Getting weird hissing and static from Firebox after upgrade to Vista 64 drivers

M

mellotron

New member
I used to have it on an Windows XP desktop, but recently got a new Dell Inspiron 1545 laptop, no firewire included, so I had to get a Texas Instruments 34mm Expresscard. I assumed that since I have a laptop now, I should make sure to plug in the Firebox to an external power source.

I read somewhere that it may be an issue with my plugging my laptop into the same power bar? Any other ideas? The sounds don't show up in recording, but I can hear it clearly from my monitors.

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Never mind, I've just tried unplugging my laptop from battery power, and now all the static's gone. I thought it was an issue of plugging in laptop and Firebox into the power bar, but it's actually the laptop running on AC altogether...I really don't know a way around this. I'm going to have to run on battery power every time I want to use my Firebox...which is all the time. Guess I'll just have to listen to music and watch videos with the onboard sound card, since the high-pitching static is really annoying. It's even there when I turn the gain all the way down for the main outputs to my speakers.
 
If I understand correctly, If the problems there when you run the lap top on the lap top power supply and the problems gone when you run the lap top on the battery, you need to replace the lap top power supply with a double insulated type that does not have a mains earth.

If your lap top power supply already has no mains earth you have some other problem.

Cheers

Alan.
 
Double insulated? Does that mean a 3-prong adapter plugging into the power socket? My dell's power supply is 3-prong. Could the issue be that my Firebox AC adapter is only 2-prong and therefore isn't grounded?

Do you know of any expresscards that are powered through the laptop?

Thanks for the reply,
Mike
 
No double insulated will mean the dell power supply is 2 prong, the problem I think you are having is that there is an earth loop via the dell power supply, the fire wire cable, and the cables to the monitors.

If you search the threads I have written about this quite a few times with both firewire and USB in conjunction with lap tops. I suffered these problems myself when I bought a new lap top about a year ago, I noticed the new one had an earth pin on the power supply and the old one did not. Never had a problem with the old lap top (would have kept using it but was stolen, sigh!).

I always say that a quick check is to run the lap top on battery power and see if the problem goes away. You say this is what happens. Therefore I would think a double insulated lap top power supply with only 2 pins should fix the problem. Maybe you could try one before you buy it.

Cheers

Alan.
 
Is it a mains ground lift or audio ground lift?

An audio ground lift between the output of the Firebox and the monitors could work, this type of device. http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/HD400.aspx
is what you need.

However if it's a mains ground lift, there is danger of an electric shock from the lap top if anything goes wrong. A double insulated power supply eliminates this shock danger, which is what double insulated means.

Cheers
 
Yeah, I googled "double insulated dell" and I browsed through some forums and have read that some people have gotten mild tingles from using 2 prong adapters and having to upgrade to 3, so I'll probably get the behringer.

This means I'll need 2 more 1/4 to 1/4 cables, right?
 
Yes a couple of short patch cables should do it.

Let us know if the problem is fixed, it's good to get feedback from fixes to help others.

Cheers

Alan
 
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