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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I use a Dell laptop with BIAB; it's 2-3 years old, running Windows 7, and the latest build of BIAB 2015. I don't use this computer for any other purpose but music; I do use the Chrome browser occasionally just to listen to YouTube music to help me with programming songs in BIAB. No external midi hardware, just BIAB, using mostly RealTracks. No issues with the program - that I know of. But there is a mysterious problem I would like to solve and I hope someone on this wonderful forum can help me.

I leave this laptop set up on stage in my place of worship all the time, hooked up to the PA, and I have had the same routine for several years. Early each week I select and tweak the songs I am going to use the following weekend and save the set which I will play using the Jukebox. Then during the praise & worship, I repeat the set as planned. Again, no problem with BIAB - that I know of.

Here is the mysterious problem that only began a few months ago, maybe a year ago at the most. Every time I turn on the computer and the sound system and, after giving the laptop plenty of time to boot up and open BIAB, when I start a BIAB song (any song), I hear no sound whatsover. BIAB is playing the song and the cursor is moving through the chord chart, but there is no output to the mixer. The laptop's headphone jack is connected to the mixer, but there is no signal coming out - until I disconnect the cable from the headphone jack, then start a song with it disconnected, and then reconnect the cable to the headphone jack after it begins playing through the dinky little laptop speakers. When I do this procedure, it works every time and it will then work normally for the rest of the session, but I didn't always have to do that. It used to just work without having to disconnect and reconnect the cable.

I suspect it may be a Windows issue that began after a Windows update, but I have checked all the settings and just cannot figure this one out. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Jim


Jim
Psalm 33:3 Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.

BIAB 2018 build 519; Dell Inspiron N4110, Windows 10 64 bit, Intel Core i3-2350m running at 2.29 GHz, Memory: 6 GB DDR3, SDRAM 1MHz
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mmm is there any settings in the audio panel, you may have realtek if so there should be an orange speaker icon in the taskbar or the control panel look at jack detection settings - can you try hibernating the laptop and see if it's still working when you start it up again.
Windows could of updated the audio driver, if so you can try and install a previous one.
Hope this helps.

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Its not BiaB causing that.

it sounds like the sound driver selects the improper output or "forgets" which one it's supposed to use when it goes to sleep while it's setting there not being used. Removing the jack and plugging it back in again reminds the computer again which output to use.


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Hi Jim,

You may have a power supply, grounding or electrical issue. My suspicions would be (1) laptop power supply breaking down or (2) mixer power supply has a loose capacitor connection or a capacitor starting to electrically break down. Way back in third place is a power issue either at the circuit breaker panel or bad extension cord.


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Three words I always hate to read are "laptop headphone jack".

Those 1/8" jacks are notoriously bad. If they don't break, they are intermittent and noisy. I recommend an inexpensive USB sound card such as a Focusrite 2xx unit that would give you a reliable connection to your church PA.


BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors
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From what I have read, I believe the problem is that for some reason, the laptop's sound driver is not detecting the plug in the headphone jack when I power up but then unplugging it and reinserting it "wakes up" the driver to recognize it. An updated driver might fix that problem.

Regarding Matt's suggestion to use a USB sound card, I already have this Edirol interface:
UA-1EX USB Audio Interface. Will it work okay?

I used this interface a few years ago with an older laptop that had a lot of digital noise coming out of the headphone jack along with the BIAB signal. I stopped using it when I got my current laptop 2-3 years ago because the objectionable noise wasn't present in the newer computer and the sound quality seemed as good or better. I guess I can go back to using the interface. (Is that the same thing as the USB sound card that Matt suggested?)

Finally, do you think there would be any noticeable difference in sound quality between this Roland/Edirol interface I already have and the Focusrite interface Matt suggested?

Thanks again!


Jim
Psalm 33:3 Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.

BIAB 2018 build 519; Dell Inspiron N4110, Windows 10 64 bit, Intel Core i3-2350m running at 2.29 GHz, Memory: 6 GB DDR3, SDRAM 1MHz
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Originally Posted By: 1manband

Regarding Matt's suggestion to use a USB sound card, I already have this Edirol interface:
UA-1EX USB Audio Interface. Will it work okay?

Yes.

Originally Posted By: 1manband
Is that the same thing as the USB sound card that Matt suggested?

Yes, same sort of solution. Notice the RCA jacks for output in addition to a headphone jack; the RCA jacks are MUCH better.

Originally Posted By: 1manband
Finally, do you think there would be any noticeable difference in sound quality between this Roland/Edirol interface I already have and the Focusrite interface Matt suggested?

Not really for going into a PA system. The inexpensive Roland interface you already have should be fine.


BIAB 2024 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 6.5 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6; Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus Studio 192, Presonus Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors
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Thank you so much, Matt!


Jim
Psalm 33:3 Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.

BIAB 2018 build 519; Dell Inspiron N4110, Windows 10 64 bit, Intel Core i3-2350m running at 2.29 GHz, Memory: 6 GB DDR3, SDRAM 1MHz
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Totally in agreement with Matt. I use a similar set up in church and connect my laptop to the PA through a Presonus audio interface. Works great and is very reliable.


Rich

Windows 10, 64 bit | BIAB 2019 PlusPak | Studio One 2 Artist
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