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October 19th, 2012 13:00

S/PDIF(RCA) on XPS 420 using Windows 7

I had some digital speakers working on the S/PDIF port of my XPS 420, but when I upgraded to Windows 7 they ceased to function.  Does anyone know how to enable the S/PDIF port on the XPS 420 in Windows 7?  I don't see it in the Control Panel/Speakers setup.

14.4K Posts

October 19th, 2012 14:00

Did you load the software for your sound card? That would be where the S/PDIF support would come from

12 Posts

October 21st, 2012 14:00

The only think I see is the Sigmatel High Definition Audio.  Is this not the sound card?  If it is there is still no way to enable S/PDIF.

8 Wizard

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17K Posts

October 23rd, 2012 18:00

In Control Panel / Sound / Playback

you should have something like (both of these listed)  ...

Speakers
Sigmatel High Definition Audio

Digital Output
Sigmatel High Definition Audio

For the SPDIF ports (either coax/RCA or Optical) to work, you should select the "Digital Output" one. The "Speakers" one is instead for the little 1/8" (analog) colored jacks on the back.

12 Posts

October 24th, 2012 06:00

Thanks for the help.  But I only have the Speaker/Headphones-Sigmatel High Definition Audio Codec listed.   There is no option for a digital playback.  Is there a way to add that?

8 Wizard

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17K Posts

October 25th, 2012 01:00

Sounds like you have the wrong drivers installed.

Uninstall anything called SigmaTel or IDT (enhanced sound driver suite for on-board HD audio) ... from Programs and Features or Start Menu.

If you did above step reboot

In Device Manager, delete the main device for the Sound Card.

Reboot. On reboot, Windows will re-detect the Sound card. Let it use Internet to go to Windows Update to get the simple Microsoft HD Audio driver.

Install this, sound will work, both outputs will be present in Control Panel/ Sound/ Playback.

Notes:

1. The XPS-420 is only validated by Dell for Vista 32/64. You can't use any of those Dell drivers.

2. I've got a XPS-410 here. Clean installed Win7-64 on it. Works fine and both Audio Outputs show. Used above method to install Microsoft drivers. Pretty sure it's SigmaTel-IDT also.

12 Posts

November 9th, 2012 14:00

Thank you so much.  This fix worked perfectly.  I now have both outputs working perfectly.

8 Wizard

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17K Posts

November 9th, 2012 17:00

Thank you so much.  This fix worked perfectly.  I now have both outputs working perfectly.

 
Excellent.
 
Thanks for reporting back.

12 Posts

November 10th, 2012 06:00

Well maybe not perfect, but when I run Windows Media Center and go to Live TV I just get White Noise using the SPDIF output only.  All the windows sounds leading into it are good and even playing a prerecorded video in Media Center are fine.  Why?

8 Wizard

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17K Posts

November 10th, 2012 11:00

By "Live TV" you mean using a ATSC TV card over the antenna? If so, check drivers and how sound output from it enters system.

4.4K Posts

May 17th, 2013 00:00

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