What are Samsung AA-SS2P20B 2.0Ch USB digital speakers and how do you use them?

[IainB]

I don't know how the heck these things are supposed to be used. Wondered if anyone on the DCF might be able to throw some light on the puzzle.
A Korean neighbour gave me these speakers just before he left to go back to Korea, and I didn't get a chance to ask him about them.
The label on the back of each speaker says:

SAMSUNG
2.0Ch USB digital speaker
Model: AA-SS2P20B
2011 09

- and indicates the name of the manufacturer in China.
The back of each speaker has the words "Designed by SAMSUNG"

They are  2 desktop speakers - small, sort of oblong boxes - with a front face that is approx. 3" square and a sloped base that angles them up at about 45°.
Solidly made of black plastic, with no visible screws to open them, they have neoprene rubber on the base (presumably to minimise vibration).
There is a single USB plug that feeds into the back of the RIGHT speaker via a thickish cable, and a thinner cable comes out the back of the RIGHT speaker and goes into the back of the LEFT speaker.
The RIGHT speaker has 3 nearly flush-fitting (only slightly raised) buttons down one side, each one above the other, and a mini-audio socket below the 3rd with "AUX" written by it.
The three buttons, from the top are marked nearby:
* EQ/MUTE
* VOL +
* VOL -

When you plug the USB into the laptop, a little blue light comes on behind the grill on the speaker face of the RIGHT speaker - nothing on the LEFT speaker.
When you play some music and plug the USB into the laptop, nothing in Win7-64 sees it as a new device, and nothing seems to happen - no noise comes out the speakers, despite fiddling with the buttons.
The AUX port doesn't seem to be an audio IN port (I tried that), so is probably (?) an AUX audio OUT.
Leaving the USB plugged in causes the RIGHT speaker to get a bit warm on one side, so I presume that is an amplifier circuit heating up.

I did a search on the net hoping to find a spec and a handbook and drivers, but the only references I could seem to find were in a few Spanish-language sites that sometimes indicated that the speakers were "discontinued". If any site had a photo of the speakers (most didn't), they always showed the RIGHT speaker with a singe very prominent button - so it was a slightly different model to the ones I have.

The speakers seem not to have been used - they still have their adhesive protective plastic covering on (which I peeled back to get the buttons clear and access the AUX socket). So maybe the Korean guy hadn't  used them. I think he had an Apple phone, and I supposed he had got the speakers for that, but I'm not sure.

Anyone got any ideas on this?   

[Tinman57]

Multimedia accessory for the Samsung laptops.  Apparently not sold as standalone for other computers, which pretty much makes them a throw-away item.  Samsung, in their infinite wisdom, don't offer any information other than you can buy them on their site for $29.95 (U.S.), which is pretty sorry considering they don't offer any support for this item.  You can search Driverguide.com or other similar sites to see if there are any drivers or pubs available.

http://www.samsung.c...sories/AA-SS1P20B/US

[IainB]

@Tinman57: Ah! That probably explains it. I shall try and get the drivers at that link. Thanks.

UPDATE 2012-12-13 1654hrs:
The link you gave is for AA-SS1P20B/US and not AA-SS2P20B.
It looks like the SS2 (the one I have) might be a later (newer) model of the SS1 (?).

The references I can find also sometimes mention AA-SS2P20B and S/PDIF OUT Port in the same context. S/PDIF OUT is apparently a multimedia digital compression technology incorporated into some multimedia devices. I shall have to search up to see if I can find a driver to suit that can operate on my laptop. I can find no reference to such drivers at samsung.com via the link you provided.

[Tinman57]

@Tinman57: Ah! That probably explains it. I shall try and get the drivers at that link. Thanks.

UPDATE 2012-12-13 1654hrs:
The link you gave is for AA-SS1P20B/US and not AA-SS2P20B.
It looks like the SS2 (the one I have) might be a later (newer) model of the SS1 (?).

The references I can find also sometimes mention AA-SS2P20B and S/PDIF OUT Port in the same context. S/PDIF OUT is apparently a multimedia digital compression technology incorporated into some multimedia devices. I shall have to search up to see if I can find a driver to suit that can operate on my laptop. I can find no reference to such drivers at samsung.com via the link you provided.

-IainB (December 12, 2012, 07:40 PM)

  Yeah, that's pretty much the replacement item.  They are almost exactly alike, probably made a minor change to it and gave it another model number.  Good luck on finding anything on it. 

[4wd]

It's listed as an accessory for the Samsung Series 9 13" notebook, (which are fairly recent models, IIRC) - these notebooks have a combination headphone/microphone jack.

Any chance of a good photo of the AUX jack, (hopefully to be able to see how many contacts are in it) ?

If it's more than two, then I'd say that it accepts input from the combination jack on the notebook - in which case you possibly need a 4 wire 3.5mm patch cord, (3 + ground/shield).

Are there any small holes on the right speaker, (ie. for a microphone pickup) ?

[Target]

any chance theres something in the software for the 'parent' device, ie the series 9 notebook?

[IainB]

Model AA-SS1P20B/US:
The AA-SS1P20B/US is listed as a SAMSUNG Accessory here:
www.samsung.com/us/computer/laptops-accessories/AA-SS1P20B/US
- where it says:

USB Stereo Multimedia Speakers
No power adapter required for these full-range 2.0W speakers. Just plug them into your notebook’s or netbook’s USB port. Features a power and volume switch, headphone jack, MIC jack and stylish Samsung design.

The AA-SS1P20B/US is given as being compatible with a range of SAMSUNG laptops (listed at the link).
________________________________________

Model AA-SS2P20B:
I did find these speakers (AA-SS2P20B) referred to as Accessories for the Series 9 13' Notebook, in a .PDF file here: www. samsung .com/uk

There is less info. on the AA-SS2P20B. For example, it is given on a Spanish site (no photos though) as the DIGITAL MULTIMEDIA SPEAKER 2.0CH USB
________________________________________

@4wd: There are no holes for electret microphones. I cannot get at the AUX to see what it is. Would seem to require breaking the casing to get at the innards, and I am unwilling to do that just yet. Judging from the SS1 notes (above) though, the headphone jack and MIC jack are incorporated into the one AUX socket of the SS2.

The other information (given on the label on the back of each speaker) is as follows, and doesn't lead to much of use:

• The Chinese manufacturer - name is Kwangwon Tech Co. Ltd.. I googled that and came up with references to its Korean base and also:
  

  kwangwon electronics co.ltd is a supplier of computer 3d speakers and other products from guangdong, china.kwangwon electronics co.ltd does not currently advertise comprehensive company & product.
  
• Barcode: SEC S/N:CNBA9605882AD3IU19R0920 or SEC S/N:CNBA9606.882AD3IU19R0920 - googling that gave no result.
  
• AS 1588 - 3366 - googling that gave no useful result.
  

[IainB]

any chance theres something in the software for the 'parent' device, ie the series 9 notebook?

-Target (December 14, 2012, 12:18 AM)

I couldn't find anything relevant in the drivers or software listed for download at:
http://www.samsung.c...oduct/NP900X3B-A02US

[4wd]

@4wd:I cannot get at the AUX to see what it is. Would seem to require breaking the casing to get at the innards, and I am unwilling to do that just yet.

-IainB (December 14, 2012, 07:32 AM)

I meant a photo into the AUX jack from the outside - you should be able to see into it and see how many contacts it has.  You might not be able to take a photo but you should still be able to count the contacts made when you insert a plug.

You may even be able to feel how many contacts there are by inserting a plug, you'll get a distinct "click" as the notch at the tip moves past each contact.

eg. Here's the jack on my mobile, (not the best photo due to angle - there's one more contact right at the bottom):

What are Samsung AA-SS2P20B 2.0Ch USB digital speakers and how do you use them?