SonicDragon Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Is there a way to hook up my iPod to play though my computer speakers or something other than headphones?The plug from my speakers that i plug into the back of the computer to get sound looks like a normal headphone plug. However, when i plug that into the iPod, no sound comes out Has anyone else tried this?Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Hey SonicDragon!Excellent question. I've been doing this since I got my iPod. There are a number of ways that I listen to my iPod:1) Out and about using headphones.2) Connected to my Bose Acoustic system via a y-adapter audio cable connected to the Dock...3) Out and about listening via my Creative TravelSound speakers which are connected either via the headphone jack or the dock.4) Connected to a set of self powered computer speakers that I got when I bought my first iMac... that is connected usually via the dock.Now... I must ask: The speakers you are trying to connect to your iPod, are they self powered or do they just connect to the computer's audio out?I tried connecting an old set of portable speakers (un-powered) that worked either with batteries or with a power plug, and got no sound output from them when connected to the iPod... But when I put batteries in, it worked just fine.Linked Products and Notes: 6 inch Premium Gold-Plated Shielded Y-Adapter Cable 6 foot Gold Series Y-Adapter Audio Cable Creative TravelSoundThe Creative speakers are AWESOME!!! You get GREAT sound out of them, and they seem to last forever on a set of 4 AAA batteries. Also, they will connect to ANY device that has a standard headphone out, so that mean yous are not limited to only using them for your iPod, but what else would you be listening to??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 I just connected my iPod to a set of unpowered HP speakers (that came with a machine I got a few years ago) and I had to turn the volume on the iPod up over half to hear it good enough. When I tried with my dock, (which ignores the iPod's volume setting), it plays but not very loudly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Yes the old powered versus unpowered/amped speakers problem comes back to haunt.This problem has been around for a very long time .. even most sound cards will do a lousy job without a set of powered/amped speakers, so it is not too unreasonable that the ipod would need them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted February 28, 2004 Author Share Posted February 28, 2004 Thanks for all the info. Still no sound though.The speakers need to be plugged into the wall. (is this a good thing or a bad thing? )I don't think i need one of those y cables.... the cord that goes from my speakers into the computer ends in a headphone type plug. I was just looking at it side by side with a pair of headphones and i couldn't see any difference. I can't figure out why i wouldn't be getting sound when i plug that in. I've tried plugging it into the actuall iPod and the dock and turned the volume all the way up. Strange.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 OK, let me see if I am reading this right.If you plug the speakers into A/C wall socket with it's wallwort (AC adapter), and plug the speakers into the iPod, then turn the volume on the iPod up all the way, and turn on and turn up the speakers all the way ... and you don't get anything? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Hmmm, if that is the case, is there a chance you could have accidentally taken out the headphone jack? Does it still work for headphones?Here's a discussion on external speakers on MacRumors Forums where folks appear to be doing this all the time with all kinds of speakers successfully:http://forums.macrumors.com/archive/topic/50111-1.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted February 28, 2004 Author Share Posted February 28, 2004 Yup, that's how it is. Strange isn't it?The headphone jack is still good... i'm listening to it right now :)Let's see if i can find anything in that link. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted February 28, 2004 Author Share Posted February 28, 2004 That site isn't loading It's not giving me an error... it just sits there and keeps trying to load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted February 28, 2004 Author Share Posted February 28, 2004 Ok... it's loaded now. It just took it's sweet time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 It is a slow loading forum ... we kinda get spoiled here LOL!I just let it keep loading while looking at other stuff.Here's the question and responses from the page - I just loaded it again: Speakers for iPodPosted by: phrancpharmD   I am lazy and have not done any research on this yet, but what does the MacRumors Community recommend as the "best" external speakers for the iPod for ~ $100 or less for the following scenario - the speakers will primarily be used at night to fall asleep listening to music and wake up to it in the morning. So a small form factor would be nice so it doesn't take a lot of space on my nightstand, and a subwoofer is certainly not necessary. "Purity" of sound is not necessarily an issue either as the volume will be kept fairly low. I appreciate your input! -------THEN THE RESPONSES: Posted by: thehuncamunca   sounds like almost anything will work since you don't need bass or high volume, i've always bought altec lansing they're pretty good   i got my 2.1 for around 40 so i'm sure just getting 2 speakers, perhaps even the flat panal type would be cheaper than thatPosted by: Kwyjibo   Lots of discussion on this topic I recommend the monsoon planar media nines, they look awesome and sound really good.Posted by: stoid   I got a cheap set of flat panel speakers from Big Lots for like 15 dollars. They work... it's no stereo system, but it works.Posted by: absurdio   the entire cambridge soundworks line is pretty amazing. The sound is great, the speakers are tiny and elegant (though they do include a subwoofer), and they're disgustingly cheap for what they are. I'm never using anything else as computer speakers.   check em out.Posted by: iChan   the planar monsoon are very good, at only $50 too!Posted by: redAPPLE   is there a speaker system that would somehow recharge the iPod?   funny question hmm? but maybe there is a product out there that does this...   and i do not mean the inMotion.   thank you.Posted by: virividox   i stand by cambridge and monsoonPosted by: rueyeet     quote:Originally posted by redAPPLE     is there a speaker system that would somehow recharge the iPod?   If recharging is needed, you can always use the iPod dock and plug the speakers into the dock.   Unless you've got an older, pre-dock iPod, and then there's pretty much no all-in-one system that allows you to charge and play over speakers at the same time. I was also considering replacing my bedroom stereo with my old 10 GB iPod by just getting speakers, but I haven't found anything so far.Posted by: RubberChicken   For a left field solution try   http://www.tivoliaudio.com/pm1wht.htm   I just got one of these at Xmas.   It's highly portable.   Sound quality is extrordinary, despite a single speaker. It has very a balanced sound with suprisingly clean base.   Build quality is unsurpassed.   It has all the audio inputs and outputs you would expect of a high end system.   It also makes a great radio.   Go and have a listen. For what it's worth I think audio quaility is important at all volume levels, cheaper systems often loose depth at lower volumes.Posted by: phrancpharmD   Thanks for all the suggestions. Actually, my wife gave me the Altec-Lansing inMotion speakers for Christmas, and they are perfect for what I was looking for - mostly low to medium volume sound at bedtime and in the morning. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LilBambi Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 LOL ... cross posted :thumbsup:Will leave it anyway in case anyone else has problems with it loading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted February 28, 2004 Author Share Posted February 28, 2004 Thanks! Some good names there. I'll have to keep that one for reference Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 First let me ask, what model iPod do you have? Is it a 1st, 2nd, 3rd gen or mini?So... let me get this right.Your speakers are plugged in to the wall for power... and you can't get any sound when you plug the speakers into the headphone jack or the audio out when it's docked? Do the speakers have a volume control on them? What volume setting do you have the iPod at?Note: - When docked the volume control on the iPod doesn't affect the volume going out via the audio out. - You can have the iPod at 0 volume and if its docked, it will produce sound out the audio out jack on the dock.Do you have a remote control that you could try going thru?Just make sure that the plug is in ALL the way. I know it sounds stupid but just check.And if you need a recommendation for a set of portable speakers the ones I linked too in my first reply are great sounding, small, last a long long time on a set of 4 AAA's and works with any audio device that has a headphone jack... where as some speakers are designed just for the iPod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted February 28, 2004 Author Share Posted February 28, 2004 First let me ask, what model iPod do you have? Is it a 1st, 2nd, 3rd gen or mini?It was new as of this christmas... i don't know which generation that is though And it's not a mini Do you have a remote control that you could try going thru?Yes, let me try that.Do the speakers have a volume control on them? What volume setting do you have the iPod at?Tried them both at 100% and still no sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted February 28, 2004 Author Share Posted February 28, 2004 QUOTEDo you have a remote control that you could try going thru?Yes, let me try that.No luck there either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Very strange.Can you test it using a friends set of POWERED speakers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted February 28, 2004 Author Share Posted February 28, 2004 Yea, it's really weird. These are the only set of speakers like this in the house... so i guess i'll see if i can find someone else's to barrow.Thanks everybody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Ok. Lets try some of these…Do this at your own risk...First reset the iPod. No, you wont loose your songs.First slide the Hold switch on and off again. Then press Menu and Play/Pause simultaneously and hold them until the Apple logo appears.Then try via the remote control, via just the headphone jack, then via the dock… No luck then continue….Run the iPod Diagnostic Tests.First reset the iPod, when the Apple logo appears press the Rewind, Select, and Forward simultaneously. When you let go the iPod plays an audio tune and flashes a quick screen. Then it displays a list of options.Go down to audio and select it. It should produce something like “0x00000000 DONE.†If you get that then the audio circuitry is ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted February 28, 2004 Share Posted February 28, 2004 Ah... if you are running the latest firmware then the audio test will play a little sound file of what sounds like someone banging on your door... Forgot to mention that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted February 29, 2004 Author Share Posted February 29, 2004 Ah... if you are running the latest firmware then the audio test will play a little sound file of what sounds like someone banging on your door... Forgot to mention that.Does it still give you those numbers also? I got the banging on the door...but it doensn't do anything after it or give me any numbers.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arena2045 Posted March 1, 2004 Share Posted March 1, 2004 Sorry I wasn't clear... no, it will not produce the code if you are running the latest firmware... only the sound.Did you try and running the audio test when connected to the speakers (when turned up to about 50%) to see if audio comes out via the speakers in diagnostic mode? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonicDragon Posted March 1, 2004 Author Share Posted March 1, 2004 Did you try and running the audio test when connected to the speakers (when turned up to about 50%) to see if audio comes out via the speakers in diagnostic mode?I just tried and still no luck. I guess these speakers aren't going to go with the iPod. I'll survive. I've still got my headphones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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