spindoctor
Skilled
I'm having a problem with sound on my computer since last night.
First, the relevant system specs
mobo - EVGA 750i SLi FTW with Realtek HD Onboard Sound (which I'm using)
cabinet - Coolermaster CM690
os - Vista 64 Ultimate fully patched up
cheap chinese headphones, no speakers
Ok, so here's the deal... The cabinet has 2 sound output jacks, one at the back (as usual) and one at the top of the cabinet. Normally, I use the top output and connect my headphones. Suppose I start a video file... since last night, sound has stopped coming from the top output. When I take out my headphones and connect them to the back and then restart the video, sound starts coming again, but it's noticeably lower quality (lower volume, little bit of hissing). Now when I take out the headphones from the back and connect them to the top again (while the video is running), I get full sound again. No problems at all. But, if i launch Winamp or another video file or anything, there will be no other sound coming except the video I was already playing.
In other words, sound is coming specific to one instance of VLC, and that too only when i connect the headphones to the jack at the back of the cabinet, and then back on the top of the cabinet. So right now, if I want to watch anything, first I have to plug the headphones at the back, start the video, then connect the headphones to the top of the cabinet and I will get proper sound. I need to do this for every video I start, or any game, or Winamp... basically, for any application that outputs sound.
This is what I think about it... I replaced the headphones I was using with a brand new pair and it made no difference, so it's not a headphone problem. I don't think it's a problem with the output jacks themselves. Usually, these green colored output jacks are kind of low quality and after a few months of use, their internal wiring gets dislodged or something... I've had it happen to me in walkmans and discmans in the past. However, in this case, sound is coming from both output jacks (even though one is lower quality)... I tried jiggling the headphone connector inside the jack once connected but it made no difference, and like I said, it wasn't really required either considering that sound comes fine through it once I plug it in the back and then again on the top. I don't think it's an OS related issue... Device manager shows it working fine, and again, since sound is coming, there doesn't seem to be anything fundamentally wrong with the setup. Also tried WMP, Winamp, VLC and it's not an application related issue I think.
So why is this happening? What can I do to fix it?
Might as well add this here... will I need a dedicated sound card to fix it? I haven't bothered with dedicated sound for a long, long time now. As you can tell, sound quality doesn't matter to me too much seeing that I use onboard sound and 100 buck Chinese headphones. If I need a new card, can someone recommend a relatively cheap one that will get the job done? Maybe 2k or below in budget... Not really interested in 4-5k soundcards.
First, the relevant system specs
mobo - EVGA 750i SLi FTW with Realtek HD Onboard Sound (which I'm using)
cabinet - Coolermaster CM690
os - Vista 64 Ultimate fully patched up
cheap chinese headphones, no speakers
Ok, so here's the deal... The cabinet has 2 sound output jacks, one at the back (as usual) and one at the top of the cabinet. Normally, I use the top output and connect my headphones. Suppose I start a video file... since last night, sound has stopped coming from the top output. When I take out my headphones and connect them to the back and then restart the video, sound starts coming again, but it's noticeably lower quality (lower volume, little bit of hissing). Now when I take out the headphones from the back and connect them to the top again (while the video is running), I get full sound again. No problems at all. But, if i launch Winamp or another video file or anything, there will be no other sound coming except the video I was already playing.
In other words, sound is coming specific to one instance of VLC, and that too only when i connect the headphones to the jack at the back of the cabinet, and then back on the top of the cabinet. So right now, if I want to watch anything, first I have to plug the headphones at the back, start the video, then connect the headphones to the top of the cabinet and I will get proper sound. I need to do this for every video I start, or any game, or Winamp... basically, for any application that outputs sound.
This is what I think about it... I replaced the headphones I was using with a brand new pair and it made no difference, so it's not a headphone problem. I don't think it's a problem with the output jacks themselves. Usually, these green colored output jacks are kind of low quality and after a few months of use, their internal wiring gets dislodged or something... I've had it happen to me in walkmans and discmans in the past. However, in this case, sound is coming from both output jacks (even though one is lower quality)... I tried jiggling the headphone connector inside the jack once connected but it made no difference, and like I said, it wasn't really required either considering that sound comes fine through it once I plug it in the back and then again on the top. I don't think it's an OS related issue... Device manager shows it working fine, and again, since sound is coming, there doesn't seem to be anything fundamentally wrong with the setup. Also tried WMP, Winamp, VLC and it's not an application related issue I think.
So why is this happening? What can I do to fix it?
Might as well add this here... will I need a dedicated sound card to fix it? I haven't bothered with dedicated sound for a long, long time now. As you can tell, sound quality doesn't matter to me too much seeing that I use onboard sound and 100 buck Chinese headphones. If I need a new card, can someone recommend a relatively cheap one that will get the job done? Maybe 2k or below in budget... Not really interested in 4-5k soundcards.