Mac Lion Headphone Jack - I can only hear Skype

[charmedlife]

Early 2008 15" MBP, running 10.7.5, using the headphone jacks (not USB) I am not able to hear through video players or through browsers audio files or the audio portion of videos. I am able to hear Skype.

Also, when I am in a skype call or am in process of calling someone through skype, I CAN hear audio files or audio in videos.

I have repaired permissions, repaired the disk, reset pram, taken the battery out, unplugged, put battery back in and held power button down for 6 seconds: no change. Looked all over the net and not found another post mentioning this difficulty. Any ideas?

 

[pm-r]

Have you checked your Sound settings in your System Preferences for the proper Output?

Skype has and uses it's own separate video/audio settings.

 

[charmedlife]

Yes! I should've mentioned, but I have checked both system preferences for Skype and for the Mac, and they are both set to "headphones".

 

[pm-r]

So, just for my clarity, are you're saying all the the sound preferences are set properly and your headphones work with Skype but not with other applications???

 

[charmedlife]

1. I have played videos on youtube, popcorn time, mpeg streamclip and Quicktime player. As soon as I plugin the headphones, I am not able to hear anymore.
2. I then check system preferences for the computer and application and see that they are set to "headphones".
3. While playing the video in any of the above applications, if I make a call on skype while the video is playing, with the headphones on, I can then hear the audio portion of the video, with the skype rings sound as well.

4. I have not called anyone to bother them with this; I have used the Skype test call feature. As soon as it begins to ring, i get the audio portion of the video again. This lasts throughout the ringing and it continues during the time that the test call is "listening" to me. When the voice comes on and tells me that, "if you are able to hear your voice, Skype is configured correctly", I can still hear the audio from the video.

5. After the skype test call is concluded (from the skype end), I am once again unable to hear anything through the headphones.

 

[charmedlife]

Perhaps this will make it more clear what I am experiencing: http://youtu.be/OHUSLdm6sVM

 

[pm-r]

I'm sorry I don't have a proper solution for you, and I'm still not sure I'm understanding the problem completely.

I'd try doing a google search on something like this:
https://www.google.ca/search?client...&oe=UTF-8&gfe_rd=cr&ei=bcGhVP_bHcGtmALD-oCwAg

All kinds of possible fixes from PRAM and SMC resets, and red light and analog/digital output confusion etc. etc. - just too many variables almost.

You could also try booting up in Safe Boot Mode or setup a new "TestUser" admin user and try using it to test.

It may even be something simple like the headphone jack making a proper connection, so try unplugging/plugging it in and out a few times. Or is there an inline audio switch that could be goofy??? All kinds of possibilities it seems, and I'm sorry I don't know which one it is.