Log in

View Full Version : Radio in my PC speakers


ironguy
09-11-2004, 04:29 PM
:? OK, this has been bugging me for a long time. Maybe someone knows of a fix. I'm sitting here at my PC on a quiet Saturday morning and I can hear, faintly, a Mexican radio station in my speakers. I'ts not affected by the volume control either.

How do I get rid of it? I understand where it's coming from. My speaker wires are acting like an antenna picking up the signal from ... wherever.

Anyone know how to get rid of this?

The speakers are the original Advents I got with a Micron PC way back in '96. Hey! The 166MHZ PC was only $3200!

mscdex
09-11-2004, 05:50 PM
First off, where were the speakers made? In Mexico? If so, there's your explanation :lol:

Seriously though, have you tried another set of speakers maybe?

Jason Dunn
09-11-2004, 09:47 PM
That happens sometimes with speakers - you'll hear it a lot on monitors if you're a musician. There's no real good fix for it - I think it happens because of poor shielding, but in terms of fixing it, you can either try moving them around, or perhaps some...tin foil? I have no idea if that will work. It keeps the aliens out of my head though. 0X :lol:

Janak Parekh
09-12-2004, 08:14 AM
Anyone know how to get rid of this?
You have a combination of badly-shielded speakers and proximity to a transmission tower. The easiest way to fix it is to get a newer pair of speakers that are better-shielded.

I can say this with authority because I had a client whose sales office's windows look out on the Empire State Building (on the 9th floor, so pretty clear view of the top of the tower) from about a block and a half away. As you may know, the Empire State Building has a radio tower on the top, as it's a natural location for broadcasting. The customer got a pair of Cambridge SoundWorks speakers -- and the signal wasn't faint, it was loudly tuning to 95.5 WPLJ FM. After trying everything, I moved the speakers to their other office a block west (with a pile of buildings in the middle) and got him a pair of Altec Lansings. Both have worked happily since. ;)

--janak

Darius Wey
09-12-2004, 09:43 AM
It keeps the aliens out of my head though. 0X :lol:

Awww...my little one-eyed green-coloured alien presence is unwanted. :cry: :D

ironguy
09-12-2004, 03:03 PM
These speakers are 8 years old and I probably need a replacement.

What's weird is that you can pick up a radio station without a receiver.

that_kid
09-12-2004, 06:13 PM
What's weird is that you can pick up a radio station without a receiver.

All you need for a receiver is a diode, capacitor, coil and a speaker. All these things can be found right inside your speakers (powered ones).

One thing you could try is to unplug the speakers from the computer and see if you can still hear the station. If not then you may be able to get away with passing your audio cable through a ferrite core, Radio Shack(you've got questions and they don't know the answer) used to carry them in the stores and they are cheap enough to give a try. Other than that it may be time to start auditioning another pair of speakers.

ironguy
09-13-2004, 03:30 PM
I've decided to get new PC speakers. I don't need surround, just two good speakers and a sub.

Waddya like?

Darius Wey
09-13-2004, 05:10 PM
I've decided to get new PC speakers. I don't need surround, just two good speakers and a sub.

Waddya like?

I'd name model numbers but there'd be too many to list, so I thought I may just list some common and well-known manufacturers that should deliver quality speakers.

Altec Lansing
Bose
Creative
Logitech
TDK

Umm...there are definitely more, but I just can't think of any at the moment. People...help me out! :D

Jason Dunn
09-13-2004, 08:09 PM
I've decided to get new PC speakers. I don't need surround, just two good speakers and a sub.

I'm not sure about your budget, but IMO, the best 2.1 kits are made by Klipsch and Logitech. We have a review of these speakers coming up on Digital Media Thoughts:

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/CA/EN,CRID=2,CONTENTID=7170

The reviewer LOVED them - apparently they absolutely pounded.

dean_shan
09-13-2004, 08:25 PM
I've decided to get new PC speakers. I don't need surround, just two good speakers and a sub.

You should get the Sicuro 2.1 (http://www.rwti.net/view.product.php?id=23) speaker set. Great sound and they look really cool. I love mine. They match all my stuff really well (I'm into the brushed aluminum/silver look). They also come in different colors too if silver's not your thing.

dean_shan
09-13-2004, 08:28 PM
The customer got a pair of Cambridge SoundWorks speakers -- and the signal wasn't faint, it was loudly tuning to 95.5 WPLJ FM.

That's so cool. Freaky but cool. Speaking of interference, if my cell is on my desk when it get's a call my computer speakers buzz and click. It actually comes in handy cause I leave my phone on vibrate. The speakers buzz before my phone starts shaking.

Janak Parekh
09-14-2004, 04:58 AM
Speaking of interference, if my cell is on my desk when it get's a call my computer speakers buzz and click. It actually comes in handy cause I leave my phone on vibrate. The speakers buzz before my phone starts shaking.
This means one thing -- you have cell phone service operating at 1900MHz. Yes, that frequency interferes with speaker (and headphone) cables. It's freaky the first time you hear it. ;) 800MHz services don't have the same effect, incidentally.

--janak

ironguy
09-14-2004, 03:56 PM
I like the Sicuros that are also picture frames. Great way to sell speakers to the wife!

Now to look for deals! Off to Froogle... and TechBargains

Oh, first to DigitalMediaThoughts...

Yogyakarta
09-14-2004, 04:06 PM
I like the Sicuros that are also picture frames. Great way to sell speakers to the wife!

Now to look for deals! Off to Froogle... and TechBargains

Oh, first to DigitalMediaThoughts...

And don't forget good ol' Fry's. After all, it's just down the road from you. Just make sure not to pick a set that's already been returned. As you're well aware, Fry's is notorious for putting returned items back on the shelf without doing much in the way of checking to make sure they still work.

I wish we had a Fry's here in Denver. :(

Paul