I am sure this has been asked before but I can't seem to find much so here it goes.
Sometimes I like to use the Flex's computer for other duties (web search, YouTube).
I currently have my PC speakers plugged into the back on the Flex. How does one hear the audio coming from the computer (music/YouTube etc.)?
Do I need to have another set of speakers plugged into the back on the computer also?
FYI—I have trying plugging my headphones into the front of the speak jack on the PC and still can hear anything from the computer.
Regards,
Larry
n7zdr- 96 Posts
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Posted 2 years ago
Ria - N2RJ, Elmer
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You can't really route the PC audio to the Flex. Well, you can but you would essentially be using a DAX device and have to put the radio in transmit and monitor over the speaker. Not really the way it was designed.
A better approach would be to connect the speakers to the PC and just use remote audio from the radio.
Ria
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Thank you
Ria - N2RJ, Elmer
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Great--- Thank you, will try it later today.
a. Disconnect speakers from the Flex and plug them into the back of the PC
b. Activate the remote button if I want to hear the Flex audio
If the Flex is OFF, the pc audio should work as normal?Thanks,
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Where I run into problems is balancing out the volumes. Sometimes I'll get blasted out by a windows DING! because I turned up the speaker volume on the computer to hear the radio. It is kind of a balancing act and still I get DINGed! from time to time.
Speakers plugged into the computer will work normally for computer sounds/music even with the Flex off. The Flex is just another audio source and I guess the computer is just a simple audio mixer.
73,
Kev K4VD
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Ria - N2RJ, Elmer
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If you spend a little more money you can have some equalization on each input as well as mute. This also makes it really easy to do things like pan the radio left, computers right etc.
I bought a really nice rack style mixer that I cannot remember the make / model of but I will post an update when I get a chance.
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https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0041QBAIA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These is the link where I purchased my second set (I have 2 Flex 6300's one for my cabin). The are also beautiful wood case. I think I paid 34$ for them.
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- 259 Posts
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I bought, but haven't tried the ComSPKR from west mountain radio, they are amplified and purport to be RFI-shielded. About $40 at HRO.
http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pi...
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Exactly what I did including the isolation transformer, works great.
I plugged in to the front speaker connection on the PC.
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When I pick up the FHM-1 it is active. Whan it's hung-up the Heil-pro-7 is active
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(PAC SNI-1/3.5 3.5-mm Ground Loop Noise Isolator Works with iPod/Zune/iRiver and Others)
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The radio's audio will still come out of your PC speakers, but now you can mix that audio stream with every other audio stream being produced by the PC, using the PC/OS audio mixer, so you won't need an external mixer, or any of an external mixers connections that might also need ground loop isolation to avoid ground loop hum in what you hear coming out of the PC speakers.
73 Jay / NO5J
Ken - NM9P, Elmer
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1) Many brands of computer speakers have two sets of inputs. Some use a switch to connect the proper device. Others, like the Bose Companion that I use, simply use both inputs simultaneously.
2) use a cheap external switch to choose between your rig and computer with your powered speakers.
3) Use a small mixer between the rig & Computer and your powered computer speakers or an external amp & speakers. (I at one pointed used a small lepai amp and a pair of Dayton Audio speakers. They sounded very good.)
4) Use a second set of powered computer speakers.
5) Port your computer audio to built-in speakers on you monitor, if you have any.
I am using two 24 inch 1080p TV's as my dual monitors. They both have internal speakers. Sometimes I use the TV speakers with the computer instead of paralleling them into my Bose Companion 2 Series 3. (I haven't had any undue RF noise from MY pair. Others have reported that they do.)
NOTE: One problem some people have had with options 1-3, including myself:
When connecting both the computer and rig to the same speakers either with a small mixer, switch, or speakers with dual inputs, there can sometimes be a ground loop between the three devices. The result is that when transmitting the small ground loop current appears on the audio input of the amp and is amplified. It sounds like you have RF in your amplifier, but is not removed by using ferrite beads. The solution is to add an inexpensive ground loop isolator to ONE set of inputs - either from the rig or the computer. This is simply a small box with a pair of audio transformers and cord that isolates the ground returns of one device from the other. You can find them on Amazon for under $10. I added one and the problem was cured.
Good luck.
Ken - NM9P
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Regards,
Larry
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to each his own
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When I use my Maestro I don't really "need" the PC at all. But the PC stays on doing other things. The radio's usually only on, when I'm in the shack, but I realize many other operators leave the radio on 24/7, and only turn the PC on when they are in the shack. Different stroke for different folks, I suppose.
73, Jay - NO5J
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https://www.amazon.com/Bose-Companion-III-Multimedia-Speakers/dp/B00CD1PTF0/ref=pd_sim_147_4?_encodi...
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Or if you're in a hurry you could run over to Target. also $99
Ken - NM9P, Elmer
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Mine haven't been troublesome. And they sound good!
Are there better out there? Probably. But I have these, and the Lepai/Dayton combo. But the Dayton's would need me to break out my mixer.
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Ken
W0KRD
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It fits nicely under the monitor and has plenty of space to expand. FRS audio sounds great and I can mix in the level I want with the PC audio.
http://artproaudio.com/mixers/product/mx822/
I drive this into these bose speakers:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bose-MusicMonitor-desktop-speakers-Mdl-302481-001-Silver-w-Remote-Great-Soun...
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