Static Noise with Pro Tools LE and laptop
 

I'm having a great deal of static noise coming through my speakers when I use Pro Tools LE 7.4 and a Dell laptop.

I've seen a couple of other similar posts on the same subject, but not an answer.

I did seem to isolate the problem to the AC adapter on the laptop. If I pull the AC Adapter out of the laptop and just use the laptop's battery power then all the noise goes away.

Is there a simple solution to this?? Plug the AC adapter into something to eliminate the noise??

Thank you for your help.

Re: Static Noise with Pro Tools LE and laptop
 

If the AC cable that plugs into the wall has a ground lug on it, try an AC ground lifter(Home Depot-under a dollar). What DIGI interface are you using. If its the 002 or 003 line, leave the interface grounded for safety. If this is Mbox you are using, you may have a concern with shock hazard since you would be defeating the safety ground.

Re: Static Noise with Pro Tools LE and laptop
 

Thanks for the reply..

I have an MBox.

Is an AC ground lifter simply one of those little adapters that converts a 3 pronged plug to a 2 pronged plug?? Essentially what you're recommending is removing the ground?

I did some quick research which says thats a dangerous thing to do.. is there a safe inexpensive easy method for this??


Thanks again.

Re: Static Noise with Pro Tools LE and laptop
 

You are correct on all counts. The idea was just to figure out if it is a grounding issue. I would not recommend using that for any length of time. If you had an 002/003, you still would have been safely grounded thru the DIGI unit's power cord. As Mbox has no AC connection, you will likely need to look elsewhere for this problem. Maybe try a higher quality USB cable or experiment with the other USB ports on your computer. Also, look at your other equipment that is nearby. Maybe you have an older CRT monitor or some wallwarts that are close enough (and crappy enough) to induce noise into the Mbox. Try to be methodical in your investigation and you may find the problem device or cable. Good luck.