I can hear my laptop think!

The poorly shielded audio circuitry of my old Compaq Evo N400c laptop creates some interesting "thinking" noises when connected directly to my camcorder's microphone input (without attenuation). Obviously in normal use the background noise isn't going to be nearly this loud, but it does go to show that a computer's built-in sound chip is rarely up to "hi-fi" standards.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• compaq
• evo
• n400c
• pentium
• iii
• piii
• 850
• mhz
• 850mhz
• laptop
• notebook
• portable
• computer
• pc
• audio
• sound
• circuit
• circuitry
• chip
• chipset
• card
• background
• noise
• static
• hiss
• interference
• poor
• quality
• s/n
• ratio
• mic
• microphone
• input
• headphone
• earphone
• line
• level
• output

[phreakindee]

I have an old "custom" desktop PC that does that, it's awesome!

[vwestlife]

@phreakindee I remember my dad had a Leading Edge 486SLC laptop, and its circuitry made faint audible noises whenever it was "thinking hard" (100% CPU load) -- not from the PC speaker, but from the system board itself.

[gatler05]

Its time to upgrade lol. Windows 7 boyyyyy

[vwestlife]

@gatler05 This is my old laptop. It's only a PIII-850, and is way too slow to run Windows 7. But I hate Windows 7 anyway, so even on my new ThinkPad I use XP.

[Lachlant1984]

My old Acer RC900 did stuff like that all the time, and I almost always used headphones with that computer, so I'd always hear noises like that, the noise changed depending on what was happening on the screen, the computer had a Realtek sound chip onboard. My newer HP computer barely makes any of that kind of noise with headphones, sometimes there's a high pitched whistle, but not much else, and as for my current iMac, I never hear those kinds of noises with it at all, I've got very good ears.

[Tr3vor42532]

I hear that all the time with my Ds's and my GBC.

[mikee286]

my old desktop used to do this. when hooked up to my stereo when you minimize or maximize a window it made an electronic screeching noise. it got so annoying I went out and bought an actual soundcard to use instead of onboard sound

[windowsXPrules]

This brings back memories! we used to have a Hyunju computer... (dont ask about the brand....) and with headphones in all i could hear was that.. and when you opened intenret exploer my god it squeeeled like a pig!

[vwestlife]

@IBMThinkPad1000 That's the docking base.

[19f97]

MAN! THAT´S A THICK LAPTOP!

[classicmacintosh]

@duranmedine uhh I've installed SP3 on over 2,400 computers so far and not a single one has failed in any way :)

[11mrewan]

My grannys computer does this too