Limited Options on Volume Control

Dell ships the Inspirons with the ability to monitor the input at the mic jack turned off. On most models with STAC97xx this can be restored by editing the Registry subkey 'DisableMicFromPlayback'. (For B130/1300 and others with STAC92xx go all the way down to the bottom for different instructions).


1. Go to Start menu and click on Run. Type 'regedit' without quotes and click OK to open the Registry.
2. At the top of the list, highlight My Computer.
3. Under the Edit menu, select Find.
4. Type in 'DisableMicFromPlayback' without quotes and click 'find next'.
5. Highlight DisableMicFromPlayback. Right click on it and select Modify.
6. Highlight 01 and change to 00. Click OK.
7. Optional (but 8600 users should do this) find "EnablePoPBypass" and set the value to 00.
8. Optional (but 600 & 6000 should do this) find "DisableMicSelect" and set the value to 00.
9. Exit the Registry and restart the computer.

Next, configure the system mixer:

1. Open Volume Control by right clicking on the speaker icon on the taskbar, or go to Start/Control Panel/ Sound & Audio Devices Properties/Advanced (button).
2. Under the Options menu, select Properties.
3. Under 'show the following volume controls' check the box next to Microphone. Click OK.
4. A mic control appears in the Volume Control. Make sure the mute box is unchecked.
5. If your external audio source (a stereo or tv tuner etc that you have connected to the mic jack) has a way to control its volume level, turn it down to control excessive volume.

Jim


NOTES:

This Registry edit was originally posted in a basic form first by dilleyo and then jk79. I have put it into this step-by-step format for those of us who are not familiar with editing the Registry.

Users of Inspiron 1100, 1150, 1200, 2200, 5100, 5150, 5160, 6000, 8500, 8600, 9100, 9200, 9300, 500m, 600m, 700m, xps and xps gen2 found the subkey 'DisableMicFromPlayback'.

Users of Inspiron 4150, 4700 and 8100 did not find the subkey in their Registries.

If you don't find it by using the Registry's search utility try looking for it by following this direct Registry path to the key:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\ControlSet001\Control\Class\
{4D36E96C-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0005\Settings.

Another thing you can do while you are in the Registry is to find "DisablePeakmeters" and set the value to 00. This will place an input level meter on the Recording Control panel and an output level meter on the Volume Control panel. These are useful when you are recording with a barebones program like Windows Sound Recorder that doesn't have meters.

It is wise to create a System Restore point before editing the Registry. If you accidentally make incorrect edits while in there you could cripple your computer, but using System Restore should correct any problems. To create a new Restore Point go to Start/Help & Support/System Restore and tick 'Create a restore point'.


DIRECTIONS FOR MODELS WITH STAC92xx DRIVERS (B120 & 130, 1300, XPS 140m & 630m):

These instructions were provided by emann15 who discovered this edit. It is always wise to create a Restore Point before entering the Registry.

1. Go to Start menu and click on Run. Type 'regedit' without quotes and click OK to open the Registry.
2. At the top of the list, highlight My Computer.
3. Under the Edit menu, select Find.
4. Type in 'EnableInputMonitor' without quotes and click 'find next'.
5. Highlight EnableInputMonitor. Right click on it and select Modify.
6. Highlight 00 and change to 01. Click OK.
7. Exit the Registry and restart the computer.

For those familiar with the Registry here is the direct path to the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\
{4D36E96C-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0005\Settings\filter\Rear

Wow! I thank you for an incredibly thorough response! I edited the EnableInputMonitor in the registry, set the value to 01 as directed, but it doesn't appear to have made any difference. I still do not have anything new to check under "Properties" on the volume tab, and hear nothing when my Mic is plugged up...

Any further sugestions?

Thanks again

My computer has the STAC97 chip. I don't know exactly what is available in the Registry for the STAC92. The edit for that was given by emann15. All I can suggest is to look around in the registry for other options relating to the mic. Good idea to write down any changes and to create a restore point first. If you come up with something let me know. Make sure 'microphone' is selected as the source in the recording panel.

A suggestion, sometimes times running Dell Diagnostics mysteriously turns on things. This is a pretty long shot. Try the mic test in the audio test.

To run Diagnostics restart, and as soon as it starts to boot up hold down f12. Select 'diagnostic' from the boot menu. It will run some tests for a couple of minutes before the diagnostic comes up. When it does select 'custom', then the audio test.

Jim

Forgot to ask, have you recorded something with the mic to confirm it is working with the computer?

Yes, I did make sure the micropone does indeed record (in mono unfortunately but the least of my problems :)
I will try digging around for something in the registry and give the diagnostics a shot, and let you know if I find anything (or not!).

Thanks yet again for all your help!

Ok! Got it working!
Apparently there are three instances of "EnableInputMonitor" under 3 different keys named "Rear" in different directories. After finding the first "EnableInputMonitor" and changing the value I just did "Find Next" (F3) and kept changinf them until the "EnableInputMonitor"'s coming up were of the proper value.

Also, however, I had to do the same thing for a key called "EnableIntSpkrMute" before my mic would sound over the system (Even with the Mute box unchecked).

Hope this helps someone else someday!

Thanks, Flea. Glad you found that and got it working. I'll add your findings to the instructions.

Jim

I have an Inspiron 8000 running Win2000. I've installed the latest ESS drivers and also do not have the microphone option for playback.

I tried searching with regedit and also browsing and cannot find any of the describe entries.

What am I missing?

Thanks.

The instructions are for those Inspirons with a Sigmatel chip. As you say yours has the ESS Maestro 3i chip so the reg edit doesn't apply.

There might or might not be a similar setting somewhere in your registry, or your mixer might not be configured. From your post it seems you have already done this, but if not:

Open the Sounds and Audio Devices Properties box (right click on the volume icon on the taskbar and click 'adjust audio properties', or go through the Control Panel).

Select the Audio tab.

Click on 'Volume' button under 'Sound Playback'. The Volume Control opens.

Click on the 'Options' menu, then 'Properties'.

Select 'Adjust volume for playback'.

If there is an option for microphone put a checkmark next to it to have it appear on the Volume Control. Then unmute it and turn it up. If there is no option for mic all I know to suggest is that you continue to search the registry for helpful entries. Be sure to create a Restore Point first.

Jim

Thanks for your reply Jim. I should have made it clearer that I had examined the options you suggested.  I did eventually find the ESS registry folder.  017 vs. the 005 for the sigmatel driver. The only entries I thought might be related were:

Mic2Volume 0x3c

MicVolume 0x3c

Show All Mixer Controls 00

Hello,

I bought a B130 recently and found out it does not have on board mic. Just read your post and have modified the registry but I still cannot get it to work. Unlike the one of the posts which had indicated; after changing the "EnableInputMonitor" in 3 registries I could only locate it in one place.

Also, how can I verify the chipset you are refering to... "STAC97". It does have Sigmatel on it..

 

Thanks

Sorry but I don't know what else to tell you about it. I assume you've verified that mic works with your computer by recording something and playing it back. The registry edits would have nothing to do with that.

Your model has the Sigmatel 9250 chip, not the 9750/51. The Sounds and Audio Devices Properties box (find it in the Control Panel or right click on the volume icon on the taskbar)should tell you the name of the chip's driver and it should be the same as the chip's model number. Select the Audio tab. Click on 'Volume' under 'Sound Playback'. The name will be in the dropdown box.

Jim

Bucko, those both have the 9250.

Jim