No Startup Chime through External Speakers

Question

Level 1

39 points

No Startup Chime through External Speakers

I have a set of three external powered speakers connected to my Mac Pro. I have tried connecting through the headphones port as well as the line out port.

The startup chime only sounds through the internal speaker. All other alert sounds, music, movie audio, and audio apps play through the external speakers.

Why can't I get the Startup chime to play through the external speakers?

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Feb 28, 2009 8:30 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Garner Lewis Author

Level 1

39 points

Feb 28, 2009 1:45 PM in response to Kappy

So is that new to the operating system, Intel or the new computers? I have a MacBook Pro but I never had external speakers connected to it to compare. I do know it did work through the external speakers on my PPC G5 with OS 10.5.6.

The startup up chime through the internal speaker is so tinny and cheap sounding. It is amazing Apple would not included this in the boot ROM. Either that or put a couple of relatively half decent speakers inside the Mac Pro box like those in the MacBook Pro.

Reply

Answer 2

Feb 28, 2009 2:06 PM in response to Garner Lewis

The startup up chime through the internal speaker is so tinny and cheap sounding.

Does it really matter? You only hear it when you startup. Most folks only go through start up about once a week, at most. 🙂

Also, making it come out of the internal speakers instead of the connected external speakers is an advantage, because you can set the internal speaker volume to zero and not hear the startup sound at all. In the past, most complaints about the startup sound was that you could not turn it off.

Reply

Answer 3

Garner Lewis Author

Level 1

39 points

Feb 28, 2009 2:39 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Kenichi Watanabe wrote:

The startup up chime through the internal speaker is so tinny and cheap sounding.

Does it really matter? You only hear it when you startup.

If someone was buying a computer and heard a cheap tinny sound as it started up I think it might leave a first bad impression with them.

Most folks only go through start up about once a week, at most. 🙂

I must be one of the odd ones then because my machine gets shut off each night. Also, when you install or perform various routines a shutdown or restart may be necessary.

Also, making it come out of the internal speakers instead of the connected external speakers is an advantage, because you can set the internal speaker volume to zero and not hear the startup sound at all. In the past, most complaints about the startup sound was that you could not turn it off.

What? You mean people buy powered external speakers in which adjusting the volume up, down, or off is not available? Yikes!

Reply

Answer 4

Feb 28, 2009 4:55 PM in response to Garner Lewis

Well, the REAL point is, you don't have to adjust the volume of the external speakers just to lower the volume of the startup sound (or turn it off) and then have to adjust it again when the computer is running. Most folks would say that is an advantage (or at worse not care), not see it as a negative point.

Apple does not design computers so that it sounds good when it it turned on at the store. Besides, it is already running when it is on display at the store.

I must be one of the odd ones then because my machine gets shut off each night.

Give sleep a try. 🙂 I actually don't even use sleep; my iMac stays on all the time with only +display sleep+. About the only time I hear the startup sound is after a software update; sometimes I can't even remember the last time it restarted.

Reply

Answer 5

Garner Lewis Author

Level 1

39 points

Feb 28, 2009 5:16 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Kenichi Watanabe wrote:
Well, the REAL point is, you don't have to adjust the volume of the external speakers just to lower the volume of the startup sound (or turn it off) and then have to adjust it again when the computer is running. Most folks would say that is an advantage (or at worse not care), not see it as a negative point.

That is interesting. Maybe you can tell me how to turn the startup chime up, down, or off without affecting the sound effects and/or output volume once it is started up.

Reply

Answer 6

Feb 28, 2009 5:33 PM in response to Garner Lewis

All recent Macs store the volume of the internal speakers and the headphone mini-jack separately. If you had another audio output option, such as through USB or FireWire, that volume level will also be stored separately.

To set the internal speaker volume, disconnect whatever is in the headphone mini-jack. Set the volume to the level you want (including to mute if you don't want to hear the startup sound). Now, connect the external speakers and make sure it is set as the audio output choice. Set that volume as desired. If you then disconnect it, you will see that the internal speakers are still set at whatever level it was before you connected and adjusted the external speaker sound volume. When you connect the external speakers again, the volume will return to the previous setting for the headphone mini-jack. The two settings are separate. During the startup sound, the volume setting for the internal speakers is used, once it starts up, the volume setting for the headphone mini-jack is used (if that is the selected audio output choice).

That's Apple's attention to detail. Other PC makers would not bother and connecting external speakers will just switch the sound with the same volume setting.

Reply

Answer 7

Garner Lewis Author

Level 1

39 points

Feb 28, 2009 5:48 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Kenichi Watanabe wrote:
All recent Macs store the volume of the internal speakers and the headphone mini-jack separately. If you had another audio output option, such as through USB or FireWire, that volume level will also be stored separately.

To set the internal speaker volume, disconnect whatever is in the headphone mini-jack. Set the volume to the level you want (including to mute if you don't want to hear the startup sound). Now, connect the external speakers and make sure it is set as the audio output choice. Set that volume as desired. If you then disconnect it, you will see that the internal speakers are still set at whatever level it was before you connected and adjusted the external speaker sound volume. When you connect the external speakers again, the volume will return to the previous setting for the headphone mini-jack. The two settings are separate. During the startup sound, the volume setting for the internal speakers is used, once it starts up, the volume setting for the headphone mini-jack is used (if that is the selected audio output choice).

That's Apple's attention to detail. Other PC makers would not bother and connecting external speakers will just switch the sound with the same volume setting.

Hey! That is good! Thank you! I have just muted the startup sound via the internal speakers. To me no sound is better the lousy sound.

Reply

Answer 8

Dah•veed

Level 9

66,715 points

Mar 1, 2009 9:18 AM in response to Garner Lewis

We used to have to get little hacks like the 3rd party control panel Startup Sound to control the Startup Chime volume. For occasions when insomnia set in and you got up at 3 am and did not want to wake the entire household to use your Mac.
The startup Chime does serve a purpose. It alerts you to the fact your Mac has passed the Power On Self Test, and confirms that your Mac has found usable RAM.
Also on the new Aluminum iMacs, which do not have a power indicator light, these sounds are how your Mac communicates with you that it has encountered one of various potential issues.

Reply

Answer 9

Garner Lewis Author

Level 1

39 points

Mar 1, 2009 3:48 PM in response to Dah•veed

David.Austin.Allen wrote:
We used to have to get little hacks like the 3rd party control panel Startup Sound to control the Startup Chime volume. For occasions when insomnia set in and you got up at 3 am and did not want to wake the entire household to use your Mac.
The startup Chime does serve a purpose. It alerts you to the fact your Mac has passed the Power On Self Test, and confirms that your Mac has found usable RAM.
Also on the new Aluminum iMacs, which do not have a power indicator light, these sounds are how your Mac communicates with you that it has encountered one of various potential issues.

Got the message. I will turn it up just enough that my dog can hear it and inform me of any issues.

Reply

Answer 10

Kappy

Level 10

362,017 points

Feb 28, 2009 10:44 AM in response to Garner Lewis

That's how it works. The external speakers are not accessible at the initial startup from the boot ROM, so the chime is heard only through the internal speaker.

Reply

Answer 11

Feb 28, 2009 6:08 PM in response to Garner Lewis

The movie "Wall-E" won an Academy Award.

I'm just sayin'...

Reply

Answer 12

Garner Lewis Author

Level 1

39 points

Feb 28, 2009 9:33 PM in response to AppleMan1958

AppleMan1958 wrote:
The movie "Wall-E" won an Academy Award.

I'm just sayin'...

Huh? Why are you sayin' it in this thread? Too many funny cigarettes, methinks!

Reply

Answer 13

Feb 28, 2009 9:41 PM in response to Garner Lewis

I guess you didn't see the movie. I wont spoil it for you.

Reply

Answer 14

Feb 28, 2009 9:43 PM in response to Garner Lewis

I think AppleMan1958 was referring to the sound Wall-E makes when he "reboot." It's the Mac startup sound. Still mostly irrelevant to the thread... 🙂

Reply