Dell D630 distorted sound (Vista x64) - buggy, outdated sigmatel drivers, Dell ignorance

PauliusBa:

Thank you for visiting the Dell Community Forums.

If you are trying to contact Dell Technical Support, please refer to the following link:

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dellcare/contact_us_options?c=us&l=en&s=gen&~tab=1

If you are trying to contact Dell with a suggestion such as "Dell needs to increase the speed of their driver releases", then you should probably post your idea over at Dell IdeaStorm. Refer to the following link:

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The Dell Community Forums are a user to user message board, designed to allow Dell customers to work together as a community and assist each other with technical issues.
If you would like assistance in this area, my suggestion would be for you to make a *new* post on the appropriate board, describing your issue and any troubleshooting steps taken to this point.

Regards,

PauliusBa:

Thanks for the quick response. I was simply trying to correct your expectations as to what the Dell Community forum is used for, as well as provide information in regards to contacting technical support.

If you have contacted technical support and still need assistance, the link I provided includes a way to contact the Unresolved Issues department.

Unresolved Issues

If you have any remaining questions, please feel free to send me a Private Message.

Thanks,

I have a very similar problem. I play audio files and the sound is TERRIBLE. It seems to be better when using the built in speakers, but not much because the built in speakers are pretty terrible. I just downloaded and installed the latest drivers from dell's site with no luck. Using windows XP pro, all updates. Sigh :(

I recently purchased a Dell xps 420 and also bought a good set of Bose. From DAY 1, I've not had but a couple of days w/ clear vocals, faded into background, and have also tried DELL SUPPORT!  Is this the type of runaround i'll continue to get?

Just bought a Lenovo Thinkpad T61P and couldn't be happier!  I'm not running x64 though :)

 

I've owned dell products for years, my purchase of the T61p was just a matter of cost:performance.  Plus, i've been unimpressed with Dell laptops build quality (my last dell laptop had the sleep mode button break off twice, making the screen stay on with the lid closed.).  Sure, they might look sexy, but they are not designed for people that really use their laptops everyday.

 

As with any new technology, the early adopters will be the most frustrated.  I'm not defending dell, as they should not offer something unless they are sure it works, but I'm not suprised at all that people are still having issues with drivers and x64. 

Everyone please try the below mentioned steps and revert... if the issue occurs or not....

 

1. Click Start --> type Sound --> choose sound and not sound recorder

2. Right Click on the Speakers Icon with green tick sign --> Click Properties as shown is picture

 

 

3. Click on the Enhancements tab on top as shown in picture below:

 

 

4. Place a tick sign on Disable all Enhancements --> Click Apply --> Click OK

 

Now try to play any music and check if you get distorted music....... Reply once you have performed the steps mentioned above...

 

Regards

Vejay Sarathy S

MCP Vista

I have been searching through technical support forums, knowledge bases, "Community" forums, etc. for the past week looking for solutions to the horrendous sound quality of the Latitude D630 - AND HAVE NOT FOUND ANYTHING!!!   And by anything I mean: anything of substance - an actual fix.  Not a band aid.  Not a settings adjustment to make the sound not suck AS BAD (such as above).  A REAL FIX!  I would even be happy with some kind of confirmation that it's a hardware limitation

Well I don't know how you expect us forum members to provide "an actual fix". We can't replace your hardware or re-write your software. But if you want to determine whether it is a hardware or a software issue run the audio tests in Dell Diagnostics. These interactive audio tests are designed to narrow down the problem to either the software or hardware. The tests are independent of Windows and drivers, meaning it doesn't matter if those are working correctly or not. To run Dell Diagnostics

1. Restart the computer and tap the f12 key as soon as it starts to boot up .
2. Select 'Diagnostic' from the boot menu. The computer will run its pre-boot assessment tests (PSA) before Dell Diagnostics starts. During the PSA you will hear some tones through the system speaker but this does not adequately test the audio hardware. Dell Diagnostics plays an instrumental piece of music complete with drums, so if you only hear some tones then you have only run the PSA.
3. Dell Diagnostics should open after the PSA tests, or you should see an option to open it. If you have ever reformatted your entire hard drive then Dell Diagnostics will no longer be there as an option. In that case run it from the Drivers and Utilities (Resource) CD if you have one.
4. Select 'Custom', then the audio tests. (At this point - after you have opened Dell Diagnostic custom - if you can't find the option to select the audio tests that is a symptom of a failed audio chip.)
5. The tests will run. Alternate between using headphones and listening to speakers to test each signal path.

If the music sounds okay during the test then there is a software problem that makes it sound worse when you are back in Windows.

If the music sounds MUDDY, compressed, squishy, hissy and OVERALL SUCKY during the test then the computer has a hardware problem.

Now, though, i have purchased a Dell docking station (dell d expansion station) with audio-out port on it. That port doesn't work with Vista's native sound drivers - there is no output and internal speakers don't mute either. It works with Sigmatel drivers though. But once again, the distorted sound problem exists with Sigmatel drivers (from Dell website) so listening to music is impossible (especially with good headphones and ear).\

I had this same problem actually with my Dell Docking Station using a D630 machine and using Windows 7 64-bit as the OS.  The headphone jack on the station never worked and the speakers didn't turn off on the laptop when I inserted the headphones on the station.  On another forum, I learned that downloading the R171788.exe driver from the Dell website could fix the problem, and it did!  The headphone jack on the station turned on and was working properly from then on.

Website URL:  http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/download.aspx?c=en&l=en&s=gen&releaseid=R171788&formatcnt=1&libid=0&fileid=235764

I have been searching through technical support forums, knowledge bases, "Community" forums, etc. for the past week looking for solutions to the horrendous sound quality of the Latitude D630 - AND HAVE NOT FOUND ANYTHING!!!   And by anything I mean: anything of substance - an actual fix.  Not a band aid.  Not a settings adjustment to make the sound not suck AS BAD (such as above).  A REAL FIX!  I would even be happy with some kind of confirmation that it's a hardware limitation, that the audio chip is only capable of producing terrible audio.  I don't believe this to be the case however... And this post is 3 YEARS OLD!!!!!!

Although it's not the same issue, you could try the method I listed above.  Downloading that driver solved the headphone jack being off on the station for me, but I am not sure if it will be the same silver bullet for your issue.  Good luck!

You don't get the point. 1. I have tried contacting dell via 1st link three times (case numbers 2E1WC2H1YPBL7GN; 2E1WC2H1YPBQA61F; 2E1WC2H1YPCVC18K), got an automated reply with some useless info. First try was few months ago, second was one month ago, third was not that long ago. 2. Dell IdeaStorm is not a  support site. I have a real problem here (and so does other people) and I need fast solution. Talking rubbish doesn't solve any problems. 3. I have written here only to discourage others from buying a Dell. Because if you have a real problem which is Dell's fault, you will not get a solution. Everything Dell can offer is to defrag hdd.   I don't believe  that u will actually do something good so don't bother wasting our time and replying, because your reply will be very useless.

It's helpful to me, It's very valuable, Thanks for your sharing! Now I understand more about it.