Volume Wheel Does Not 'work'

[Bosbeetle]

I received my pandora and it is fantastic except for one thing the volume wheel does not seem to work properly. When I turn it all the way to the right it is pretty loud, however when it is all the way to the left it is still really loud. (all depending on the settings in the mixer) The difference is sometimes barely noticeable.

So I was wondering if there is a way I can readout what values the system gets from the volume wheel so I can somehow recalibrate it. It is especially annoying that I can't turn it down some emulators (SNES9x4d4p) are insanly loud and the dail does nothing to that. On the other hand it would also be nice to have a bit of range so I can modulate loudness.

Please help me so I dont have to adjust the mixer independently for every piece of software.

 

[tsh]

I thought the volume control was analogue - maybe feeding into the amplifier directly. Sounds like you have a badly soldered one, so instead of a variable voltage, it's getting a variable resistance (and almost no range)

 

[Bosbeetle]

I thought the volume control was analogue - maybe feeding into the amplifier directly. Sounds like you have a badly soldered one, so instead of a variable voltage, it's getting a variable resistance (and almost no range)

Is there a way I can solve the snes9x4d4p problem it is so loud even when I put the master volume in the mixer completly down?

 

[notaz]

tsh is correct, the wheel is analogue and software doesn't even know it exists. Sounds like you have a faulty one.

 

[Bosbeetle]

tsh is correct, the wheel is analogue and software doesn't even know it exists. Sounds like you have a faulty one.

thats a shame so I guess Ill have to live with it. hopefully there wont be more emulators that completly bypass software volume because thats a very annoying in the train.

 

[notaz]

If I were you I'd return it, there is no much point adding volume control to programs when the wheel exists, it'd be just a waste of time.

 

[Bosbeetle]

If I were you I'd return it, there is no much point adding volume control to programs when the wheel exists, it'd be just a waste of time.

I agree so Ill guess I'd return it but first I like to play with it a bit more. I'll email OPT about the actions I should undertake.

 

[Bosbeetle]

I sent an email about returning my unit btw I sent the mail to openpandorasales (I also got my confirmation via them) I hope thats the way to go.

I guess Ill be sending it back tomorrow.

 

[Pleng]

One way to fake a hardware mute switch is to snip of the connector to a pair of old broken/knackered headphones and carry it around with your device. Whenever you want to mute the sound, plug it into the headphone socket.

 

[Bosbeetle]

One way to fake a hardware mute switch is to snip of the connector to a pair of old broken/knackered headphones and carry it around with your device. Whenever you want to mute the sound, plug it into the headphone socket.

hmm its an option but I rahter not do that.

 

[paulguy]

Programs probably shouldn't be bypassing dmix by default, as it is. If they can do this for whatever benefit to latency it may have, it should be an option. (Though this may be one of those variables that determines why some programs have awful sound and some don't...)

EDIT: Does SNES9x4d4p output through OSS? I know I used to have problems with the volume control being bypassed if I played audio through the OSS emulation layer to ALSA, and it'd hold the sound card exclusively. This might be the same situation, here.

 

[MDave]

The problem I have sounds like this.

Speaker output is perfect, but when using headphones and adjusting the volume wheel, it not only adjusts volume but the balance too! Quite annoying, because I use headphones quite often.

Any ideas on what I should do?

 

[mali]

^ Sounds like one channel of the potentiometer doesn't work. The internal speakers don't show this behaviour? Are you sure?
You should mute one channel, check the wheel, turn the channel up again and then mute the other channel and check the wheel again.

 

[Bosbeetle]

In my unit the wheel does (not much ) the same for headphones and speakers

Mine is on its way back to the UK

I miss it already :cries:

 

[Pleng]

One way to fake a hardware mute switch is to snip of the connector to a pair of old broken/knackered headphones and carry it around with your device. Whenever you want to mute the sound, plug it into the headphone socket.

hmm its an option but I rahter not do that.

Yea not a great idea for a new bit of equipment. The volume wheel is one of the best bits about the Pandora! But I thought i'd mention it, can be useful o old equipment... I always keep one handy with my laptop in case the software becomes unresponsive and I need to shut the sound out quickly1

 

[MDave]

^ Sounds like one channel of the potentiometer doesn't work. The internal speakers don't show this behaviour? Are you sure?
You should mute one channel, check the wheel, turn the channel up again and then mute the other channel and check the wheel again.

Wasn't sure how to mute channels, internal speakers do seem to sound perfect at any volume, but I did find something out! :lol:

I tried out 3 different brands of headphones, a generic black Sony headphones (like the PSP ones), my Sennheiser, and my iPhone headphones.

My Sennheiser headphones work perfectly! These are the higher then average quality headphones you get ... interesting. I thought it might be an impedance problem or something.

My generic black Sony headphones don't work perfectly, I get that sound issue mentioned above, BUT! If I twist the jack around a bit in the headphone socket, the sound is fixed! Unless I turn it around around again slightly, they can mess up again. It's like trying to tune a radio I don't have to do this to my Sennheiser.

My iPhone headphones (the one with the mic) have the same problem as the Sony ones, except turning the jack doesn't do anything. Instead, if I press the middle button down (the one between the volume buttons) the sound is fixed! If I let go of the button, they go back to how they were.

So ... I'm not well versed in the technical details of sound, but I get the impression that there might be something funny going on with the headphone socket ...

Intriguing that my Sennheiser headphones work perfectly though! The jack on them is the same as the Sony one, but the iPhone one has that extra ring on the presumably for the mic.

It would be great if I can use my iPhone headphones though, they are what I use the most because they are slightly more comfortable on my ear compared to my Sennheiser headphones.

I hope EvilDragon or Notaz or whoever reads this post! :lol:

 

[Bosbeetle]

i dont know what type of plug it was but I do remember mweston saying it was generic but there were brands that didn't follow the same scheme so it could be that you have a different order of rings

 

[mali]

^ Yep. The Pandora has got a 4-pin socket while headphones have 3-pin. I'll search for the pin-out.

edit:

I doubt you can just plug in any mic to it since it's a combined headphones+mic port.

That's right.
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/45089-audio-connector-pinout/page__view__findpost__p__665938
edit:
Link in that post broke after forums upgrade, fixed link:
http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2006/04/zen-vision-m-video-cable-other-4pole-35mm-pinouts.php

It might be best to buy an adaptor to match the correct connections.

 

[gahndalf]

I just want to state the obvious...
you are aware it is a wheel? it moves from side to side over 5 time to fully turn it up or down.
You say it "hardly does anything" so it does something maby you just need to turn it a few more times

 

[MDave]

^ Yep. The Pandora has got a 4-pin socket while headphones have 3-pin. I'll search for the pin-out.

edit:

I doubt you can just plug in any mic to it since it's a combined headphones+mic port.

That's right.
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/45089-audio-connector-pinout/page__view__findpost__p__665938
edit:
Link in that post broke after forums upgrade, fixed link:
http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2006/04/zen-vision-m-video-cable-other-4pole-35mm-pinouts.php

It might be best to buy an adaptor to match the correct connections.

But ... but these iPhone headphones work in any other device perfectly fine! PSP, DS, laptop etc. I don't use the mic on them except for my iPhone.