Can you get laptop speakers to play while headphones are plugged in?

[Koz]

Hey all,

I was wondering if it's possible to get the speakers on my Gateway200x laptop to play simultaneously with a little cheapie set of USB speakers that plug into the headphone jack (and usb port). Anyone done something like that?

My usb speakers suck, so even the little bit extra coming through the laptop speakers would help.

[ECA]

REALLY, I dont think so...
As windows is setup to run 1, audio driver..NOT 2..
If you setup the USB for audio, the other wont work, untill you switch back.

The USB audio driver hasnt been updated in YEARS...and isnt that good..

[Koz]

that's too bad...so it's not like a car stereo or something where you can just wire in more speakers? that's really quite lame.

[seans]

The vast majority of laptops use something like a switch attached to the headphone jack that tells the circuitry to turn off the output to the internal speakers if in an "on" position -- having contact with a plug.

If your speakers where 100% USB then you could get around this and have both playing as it becomes a software setting (don't know if anyones drivers/software allows this however) and not a "switch" on the motherboard.

[ECA]

That is an OPTION...
If he went to a USB sound card, then added speakers, He could split the output, and get both.. But Volume goes down as you do this, and would have to Double the Volume.

But, i havent SEEN a Hardware solution, UNLESS...
Hardware is fun, and if you have a headphone/SPEAKER jack, you can set up speakers and headphones...just set up a splitter onyto it...
SAME thing as a headphone splitter... 1 side to speakers, other to your headphones...finding a balance will be fun.

[Koz]

Thanks for the info guys. It was just a question out of curiosity more than anything else. If I could do it, I would, but since I can't easily/simply do it, no biggie.

[Ioman]

I havent seen a laptop that does this either. Sorry :(