Riddle me this, /diy/ You have one of those VGA cables that have

well, have you considered pulling out a multimeter and measuring it?

>inb4 i don't have a multimeter

>>1059564
whats the other end of the cable? hdmi? or is it the same? i dont think vga has audio, so if the other end does (like hdmi maybe) then youd have a way to get sound from the vga source

>>1059570
I have a multimeter but I don't have access to the podium at the moment.
>>1059573
I checked in the back.
It appears to convert to component, which means still analog.
It was a rat's nest of cables back there though, and I didn't have complete access. Whoever set up that podium should be shot.

I agree it sounds like a grounding issue. The laptop's ground is a large enough difference from the other sources ground to screw something up.

Have you tried the sound with no vga connected on both ends? That would confirm the vga and audio are sharing something at least. From there you could multimeter around or just buy an independent audio cable and zip tie it to the vga cable and remove the crappie audio dongle.

>>1059588
Yeah, I did try using the sound without connecting a video source. Same result.

There's no fixing this problem since I don't have any real physical access to the inside of the podium.

I was just curious after some troubleshooting I went through after using one of these shitty things.

>>1059588
>I agree it sounds like a grounding issue.
It could be this. It sounds silly, OP, but try wiggling it in other devices. The jack may be misshapen in some way, and whatever laptop they're using with it just has a very tight jack or something.

>>1059564
>You plug the 3.5mm into literally anything but your laptop
So you're using the same built-in monitor speakers, just a different audio source?

>>1059591
I checked the jack and cable. No kinks. We plugged it into at least 7 devices before we realized what the problem was.

>>1059585
oh, sorry op, i just reread your post. thats fucking bizarre that it wont play audio from any other device.

i would be shocked if the audio and video shared a ground. i dont think thats even possible. whats the other end audio, red and white rca?

>>1059592
No, it's a projector and sound system for a classroom, so everything's messy and custom down there.
>>1059595
I think it's component but I can't be sure due to how messy and locked up the setup is.

>>1059594

>checked cable. no kinks

hhh its a cable not a garden hose dummy. theres no way to KINK a cable stupid

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>>1059598

>>1059597
>I can't be sure due to how messy and locked up the setup is
We clearly need more info. Can you gain access to the mess of wires and take pictures or something?

>>1059603
Not until Monday, but yeah, I'll try to.

>>1059605
/diy/ is a slow board, your thread should last the weekend.

Maybe bump it Saturday night just to keep it alive. But once we get more info I'm sure SOMEONE will be able to help, albeit in a bitchy and sarcastic manner.

I'll be keeping an eye out, seeing as I have tech support experience and need the practice.

>>1059585
>It appears to convert to component, which means still analog

So the analog video signal goes from the VGA connector to the RCA connector on the other end of the cable, and audio goes from this 3.5mm jack to the RCA on the other end. They are each on their own. Beats me how the shit which happens can be happening.

However, I don't get what you mean by
>greater laptop presentation console
- is there something else the cables are connected to, or what?


>>1059573
>whats the other end of the cable? hdmi?
You can't convert a VGA signal to HDMI

>>1059613
>You can't convert a VGA signal to HDMI
K, then why do they sell converters?
https://www.amazon.com/VicTsing-Gold-Plated-Adapter-Converter-Laptop/dp/B00YC7U0NE/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1474671893&sr=1-3&keywords=vga+to+hdmi

>>1059564
your problem needs restated - you have a cable that works for its intended use (projector audio -> amp).

It does not work when audio source is [something else] - now, those multi cables are indeed multicore, unless something strange - that audio line should have its own (seperate) three cores. I'm guessing, either the [something else] is a mobile phone, with a rounded shell - which, if you check carefully, you may note, 3.5mm connector on those cables does not properly fit phone sockets (thicker than phone headphones plug, collides with shell, prevents proper seat of cable). Either that, or youve got two 3.5mm cables on each end of that [VGA+audio+mic] and youre using the wrong one (usually different color tho) or, whatever should be putting out sound, isn't [volume down] etc.

But sharing a ground or whatever?, nope, not IME.

>>1059585
fwiw, that's probably RGB, not component Y/Pb/Pr. RGB can be broken out of a VGA connector, but component cannot. RGB or component will look the same three RGB RCA or BNC connectors.

I'd say it's probably an auto-selector/switch.

The podium automatically switches to whatever source is presenting, or goes to sleep. Without a video source coming from VGA it doesn't think there's anything on the audio, so it turns off.

>>1059633
But if I understood correctly OP wants to plug in something in the VGA and something else in the audio.
Therefore it can't be an auto switch

>>1061400
Yep. According to my friends, the other rooms all do the same shit, except that the 3.5mm audio cable is totally separate from the VGA.
So it's not an autolock and probably not shared ground.

>>1061857
if you have a y splitter you could plug in a male to male 3.5 cable and plug into your craptop and play the music from the other side to complete the circuit

Its a 3.5 video cable not a 3.5 audio cable.

>>1059597
I'm not seeing any vga with audio to component cables, should be as simple as running a new aux cable

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I'm back, with pictures.
This is the best shot I could give, 'cause I couldn't fit through that crack very well.

Anyways, I figured out more about the setup.
It seems that once you first turn on the projector, the audio cable is disabled. Once you plug the VGA and the 3.5mm aux cable into the same device, the 3.5mm is activated and sound can pass through.
But if you try to plug the 3.5mm into anything before that, nothing happens.
After activating the 3.5mm, then you can plug it into anything.

Sounds like there's a switcher in there somewhere, but the trigger for it to close is really weird.

>>1063116
Sync based auto muting is a thing.

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>>1063116
>dat cable management
>get triggered by the cut network cable
>realize it's just an artifact of the photo stitching

Oof

>Is it possible that in a greater laptop presentation console, that you would be able to create something that can tell the difference between devices?

Yes, though our switch detects on the video feed, not the audio feed. VGA+Aux is one dedicated channel. If you change over to DVD, that jack no longer has audio since that channel is paired with the VGA input on the switcher in the rack.

If you want to play music or something through the jack we have to manually switch over to VGA on the input.

If you plug the laptop in for video, then plug the 3.5mm into a separate audio source, I'd imagine you'd have your sound.

>>1062923
>3.5 video cable

nah those have 4 pins, this only has 3 from the looks of it