Help - lots of noise

[revjames]

Hi Guys

Not sure where to stick this (please don't answer that with your first thought)

I am at the church. We have a new PC for which we use song projection software and recording software.

We also record the live music and the speakers (preaching) etc

We have a 16 channel Yamaha mixing desk and Peavey 1200W amplifier.

I plug the input (ie pink mic socket on the pc) into the rec out on the desk. I plug the green output socket into the channels 13/14 respectively for L/R so I can playback music from the PC through the sound system.

Whenever I plug the green output in (3.5mm jack) I get a really bad hum. If I plug that jack into for example the headphone socket on my phone and play music its fine (which rules out the sound system right?)

Whenever I try and record anything using Audacity for example you get a poor sound and lots of hum.

Took the PC back to the shop and he tried inputs and outputs and it was all fine.

Pulling my hair out now. The only thing I can think of is the supply. Its a real PITA and I don't know what to do so please help.

 

[Badger]

in audacity you can adjust the microphone level via the slider bar, also check the volume settings because you may have the pc's sound volume set too loud on my pc here its the master volume and front volume for green ouput

 

[revjames]

Hi Badger and thanks, yes I realise there are controls on audacity. I have used it before to record trumpet playing. I got to thinking it must be something stupid. Anyway there are 2 monitors and 2 monitor outputs. I noticed by accident that when I turned one of them off, the noise stopped. Got rid of the offending monitor and now its fine. OK there is a noise you can hear but only when the sound is up really loud and then you can hear noises when you move the mouse etc.... strange I know. Anyway hopefully sorted. Can manage with 1 monitor because the other monitor just shows what the projector is showing.

 

[kme]

It sounds like hum from the PSU on the computer - have had this before.......

What I ended up doing was installing a USB soundcard, it provides a buffer between the PC inputs & the mixer - doesn`t need to be expensive (think I paid about

 

[revjames]

It sounds like hum from the PSU on the computer - have had this before.......What I ended up doing was installing a USB soundcard, it provides a buffer between the PC inputs & the mixer - doesn`t need to be expensive (think I paid about

 

[kme]

Yup - I used to have the problem when the screen display changed (opening / closing programs etc....)

 

[revjames]

The offending monitor was quite old and the display used to fade out after a while. It had a separate PSU incorporated in a box on the supply lead. My guess is something wrong there. Chucked the whole thing in the bin. Someone 'donated' it to the church months ago. People usually 'donate' stuff that they can't be bothered to bin!

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

When i upgraded my laptop from Vista to Windows 7 Audacity was the only program to play up. Had to search quite deeply to find Windows 7 update. The volume controls were one item that although 'moved' didn't do anything.

 

[revjames]

Thankfully the pc I use for the AV has XP and I like it that way