SigmaTel C-Major Audio upgradeable?

Question

First off...my audio on my laptop is working fine. I have no issues with it, other than I find no way to enhance the sound. I own other computers (non-Dell) that came with built in programs that allow a level of audio enhancing using a simple 10 bad EQ.   I can find no such option on my D610, and my current driver, the SigmaTel C-Major Audio does not appear to be upgradeable to say...an Hi Def audio driver.   I must stress that the audio I am listening too is streaming in thru the web, and there is no stand alone 'player' that it uses, i.e. WMP, Winamp, XINE, etc. There is simply no other function of the streaming audio than a simple mute and volume. Therefore my only option would be to turn to the built in driver that came with the D610 in hopes I would find some simple enhancment options, which do not appear to exsist.   Can anyone help?

Talebearer · Answer

Sound card drivers cannot be upgraded. They are hardware specific.The sound card can be upgraded for content with matching driver. Without the proper driver the sound card is useless.

Jim Coates · Answer

There is no way I know of to add bass and treble to your STAC97 audio chip. The Dell laptops with the 92xxHD chips don't have it either. The 10 band eq is locked away in the inf files of the driver and I have never seen a hack for unlocking it for the 975x. There is a hack for one of the 92xx drivers that will release the eq plus other functions.

There is a program called Total Recorder that diverts streaming audio
from the computer's sound card to itself. This might be a solution for you. It costs about $18 and the eq add on is free.

Total Recorder

Jim

Jim Coates · Answer

Talebearer, thanks for your input. When you wrote:

"The sound card can be upgraded for content with matching driver. "

I'm not sure what you mean. On our laptops the 'card' is a chip on the motherboard and can't be switched out. The only way to upgrade is by getting an external sound card.

"Sound card drivers cannot be upgraded."

But they can be updated when a new version is released, hacked into in some instances, and sometimes swapped with other manufacturer's drivers for the same chip. People do these things for various reasons. Many folks on this board have been able to unlock features of their audio chips by experimenting, but I was telling mainephotonut that I've never heard of any such way to unlock features on the Sigmatel 975x chip.

Jim

mainephotonut · Answer

:smileymad: Rats!   I really hoping to squeeze every bit and byte out of that on board sound chip. It sounds like a hack that would release the 'hidden' 10 band eq would be awesome, perhaps in time someone will figure it out.   I thank you all for the feedback.

Jim Coates · Answer

Somebody might have a way to do it. I'd try googling. Another good source of info is notebookforums.com.

Meanwhile, there is another driver that many people prefer even though it isn't a perfect fit with the hardware. It's the generic Intel driver:

> Go to Start/Control Panel/System/ Hardware tab, then click on Device Manager. Go down to Sound, Video and Game controllers and right click on SigmaTel. Choose properties.

(Or instead right click on the speaker icon, click on Adjust Audio Properties, click on the hardware tab, select SigmaTel, and click Propertties.)

> Click on the Driver tab and click on Update Driver. The Hardware Update Wizard will open.

> Answer "No" to the Windows Update question.

> Choose "Install From List or specific location". Ignore the 'Insert CD' instruction.

> Hit next and then choose "Don't Search, I will choose driver I want to install".

> You will get a list of SigmaTel drivers. Uncheck the box that says "show compatible hardware".

> Select Intel, and then select "Intel AC 97 Audio Controller". XP replaces the SigmaTel driver with the Intel AC97.

> To reinstall the original driver later just go back to Properties and select "Rollback Driver".

Jim

mainephotonut · Answer

:smileywink: Hmmm...a work around. I like it!   I will give it a shot, many thanks!!!!! :smileyvery-happy:

mainephotonut · Answer

Cool. I tried it, it works. No issues. Still, I'm perplexed that I still no audio tweaking ability. No EQ control, Bass, Treble, nuttin'.  I cant say if what I am hearing now is any better than the original SigmaTel driver, but certainly is not any worse.   Thanks for your help.

LinuxOn1420 · Answer

Latitude X300 Windows XP SP2

Is there anyway to increase the volume? I tried both the Sigmatel driver and the Intel one and the sound is a little low. This is with the hardware setting turned all the way up (Fn-Page Up) and the software control volume control cranked all the way up as well.

I am using the 5.10.0.3952 version of the driver dated 11/15/2004. There is a later dated file on the Dell download section but the only thing that changed appears to be the .txt file that has Vista added.

Message Edited by LinuxOn1420 on 11-11-2007 09:08 PM

Jim Coates · Answer

I have the same chip but I'm still using the initial release of the driver, never needed to upgrade to a newer version. I don't know of a way to increase volume. I use external speakers with volume and tone controls to get decent sound.

There might be a setting in the Registry that limits the max volume.

mainephotonut,

That reminds me, there is an area in the Registry for the 10 band eq if you want to explore it. I have no idea what the entries should be to enable it.

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

Jim

Locked Topics – Laptops General

SigmaTel C-Major Audio upgradeable?

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