[TriLUG] How to get laptop earphone jack to work?

[Owen]

Try running alsamixer from the command line and see what options you
have available. On my desktop, which has an internal speaker and
therefore basically has the same setup as your laptop, I have two
"items" I can play with: "Headphone" and "Headphone Jack Sense". First
of all make sure you have the Headphone unmuted, and then make sure you
have the Jack Sense on. The Jack Sense is used to detect when you have
something plugged into the headphone plug.

BTW, in case you haven't used alsamixer before, use the arrow keys to
move left and right amongst the items, the "m" key for toggling mute or
on/off, and Esc to exit.

Let us know if that works for you.

Owen

On Thu, Jan 10, 2008 at 08:44:57PM -0500, Steve Litt wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I have a Compaq Presario V6133CL laptop running Mandriva 2007. The sound 
> system works perfectly out of its dinky little speakers. However, when 
> connect the input plug of my powered speaker system, which works perfectly 
> with my desktop, to the earphone jack of the laptop, no sound comes out of 
> them, and the sound still comes out of the little laptop speakers.
> 
> I tried lubricating the speaker system plugs to no available. I turned the up 
> the volume of the speaker system to maximum -- no sound. However, if I put my 
> finger on the plug a buzz comes out the speakers.
> 
> I looked around for a function key combination that would effect the sound 
> system and couldn't find one. The only thing I can find is a speaker on 
> speaker off button and an LED touch slide pot, but neither of these work 
> under Mandriva 2007.
> 
> When I run aumix, there are three sliders: Volume, which works perfectly, 
> Line, which will not let me set it at anything but 100%, and Mic, which again 
> will not let me set it at anything but 100%.
> 
> What can I do to drive powered external speakers from this laptop?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> SteveT
> 
> Steve Litt
> Author: Universal Troubleshooting Process books and courseware
> http://www.troubleshooters.com/
>