Can i bypass the headphone port on my laptop?

[Guest jim]

Ages ago i used to use a heavy audio lead linking from my laptop to my stereo with appropriate adaptors and whatever (this was before i bought an interface) and it bent the port out of shape so my laptop always thinks that it's got headphones plugged in, ergo no sound. Is there a way i can... bypass the headphones without breaking the thing open?

[mcbpete]

You could get a cheap external soundcard (or is that what you meant by interface?)

[Guest jim]

You could get a cheap external soundcard (or is that what you meant by interface?)

 

yeah thats what i meant, just would be nice to hear audio through the laptop speakers when i'm not at home to plug in the soundcard

[mcbpete]

ah gotcha. well if you're lucky you might be able to use an opened up paper clip to move the bit of metal that registers whether phones are plugged in back to the original position. But there's equally a chance that doing that will short something out and possibly do something bad.

[Guest A/D]

this happened on my old computer, i opened up the laptop and found where the pins had bent and put it back. i tried to wedge it into the right position, but it only worked temporarily. i think an external soundcard is probably an easier and more permanent solution.

 

unless you like to solder (i don't)

[Bubba69]

sometimes its possible to do this through the drivers, but its usually hardware.