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Brand new MBP - line in audio no sound! (but meter works) - HELP please

N

NickM

macrumors 6502
Original poster
I just got a brand new MBP 3 days ago. It's been working like a charm.
I just tried to plug my iPod in through the line in audio jack. I can't hear anything. I look in the Sound menu in System Preferences, and can see the meter jump, but I don't hear anything. Yes, the volume is up

Is it broken? Why would I see the meter move, but not hear sound?

Please help me...
 
Just so you rest assured, your computer is fine; it's doing everything it should be doing. When you connect a device via line-in, it will register under the System Preferences, but you will not hear its playback on the laptop's speakers unless you use a program that uses the line-in.

But... I'm really not sure what you're trying to accomplish by plugging an iPod to your laptop's line-in jack. 😕

Are you trying to record audio from your iPod to your MBP? (this can be done, but why would you do that? Your iPod already plays digital music, and it would be a better choice to extract the digital file from the iPod so you don't lose any quality through the recording process)

Or are you trying to use your MBP as speakers for your iPod? (I don't recommend this, I personally think even a cheap $10-$20 speaker set is better than laptop speakers)

Only reason I would use line-in on a laptop is to record audio from another source (could be a record player or a tape player or whatever) to a digital file. If you want to do this:

1. Connect your device via the line-in jack.

2. Make sure your System Preferences -> Sound is set to line-in (which you did already).

3. Open up GarageBand. Create a new 'real' instrument and turn on monitoring. When you hit play on the device, you should be able to hear it. Hit 'record' in GarageBand whenever you want for it to start recording your device's audio playback digitally.
 
I was trying to simply listen to my iPod while I surfed the net and used my new laptop...through my nice headphones.
This thing won't let me???
That is pretty lame.
Is it forcing me to connect via USB and use iTunes??? Lame again, if so.
 
NickM said:
I was trying to simply listen to my iPod while I surfed the net and used my new laptop...through my nice headphones.
This thing won't let me???
That is pretty lame.
Is it forcing me to connect via USB and use iTunes??? Lame again, if so.
Click to expand...

So you're connecting the iPod to the MacBook Pro which is connected to your nice headphones?

Why not... anyways...

I've found a simple 'line in-line out' program called... LineIn

http://www.rogueamoeba.com/freebies/
 
crazyrog17 said:
So you're connecting the iPod to the MacBook Pro which is connected to your nice headphones?

Why not... anyways...

I've found a simple 'line in-line out' program called... LineIn

http://www.rogueamoeba.com/freebies/
Click to expand...

Why not what?
I wasn't aware that the iPod could be identified simply through the 1/8" line in jack.

So you're telling me I need to run a program to use my "line in" jack?
That's a major drag...

I still don't understand why the level meter in Sound properties page would be showing the signal, but it won't let me hear the signal. That's either retarded or broken.
 
Why not use a program like Senuti to pull your iPod library onto your mac and listen that way?

Still LineIn should do what you're asking to do.

You could also use Audacity and set the Linein as an input and hit record. You should be able to hear what is being recorded.
 
areusche said:
Why not use a program like Senuti to pull your iPod library onto your mac and listen that way?

Still LineIn should do what you're asking to do.

You could also use Audacity and set the Linein as an input and hit record. You should be able to hear what is being recorded.
Click to expand...


All my mp3s aren't on the computer yet... I have them on an external drive.
I just don't like the idea of not being able to do what I tried to do...and thought was a very basic and simple request.

Can someone please tell me why I would see the meter level move with the signal, but I wouldn't hear anything??
Seems really odd....
 
Why not just plug your headphones into your iPod? Unless you want to switch between music and other things on your laptop.

You'll need some type of line-in monitoring program. I don't know if you have garage band installed, but you might be able to arm a track for recording and monitor the input that way. Or you could use that other program that was posted.

You can get it to work the way you want it to, but you need a program to monitor the line in, because it doesn't pass through to the output by default.

By the way, we have the same first name/last initial if that's what your username is. 😛
 
What you're trying to do is counter-intuitive.

You have a portable music device, with a headphone out. Plug the headphones directly into it.

It'd be different if somehow you could control the iPod with the computer while it was plugged in to the 1/8" input but that's not possible so you'd still ahve to have your ipod hand for control.

Jut use the ipod for music and leave the computer out of the equation if you're not willing to transfer your music over yet.
 
hobbbz said:
What you're trying to do is counter-intuitive.

You have a portable music device, with a headphone out. Plug the headphones directly into it.

It'd be different if somehow you could control the iPod with the computer while it was plugged in to the 1/8" input but that's not possible so you'd still ahve to have your ipod hand for control.

Jut use the ipod for music and leave the computer out of the equation if you're not willing to transfer your music over yet.
Click to expand...


Counter-intuitive? Trying to use my LINE-IN is counter-intuitive???
I want to listen to the iPod while I also can hear the computer.
Is that really so much to ask?

The signal is reaching the computer. As I said, the meter is jumping.
Why is it being a nazi and saying "NO! You are not allowed to listen!" ?

I'm looking for a logical answer to my question and apparently no one has one.
I want to know if it's broken or just as stupid as it is seeming to be.
 
It's not broken. For some reason in OSX you just can't play the audio through the line-in. I use that Line-In program, but I do think that it's pretty silly that there isn't a built in feature or anything.
 
NickM said:
Counter-intuitive? Trying to use my LINE-IN is counter-intuitive???
I want to listen to the iPod while I also can hear the computer.
Is that really so much to ask?

The signal is reaching the computer. As I said, the meter is jumping.
Why is it being a nazi and saying "NO! You are not allowed to listen!" ?

I'm looking for a logical answer to my question and apparently no one has one.
I want to know if it's broken or just as stupid as it is seeming to be.
Click to expand...

There is no logical reason within an OS to accept any random line-in and reroute it through the speakers.
Someone who needs to hear audio in will be using some kind of software to manage it (think recording professionals). Therefore, the OS does not automatically "pipe" the in through the out.

Use some of the software named above if you're still insistent on doing things in the most complicated way possible.
 
hobbbz said:
There is no logical reason within an OS to accept any random line-in and reroute it through the speakers.
Someone who needs to hear audio in will be using some kind of software to manage it (think recording professionals). Therefore, the OS does not automatically "pipe" the in through the out.

Use some of the software named above if you're still insistent on doing things in the most complicated way possible.
Click to expand...

I'm not looking to record anything...why would I think about "recording professionals"?
I own many microphones, cables, adapters, and lots of recording and mixing equipment. I understand what needs to be done and how things work.

There's nothing "most complicated" about what I want to do here. I want to run a signal into the LINE IN and hear it!!
It's absolutely STUPID that I need to install and run a program to here what's coming into that port. Absolutely stupid.

I didn't start this thread to get a bunch of "Well why on Earth would you want to do that???" "Why don't you do THIS instead?" "You're most complicated and stupid for wanting that."

I stated my problem, asked a simple question, and wanted a simple answer TO MY QUESTION... NOT your input and opinion on what I'm trying to do.

So far that is my only gripe about OSX.
It will show you a visual representation of the signal coming in, but won't let you hear it. Retarded.

It seems my question has been answered. No more posts needed.
 
Why not plug in your iPod through USB, and play it through iTunes (and no, I don't mean copying the songs to your computer)? Then you can have your headphones plugged into your computer, listen to songs from your iPod and hear sounds from your computer, and keep your iPod charged all at the same time. And as an added benefit (IMHO), you can use your computer to control what song is playing.
 
Just trying to help you find the most effective, simple solution possible, but it seems that you want to do something I disagree with. Oh well, up to you.
 
Runt888 said:
Why not plug in your iPod through USB, and play it through iTunes (and no, I don't mean copying the songs to your computer)? Then you can have your headphones plugged into your computer, listen to songs from your iPod and hear sounds from your computer, and keep your iPod charged all at the same time. And as an added benefit (IMHO), you can use your computer to control what song is playing.
Click to expand...

I didn't have my USB cable on me at the time I tried the line-in jack...so it just got me nervous about whether something may have been not working properly.
I just can't think of a reason to NOT make that possible... I mean, Windows allows it. (I'm sure that comment will upset some people 😉 )
 
NickM said:
I didn't have my USB cable on me at the time I tried the line-in jack...so it just got me nervous about whether something may have been not working properly.
I just can't think of a reason to NOT make that possible... I mean, Windows allows it. (I'm sure that comment will upset some people 😉 )
Click to expand...

Makes sense, I guess after my 7th or 8th iPod, I'm used to having the USB cables pretty much anywhere I go.
 
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