Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 74
old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 74 |
I have hooked up my computer to my a/v receiver and I get an annoying hum coming from the receiver/speakers. I've connected my Creative Audigy2 soundcard line-1 out port with a 1/8" stereo phone jack to an RCA cable, then a Y-splitter, to my Onkyo TX-DS595 tape ports. I get the hum even if I'm listening to another source (other than the PC/tape). Setting the PC audio out volume to any setting doesn't help. Any ideas?
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210
axiomite
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axiomite
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 5,210 |
Sounds like some sort of a ground hum problem maybe?
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,840 Likes: 13
shareholder in the making
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shareholder in the making
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 13,840 Likes: 13 |
The sound card and/or your mother board does not have a SPDIF out port? This is what I use from my HTPC I just built, this allows my receiver to do all the decoding. Not sure about using the 1/8" jacks.
M80s VP180 4xM22ow 4xM3ic EP600 2xEP350 AnthemAVM60 Outlaw7700 EmoA500 Epson5040UB FluanceRT85
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703 |
Definitely a ground loop issue, years ago when I would connect my PCs to the receiver with an analog connection the same thing would happen. I put the PC on a UPS and it seemed to break the ground loop and worked fine. If you did have a digital output you probably wouldn't have the issue (esp with optical interlink).
I am curious thou, whats teh Y cable doing in this senerio?
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602 |
Quote:
1/8" stereo phone jack to an RCA cable, then a Y-splitter, to my Onkyo TX-DS595 tape ports
I think I'm missing something... why the Y?
Bren R.
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 74
old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 74 |
Thanks for the replies. It does appear to be a ground hum. My PC is on an UPS, so that isn't helping me as it did for Inane. My PC does have an SPDIF out port, but I have my Cambridge Soundworks PC 5.1 speakers connected to it. The Y cable is to split the single RCA cable to the receiver L/R speaker input.
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,602 |
Quote:
The Y cable is to split the single RCA cable to the receiver L/R speaker input.
Oops, think you may have your wires crossed... are you sure you have a stereo 1/8" to RCA cable? It should have two RCAs on the one end and a tip/ring/sleeve 1/8" at the other end... if the ring isn't there, you've got a mono cable.
Bren R.
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 95
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 95 |
Sounds like a 1:1 transformer is in order. We hams connect our computers to radios a lot and this is a very common problem.
-Brian n8wrl
2xM60ti, 2xM3ti, 2xQS4, VP100, EP350, N2's
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 74
old hand
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OP
old hand
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 74 |
I solved my problem and got rid of the hum (and the Y adapter) by buying a ground-loop isolator (aka 1:1 transformer) from RatShack. Now there's no hum at all. Thanks for all your help, folks. This is why I wanted to hook my PC to my living room receiver: Music Genome Project.
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,703 |
Good deal.
Ya those music services are getting popular. I subscribe to Yahoo Music Unlimited and they have a similar system in place where I rate music and it trys to figure out what I might like. Works rather well and its really great as I never know what I want to listen to. Plus discovering new artists and such.
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7
regular
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regular
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 7 |
I tried the mini to RCA route and I had the same problem. Then, I bought a sound card with a digital output and the db level and sound quality improved dramatically. There's also no hum.
Eventually, I'm going to try an ethernet/optical adapter and bypass the sound card.
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Re: Computer-to-receiver hum
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,467
connoisseur
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connoisseur
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,467 |
Here's a question for you, why not just split the SPDIF signal?
Sound quality from the analog of the sound card really doesn't hold a candle to the digital...at least that is what I've found.
I run my receiver off the SPDIF out of the computer.
And, why not give your creative speakers the analog? Or, better yet, amp your creative speakers OFF of your receiver, and just have an SPDIF signal going to the sub for its frequencies...
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