should come with a very small internal speaker - but it is only for BIOS beeps and very crude warnings.

Since you have SoundMax hardware I do not have a graphic that is similar. Once you connect your speakers (to the back or the front), you can go into Windows Control Panel, go into Sounds and Audio Devices, Click the Advanced button in the Speaker Settings section and selelct the Speaker type that you have.

[MisterBob]

By "desktop box" I meant the PC itself. Using the internal speaker. Whatever speaker is included internally with this HP dc7600 worked well enough to play windows sound effects prior to this problem cropping up. To my knowledge, there are no speakers in the monitor (an HP 1740), nor is there a cable coming the monitor to hook up as such. (The only cables coming from the monitor are VGA, USB, and a power cable).

[RasterBlaster]

OK. Thank you for clarifying.

Try connecting the headphones into the audio line-out connector on the back to see if new speakers will work in that connection. If the headphones work, new speakers will work.