No Sound from Headphone Port using PC Line In?

[USAF99]

All right. What am I missing. What I would think is a simple connection has perplexed me for days now.

My scanner sits 3 feet from my PC. I had the idea that I would put a 90 degree headphone plug into the jack and run that to the line in on my PC sound plugs. Then go into windows sound settings and set the line in plug to play on my default sound device (bose headphones). When I plug it in, I can see the scanner stopping on channels that have activity and its obviously playing but I get no sound through my PC. Its like its muted. I have checked several cables and I can plug a stereo headset directly into the port and hear talking. Does the scanner just not like the line in on my PC

 

[smithken]

What model scanner? Does the line in work with other devices? If your scanner has a record out jack or a line out jack then you should use that jack, the voltage from a headphone jack might be too much for a line in jack

 

[USAF99]

It's a BCD536HP. Yes, the line in works with everything else I plug into it. The line in on my PC usually has a speaker out from another PC plugged into it, I assume it should be able to handle the voltage right?

 

[doctordialtone]

What model scanner?

See the thread title.

 

[wtp]

is it a stereo wire from the scanner ?
from the manual
You can use an optional 32Ω stereo headset or earphone with your scanner.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

If you are using a 3.5mm stereo to stereo cable and are connecting it to the Microphone input jack on the computer you may be shorting out the audio output of the scanner. The Microphone input on a computer is typically a mono jack which can short out one of the stereo output pins from the stereo headset jack of the scanner. If this is the case, you will need a 3.5mm mono plug to 3.5mm stereo jack adapter to plug into the computer’s microphone input first before using the stereo patch cable.

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-107128-Stereo-Adaptor-Plated/dp/B002N1XMPO

 

[majoco]

Like Steve says - is the headphone output of the scanner stereo or mono and does it require a mono or stereo plug. This may sound a stupid question but the right plug into the wrong socket may short everything out. Does you PC have a "line in" socket and a "mic" socket - usually the line in is a stereo socket so again you need the right plug - and make sure you have the PC mixer (double click on the wee speaker) correctly setup with the 'line in" fader turned up about halfway and the 'volume' fader set about the same. Do you get computer audio in your speakers alright through the 'wav' fader? and the line in box marked 'mute' unselected.

I went from a four input mono mixer to the PC line in (so that I could record one channel with ScanRec and listen to another) to an 8 channel stereo mixer so that I can send any input to the PC and any input to a small stereo amp and speakers - 4 HF receivers, 2 scanners, 1 VHF/UHF receiver and a floating plug that can go into many things, MP3 players etc, I reckon I've got it call covered now!

 

[Ubbe]

The line in on my PC usually has a speaker out from another PC plugged into it

Then all settings in the PC are correct and you do not need to touch anything in the PC from the moment where the other PC's sound can be heard. You just need to connect a stereo cable with 3.5mm plugs from the scanner to the PC. I can see that you are perplexed and so are we.

It has to be something simple, like a faulty cable, you have tested several but might not have been a true stereo cable, or the plug couldn't be pushed all the way in at either end. Open the squelch in the scanner so that it sends a constant noise while wiggle on connectors and pushing them in.

/Ubbe

 

[USAF99]

Sorry for no responses until now. For some reason the federal government seems to think I need to show up to the base and go to work. I haven't the slightest idea what gave them that conclusion.

According to my motherboard manual, the line in is a stereo port (as is the line out from the other PC that usually feeds into it).

The headphone port on the front of the BCD536HP is stereo as well.

My simple brain says it should work flawlessly, alas it does not.

I have a mono cable ordered from Amazon, when it shows up ill report back. Thank you all for replying and trying to help, and of course if I figure it out before the cable gets here, ill post here.

 

[buddrousa]

you can try an isolation transformer as the pc mybe grounding out the audio

 

[doctordialtone]

isolation transformer

Good suggestion.

This is the Isolation Transformer I use.

Lots of people on this site use the same one.