Computer problems

[ronin]

The turntable has 2 rca jacks, red and white, which go into a cable that reduces it to a single mini-plug going into the blue port for line-in on the sound card. Interestingly, this morning I noticed the same rhythmic groaning sound lightly coming from within the computer tower itself now although the in-plug is pulled. I disconnected the turntable from the power strip and the noise disappeared. Somehow it is feeding a signal, even though it is turned off. Thinking a new turntable might solve it.

 

[MichaelB]

The turntable has 2 rca jacks, red and white, which go into a cable that reduces it to a single mini-plug going into the blue port for line-in on the sound card. Interestingly, this morning I noticed the same rhythmic groaning sound lightly coming from within the computer tower itself now although the in-plug is pulled. I disconnected the turntable from the power strip and the noise disappeared. Somehow it is feeding a signal, even though it is turned off. Thinking a new turntable might solve it.

Before you buy a new turntable - the turntable needs a preamp which might not be in (probably isn't in) the sound card. They are not expensive - see here Amazon.com: phono preamp usb: Electronics

The other sound you are hearing might be a problem with the ground. Could be either the computer or the turntable, but you need to check both - and the outlet as well.

A couple of articles (old and new) on vinyl transfer
Rip Your Records - PCWorld
Record Music from a Vinyl Record to Your Computer

 

[ronin]

The turntable has a built-in preamp. I used it with my old computer with no problems. Outlet is on a newly installed circuit, grounded properly.

I am going to try running an extension cord to another outlet on a different circuit and see what happens.

 

[MichaelB]

The turntable has a built-in preamp. I used it with my old computer with no problems. Outlet is on a newly installed circuit, grounded properly.

I am going to try running an extension cord to another outlet on a different circuit and see what happens.

Is it a low-level hum or a crackle-type noise?

Edited to add - if you're going to try another outlet, try plugging each into a different outlet on a different circuit.

 

[Free To Canoe]

This caught my eye:

Costco - Acer AM5910 Core i5-650 3.2GHz Desktop High-Def Audio 5.1 Multi-in-One Card Reader

Seems like it would be plenty adequate for my needs. Any opinions?

Out computer shopping now. This is a really good thread for such.
The above deal is enough to make me join Cosco except the above is way more than I need.

Still many questions. Graphic card or not. I have regretted not getting the graphic card in past computers. Flat screen or use the old boat anchor CRT?

Thanks all.

Free to canoe

 

[ronin]

Is it a low-level hum or a crackle-type noise?

Neither. A rhythmic, repetitive rasp. Thru the speakers it sounds like shoveling gravel then dropping it on the ground, a 1, 2... 1,2 kind of thing. Very odd.

 

[MichaelB]

Neither. A rhythmic, repetitive rasp. Thru the speakers it sounds like shoveling gravel then dropping it on the ground, a 1, 2... 1,2 kind of thing. Very odd.

Weird. doesn't sound like a ground loop, but you never know. If it went away when you unplugged the turntable, then try separate circuits for the computer and turntable.

Maybe the preamp is having a problem.

It is cool that you're transferring the vinyl, though. What sw are you using?

 

[MichaelB]

Out computer shopping now. This is a really good thread for such.
The above deal is enough to make me join Cosco except the above is way more than I need.

Still many questions. Graphic card or not. I have regretted not getting the graphic card in past computers. Flat screen or use the old boat anchor CRT?

Thanks all.

Free to canoe

They still make CRTs? I thought they were against the law

graphics card - depends
flat screen - yes.

 

[ronin]

It's called Cakewalk. Time consuming but cool to work down the stacks of records and hear some old stuff.

 

[ls99]

If the power cord for the turntable is not polarized, ie. one blade bigger than the other, try flipping it. Use same outlet as computer plugged into. It can be a ground loop. Might want to unplug and re-connect the rca connectors.

 

[ronin]

Polarized plug on the power cord and I checked the outlet, no reversed polarity there either. Good thought though. Haven't got around to checking it with another outlet yet.

 

[ronin]

OK, mystery solved (and I feel like such a numbnutz). I keep the turntable covered because we have so much dust with all the horses our neighbors have. When I uncovered it to move it to another location, I noticed the arm with the cartridge had been dislodged from its little rest post and the stylus was on the rubber turntable mat. As soon as I picked it up and put it back the noise stopped. The noise was coming from inside the turntable, not the computer! My hearing was tricked somehow by how everything is arranged. I plugged everything back, power, input cable into the computer, turned on the speakers and viola!!! perfecto! Next to try playing and recording a record. Should be A-OK.

 

[MichaelB]

OK, mystery solved (and I feel like such a numbnutz). I keep the turntable covered because we have so much dust with all the horses our neighbors have. When I uncovered it to move it to another location, I noticed the arm with the cartridge had been dislodged from its little rest post and the stylus was on the rubber turntable mat. As soon as I picked it up and put it back the noise stopped. The noise was coming from inside the turntable, not the computer! My hearing was tricked somehow by how everything is arranged. I plugged everything back, power, input cable into the computer, turned on the speakers and viola!!! perfecto! Next to try playing and recording a record. Should be A-OK.

Good job. I understand the numbnutz feeling - it sounds like half the computer or audio problems I deal with at home as well..

 

[ls99]

Heh, so much for remote troubleshooting. We can't see the obvious.

 

[SecondCor521]

I looked at the processes under Task Man. right after start up when it was totalled bogged down and although nothing showed any particular CPU usage, in the memory column 2 files were outrageously hoggish- wuauclt.exe (which seems to be something in the system files) and svchost.exe (systems/communication files?). Later they had mellowed out, wuauclt.exe disappeared from the list and the svchost was very low usage.

It seems you've already bought a new PC, but I was having a similar problem with my 4yo Dell Inspiron laptop recently. After googling a bit, it seems that wuauclt has something to do with the Windows update process. So I did a shut down and let it install the updates (there were six in my case), and voila! the next time I rebooted the machine was zippy fast again...

2Cor521