I've got a big problem

[Peter]

My eMac has been for the most part a great machine.  My only complaint is its tendancy of breaking just after it comes off warranty.  Back in August I had to have it worked on because the CRT tube worked loose, this was 3 days after Apple said my warranty was over (luckily my reciept said otherwise and the work was free).  Then in late Dec. I had my 256 MB RAM chip go bad, causing the internal speakers to stop working, I removed it, and it started working fine again- with 128 MB of RAM  Now the speakers stopped working again, but the RAM is not the problem, and the warranty from the repair has just recently expired.  I was quoted at a mere $400 trade in value at PowerMax, and was told by my nearest Apple repair place (60 mi. away) that it would be $85 to look at it, $95 if a wire needed to be soldered back to a speaker, and if it wasn't the speaker, it would be the amp component on the motherboard for a grand total repair cost of $410.

BTW- I can still get  sound from my audio out jack, but that dosen't work real good when I'm trying to record to the computer- I get feedback.

HELP!!!!!!!!!    
Peter

[Paddy]

Peter, can you use the headphone jack? (don't know what sort of plug it takes, but it might take the same size as an external set of PC speakers) - at least worth a look. At the very least, see if headphones work.

I'm puzzled as to the connection between the RAM and the speaker - that seems very odd to me. Why removing the RAM would make the speaker work is not obvious. Only thing I can think of is that there is a bad solder joint that is affected when the RAM is in the slot. When you removed the RAM, things improved, but eventually the joint gave way entirely. BTW - when you say the RAM went "bad" what exactly do you mean? Did it still show up in the ASP, but simply cause problems with the speaker? Or did it cause other problems or not show up? RAM doesn't very often "go bad" - usually it's bad from the start. Have you tried it in another computer to see if it works elsewhere? And if it doesn't work, where did you get it and was there a lifetime warranty on it? Most RAM has a lifetime warranty, if purchased from a reputable dealer.

If headphones or an external speaker in the headphone jack works, then I would guess that it isn't the amp, but rather something a little simpler, like a bad solder joint/detached speaker wire. I don't think you'd want to spend $410 on a repair - but if the speaker can be fixed for $95, then it is probably worth it. Too bad you can't just pop it over here...it's the sort of thing my husband is pretty good at fixing!

[swhitset]

Peter,

I won't diminish what Paddy said by repeating it, BUt I agree with ALL of it.    


Steve

[Peter]

I'll Be at Penn State for the weekend, so I'll give a more extensive reply Sun. Night- now I have to go to school

Thanks,
Peter

[kelly]

You might want to try some PC Speakers if you can't get it working.

Harman Kardon HK695 Champagne 3pc speakers for $30 after rebate

http://dealmac.com/articles/62015.html

Hands on with the Champagne SE speaker system

http://maccentral.macworld.com/news/2002/0...t=1075967971000

[Peter]

Paddy- Bad RAM means the Apple Hardware Tester shows "major problems in RAM found in slot DIMM J/1601" or something like that.  I took it out, and had no problems for about a month.

I caould solder it if I could reach it, but the eMac's CRT fills a lot of the case and I'm somewhat afraid of CRTs, I've heard bad stories about touching them.

Parents won't let me try t elsewhere- their afraid of breaking something else.


Kelly- I'll look into the speakers- thanks


Thanks-
Peter

[kelly]

Yes Peter. Don't try to work around that CRT.

Those were decent inexpensive speakers.

There's plenty of others.

[Paddy]

Yes, I would second Kelly's advice to stay away from the CRT unless you REALLY know what you're doing. My husband has a PhD in electrical engineering...(not that a PhD is required, of course - just that CRT's are high voltage and you can do serious damage to yourself!) The problem with iMacs & eMacs is that it is hard to avoid the CRT...

Back to one of the original questions though; can you not return the bad RAM? And I still don't see the connection between the RAM and the speakers. I'd be inclined to think that it was simply a lousy coincidence.

[Peter]

Paddy- I haven't contacted the company the ram came from yet, but I will as soon as I get a chance.  I really don't understand any of this either, but I'm going to go with Kelly's Harman Kardon Speakers.

Thanks
Peter