Have you ever sat down at a computer, put on your headphones and heard nothing? You swear you turned up the volume the last time you used them, yet now there isn’t even a hint of static.
Now imagine you are sitting at a computer that is being used continuously by many people, and you are left to the mercies of the last person who sat in the chair. Public computers take every challenge and multiply it exponentially.
Here is a checklist to help you figure out how to get your sound back if nothing is coming through:
From the Computer
- Click on the Increase Volume Key, speaker with three lines, and make sure the volume is at sufficient level. This will also turn the sound back on if it has been muted.
- In System Preferences choose Sound -> Output tab and test Line Out and Digital Out. The line that works depends on which audio port your headphones are connected to.
Application
- Turn up sound in volume slider.
- [Application Name] -> Preferences, make sure any sound settings are set to Line Out or Digital Out, whichever you have selected in the System Preferences.
- In iMovie HD -> Preferences -> Playback, make sure “Play DV project through to DV camera is NOT checked.”
Headphones
- If the headphones have an ON/OFF switch, turn headphones on.
- The box is connected to the computer.
- Headphones are connected to the box.
- Master volume is turned up.
- Volume is turned up on the channel where the headphones are plugged in.