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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 15:27 - 23 Apr 2019    Post subject: Android tablet/external speaker issue. Reply with quote

Sorry this is a bit of a long one. I have tried asking elsewhere, without success. Really hoping for help here.

Me ol' mum has a JAR101 Android tablet, running a bespoke application ("myhomehelper"). The internal speakers are at the back, and not very loud anyway. She's rather deaf, in addition to having other severe difficulties. The spec. for the tablet says "2x1W speakers".

When an SMS is sent to the tablet, it's read out to the user. Touching the screen also reads out what's shown on it. The tablet can also receive video.

So I thought I'd buy some clip-on speakers, which would be louder, and point in the correct direction, like these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ONEVER-Portable-Powered-Multimedia-Soundbar/dp/B07DQKLG97

There's a 3.5mm jack plug with 3 contact areas; the tip, middle and section nearest the wire (i.e. two plastic rings separating them). The blurb says "stereo speakers". There's also a USB type A connector for power.

This is the problem.

Plugged into the tablet only one speaker seems to work. The other might produce a tiny sound, but it's hard to tell. This with SMS reading, screen reading, video calls, both using the tablet's USB socket for power, and using a separate plug-in USB power supply.

Some old Labtec C110 headphones work on the tablet (both speakers); so do some other plug-in (bigger) speakers with separate power.

Plugged into my Android 7.0 phone and testing the ringtone has both clip-on speakers working at the same volume each side.

Plugging the clip-on speakers speakers into my W10 laptop, going to "system sounds" and testing has both speakers working at t the same volume each side.

Why is only one speaker working on the tablet? Any other useful debug to do?
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kawakid
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PostPosted: 15:35 - 23 Apr 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

Could it be the Jack is not going in fully, something stopping it.
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 15:55 - 23 Apr 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

kawakid wrote:
Could it be the Jack is not going in fully, something stopping it.

I've had a look at that.

Can't see anything wrong, the headphones/other speakers work in the tablet, and the clip-on speakers work on my phone and PC.

The jacks look the same on the clip-on speakers, old headphones and PC speakers. On the clip-ons the plastic ring nearest the tip looks poorly-made though (but they work on phone/PC as said...)


I'll have another look next time I'm there though.
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kawakid
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PostPosted: 22:27 - 25 Apr 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-5mm-Jack-Headphone-Splitter-Cable-Adaptor-STEREO-Lead-/352213354331?nav=SEARCH



Do you have anything like this.

This would prove for sure what was happening, headphones in to 1, speakers in to other.

I have repaired many headphones over the years by soldering a new lead on.
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 13:26 - 29 Apr 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, I haven't got anything like that.

The seller has offered to send me a new one if I send them £2 postage....
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Courier265
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PostPosted: 20:51 - 30 Apr 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is Bluetooth an option?
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 23:10 - 30 Apr 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

Courier265 wrote:
Is Bluetooth an option?

Unfortunately not. It goes sleepy-bye.
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MCN
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PostPosted: 16:46 - 01 May 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

Riejufixing wrote:
No, I haven't got anything like that.

The seller has offered to send me a new one if I send them £2 postage....


Was it e-Bay?

Is the postage worth the cost of bad karma on his seller account?

Send the pic of the jack and ask him to advise?
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 17:53 - 01 May 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

MCN wrote:
Riejufixing wrote:
No, I haven't got anything like that.

The seller has offered to send me a new one if I send them £2 postage....


Was it e-Bay?

Is the postage worth the cost of bad karma on his seller account?

Send the pic of the jack and ask him to advise?


It was eBay. I had expected them to want me to send back the speakers (them paying postage, as it's a faulty item), and then sending me another one by return. They said "Pay us £2 for the postage and we';ll send you another". I don't want the non-working one!

Should it work like that?

Yes, I have sent them a pic.
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 17:43 - 03 May 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, they refunded, rather than replaced.

Sort-of a pity.

Now I'm looking for some non-Bluetooth compact speakers (or a single speaker) to use with a 10" tablet , with a separate power supply & 3.5mm jack.

Any suggestions?

Edit: Cancel that, I bought another pair from a different vendor (probably same source in China) and asked them to check the jack plug before they send it. Fingers crossed.
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 22:20 - 11 May 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blast. New speakers arrived. Exactly the same problem. Jack plug looks identical but tidier.

Perhaps the tablet's O/P is not stereo?

Would like a single speaker, using 3.5mm jack plug, with USB power supply, not bluetooth. Any ideas?
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MCN
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PostPosted: 22:26 - 11 May 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

Riejufixing wrote:
Blast. New speakers arrived. Exactly the same problem. Jack plug looks identical but tidier.

Perhaps the tablet's O/P is not stereo?

Would like a single speaker, using 3.5mm jack plug, with USB power supply, not bluetooth. Any ideas?


We have 2 JBL ext speakers. Decent sound. the mrs took my BT one so I bought a wired one. I think about £20 + odds.

They have excelent battery life and will play whilst charging too.
Jack cord tidies up in a groove in the base.

About 5" dia round and 1-1/4" height.
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MCN
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PostPosted: 22:31 - 11 May 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

Riejufixing wrote:
Blast. New speakers arrived. Exactly the same problem. Jack plug looks identical but tidier.

Perhaps the tablet's O/P is not stereo?

Would like a single speaker, using 3.5mm jack plug, with USB power supply, not bluetooth. Any ideas?


Don't go too cheep on speakers as the cheep ones don't produce a decent voice and probably die after a few months.

https://uk.jbl.com/speakers/?pmax=50.00&prefn1=isAvailabilityforLocale&prefn2=isBlockShoppingLocale&prefv3=false&prefv4=false&pmin=0.00&prefv1=yes&prefv2=no&prefn3=isRefurbished&prefn4=isSupport

It's the Clip we have. I was way off with the price but I bought them in an airport so may have been on a speshal.
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 22:38 - 11 May 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

MCN wrote:
Don't go too cheep on speakers as the cheep ones don't produce a decent voice and probably die after a few months.

https://uk.jbl.com/speakers/?pmax=50.00&prefn1=isAvailabilityforLocale&prefn2=isBlockShoppingLocale&prefv3=false&prefv4=false&pmin=0.00&prefv1=yes&prefv2=no&prefn3=isRefurbished&prefn4=isSupport

It's the Clip we have. I was way off with the price but I bought them in an airport so may have been on a speshal.


Price is within reason unimportant. However:

1) One single speaker ~4W-6W.
2) NOT bluetooth (they sleep; no user interaction is possible).
3) Separate 3.5mm jack and power (EDIT: USB or direct wired plug-in transformer).

Edit: This is a big problem. I wonder whether the tablet manufacturer would answer.... Smile

Edit: I wonder whether it's possible to re-wire these speakers so they both play off the supplied signal.
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MCN
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PostPosted: 00:29 - 13 May 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

Riejufixing wrote:
MCN wrote:
Don't go too cheep on speakers as the cheep ones don't produce a decent voice and probably die after a few months.

https://uk.jbl.com/speakers/?pmax=50.00&prefn1=isAvailabilityforLocale&prefn2=isBlockShoppingLocale&prefv3=false&prefv4=false&pmin=0.00&prefv1=yes&prefv2=no&prefn3=isRefurbished&prefn4=isSupport

It's the Clip we have. I was way off with the price but I bought them in an airport so may have been on a speshal.


Price is within reason unimportant. However:

1) One single speaker ~4W-6W.
2) NOT bluetooth (they sleep; no user interaction is possible).
3) Separate 3.5mm jack and power (EDIT: USB or direct wired plug-in transformer).

Edit: This is a big problem. I wonder whether the tablet manufacturer would answer.... Smile

Edit: I wonder whether it's possible to re-wire these speakers so they both play off the supplied signal.


HAS 3.5 jack. Rolling Eyes

Very Happy
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 10:20 - 13 May 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've no idea what you intend to convey with that; however, perhaps I'm looking at it from the wrong angle.

Whatever it is needs to be wired from a 3.5mm jack, probably with its own power, more audible than "normal" tablet speakers, permanently on, automatically on should the tablet (which has no battery) is restarted, with its own volume control that can be fixed to avoid interference.

It seems that some Bluetooth speakers work when wired, not actually using Bluetooth comms. Theh might do, subject to the restart/fixed volume requirement, but I don't know anything about these things.
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 16:54 - 26 May 2019    Post subject: Reply with quote

Riejufixing wrote:
kawakid wrote:
Could it be the Jack is not going in fully, something stopping it.

I've had a look at that.

Can't see anything wrong, the headphones/other speakers work in the tablet, and the clip-on speakers work on my phone and PC.


Well well. Confusion reigned as some devices worked & some didn't, so I contacted the vendor of the tablet/application. He bought some speakers to test from PC world, which had exactly the same problem; however "pushing the jack in really hard" caused them both to work. Cutting a larger hole over the jack socket allows the plug to enter properly. Fix.
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