Issue 16.12
One of the frustrating things I have experienced over the years is a tendency for laptop and tablet computers to have very quiet speakers. There are notable exceptions, but most of them have sound systems that are underpowered or do not have much bass sound. This is especially annoying to people like me who use laptops for our family to watch movies or video clips and love to listen to music when we are on the road.
One solution is headphones. There are even splitters that allow multiple people to listen to the same audio content. It is troublesome to keep the wiring straight and often it still is not really good sound.
Another option is an FM broadcast module. You can plug this device into your audio output and tune the radio to the frequency the module transmits on, then use the car sound system to pump up the volume (and bass) to your heart’s content. You will occasionally get interference from local radio stations and in big cities it can be on most channels so that can be a problem with this solution.
Finally, you can attach computer speakers to your laptop. This will usually require a power inverter (available from most car shops and stores such as Wal-Mart, Kmart, etc.) because most speakers that put out sufficient sound require an AC power source.
I recently found a new type of speaker that is our new choice for sound on our laptop, not only in the car, but when we are making presentations or teaching small classes. It is called a bullet speaker (probably because of its shape) and we picked ours up at Wal-Mart. It cost only $15 and has surprisingly good sound for such a small, easy to carry speaker. It plugs into both the USB port (for power) and the audio jack (for sound). It can distort a little if you turn it up all the way, but otherwise the sound quality is quite good. It is only about 4 inches high and stores nicely in our laptop case. If you have an especially noisy vehicle or children, it may not have enough power and you may want to use a different solution.
Whichever option you use, it can improve your computer sound experience, especially in a noisy car full of kids or grandkids. As always, remember to back up anything important to you.
Shaun McCausland has worked in the computer industry for over 30 years, 20 years of it locally with Bits ‘N’ Bytes and Musicomp and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions you can reach him at 435-668-7118 or through his website at www.bitsnbytescomputers.com.