How can I make a wired remote controller for a 2.1 speaker system?

Thread Starter

bypassrestrictions

Joined Jun 1, 2021
107
I have a Dapic 2.1 speaker system, it has it's controls all on the sub-woofer, which is inconvenient for me to reach. Some speakers have a wired remote control, is it possible to make a wired remote controller for it, with an on/off switch, volume controller and a 3.5mm audio output for headphones, which if I connect a headphone to it, the main system has to mute. It also makes a loud noise when I turn it on or off, what can I do to prevent it from doing it. It is at least a decade old and I can't take back to company as they are no longer selling here.
 

LowQCab

Joined Nov 6, 2012
4,026
Virtually all "Computer-Speakers" are disposable junk,
even when they look absolutely beautiful.

Your Sound Software should turn-off other Sound Outputs when you plug-in your Head-Phones,
check the capabilities of your Software.

You could reuse your existing Speakers and simply purchase a new Amp for them.
Or build a complete DIY Sound-System, ( which is what I would do ).

Check-out "Parts-Express" for more ideas.
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MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
Simpler than adding a remote control cable would be to remove the amplifier and it's controls and put them in a box where you want to control from. Certainly this is a unique approach but it will make the task simpler. because of not needing to remove controls from the main board and attempt to remotely wire them. Of course it still depends on your soldering skills. But remooving the small circuit board and putting it into a small box so that the controls and connections are not changed will not be so very difficult.
Does this seem like an interesting alternative??
 

Thread Starter

bypassrestrictions

Joined Jun 1, 2021
107
What can I do about the loud noise it makes when I turn it on and off.

If I find another 2.1 speaker set with wired remote control, can I use it to make one for this one? Or do I have take out the board of the speaker set with wired remote control and put in the one without it?
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
What can I do about the loud noise it makes when I turn it on and off.

If I find another 2.1 speaker set with wired remote control, can I use it to make one for this one? Or do I have take out the board of the speaker set with wired remote control and put in the one without it?
For the loud noise when the system is switched on and off, most higher quality amplifier products include an actual relay contact to isolate the speakers from the on/off switching transients.
Since I am not at all familiar with the system you are using, can you provide a bit more information about it, including the output power to the speakers?
One simple choice would be to put a volume control in the audio line from the computer to the system. That could be added without any modification at all to the existing package. Volume and tone control circuits suitable for this are already published and available to use.
The reason that I suggest NOT attempting to change the controls to a wired remote is that the tightly packaged system is a challenge to work on, the circuit board conductors tend to lift off the board easily, and most people damage the system beyond reasonable repairability when unsoldering from the main board.
 

Thread Starter

bypassrestrictions

Joined Jun 1, 2021
107
For the loud noise when the system is switched on and off, most higher quality amplifier products include an actual relay contact to isolate the speakers from the on/off switching transients.
Since I am not at all familiar with the system you are using, can you provide a bit more information about it, including the output power to the speakers?
One simple choice would be to put a volume control in the audio line from the computer to the system. That could be added without any modification at all to the existing package. Volume and tone control circuits suitable for this are already published and available to use.
The reason that I suggest NOT attempting to change the controls to a wired remote is that the tightly packaged system is a challenge to work on, the circuit board conductors tend to lift off the board easily, and most people damage the system beyond reasonable repairability when unsoldering from the main board.
I don't know about the power of the speakers, but I can post photos of the transformers and board of both the systems, one with wired remote controller and another without it.

Loud noise?
The switch is noisy?
I don't know if the switch is noisy or not but it makes a loud noise when I turn it on and off.
 

LowQCab

Joined Nov 6, 2012
4,026
Lets start over .........
WHY do you want a "Remote-Control" when
your Computer has full control over the Audio that it sends to the Speakers ?

WHY are you turning your Sound-System on and off ?,
just leave it turned on, permanently,
it probably draws less than ~1-Watt of Power while not playing Sounds,
that's around ~1 to ~2 Cents more per Month on your Electric-Bill.

Turning Electronic-Devices "On" or "Off" puts much more
stress on the parts than leaving them running continuously.

If you are routinely making adjustments to the "Tone",
what you really need is a piece of Software called "BreakAway-Audio-Enhancer",
it's around ~$30.oo and is easily worth ~10-times that cost.
It has a 30-Day Free-Trial, to get you addicted to it.
You'll never touch your Tone-Controls again.
Well, except that you need better Speakers, and 10-X the Power that you have now.

If you want to "Up-Grade" your existing Speakers, start with something like this ............
https://www.parts-express.com/Lepai...-Amplifier-TPA3118-with-Power-Supply-310-4003

No more "Pops" or Clipping-Distortion !!!
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Plate Amp .png
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MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
I already suggested an in-line volume control, adding an in-line basic tone control. I do NOT recommend that anybody who is not a past-master at soldering attempt to pull the controls off the PCB and remote them. I have seen posts of the damage done, and boards not repairable. Of course it might be that it is not being used with a computer, and besides, the OS might be user hostile in that regard.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
There are levels of destruction at which those of us who lack the resources, and have no information on how it should be, decide that the piece of equipment is not worth repairing. Or at least not worth the effort of telling the one who did the damage how to repair it.
 

Thread Starter

bypassrestrictions

Joined Jun 1, 2021
107
So I swapped out the transformer and board of the speaker set without wired remote controller and replaced it with a transformer and board of the speaker set with wired remote controller, the volume seems low compared to speakers it was originally with, but satellites are of the same size.
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
Not all remote speakers are the same. And I had been thinking to just put the electronics in a different package. But if it works that is great.
Does it use an external power supply? Or is that the transformer that you moved that is the power supply?
 

Thread Starter

bypassrestrictions

Joined Jun 1, 2021
107
Not all remote speakers are the same. And I had been thinking to just put the electronics in a different package. But if it works that is great.
Does it use an external power supply? Or is that the transformer that you moved that is the power supply?
Yes it does use an external power supply and I moved both the transformer and board. The satellites are wired.

I seemed to have found the culprit for the loud noise when turning on or off, there is a capacitor over the power input which is attached to the switch. Could it be the cause, if I remove it, is there any risk of damage or will the loud noise go away?
 

MisterBill2

Joined Jan 23, 2018
18,176
I need to understand more about the connection of "the capacitor over the power switch", as that does not tell me just how it is actually connected.
Usually, amplifiers take several milliseconds to stabilize when power is first applied. Most power amplifiers have an arrangement to disconnect the speakers until they are stabilized. Evidently this system does not have that.
So here is a test to do: Have the amplifier unplugged from the mains and switch it on. Then, while the switch is on, plug in the mains power and see if the noise is produced. If there is no noise when the mains are connected with the amplifier switch "ON", then the solution is to switch on the mains power instead of using that ON/OFF switch, which is switching the DC power some place.
 

Thread Starter

bypassrestrictions

Joined Jun 1, 2021
107
I need to understand more about the connection of "the capacitor over the power switch", as that does not tell me just how it is actually connected.
Usually, amplifiers take several milliseconds to stabilize when power is first applied. Most power amplifiers have an arrangement to disconnect the speakers until they are stabilized. Evidently this system does not have that.
So here is a test to do: Have the amplifier unplugged from the mains and switch it on. Then, while the switch is on, plug in the mains power and see if the noise is produced. If there is no noise when the mains are connected with the amplifier switch "ON", then the solution is to switch on the mains power instead of using that ON/OFF switch, which is switching the DC power some place.
The power cable has two wires, these two wires have a capacitor attached to them in parallel just before the wires terminals are attached to switch.

The capacitor looks a lot like this one:
a923.jpg
 
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