# Solved: using external speakers with laptop



## rubeckf (Jul 1, 2003)

A friend of mine just got a new toshiba laptop. She wants to use it at home as her only computer and also take it with her on trips etc. She tried to just use a set of bose speakers she also got and they won't work. I'm sure it must need to be changed in the BIOS for using external speakers, but could she use both the internal laptop speakers and the new external ones without changing the BIOS each time? If so, how?

I hope all of you had a nice Christmas.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

There should be a jack for plugging in the speakers, even if it's just an earphone jack. But the speakers need to be amplified and have their own power source. Did the ones she tried have an amplifier?


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## rubeckf (Jul 1, 2003)

the speakers she got are just speakers like you plug into the jack on a desktop pc. she had plugged them in and couldn't get them to work. how would she amplify them?


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Computers don't have amplifiers on the sound cards any more (except for internals). She'll need to use powered external speakers that have their own amp built in.


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## rubeckf (Jul 1, 2003)

I'll tell her to just go back to circuit city where she got them and talk to them about how she is trying to use them. thanks.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

They should have known better than sell her unamplified speakers if she told them what it was for.


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## rubeckf (Jul 1, 2003)

She probably didn't tell them what it was for. She knows nothing about a computer...laptop or desktop. She brought it over here to have me help her set it up like she wanted it. She also brought the speakers. However, she didn't bring the power cord and the battery wasn't fully charged. I didn't even get to the speaker problem. I know very little about laptops. I have never owned anything but my desktops. Thanks for your help.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Well, even on desktops, speakers need to be powered. It has been a long time since I saw a machine with the speakers just plugged in because the sound card had a built-in amp. I have some of those speakers, but don't know what to do with them.


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## rubeckf (Jul 1, 2003)

I'm still using my 2 older computers with the built in sound on the MB. This one has been upgraded til I can't upgrade it any more, but still is all I need. I built it about 5 yrs ago. They are both MSI boards. The K6 downstairs and the K7NTG-ILSR here. I have just added more memory here. Now have it up to 2.5 GB. The max is 3. I keep thinking I might build a new one, but this is still serving the purpose. I only use it for looking up stuff on the internet, writing letters etc, and sending and receiving email. It's still really all I need. I don't use the one downstairs much. it is more a backup in case this one is down for some reason. I have a wireless internet connection also.


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## cwwozniak (Nov 29, 2005)

Starting a new networking question in your current thread in multimedia may get very confusing with two problems in one thread. You may want to click the red triangle next to your post #9 and ask a moderator to move your post #9 to a new thread in Networking.


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## rubeckf (Jul 1, 2003)

thanks chuck, I wasn't thinking this morning. I will move it myself to networking.


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## rubeckf (Jul 1, 2003)

another comment about computer speakers. I just found out the girl got her speakers to work. She called circuit city, where she bought the computer, and asked how she might get them to work. She had bought a set of bose computer speakers at Sam's club. Anyway, they walked her through a few clicks, (she didn't say what), and they are working. I guess the bose speakers are self amplified. Would this be a safe assumption?


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## Courtneyc (Dec 7, 2003)

Pick up some Insignia laptop speakers. They plug into a USB port and get both the power and signal from that port. They work really well, and only have one plug. I love 'em.

http://www.insignia-products.com/pc-253-18-insignia-20-notebook-speakers.aspx

Courtney sends....


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

rubeckf said:


> another comment about computer speakers. I just found out the girl got her speakers to work. She called circuit city, where she bought the computer, and asked how she might get them to work. She had bought a set of bose computer speakers at Sam's club. Anyway, they walked her through a few clicks, (she didn't say what), and they are working. I guess the bose speakers are self amplified. Would this be a safe assumption?


If they are "computer speakers", they must be amplified and have their own power source (though I imagine they make some powered from USB, I haven't seen any). If not, the volume must be very low.


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## guitar (Jan 15, 2006)

i have a set of computer speakers [cheap as chips $5 small and not great] that just plug in without an amp
i only use them for testing


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