Windows Audio Output

Baz · 10 Dec 2009 at 17:48

This is frustrating me no end...

We have a phone system at work, that has a 3.5mm jack for connecting a music source for hold music... been using a crappy CD walkman for a few years, so as it is Christmas, and we have loads of CD's at work, I thought I would rip them off onto a dedicated PC, then plug it into the phone sytem..

If it was that simple. Seems like Windows doesn't just output audio through the line out, it needs a compatible device... :mad:

Thing is, when Windows starts up, I can hear it through the phone system, but from then on, it will not output anything through the system. Headphones work fine...

Any ideas for a solution?

chaosophy · 10 Dec 2009 at 18:09

What versions of windows? What soundcard? What media player?
If all else fails can you just not use the headphone feed if that works?

davethe11 · 10 Dec 2009 at 18:12

is the input on the phone mono? how are you connecting the pc to the phone, what type of lead?

Matteysan · 10 Dec 2009 at 18:14

Have you tried setting the computers audio device to "what you hear" in recording properties. I don't know if this will fix it but when I used to do an internet radio station I had to set my soundcard to that mode.

Baz · 11 Dec 2009 at 08:36

chaosophy said:
What versions of windows? What soundcard? What media player?
If all else fails can you just not use the headphone feed if that works?

Windows XP, Vista, 7. Tried the headphone jack as well.

davethe11 said:
is the input on the phone mono? how are you connecting the pc to the phone, what type of lead?

it is a 3.5mm to 3.5mm lead

Mattey1 said:
Have you tried setting the computers audio device to "what you hear" in recording properties. I don't know if this will fix it but when I used to do an internet radio station I had to set my soundcard to that mode.

No option to do that

Corasik · 11 Dec 2009 at 10:57

To be honest, it should work just fine, the only difference between headphones, amplifiers, and phone systems is the impedance, and I would have though that the phone system would appear to be a similar impedance as a hifi, so the lineout should work just fine.

The recording settings shouldnt matter, your not recording anything, your playing back. For making radio, then What you Hear is great, as it lets you mix a Ripped audio file, a CD playing in the drive, and a Mic together, so your getting a budget mixer. But for replaying CD's you have ripped it's not an issue.

If you cant get it working on the motherboard audio, then a cheap soundblaster will probably do the trick though. Another posibility if your motherboard has digital out (spdif) get a cheap DAC, and use the lineout on the dac... Then the PC wont even be able to attempt stuff like headphone detection.

PS... Boring part.. Unless you have a broadcast licence, or permission from the record companies, you are not allowed to play normal retail CD's or downloads through a phone systems music on hold port.

davethe11 · 11 Dec 2009 at 12:35

strange that you hear the windows tune through the phone when booting, I would guess it's just a setting somewhere in the sound options, what software are you using to play the songs on the PC?

Baz · 11 Dec 2009 at 14:23

davethe11 said:
strange that you hear the windows tune through the phone when booting, I would guess it's just a setting somewhere in the sound options, what software are you using to play the songs on the PC?

Tried Winamp and WMP..

Baz · 11 Dec 2009 at 14:24

Corasik said:
To be honest, it should work just fine, the only difference between headphones, amplifiers, and phone systems is the impedance, and I would have though that the phone system would appear to be a similar impedance as a hifi, so the lineout should work just fine.

The recording settings shouldnt matter, your not recording anything, your playing back. For making radio, then What you Hear is great, as it lets you mix a Ripped audio file, a CD playing in the drive, and a Mic together, so your getting a budget mixer. But for replaying CD's you have ripped it's not an issue.

If you cant get it working on the motherboard audio, then a cheap soundblaster will probably do the trick though. Another posibility if your motherboard has digital out (spdif) get a cheap DAC, and use the lineout on the dac... Then the PC wont even be able to attempt stuff like headphone detection.

PS... Boring part.. Unless you have a broadcast licence, or permission from the record companies, you are not allowed to play normal retail CD's or downloads through a phone systems music on hold port.

Might try a sound card.

Already have a PRS license for this purpose.

davethe11 · 11 Dec 2009 at 14:57

might be worth trying some software designed for this purpose, maybe windows mutes the sound by default when this type of device is connected, other than that I'm stumped

ShakenNstirred · 11 Dec 2009 at 18:58

line out isn't put though the amplifier on the motherboard or soundcard
you would need to use the speaker out socket and a stereo to mono lead would be best also