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Audio jack extender on iMac?


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#16 Slacker

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Posted 26 April 2012 - 11:14

I'm almost certain that audio will be cut from the built-in speakers whenever ANYTHING is plugged into the audio out jack. Remember, that headphone jack is more than a headphone jack, it's also an optical connector. Optical cables don't carry a current and would never complete an electrical circuit. So, I'm pretty sure that the built-in speakers are cut out whenever anything is plugged in there.


#17 Nashy

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Posted 26 April 2012 - 11:27

Find an old pair of headphones. Chop cable. Plug in. Report.

#18 OP crazzy88ss

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Posted 26 April 2012 - 17:24

View PostElliott, on 26 April 2012 - 02:46, said:

You're option-clicking on the volume icon the menu bar?

Whoops; I was not. Thank you!

#19 OP crazzy88ss

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Posted 26 April 2012 - 17:25

View PostNashy, on 26 April 2012 - 11:27, said:

Find an old pair of headphones. Chop cable. Plug in. Report.

Don't have any.

#20 OP crazzy88ss

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Posted 26 April 2012 - 18:27

View PostElliott, on 26 April 2012 - 02:46, said:

You're option-clicking on the volume icon the menu bar?

So when I have my headphones plugged in, this is what I see:
Attached Image: audio.png

#21 +Elliott

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Posted 26 April 2012 - 18:42

View Postcrazzy88ss, on 26 April 2012 - 18:27, said:

So when I have my headphones plugged in, this is what I see:
Attachment audio.png

Yep, that's right. Headphones take the place of internal audio. If you had something like a USB headset or DAC, you'd see that as another choice.

#22 OP crazzy88ss

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Posted 26 April 2012 - 21:36

Ah. Right.... bummer. :/

#23 mrp04

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Posted 26 April 2012 - 21:44

View PostNashy, on 26 April 2012 - 06:30, said:

So wait... on a Mac you can't just select where you want the sound to come from?

Those screenshots show that you can.

Or do you mean when you aren't using another sound card? My laptop (HP EliteBook 2740p) technically can switch output but the drivers are configured in a way that if the speakers are default and headphones are plugged in, sound comes out of the headphones. Macs probably work like this, too. I can have two separate audio streams if I play one to speakers and one to headphones, but if I choose to only play to one device, it will come out of the headphones no matter what I choose. Modified drivers may change the behavior.