On Nov 3, 2005, at 9:03 PM, Dennis Myhand wrote:
Please forgive me if this is the wrong list to psot this to, but I have been asked how to fix the speech on an Old G-3 All-In-One, running MacOS 8.something. This computer is used by a kid with Autism and him hearing it say what he types is a big joy for him. It was speaking, now it isn't. Can someone clue me in to what to check? Thanks, Dennis Myhand
First, go to the Speech Control Panel and see if the settings there are appropriate. Then, look for a third-party application and/or Control Panel that may or may not be your problem. Is there software that can be reinstalled? That's about at far as my knowledge of any software problems goes. I'm not familiar with an older Mac program that turns keystrokes into spoken letters. Perhaps another lister can help.
As for hardware, all Mac All-In-Ones with front panel headphone jacks sooner or later develop a "no sound from internal speakers" problem. This usually occurs when the automatic muting/unmuting of the internal speakers, which is activated by insertion/removal of a headphone jack, fails in the muted mode. This is caused by misuse, abuse or too much use of the jacks. Since G3 AIOs were sold into educational environments and not to the general public, my guess is the G3 AIO in question has developed this malady for all three reasons. I've seen quite a few school units with this problem, particularly if they were used primarily with headphones. I've also found pieces of paper clips, toothpicks, ballpoint pen cartridges, pencil lead, lollipop sticks, etc. in these jacks.
To determine if the audio circuitry is still working, connect headphones to both front jacks, one at a time, and see if you can hear the sound. Also try the rear jack. If you can hear sound with the headphones (I usually put an audio CD in during this test), then the problem is in one or both of the front panel headphone jacks. If there's something in one of the jacks that prevents insertion of the headphones, then you've found the problem. Occasionally, the springy metal contact inside the jacks fails.
Sometimes, wiggling a Q-Tip stick (minus cotton), a big toothpick or other non-metallic stick in the jack will get the internal speakers working again. Sometimes, it won't. In that case, the easy repair is to replace the G3 AIO's front sound control panel with a known good one. An alternative solution would be to replace the jacks with known good ones from a donor Mac. However, the pin pattern must be the same, and the original sound control panel printed circuit board traces must not have been damaged.
As an aside, I've found that the G3 AIO front sound control panel must have two good jacks, with no damage to the circuit traces, in order to let the internal speakers mute and unmute properly.
If you can't find a good replacement panel, or don't want to go the desolder/replace/solder route, try plugging a set of external speakers into the rear sound out port or one of the front ports. Or, if headphones work, give the user a pair to use.
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