Powerbook G4 Ti (DVI) - Left speaker not working

[mddguy]

I recently picked up a PowerBook G4 Titanium boxed, with a 1GHz G4 and 1GB of factory memory from Apple. This thing is in wonderful condition, with its original Apple battery giving me around 2-3 hours.

However, there is a small problem. There is no audio from the Left speaker. The audio from the left channel can be heard from the 3.5mm jack when headphones or speakers are connected, but the internal left speaker doesn't work.

Any ideas? Anyone experienced anything like this before on these models?

 

[AphoticD]

I recently picked up a PowerBook G4 Titanium boxed, with a 1GHz G4 and 1GB of factory memory from Apple. This thing is in wonderful condition, with its original Apple battery giving me around 2-3 hours.

However, there is a small problem. There is no audio from the Left speaker. The audio from the left channel can be heard from the 3.5mm jack when headphones are speakers are connected, but the internal left speaker doesn't work.

Any ideas? Anyone experienced anything like this before on these models?

Nice score! That is in excellent condition.

Maybe try running the Audio MIDI Utility to test the audio balance and confirm there is definitely no audio from the speaker. Reset PRAM may help, otherwise open up the machine to confirm the left speaker is connected to the Logic Board okay. The connector may need to be reseated, or more likely, there is a tear in the speaker's rubber diaphragm. I've had this happen in a PBG4 15" and MacBook 13" due to age. The speaker becomes crackly and eventually makes no noise once the rubber fully separates. A replacement speaker is the only fix.

 

[mddguy]

Nice score! That is in excellent condition.

Maybe try running the Audio MIDI Utility to test the audio balance and confirm there is definitely no audio from the speaker. Reset PRAM may help, otherwise open up the machine to confirm the left speaker is connected to the Logic Board okay. The connector may need to be reseated, or more likely, there is a tear in the speaker's rubber diaphragm. I've had this happen in a PBG4 15" and MacBook 13" due to age. The speaker becomes crackly and eventually makes no noise once the rubber fully separates. A replacement speaker is the only fix.

Thank you for the suggestions! I reset the PRAM/NVRAM earlier. Made no difference. There isn't any static or distorted sound to suggest it is actually broken or the rubber has deteriorated. It is silent!

I did reseat the 6 pin audio connector to no avail.

I also tried the stereo balance in Audio Midi and System Prefs but that didn't make a difference. It is a fairly fresh install.

 

[AphoticD]

Thank you for the suggestions! I reset the PRAM/NVRAM earlier. Made no difference. There isn't any static or distorted sound to suggest it is actually broken or the rubber has deteriorated. It is silent!

I did reseat the 6 pin audio connector to no avail.

I also tried the stereo balance in Audio Midi and System Prefs but that didn't make a difference. It is a fairly fresh install.

Does a different boot drive or clean installed OS give the same result?

If so, then it could be a failed component. Try running Apple hardware test to confirm.

 

[MagicBoy]

Same on my 867Mhz. Probably a blown speaker...

 

[amagichnich]

I'd say blown speaker or damaged cable. I had both in several notebooks but no Apple one before

 

[CooperBox]

You mentioned that, "The audio from the left channel can be heard from the 3.5mm jack when headphones or speakers are connected, but the internal left speaker doesn't work."
Now this is a long shot, but worth trying (it worked for me once with a B&O hifi which was sounding from one external speaker only):-
Plug in your headphone jack, and unplug/plug-in/unplug repeatedly about 10 times. In some cases - and with a bit of luck- this can have the effect of resetting and/or scraping the internal contacts to correct the connector seating.

 

[mddguy]

Does a different boot drive or clean installed OS give the same result?

If so, then it could be a failed component. Try running Apple hardware test to confirm.

I did run that, everything Passed. I ran the AHT, but I don't have access to the ASD or know the version for this PowerBook.

Same on my 867Mhz. Probably a blown speaker...

I'd say blown speaker or damaged cable. I had both in several notebooks but no Apple one before

I did think this could be an option, but I would have thought a blown speaker would at least make some noise? Damaged cable it could be. I haven't disassembled it outside of removing the bottom of the case, and disconnecting and reconnecting the single 6 wire speaker cable.

You mentioned that, "The audio from the left channel can be heard from the 3.5mm jack when headphones or speakers are connected, but the internal left speaker doesn't work."
Now this is a long shot, but worth trying (it worked for me once with a B&O hifi which was sounding from one external speaker only):-
Plug in your headphone jack, and unplug/plug-in/unplug repeatedly about 10 times. In some cases - and with a bit of luck- this can have the effect of resetting and/or scraping the internal contacts to correct the connector seating.

Tried this, no luck I'm afraid. Thank you for the suggestion though.

 

[micahgartman]

I did run that, everything Passed. I ran the AHT, but I don't have access to the ASD or know the version for this PowerBook.

There isn't a version of ASD that runs on titanium PowerBooks. You can try using ASD 2.1.4, which you can find by clicking on the link in my signature.

Good luck! Let us know how you fare

 

[weckart]

There isn't a version of ASD that runs on titanium PowerBooks.

That's right, there isn't as the ASDs came out with the AluBooks. What there was before the ASDs were the forerunners called Mac Test Pro discs. I got a few along with a lot of ASDs that were sold off on eBay a while back. Mine are somewhere buried under a lot of cruft in the loft but I managed to dig out a copy I made of the last Mac Test Pro G4 disc, which came out in 2002 and was specifically for the Power Mac G4.

It seemed to run ok on the same spec TiBook as the OP has but with the caveat that the comprehensive and configurable tests are designed for another set of hardware. The sound modules are fairly basic and I don't think they would pick up on broken speakers - rather the sound chips on the logic board.

I can up this for OP if he cannot get ASD 2.1.4 to run.

 

[mddguy]

There isn't a version of ASD that runs on titanium PowerBooks. You can try using ASD 2.1.4, which you can find by clicking on the link in my signature.

Good luck! Let us know how you fare

No luck I'm afraid. I didn't think it would, but I figured there might be a small chance, given it was sold concurrently with the Aluminium PBG4s. I get the "Not supported" dialogue with the option to shutdown.

I've used your website before for my Aluminium G4. Very handy!

That's right, there isn't as the ASDs came out with the AluBooks. What there was before the ASDs were the forerunners called Mac Test Pro discs. I got a few along with a lot of ASDs that were sold off on eBay a while back. Mine are somewhere buried under a lot of cruft in the loft but I managed to dig out a copy I made of the last Mac Test Pro G4 disc, which came out in 2002 and was specifically for the Power Mac G4.

It seemed to run ok on the same spec TiBook as the OP has but with the caveat that the comprehensive and configurable tests are designed for another set of hardware. The sound modules are fairly basic and I don't think they would pick up on broken speakers - rather the sound chips on the logic board.

I can up this for OP if he cannot get ASD 2.1.4 to run.

If you could, that would be great. I don't *think* there is a problem with the sound chips on the logic board but I'd like to be able to rule it out.

 

[bobesch]

...
I would have thought a blown speaker would at least make some noise? Damaged cable it could be. I haven't disassembled it outside of removing the bottom of the case, and disconnecting and reconnecting the single 6 wire speaker cable.
...

My 15" MacBookPro 2008 came with a blown subwoofer on one side. There were only the deep sounds missing, no tremble or odd noise coming from the speaker ...
I guess you'll have to go for a replacement speaker - maybe be getting another cheap "defective" Ti-Book with working speakers for replacement parts...

 

[weckart]

If you could, that would be great. I don't *think* there is a problem with the sound chips on the logic board but I'd like to be able to rule it out.

Here you go:

a) Zipped .toast image done in Tiger using Toast 5.2.3 https://we.tl/UTTnqNjQtf

b) DiskCopy image housed in a self extracting Stuffit folder and binhexed to preserve resource forks done in OS9. I used DiskCopy 6.5b13 so it made a .dmg image burnable in both OS9 or OSX. https://we.tl/TD50HwTCSI


One of these should work for you.

 

[mddguy]

Here you go:

a) Zipped .toast image done in Tiger using Toast 5.2.3 https://we.tl/UTTnqNjQtf

b) DiskCopy image housed in a self extracting Stuffit folder and binhexed to preserve resource forks done in OS9. I used DiskCopy 6.5b13 so it made a .dmg image burnable in both OS9 or OSX. https://we.tl/TD50HwTCSI


One of these should work for you.

Thanks. Worked perfectly and it didn't find any issues.

Now to find a replacement set of speakers I think. Are the speakers the same across all of the Titanium PowerBook revisions?

 

[weckart]

Thanks. Worked perfectly and it didn't find any issues.

Now to find a replacement set of speakers I think. Are the speakers the same across all of the Titanium PowerBook revisions?

Given what PChub lists for all TiBooks on its spare parts pages, it would appear so.

Probably cheaper to find a broken donor machine locally and pull the parts from it.

http://pchub.com/uph/laptop/77-3159...k-G4-Titanium-M8407-550-15.2-Speaker-Set.html

 

[netsrot39]

Here you go:

a) Zipped .toast image done in Tiger using Toast 5.2.3 https://we.tl/UTTnqNjQtf

b) DiskCopy image housed in a self extracting Stuffit folder and binhexed to preserve resource forks done in OS9. I used DiskCopy 6.5b13 so it made a .dmg image burnable in both OS9 or OSX. https://we.tl/TD50HwTCSI


One of these should work for you.

Hi, weckart, could you please reupload the image? I have two of these G4 Titanium PowerBooks (one is defect and in cosmetic good condition and the other one is working but does look beaten up). I'm trying to get the best parts of each machine and build one perfect TiBook. I'd need the service disc however for troubleshooting some stuff. It would be really awesome if you or somebody else could reupload said disc.

 

[weckart]

Hi, weckart, could you please reupload the image? I have two of these G4 Titanium PowerBooks (one is defect and in cosmetic good condition and the other one is working but does look beaten up). I'm trying to get the best parts of each machine and build one perfect TiBook. I'd need the service disc however for troubleshooting some stuff. It would be really awesome if you or somebody else could reupload said disc.

I'd have to dig it out and create the image again. In the meantime, the AHT for the 1GHz model is on Mactintoshgarden. I don't think the MTP discs are any more advanced with regard to logic board testing.

http://macintoshgarden.org/apps/powerbook-g4-titanium-867mhz1ghz-software-installation-restore-discs

 

[Macbookprodude]

Hello, I don't mean to revive a dead thread, but are the left and right speakers the same for all titanium G4 powerbooks ?

 

[mddguy]

No. The earlier revision speakers are different to the later TiBooks. My 2003 1GHz DVI TiBook has a left speaker unit twice as large as the right speaker as the left speaker unit includes the microphone.

 

[Macbookprodude]

Ok, so my quion is: Should I just get a new top case which has the speakers in it, or a set of external speakers for laptops ? I tested my mac pro speakers I have hooked up, and both sides work. I may just go external, unless I can find the top case and then I need to find someone to install it as I don't want to touch this thing. Putting in the SSD was the easy part for me.
[automerge]1591587312[/automerge]
Sorry, I had to disable nasty javascript as I am typing this on a PPC 1GHZ Titanium. So, if I just bought small external speakers, would this remedy the issue ? Or, if I can get a top case with the speakers for a good price, I may try to pay someone to put it in.