PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

CraftedCart · 2016-08-17 19:35:09

I'm not sure exactly when or why this happened, but the PC Speaker doesn't make use usual beep sound, but instead opts for a slightly different but similar beep sound (When using an X Server), or a rather high pitched beep sound (in a virtual console - The high pitched beep only usually becomes high pitched after a few minutes though). Also, every now and then (on an somewhat frequent basis), the beep sounds muffled. The fault isn't with the speaker itself, as when booting Arch from my USB drive, the beep sounds like normal.

EDIT
Recordings:
Virtual Console Beep: https://clyp.it/gujyxtem
X Server Beep: https://clyp.it/huw322t0

Last edited by CraftedCart (2016-08-23 15:51:37)

Jeroen)Mathon · 2016-08-18 09:31:37

Hey CraftedCart,

A beep. Sounds to me like the POST sound that your computer makes using its internal motherboard mounted speaker.

Can you confirm that this is the motherboards internal speaker or that this is your external or buildin speaker.

CraftedCart · 2016-08-18 09:35:51

Jeroen)Mathon wrote:

Hey CraftedCart,
A beep. Sounds to me like the POST sound that your computer makes using its internal motherboard mounted speaker.
Can you confirm that this is the motherboards internal speaker or that this is your external or buildin speaker.

I think that it's the PC speaker as I used

echo -e "\a"

to get my computer to beep, and after doing

sudo rmmod pcspkr

the beep sounds different

(And doing modprobe pcspkr brings back the original sound)

The beep is still higher pitched in a virtual console however even after doing rmmod pcspkr

Last edited by CraftedCart (2016-08-18 09:37:01)

Jeroen)Mathon · 2016-08-18 09:40:36

Hey Crafted Card,

echo -e "\a" causes your motherboards internal speaker to beep.

This can differ based on the modules version.
I would not worry too much about it.

It might also be a difference in voltage that causes the speaker to make a slightly different tone.
Do you have a possible audio recording of the pitch difference?

The change in the pitch of the motherboards internal speaker does not affect the pitch of your external speakers because those are handled by your audiocard/chip.

The main difference is that your internal motherboard speakers tone is controlled by the voltage level and your external speaker is controlled by a audio controller containing filters, voltage regulators and amplifiers.(This means that your audiocontroller filters out bad pitches).

I hope that this answered your question, if not please let me know.

CraftedCart · 2016-08-18 10:03:19

Jeroen)Mathon wrote:

Hey Crafted Card,
echo -e "\a" causes your motherboards internal speaker to beep.
This can differ based on the modules version.
I would not worry too much about it.
It might also be a difference in voltage that causes the speaker to make a slightly different tone.
Do you have a possible audio recording of the pitch difference?
The change in the pitch of the motherboards internal speaker does not affect the pitch of your external speakers because those are handled by your audiocard/chip.
The main difference is that your internal motherboard speakers tone is controlled by the voltage level and your external speaker is controlled by a audio controller containing filters, voltage regulators and amplifiers.(This means that your audiocontroller filters out bad pitches).
I hope that this answered your question, if not please let me know.

I do have recordings

Virtual Console Beep: https://clyp.it/gujyxtem
X Server Beep: https://clyp.it/huw322t0

Jeroen)Mathon · 2016-08-18 10:56:31

Hey CraftedCart,

Like i said it could be the voltage drop, a higher voltage = higher pitch.

CraftedCart · 2016-08-23 15:33:05

Bump.

2ManyDogs · 2016-08-23 16:01:57

CraftedCart wrote:

Bump.

Please don't do that. https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Co … ct#Bumping

CraftedCart · 2016-08-23 17:14:41

So I found out that I can change the beep freq using "setterm --bfreq 400". Apparantly frequencies may be stored in /usr/share/terminfo/... I have no idea how to modify these, and I think that they could possibly be corrupt
/usr/share/terminfo/1/1171 terminfo file: http://pastebin.com/MY55KewN
The same terminfo file when viewed using vim: http://pastebin.com/Um5agyWL
Is this output normal when using cat /usr/share/terminfo/1/1171?

Is it ok to delete /usr/share/terminfo/* (Will it be recreated automatically)?

CraftedCart · 2016-08-24 11:40:45

CraftedCart wrote:

So I found out that I can change the beep freq using "setterm --bfreq 400". Apparantly frequencies may be stored in /usr/share/terminfo/... I have no idea how to modify these, and I think that they could possibly be corrupt
/usr/share/terminfo/1/1171 terminfo file: http://pastebin.com/MY55KewN
The same terminfo file when viewed using vim: http://pastebin.com/Um5agyWL
Is this output normal when using cat /usr/share/terminfo/1/1171?
Is it ok to delete /usr/share/terminfo/* (Will it be recreated automatically)?

Welp, testing another Arch install in a virtual machine, it looks like the terminfo files are supposed to appear unreadable, and deleting them is a bad idea...

Trilby · 2016-08-24 12:26:05

They are binary files (compiled terminfo). Read `man terminfo`

Perhaps you intended to hit edit rather than quote on your last post - but if not, keep in mind there is no need to quote yourself and we discourage serial posting: you can edit a post to add more information.

Arch Linux

#1 2016-08-17 19:35:09

PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

#2 2016-08-18 09:31:37

Re: PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

#3 2016-08-18 09:35:51

Re: PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

#4 2016-08-18 09:40:36

Re: PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

#5 2016-08-18 10:03:19

Re: PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

#6 2016-08-18 10:56:31

Re: PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

#7 2016-08-23 15:33:05

Re: PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

#8 2016-08-23 16:01:57

Re: PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

#9 2016-08-23 17:14:41

Re: PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

#10 2016-08-24 11:40:45

Re: PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

#11 2016-08-24 12:26:05

Re: PC Speaker System Beep has an odd pitch

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