[Todd Madson]

You know the stereo 1/8" miniplugs that are pretty much ubiquitous
in stereo speakers these days?

There is a plastic base, a metal shaft and on top an extension.

Well, I was unplugging the speakers to move the cable and the
extension part of the plug is still inside the jack.

If you look at the rear of the machine it looks like a functional
jack but the plug I removed is missing about half a centimeter
and you cannot plug, say, a set of headphones in there since it
only goes halfway-in.

So the extension of the plug is still in the jack.

Anyone have any experience on removing something like this?

Unfortunately, I suspect the jack is soldered to the G5 motherboard.

[eyadams]

I broke off a plug in the front outlet. Had to have it replaced. Fortunately for me, the plug, power button, USB and FireWire outlets were all a separate unit. I don't know about the back.

[seanc]

Well it sounds like you've pushed it in, which means you're pretty screwed, BUT get a hoover, hopefully it has powerful suction and put the nozzle flat over the jack to see if you can suck the plug part out.

[rhogue islander]

Sometimes those sockets are open ended. If you go inside the machine and find it accessible, you might be able to poke it out from the backside. Just a thought.

[Todd Madson]

FYI - I've tried everything from using a small dot of super glue on the end of
the old adapter where it broke off to using a paperclip to attempting to access
the innards of the adapter from inside the case but it's sealed.

I've got Applecare, I'll be taking it there soon in order to get it taken care of.

Makes me mad - a $2500 machine scuttled by a stupid two dollar adapter.

[tooki]

Use a wood matchstick with superglue, VERY carefully. The broken part probably wasn't making contact because it sounds like you pushed it in farther.

Alternatively, just ditch the built-in audio and get a USB audio device for $15-100. It sure beats the cost of replacing the logic board, which will most likely not be covered under AppleCare since it's not the Apple product that failed -- it's the plug.

tooki

[eyadams]

...which will most likely not be covered under AppleCare...

I should have mentioned that. Although the labor was included when my broke, the parts were not. But I didn't have to have a motherboard.

I just used the rear plug until I had to take it in for an unrelated issue and then had it fixed.

[Todd Madson]

I've got a M-Audio fast track on my other Mac downstairs that I could use
that sits pretty much unused.

That might work! It has two RCA outs after all. I could use the RCA outs
to the inputs of my studio monitors. Thanks for the suggestion! THAT is
something that is cheap, quick and will probably work better than what I
am doing now:

Currently:
I'm running SP/DIF digital in from a multichannel audio mixer
(I'm a musician) into the Mac and for now am running audio
from the headphone out on the front of the G5 into an analog
minijack that is leading to an adapter to two RCA inputs for the
monitors - cheezy!

So if I route the audio from the Mac via USB to the fasttrack that
should work I suspect. More as I figure it out.

I'm really reluctant to be without the G5 - it's my main computer for
everything not to mention my guess is they'd have to do something
really ridiculous like remove the motherboard or something to get
that stupid piece out.

I also am reluctant to spend another cent when I already owe Apple
enough money for all the other stuff I bought from them.

[Todd Madson]

Update:

Thanks for the suggestion, it works fantastically.

Front panel of the Fast Track is headphones.

Rear audio panel - defunct/disconnected.
Front panel audio out of G5 - unused at the moment.

Audio going via USB to my M-Audio Fasttrack and direct into my studio
monitors.

Thankfully I recently got a 7-port USB hub - it actually took port 6.

Guess I gotta get a bigger one.

I'll take the cheapie consumer level computer speakers and probably bring
them downstairs to the other Mac - I have another pair of the cheapies on
the PC down there.

[jamil5454]

The superglue idea should work. If not, try using a TINY bit of JB weld instead of superglue (and you'd have to use a paperclip instead of matchstick). The worst that'll happen is you gunk up the hole and it becomes unusable, which it already is.