PowerBook G4, red light headphone jack?

[tom vilsack]

Have a red light in the headphone jack that prevents powerbooks speakers from working (works with headphone or external speaker)...I have googled every know trick to turn off,and yet still nothing.

-reset firmware
-reset pmu
-reset pram
-tried slowly putting in and out a jack to trip a sensor (inside jack)
-tried the toothpick,safetypin ect methods
-tried compressed air

any other ideas?

 

[53kyle]

Just keep on trying the headphone or toothpick method. It will take many tries, but it will eventually work. I actually put the headphone jack in and out quickly (again, lots of tries) and that worked.

 

[Hrududu]

Have you got a mini toslink optical cable you can stick in there? Maybe know someone that has one? Otherwise, If all else fails I'd just go ahead and buy one for a couple bucks. It could be as simple as inserting and removing an actual mini toslink cable.

 

[tom vilsack]

Just keep on trying the headphone or toothpick method. It will take many tries, but it will eventually work. I actually put the headphone jack in and out quickly (again, lots of tries) and that worked.

done this 100+ fast/slow 10+ toothpicks....nothing!

Have you got a mini toslink optical cable you can stick in there? Maybe know someone that has one? Otherwise, If all else fails I'd just go ahead and buy one for a couple bucks. It could be as simple as inserting and removing an actual mini toslink cable.

care to elaborate! how would putting in one of there " toslink" plugs differ from a standard jack method?

 

[wobegong]

Have a red light in the headphone jack that prevents powerbooks speakers from working (works with headphone or external speaker)...I have googled every know trick to turn off,and yet still nothing.

-reset firmware
-reset pmu
-reset pram
-tried slowly putting in and out a jack to trip a sensor (inside jack)
-tried the toothpick,safetypin ect methods
-tried compressed air

any other ideas?

Can't offer any help, I had exactly the same problem with my PB way back, never managed to fix it and was like that until the day I dropped it on the floor in a Paris airport

I remember also trying the headphone jack in/out method, poking about with pins etc all to no avail - Seems not only that you are not alone but also that the problem seems not to have gone away with MBP's. ( just look on Google...) Good luck with it, I think you may have to plough through Google and see if you can find a solution.

 

[Hrududu]

done this 100+ fast/slow 10+ toothpicks....nothing!



care to elaborate! how would putting in one of there " toslink" plugs differ from a standard jack method?

There is a sensor latch inside the plug that is tripped by the optical plug. It is a different shape than your typical headphone jack, thats how it turns on the optical in the first place. It may turn off if the latch is hit by the optical plug being inserted and removed as it was designed to do. The cable is aboiut $5 so if wouldn't break the bank giving it a try. That said, it could be broken and nothing will turn it off. Thats when the IO board needs replaced.

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022902&p_id=1556&seq=1&format=2

 

[tom vilsack]

ya no luck...must be something buggered with the jack...oh well it still works with headphones or external speakers threw the jack...and considering I only payed $30 for it, all is good....