Switching laptop microphone/audio-output

[Scribbly]

So this is heavily pushing it, but summarized: I want to switch my audio-out put and microphone-input.

--

My laptop (Dell Latitude C840) has three 'holes' in it. One for audio-output, one for microphone-in and one for line-in.

The audio-output one is partly broken, it will only output the left channel (and if I jiggle it, neither).

The other two are fine. So my question: Is there any way in hell I can make my computer output the sound via the microhone hole?

And I mean without opening my laptop!

Any help would be great :)

(PS: for now, how can I output everything in mono?)

[Timmeh]

For mono (I'm assuming you're using windows)

Start > control panel > Sounds and audio devices > (under speaker settings) Advanced > Laptop Mono speakers > OK.

As for switching them with no re-wiring... no, I really can't see it being possible unless you have a very strange or versatile sound card, mostly because you're looking at a hard-wired input and output. You'd be best off just obtaining a cheapy laptop sound card and getting someone who knows what they're doing to install it for you.

[Soapie]

or getting a PCMCIA sound card.

[woody_tng]

Answering your question, there is no way to do this. The microphone and line in sockets are for use as they are. There are sone motherboards that let you use the other sockets as extra surround sound speakers, but I have not heard of that on a laptop.

[Lancer]

Well, if your onboard sound is an Audigy, you might just be in luck. If I recall, the kX audio drivers (http://kxproject.lugosoft.com/index.php?skip=1) are fairly versatile and allow you to pretty much route anything to anything. I haven't used them in forever, but if I'm right they should let you route sound output to a different jack.

Problem being, they're not overly simple to use, so depending on experience you might get nowhere. As for installing them, uninstalling your current audio drivers then installing them should suffice.

One way or another, if your onboard sound isn't an Audigy, it probably isn't possible without some funky wiring magics.

Edit: Just remember, I'm not 100% certain if those drivers even can. It's been ages, and I could have read something wrong.

[pieeater]

On my laptop you can change the microphone socket to use it for rear speakers. Im using realtek AC-97 audio drivers.

To change this on windows vista(or at least on my computer)
right click the volume button in taskbar -> playback devices -> select speakers -> properties -> custom tab
and there should be an option to switch line-in to rear output

Not sure if that will help you much though.

[Scribbly]

"or getting a PCMCIA sound card."
Seems to be the only/best option at this point

pieeater; I can't find that option in Windows XP pro

It's got the standard Dell soundcard



Some sort of usb > audio is possible too, but that would mean yet another thing sticking out the back of the laptop

[pieeater]

I believe you can buy USB sound cards that would do what you after, or there is always the option of opening your laptop and re-soldering the wires the other way around

[faragher]

I believe you can buy USB sound cards that would do what you after, or there is always the option of opening your laptop and re-soldering the wires the other way aroundNO. And once again NO.

This is close to the worst advice ever. Only do this if you are happy to accept that you may kill your laptop. Its not that swapping the wires will do any harm, its messing about with solder and a hot iron in a laptop which has everything squashed up together.

Seriously, NO.

[Scribbly]

Yea I once carefully slightly opened my laptop to remove dust. Though I didn't force anything and stopped quickly, that somehow disabled the touchpadmousething and speakers.

Like hell I'm opening it again.