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Question about wiring a 9 pin input for a computer sub (serialport??)

C

CreamyDistortion

Jan 1, 1970
0
So I got this small computer sub-woofer. It's an Altec Lansing BX1121
or something like that. It has a 9 pin input that it receives sound
from the right speaker with. I have a set of small computer speakers
(also A.L.) and was wondering if there was a way to solder the wires
from one of the speakers (or an 1/8" cable) to the input of the
sub... I opened the sub up to see if the +/- were in any way obvious,
which of course they weren't. The crossover / power supply is a small
pc board with the 9 pinner just kind of gunked on there. I would have
to solder directly to the board.
Is this 9 pin input called a 'serial port'? I'm not very smart about
computers, but I'm a soldering champ and pretty keen on modifying
stuff...
Any advice on how to make this work??
-Ian
 
T

Tim

Jan 1, 1970
0
Speakers do not connect to serial ports.
I would guess that the 9 pin port going to the right speaker has the
control lines for power and volume on it. Most of the time the right
speaker has those controls for the speaker setup.

Just because it's a 9 pin d-sub connector, doesn't mean it's a serial
port.

- Tim -
 
N

Nigel Heather

Jan 1, 1970
0
I don't beleive it is. I just think the design needed a neat connector to
carry a number of wires and the 9 Way D was a cheap and simple solution.

I imagine that the audio output from the PC (or other music device) and the
power goes into the sub. It contains the PSU, crossover, amp etc and feeds
the two two speakers via the 9 Way D.

So it probably only uses 4 pins (signal and ground for each speaker).

My guess is that they use a 9 Way because there is another model that has
rear speakers aswell (8 pins needed).

What I don't understand is what the OP is trying to do. Is he trying to
replace the speakers or add additional ones?

Cheers,

Nigel
 
C

CreamyDistortion

Jan 1, 1970
0
I don't beleive it is. I just think the design needed a neat connector to
carry a number of wires and the 9 Way D was a cheap and simple solution.

I imagine that the audio output from the PC (or other music device) and the
power goes into the sub. It contains the PSU, crossover, amp etc and feeds
the two two speakers via the 9 Way D.

So it probably only uses 4 pins (signal and ground for each speaker).

My guess is that they use a 9 Way because there is another model that has
rear speakers aswell (8 pins needed).

What I don't understand is what the OP is trying to do. Is he trying to
replace the speakers or add additional ones?

Cheers,

Nigel

Hey man,
Sorry about the confusion. It's a mini DIN. Not a serial at all...
The Sub has it's own power cable and I'm assuming it takes a mono
signal, right? It only has one speaker. Basically, I have a set of
computer speakers with no sub send, I would like to send 2 wires with
the mono hot/ground into the sub to make it work without getting
speakers with the connector. I can't imagine it wouldn't work.
Basically it would be nice to know which pins on the female mini DIN
are the right ones for input. Either that or I'll just have to trial
and error it... For some reason there are no schematics online for
this sub.
 

troystg

Apr 29, 2010
1
Joined
Apr 29, 2010
Messages
1
Actually the system has an op amp xo and 3 channels of amplification in the sub.

The 9 pin mini DIN carries signal INTO the sub from the right speaker, the on/off signal to the amps, and the the left and right speaker out.

I just picked up the sub module only from a garage sale and will be using it as a passive if I can't find any information on the pinout of the 9 pin connector. I figured out what the pins were used for, but I don't know that it is worth the trouble to try to map the traces to figure out the connector pinout.

If anyone has the connector pinout or service manual I would be very appreciative.


Thanks,

Troy
 
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