barreaar
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Powerbook G4 Speaker Issues

The internal speakers for my powerbook g4 have stopped working. When i go to the sound panel to select them for audio output, they do not show in the options to select. Please, someone help, i cant afford another laptop.

PowerBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Apr 17, 2015 3:47 PM

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barreaar

Q: Powerbook G4 Speaker Issues

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  • by Allan Jones,

    Allan Jones Allan Jones Apr 18, 2015 6:21 AM in response to barreaar
    Level 8 (35,316 points)
    iPad
    Apr 18, 2015 6:21 AM in response to barreaar

    Look in the headphone port. Can you see a red glow? If so, post back and we can walk you through the problem and its fix

  • by barreaar,

    barreaar barreaar Apr 19, 2015 10:07 AM in response to Allan Jones
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 19, 2015 10:07 AM in response to Allan Jones

    I don't beleive my particular model of mac laptop has that. I had another person say to reset the PRAM by turning the computer of, turning it back on and at the starting up noise hold option+command+p+r until you here the noise again. That had worked in helping me use the speakers again.

  • by Allan Jones,

    Allan Jones Allan Jones Apr 19, 2015 11:32 AM in response to barreaar
    Level 8 (35,316 points)
    iPad
    Apr 19, 2015 11:32 AM in response to barreaar

    Good news--thanks for the followup. The reason I asked about the red glow is that the audio-out port on later PowerBooks is digital and held to higher dimensional standards than many analog stereo mini-plugs use. If the tip-to-shoulder distance on a device's plug is too long, it jams the port in the "mute' position and a red light comes on in the port. Most people don't get away with the simple PRAM zap that helped you, so you did well in solving the problem.

     

    To give an idea of how much the dimensions on analog plugs vary, here is a picture of my first MacBook Pro with the plug for a respected, name-brand set of headphones attached:

     

    phone plug.JPG

    In spite of bing quality headphones, the tip-to-shoulder distance for the plug is too long and, as pictured, is fully engaged with the proper contacts, but the shoulder of the plug is about 1/8 inch from being fully seated. If I inserted the plug farther than shown, it would jam the contacts.

     

    What I had to do with that computer and headphones was to open the sound source first, then slowly insert the plug until I heard proper stereo separation in the 'phones. At that point I stopped pushing on the plug. A bit of irony is that a no-name set of external speakers I picked up at a garage sale for US$2 has a plug that fit the old MBP perfectly. Go figure!