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Thread: connecting PC to stereo

  1. #1
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    Feb 2008
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    Default connecting PC to stereo

    Does anyone know how to remedy the hum when connecting PC to stereo?I had no problems when I just had high speed service and directv. But when I added cablevision tv service I started to hear a hum. Could someone help me solve this problem? Thanx

  2. #2
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    Aug 2003
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    Default Re: connecting PC to stereo

    It depends on the source of the hum. It's likely a ground loop issue, which means the easiest way (depending on your setup) is to run optical output from your PC to your receiver. If you don't have an optical output on your PC right now, there are inexpensive USB and PCI options to get optical output.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: connecting PC to stereo

    Thank You Very Much. I Dont Think I Have An Opt Output.could Tell Me What I Should Buy To Fix This Problem.

  4. #4
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    Apr 2007
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    Default Re: connecting PC to stereo

    I agree that it's probably a ground loop, but just to be sure, can you describe the hum? When I had a ground loop in my system, it was a loud 60Hz tone. (60Hz is about half an octave up from the lowest note possible on a bass guitar). The hum was (easily) audible whenever my amp was on, whether music was playing or not.

    I got rid of mine with a ground loop isolator.

    Going optical from your PC to your stereo could work, as long as there are no metal conductors in you toslink cable, but that could require getting a new soundcard and/or an external DAC if you're not going into to a digital-input-equipped home theater receiver. You could also go wireless to your PC with a Squeezebox (or something like it).

    An electrician buddy told me that the cause of the problem is the circuit my stereo is plugged in to is running out of phase with the circuit my PC is plugged in to. Plugging both in to the same circuit would solve it, but they're in two different rooms. Also, he said I could reverse the phase of one of the circuits by removing the breaker from the panel and turning it around. I have no idea if that's true, not being an electrician myself, and (although he made it sound very easy) it freaked me out just enough to not want to try it.

    Hope that helps!

  5. #5
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    Default Re: connecting PC to stereo

    I was plugging my pc to my stereo only when I wanted to hear music stored on comp.It worked fine (no hum) until I had the io cablebox installed.So the tech has my dsl and cable running through a splitter.The hum is audible as soon as I plug the cable into the aux of my receiver and the sound card (the green slot in the back of my computer).If I disconnect the cable box the hum goes away.P.S. I had direct tv prior to getting the optinum cable box.Thanx for trying to assist me.

  6. #6
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    Apr 2007
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    Default Re: connecting PC to stereo

    That sounds like a ground loop between the circuit your computer is on and the TV cable. Direct TV is a satellite thing, right? That would explain why this didn't happen before you got the new cable box.

    Same solutions apply: either a ground loop isolator (the one I linked to above is the one I used...it worked fine) or break the electrical connection between your computer and TV cable box (via wireless or optical cable).

    Decent article on the subject here, in which they recommend a ground loop isolator.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: connecting PC to stereo

    Thank you, Ill give it a try. Will let you know what happens.

  8. #8
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    May 2007
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    Default Re: connecting PC to stereo

    Quote Originally Posted by caesar09 View Post
    I was plugging my pc to my stereo only when I wanted to hear music stored on comp.
    When I read this, I can't help but throw out the idea of getting a Squeezebox from SlimDevices to stream your music instead of having to connect your computer whenever you want to listen to music.
    But it does assume that there is a computer somewhere in your house that is always on and ready to feed the squeezebox. (Although you can access internet radio without a server running.)

    Just a thought,


    Mitch

  9. #9
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    Default Re: connecting PC to stereo

    Quote Originally Posted by Mitch G View Post
    When I read this, I can't help but throw out the idea of getting a Squeezebox from SlimDevices to stream your music instead of having to connect your computer whenever you want to listen to music.
    But it does assume that there is a computer somewhere in your house that is always on and ready to feed the squeezebox. (Although you can access internet radio without a server running.)

    Just a thought,


    Mitch
    And then there is Sonos, witch doesn't require a PC to be on, but it does assume that it has access to a network storage device.
    -curtis

  10. #10
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    Feb 2008
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    Default Re: connecting PC to stereo

    Quote Originally Posted by caesar09 View Post
    Thank You Very Much. I Dont Think I Have An Opt Output.could Tell Me What I Should Buy To Fix This Problem.
    Just buy any sound card that has an optical out. Go to a real computer store (NOT Best Buy) and ask them what's a good deal. Most sound cards are very easy plug and play, and if you are using digital out, all sound cards are pretty much the same - they vary in quality only in terms of their analog conversion abilities (so only when using an analog out, like headphone-out), otherwise (when using optical, or digital coaxial out) it is your receiver doing all the work, and your sound card is just relaying the 0s and 1s present in the sound file you are playing directly to your receiver (and there is no way to do this any way other than perfectly).

    Your receiver will decode these 0s and 1s, and convert them to the analog current that drives your speakers .

    You can get flawless optical cables at Monoprice.com for dirt cheap - I'm running 30 feet here, and I paid about $15 for it. One of the great things about optical cables is that you can use super-long runs without any signal decay at all.
    Last edited by robruffo; 04-18-2008 at 11:14 PM.

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