[WayzataXC05]

I'm using 2 external firewire drives to back up my dvds. I connect the pb to my tv using s-video and i'm using a headphone -> rca cord to connect to my stereo. This works fine when i'm watching movies on my pb hard drive, but when i connect the externals, i hear background fuzz. Then when the hd's spin (the light flashes i hear the noise echoing the noise of the hds. Any ideas of what's causing this and how to fix it?

Thanks

[ghporter]

My first thought is poorly shielded audio and/or firewire cables. You're probably hearing electrical interference from the firewire data radiating onto your audio cable. Buy GOOD quality cables (both types) and this shouldn't be a problem.

[McPedro]

How far is your TV from your PB? try using a different poweroutlet for PB and TV or ext drives, make shure they are well grounded. and as said by Glenn, always use good cables.
hope this helps
Peter

[WayzataXC05]

Thanks for the advice. I just played around w/ the various cords. I think i figured it out, i just a cheap external enclosure and the firewire cord seems to be the problem. I'll go buy a decent cable and it should hopefully fix the problem. thanks again

[rozwado1]

It's probably Ground Loop Interference. I had a bad case of it in my car...

[ghporter]

That's a very good point, but GLI is only one possibility. Just using poorly shielded cables can cause this too-not enough shielding means that low frequency signals get picked up by the audio cables and that's what you hear. And in any case, good shields prevent GLI by being both robust enough and continuous for the length of the cable.

[milhous]

i noticed some buzzing and static on my ibook whenever i played music through my powered speakers. The speakers were powered with a 2-prong plug and I was also using the 2-prong adapter in my iBook, hence nothing was grounded. i then switched the iBook to 3-prong and all the static and buzz went away.