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Thread ID: 103212 2009-09-15 11:35:00 Interesting speaker crackle RusEvo (3572) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
810592 2009-09-15 11:35:00 Hi,

I am having a problem with my speakers crackling when I play DVDs and watch videos online and watch digital television . ( I have tried a quick internet search on the problem but got no obvious solution) .

I have the onboard sound card plugged into a 5 channel home theatre amp via RCA cables, which then go to the speakers .

It doesnt crackle when I am gaming, they dont crackle when the analogue tv goes through them, they dont crackle when the Xbox is played through them .

This is why I can eliminate the speakers and the amp from the problem . . . . . it must be the PC .

Now why would it crackle as it is right now that I have online video playing, or when I am watching high def telly or DVDs?

Interstingly it has done it on two PSUs now (a 650w and my old 550w) .

The PC isnt terribly low in specs (9600 GT, AMD 6400+, two gigs of RAM) .

Any ideas?

I wonder if getting some kind of USB sound card would help, but I dont want to waste money without a good hope it will work .

What do you think?
RusEvo (3572)
810593 2009-09-15 12:12:00 The best you can do is to do some free testing .

-Try plugging a cheap pair of PC speakers/headphones into the sound card and see if those crackle
-Try changing the cord you're using and make sure it's properly plugged in

If still crackling with those two tests you can be sure it's something to do with the sound card . Upgrade the drivers and see how that goes .

Could also have interferance somewhere along the way . How far away are the speakers from the computer?
WarNox (8772)
810594 2009-09-15 12:16:00 One is next to it the other is on the other side of the TV (both free standing wharfedales).

But the thing is the speakers do not crackle when being used by products other than the PC (or even gaiming on the PC). And as I have finished watching my video now they are not crackling (funny how it even crackles when the video was paused).

Also I plugged earphones in which also crackled!!

Arrrghh......it seems ot do it on high quality sound if that make sa difference.
RusEvo (3572)
810595 2009-09-15 12:16:00 Thanks for the drivers idea. RusEvo (3572)
810596 2009-09-16 03:22:00 Since the crackling only happens with certain audio source (the DVD and online videos) it's probably some kind of problem between the codec used in these sources and your audio drivers

Check which codec these are using and perhaps update/change it.

You can find this out with a program called "GSpot" www.headbands.com

Try the latest driver for your sound device. You say it's onboard, So If you can post the model of your motherboard here I can probably direct you to new drivers...
Agent_24 (57)
810597 2009-09-16 11:48:00 Hi.

Its an Asus M2A VM HDMI
RusEvo (3572)
810598 2009-09-16 12:38:00 Your board uses Realtek ALC883 audio chip so download the latest drivers for you OS from Realtek (Asus does supply some but they are 2 years out of date)

www.realtek.com.tw (yours is HD Audio)
Agent_24 (57)
810599 2009-09-17 08:00:00 Look at the % CPU used when they crackle, using Task Manager. If it is high, then the crackling may be due to one of the applications hogging all available CPU time godfather (25)
810600 2009-09-17 16:07:00 Good to see you back, godfather. Laura (43)
810601 2009-09-17 17:04:00 I have once or twice been confronted with problems in the line of yours that I had to diagnose as hardware related.
Your problem could be for a number of reasons that sounds/is "less far fetched" , but one possibility , judging from your description could be that electrical noise develops on the PCI bus when you use drives in connection with the types of sound that you mention. If it should be the case then the electrical noise generated could influence your soundcard or it's power supply.

For standalone devices "speaker crackle" were "long time ago" often a sign that the device did not get enough current but in this case I find it hard to believe that it could be lack of circuit currents.

But if it's a hardware problem it could be due to electrical noise that develops under certain circumstances and influences the functioning of your soundcard.
FIAT LUX (15168)
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