Sound trouble A500

[Douvie]

Opened it back up. Checked wiring for speakers. Unplugged and plugged them back in. Still no sound. Did not see any broken connections. Is there a sound card?

Sound chip actually. Did you check the leaf switch on the headphone jack? It may be a small microswitch - check that it is not in the wrong state because that switches your rear speakers OFF when you plug headphones in - check if it changes state opens and closes. The leaf spring/lever may be bent and cause the headphones to be permanently on whether they're plugged in or not.

 

[oldhamtrader]

Wouldn't the headphone icon that appears by clock stay on if the leaf switch was stuck? It only shows when I plug it in. Would the sound work through the headphones if the sound chip was bad?

 

[Mrhelper]

This is apparently not the old headphone/speaker wiring configuration that we are likely more familiar with from tearing apart old transistor radios years ago. The speakers and headphones are electronically switched in the audio codec device, and there may be no mechanical switches in the wired analog audio path.

Lot's of useful information here: Cracking Open the Acer Iconia Tab A500: Wolfson WM8903 Ultra low power audio CODEC | 56 of 68

This is apparently the audio coded device used in the a500: CODECs | WM8903 | Wolfson Microelectronics
http://www.wolfsonmicro.com/images/uploads/block_diagrams/en/WM8903_Block_Diagram.gif

The Wolfson audio codec has separate outputs and volume controls for speakers and headphone/line out. These are switched independently within the wm8903. You'd have to do some fine tracing work or have a schematic of the a500 board to determine how this is used/connected.

The headphone jack appears to be enclosed in an RF isolation can, so it's hard to see what's in there -- e.g., the type(s) of switches in there, how they connect/operate.

Considering that both speakers are out, it may be a problem with a microswitch in the HPhone jack can, one of the connections in the switch path, a ground issue to the speaker cable, or possibly even a fried wm8903. Your point about the headphone icon may be relevant if the icon is based on the switch position, vs some message from the control interface of the device relative to detected load on the headphone output. It seems most likely to be from the switch though, suggesting that the switch woukd be OK, so that would direct me to look for a speaker cable ground issue first. The switch does not even connect to the wm8903, which is controlled by the a500 via a digital control interface. You can hear the delay inherent in the audio switchover.process when you plug in the headphones.

It might be worthwhile to study the techrepublic info, photos, to find the connector for the speakers,and try reseating that. Maybe the ground contact on the connector is loose or contaminated. Loss of the common ground would affect both speakers.

 

[Mrhelper]

Just saw a couple threads reporting that Audio Manager from Google Play will unmute speakers separately from headphones when the builtin Android controls will not. These were apparently reports from users running Honeycomb and others running ICS. One theory I read seemed to suggest that this could happen if a user ran some audio control app, and then removed it prior to unmuting the speakers -- suggesting that Android settings do not provide that fine of control. I suppose this muted state for the speakers could be preserved in the audio codec device somehow and survive factory data and hardware resets. I don't know enough about the device to say if that's really possible or not. I have not tried any of this or personally used Audio Manager, and merely pieced it together from reading other posts, but it seems to be worth a try for this issue.

See: http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/acer-iconia-tab-a500-forum/31084-no-sound.html
...and: http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/acer-iconia-tab-a500-forum/15354-sound-issue-annoyance.html

 

[Douvie]

Just saw a couple threads reporting that Audio Manager from Google Play will unmute speakers separately from headphones when the builtin Android controls will not. These were apparently reports from users running Honeycomb and others running ICS. One theory I read seemed to suggest that this could happen if a user ran some audio control app, and then removed it prior to unmuting the speakers -- suggesting that Android settings do not provide that fine of control. I suppose this muted state for the speakers could be preserved in the audio codec device somehow and survive factory data and hardware resets. I don't know enough about the device to say if that's really possible or not. I have not tried any of this or personally used Audio Manager, and merely pieced it together from reading other posts, but it seems to be worth a try for this issue.

See: http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/acer-iconia-tab-a500-forum/31084-no-sound.html
...and: http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/acer-iconia-tab-a500-forum/15354-sound-issue-annoyance.html

I have had an issue, not with the tablet, but with XP where one app would mute the audio and one couldn't tell that it had been so. What resolved the issue was a CLEAN INSTALLATION OF XP. But this may be different with the tablet.

 

[Douvie]

Wouldn't the headphone icon that appears by clock stay on if the leaf switch was stuck? It only shows when I plug it in. Would the sound work through the headphones if the sound chip was bad?

Oldham, try installing AUDIO MANAGER apparently this fixes "unmuting the mute". In another thread, Christurnerchris had the same problem as you. After a suggestion by another on the forum, he installed audio manager and that fixed the problem.

 

[oldhamtrader]

Installed audio manager and checked all the settings. All at full volume. Still no sound. Tried rebooting and even did a pin hole reset.
Thinking about buying a big hammer!

 

[Douvie]

Installed audio manager and checked all the settings. All at full volume. Still no sound. Tried rebooting and even did a pin hole reset.
Thinking about buying a big hammer!

Whoa big fella!

There is one more card in the hand.

Do you have a DOCKING STATION for the A500? Or know someone who does?

Plug in some decent speakers, and the A500, into the DS and see if you get sound. It maybe a viable option and a useable one until you can save up the dough.

Good luck.

 

[oldhamtrader]

She has been using speakers that came with our desktop. They work fine.

 

[Douvie]

The A500 plugs into the docking station using the connector on the bottom edge of the device - in the centre. I was trying to see if you by-passed the speakers and the headphone jack of the A500. This would give us a clearer understanding - whether it is just faulty speakers or faulty amp - if you get my reasoning.

On the Docking Station there is a sound jack for speakers - not a headphone jack for it blows one's brains out through the nostrils. This would by-pass the speakers and the headphones. Just a suggestion.

 

[oldhamtrader]

Don't have a docking station yet.

 

[Douvie]

Don't have a docking station yet.

No hurry, they should be relatively cheap in the US. but don't buy if you don't have to.

 

[charlie42s]

I've got the same problem. I recently updated the OS to 4.03. I also updated to the latest version of Firefox v9.0. I had sound before this. Also the headphone icon is always on and never noticed it before. I have never used a headphone or a docking port. I plugged in a pair of pc external speakers and got some sound, but very low.

 

[charlie42s]

I forgot to mention. I also installed Audio Manager and it didn't help.

 

[Mrhelper]

I've got the same problem. I recently updated the OS to 4.03. I also updated to the latest version of Firefox v9.0. I had sound before this. Also the headphone icon is always on and never noticed it before. I have never used a headphone or a docking port. I plugged in a pair of pc external speakers and got some sound, but very low.

Your problem is probably different from the one reported by oldhamtrader. He reported that his headphone icon was not always on, but switched on and off normally when plugging/unplugging the headphones. Your problem may be a caused by damage or foreign object in the headphone jack, and possibly a defective switch. You could try working the jack/switch with a headphone plug, to see if you can get the icon to change, and the speakers to work.