great big problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter dobro
  • Start date Start date
dobro

dobro

Well-known member
I'm getting loads of very noisy static on everything that goes through my soundcard - wave files, mp3s, windows sounds.

The system was working fine earlier today, and I've made no changes to it. Suddenly tonight there's loads of ugly static.

Any ideas?
 
What computer, what soundcard. Details.... With that amount of info I'd suggest reinstalling the soundcard drivers.

Is this that compaq or packard bell or did you upgrade?
 
I'd check the contacts on your jack/plug connections. Unplug them/replug them. Not just the soundcard, but further down the chain in your monitoring circuit. Is there an input that's active with something plugged into it and the other end of the cable just lying on the floor?
 
Emeric - I upgraded to a P4 with boatloads of speed and RAM. It's been fine for the two months I've had it.

Dr - no, no loose cables hanging around. I think I'll start with the driver reinstallation. Pooh. The Party Mix is great, BTW.
 
Okay, the great big problem's over it seems. Uninstalled and reinstalled the soundcard driver and all that static has gone to where static should go.

What's all that about? Why should a driver sitting on a hard drive on a perfectly unmolested computer suddenly take it into its microbitic mind to stop normal function? I don't get it.

But I'm grateful. I'm sitting on a new album, a new bass, a new looping program, and a working soundcard is just a bit of a plus. Thanks. :)
 
This is going to sound really stupid and I appologize...but....

On more than one occassion I've completely torn my system apart. Swapped monitors around...tried different channels on my amp...swapped cables...etc etc because I was hearing distortion. It's always kinda scary like "oh shit what broke...is my amp fried? what's wrong with my soundcard???"

In every single case it was a stupid oversight on my part. Several times I was overdriving the soundcard's inputs and didn't realize it...nothing is nastier than digital distortion. Once I left the soundcard's output at +10 and my amp wants -4. Once I had an active cable end lying on the floor (like doc mentioned). Once I had the "loudness" button on my amp activated (who invented that stupid button?). Once I had a mic on and didn't realize it.

Now I always make sure to check the obvious before I go tearing shit apart. I'm not saying that something weird didn't happen with your drivers...but it is possible that it wasn't a driver problem, and you accidentally fixed the actual problem while troubleshooting/reinstalling drivers.

Slackmaster 2000
 
Hey, I can quite easily get my head around the concept that operator stupidity was the chief factor in this glitch. Story of my life, really.
 
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