So far I've only received one response to my question, but it was enough.
Thanks to
Tom Webster <webster_at_ssdpdc.lgb.cal.boeing.com>
As Tom pointed out, my question was pretty much the opposite/inverse of
the normal question, regarding CD audio and external speakers.
I frankly should have been a little more adventurous before sending the
original message to the list. As Tom pointed out, the solution should just
involve removing the appropriate connector from the CDROM drive. I've opened
the case on my PWS a few times to install new hardware, and it's much nicer
to work on than an AlphaStation 200, but I didn't closely examine the CDROM
wiring on any occassion. The wiring inside the PWS is actually a bit more
cluttered than on an AlphaStation, but at least there's more room to
work.
If I had spent some time investigating the wiring, I would have noticed a
cable running from the CDROM to a section of the motherboard. Another cable
runs from the same section of the motherboard back to the sound card. Tom
also described it perfectly in his message:
>1. Open up your machine.
>2. Look for a cable with a 4 pin keyed connector leaving the CD and going
> to the motherboard. It is actually going to the embeded sound card's
> CD audio input.
>3. Disconnect said cable.
I removed the connector from the back of the CDROM, closed up the case, and
things now work exactly like I had hoped. CD audio is confined to the
headphone jack on the CDROM drive, and will not play through the external
speakers.
Tim
My original message:
>All-
>
>I have a question regarding playing CDs via the CDROM on a PWS 433au. I know
>that at this point most of you are thinking "FAQ", but read on. :-) I too
>have seen lots of questions over the years on this list about how to play
>a CD in an AlphaStation's CDROM drive, and get the audio to come out external
>speakers that are plugged into the back. It's possible, but it's not always
>easy. What I'm asking is something quite different.
>
>I share an office, so in my situation I definitely don't want music from
>the CDROM to be sent to the speakers. With my old AlphaStation 4/166, that
>was a no-brainer, since that was the default. To hear audio from the CDROM
>drive, you had to plug something into the jack on the CDROM drive. Sound from
>the CDROM went to the CDROM jack, and sound from audio files played via
>`decsound' or other MME-aware software went to external speakers, if they were
>plugged into the back of the AlphaStation. This is pretty much the desired
>configuration, for me anyway.
>
>With my newer Personal Workstation au, I can still plug headphones into the
>CDROM jack and hear the CD that's playing, *but* the audio is also sent to the
>external speakers I have plugged into the back of the PWS.
>
>I've discovered that if I use `audiocontrol' to mute output, it reduces the
>volume of the music coming from the CDROM drive, but it doesn't completely
>mute it. This isn't a very exciting option anyway, since it will silence all
>audio notifications via `decsound' and other software.
>
>I've tried playing with the Input Ports and even the Output Ports options
>in audiocontrol, but so far no change. I always get CD audio via both the
>external speakers and the CDROM jack.
>
>Does anyone know how or if I can get a PWS to quit sending CDROM audio to
>external speakers?
>
>Thanks,
>
>Tim
--
Tim Mooney mooney_at_dogbert.cc.ndsu.NoDak.edu
Information Technology Services (701) 231-1076 (Voice)
Room 242-J1, IACC Building (701) 231-8541 (Fax)
North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105-5164
Received on Sat Dec 05 1998 - 07:40:09 NZDT