Laptops

[seanshine]

Okay, I've got 150 cds in my computer that I want to play through my stereo via a patch cord to the passive equalizer. Sounds great, except for the small distracting buzz. I'm running the computer through a cigarette lighter adapter cord on a designated circuit directly from the battery. The music is awesome through the stereo until I plug in the adapter cord. Certainly someone has figured out how to fix this annoying prolem. Help me out guys. Sean

 

[Bill18593]

Culprit

Get bigger batteries for the laptop and don't play music when you plug it into the DC outlet.As an alternative, you might consider trying to use the DC outlet when the battery charger isn't on (shorepower disconnected, motor off, accessories off). See if it still makes noise. Then turn on accessories until the offending device is isolated. Its probably the battery charger causing the noise.

 

[Steve]

Why not rip the CDs to your hard drive? As the hard drive is almost always running anyway, you could save a lot of power by not having to spin the CD drive too, thereby prolonging battery life. Then just keep a second battery. Radio interference from electrical circuits can be very hard to track down.

 

[casmith]

isolate the ground

Radio Shack sells a "ground loop isolator" that is not expensive. That is how I got the buzz out of mine in the car and boat.

 

[rsn48]

Just get an Ipod shuffle instead

Just get the Ipod shuffle instead, and dedicate the shuffle to your boat in the summer. You can hook it up to a cheap small stereo system for the boat.Then you can play the theme music from the Titanic and pretend your boat is sinking.

 

[Donald6441]

Im a computer tech, and as much as i love

Computers, using a laptop to play MP3s is like using a sledge on a thumb tack. Any MP3 player with enough space to hold you music will play it just fine through your radio. I have a PSP, which doubles as a MP3 player, and it lasted all day Sunday playing my music while I was sailing all day. And use the afore mentioned ground loop isolator, your electronics will thank you for it.

 

[Rich B18904]

GLI

Casmith 7 Don are right on the money, I'm a Laptop DJ and that buzz you hear can be eliminated by a Ground Loop Isolator. I don't have any experience with the Radio Shack model, try it... I use the Xitel GLI http://www.xitel.com/product_gli.htm.Now, you could also use one of those cheap 2 prong to 3 prong adapters but I always worry about using one of those on my laptop.