Laptop to sound system noise interference

[leckielou]

I am in need of your brain. I just cannot figure this out.

I will try and simplify my steps to make sense:

1. I connected my laptop (ASUS K401J) to my Fender sound system, there was all electrical interference noises, buzzing and the likes, and when you touch a plug type sound - and the music quality was krap.
2. I then connected sound system to my home computer and the quality was great, no interference and noise, just good sound.
3. That's when a techie said I needed a quality sound card for the lappy ( of which I am waiting delivery)
4. Went to a mates place and he connected MY lappy to HIS sound system and the quality is great!!!! no interference, no yuk noises....... just nice clear music out his speakers.
5. I come home and replug and I get all the interference again, buzzing touchy touchy noises. I moved the ext. HD away (where my songs are kept)from the laptop, I moved the control panel of my sound system away as well....but still have noisy intererence coming out the speakers.

WHAT IS GOING WRONG???? Could it be the quality of the lead I have running from the laptop into the sound system? (my mate has a thick good quality lead). Altho it is the same lead I used when I connected my home comp. to the sound system!! so what is the diff?
I am frustrated! I am only playing music from my ext. HD of my laptop thru my sound system, that is all
WHY WHY WHY am I getting interference???? (even if I touch the lappy's touch pad - it gives interference out the sound systems speakers.
Hope someone can help please

[Danny Danzi]

Sounds like you have a ground issue somewhere matey. If you use the lappy in battery mode, does it still give you the same results? Try it for the hell of it and see if it makes a difference. If it works, try plugging in your lappy somewhere else. And yes...good cables can make all the difference in the world! In my opinion, spend as much as you can afford on a cable because they can improve your sound quality drastically. Only buy the amount of length you need....try to never get anything too long.

Also, make sure mic is disabled in lappy as sometimes they can bring on interference. And, if you have any noise cancellation enabled in your lappy to control mic noise or room noise (most of the newer systems all have this now and it's enabled by default) disable all that stuff. Not sure what else would cause something like this...especially if it worked fine at your friends house. Definitely something strange going on somewhere. You can try some of the above to see if you can at least get a handle on where it may be coming from. Sorry I can't be more helpful....but those are the places I'd start.

[leckielou]

Thanks for the reply Danny
I thought: Yeah, that is a great idea - and it WOULD have been if I had not deleted my sound thingos instead of just disabling them. I am obviously a mere woman and a dipsh.t
I have not yet checked the battery way, but hey! if I have no sound now - I cannot check it anyway. I have spent about 4 hours tonight trying to get my sound back. I have my windows sounds, but I have the little sound icon on bottom right with a red cross and when I go into start menu and get onto sounds - it kindly says:
NO AUDIO PLAYBACK DEVICE. It will not play my CD's either cause there is no playback device. So I have wiped it, it is not greyed out - it just aint there! I then paid money to download a new driver from the net - but that did not give me my sound back either, $44 down the drain.
GIVE ME STRENGTH. Either this laptop goes over a cliff or I do
Guess I will be on the computer forums as well now.........

[jagcmos]

You might be able to reinstall the default drivers via your device manager.

Here's a link on how to access it: XP Device Manager - How to Access Device Manager From the Control Panel System Applet in Windows XP

Look for items with a red X or a yellow exclaimation mark in the "sound, video and game controller" section.

If you find a highlighted item double click on it and a menu should appear that allows you to reinstall the device.
After reinstalling the device, reboot your system and say a quick prayer.

[fortyseven]

the interference you're hearing is caused by a ground loop. There are a few ways to fix the issue but the easiest and cheapest way would be to get a ground loop isolator. You can pick them up at RadioShack for just a few bucks. I used to have the same problem.
As for the driver issue... not to worry; its fairly easy to fix. Follow the directions given by Jagcmos and you should be good to go in no time.

[leckielou]

Jagcmos and fortyseven
thanks guys, all good now.
What a stress that was for me.
Yes another member also told me about ground loop. I will go see about it.

[brandondrury]

1. I connected my laptop (ASUS K401J) to my Fender sound system, there was all electrical interference noises, buzzing and the likes, and when you touch a plug type sound - and the music quality was krap.
2. I then connected sound system to my home computer and the quality was great, no interference and noise, just good sound.
3. That's when a techie said I needed a quality sound card for the lappy ( of which I am waiting delivery)

I'm with Danzi on this one. A high quality sound card won't solve the problem that your current soundcard works fine through one audio system but not another. This screams grounding issues to me as well.

Could it be the quality of the lead I have running from the laptop into the sound system?

Possible, but less likely. Thick cables make salesmen at Best Buy a lot of commission. However, rarely is this the gift from God that is implied.

Brandon

[leckielou]

Hey guys
just wondering....... I awaiting delivery of a E-mu 0404 sound card coming Down Under (via Ireland).
Maybe I should wait before buying the ground loop isolator - cause do you think it possible that the 0404 may irradicate the ground loop trouble?
cause the sound system will plug into the 0404
and the 0404 will plug into the into the lappy.
Hmmmm! just wondering. If it doesnt work, then it will be a ground loop isolator for me.
Cheers for helping me guys.
Alexis

[leckielou]

Just now saw brandon's reply. So grounding issue it is and 0404 will not fix (there goes $200 AUD.)
Will buy isolator
Ta!

[fortyseven]

ground loop has to do with the imbalance of ground potentials between two or more different circuits. since the emu will still be plugged into the same laptop, its my guess that you will still have ground loop issues.
that being said, its always a good thing to make sure you need something before buying it. so yeah, maybe wait for the new card and see.