On 6/23/22 09:35, Carlos E. R. wrote:
Who knows... Not important at this time.
I will simply get a stereo extension cord, + usb extension cord, and forget about it. Not worth wasting more time on it.
I just hoped this was something known and easy to correct.
My bet is still a hardware issue, jack problem or short in one of the wires running though the cable. (or a driver issue misinterpreting the configuration) Most all of the old hardware stuff is programmed like a microcontroller looking at voltages on pins coming from the jack. If you have a jack or cord short issue that pulls voltage (either up or down) on a combination of pins that the driver doesn't handle in combination, it could very well give the symptoms you describe. From your description it sees the headphone-in connection (for lack of better words), but doesn't complete the switch of audio out from speakers to headphones (or it does, but due to a short all you get is a hiss). The wiggle and both on tells me that it loses the headphone-in signal at that point and restores audio though the speakers that is also (either due to card or cord or jack issue) sent though the headphone jack at at point. It could be something as boring as a bad capacitor on the card in the headphone circuit as well. None of which I can explain from afar, and I like your thought of just going the USB route, because it probably isn't worth trying to take a needle and multi-meter to check each path from the jack through the cord to the headphones. -- David C. Rankin, J.D.,P.E.