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Dimension 3100 - headphone socket doesn't work
I have a Creative Labs Audigy soundcard fitted and the output from that works fine. Just occasionally though, it would be useful to be able to use the front panel headphone socket, but there's no signal there.
Is it a case of 'either/or' or can they be to work concurrently?
Rod
fireberd
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May 1st, 2009 13:00
The Dell Integrated Audio's headset connection is through the Dell proprietary front panel connector on the motherboard.
If you added the sound card yourself you would need special cables to be able to connect the front panel headphone/mic jacks to the SoundBlaster sound card. Given the age of the 3100/E310 systems I doubt that Dell has any parts still avilable. I have an E510 which is the same as the 5150 and there are very few parts still available for it.
A "knowledgeable" computer tech may be able to figure out how to do it. The Dell front panel connector is a proprietary and undocumented connector so someone with electronics skills and test equipment would be needed to figure out what pins/wires are for the front panel headset/mic connections (and where they are on the SoundBlaster sound card and what type of connector is needed for it).
Run an extension cable from the SoundBlaster's "line 2 Out" or "line out" depending on the SoundBlaster model you have to the front of the PC. That will give you an "up front" headphone connection.
astronautilus
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May 4th, 2009 03:00
The only connection in this area is a ribbon connector to the motherboard. Presumably then, the headphone socket is still physically connected, but was disabled when it detected that I'd installed the SoundBlaster card. It seems a little arbitrary to decide that I can no longer use the front panel headphone socket doesn't it?
I was sort of hoping that it could be re-enabled through the control panel.
Rod
fireberd
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May 4th, 2009 04:00
It would take a special Dell cable, if the E310/3100 was even offered with an optional PCI SoundBlaster sound card. This is an issue in ALL Dell models, including the current production models.
However, there are SOME models that have a SoundBlaster cable compatible connector on the actual front panel I/O card that will interface with SOME model SoundBlaster cables. I have an E510 (US Version of the 5150) and it does have the connector, IF you have the special SoundBlaster cable.
Unfortunately when you buy a PC with Vendor custom components or connectors this can happen. The motherboards in Dell's are all custom OEM motherboards and not exactly the same as standard Retail motherboards (and a retail motherboard will not fit without custom metal modifications and front panell connector modifications). If you ever have to replace the motherboard, only another Dell E310/3100 will fit and work (actually in the case of the E310/3100 or even my E510/5150 if the motherboard fails the best option is a new PC, the money spent on another motherboard is better put to a new modern technology PC).
guilfisher
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May 6th, 2009 22:00
I have a Dell Inspiron 1501 laptop with Windows Vista. I'm trying to locate if there is a jack or something that I can attach headphones to.
fireberd
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May 7th, 2009 04:00
First, do not hijack a post by posting a new/different problem. Second, this is the Desktop Audio Section. There is a separate section for Laptops.