wave out on sigmatel

"those technically dumb sales people."

How true.

Actually the Sigmatel sound system does support recording its own output. It's called 'stereo mix' and is the same thing as 'wave out' and 'whatuhear' on other cards. But on all of the models that use the Sigmatel 92xx chip Dell has been disabling that feature in the inf files (configuration pre-sets) of the driver for the past couple of years. Some bright hackers figured out how to alter the inf files on the various models that can use the Sigmatel R122161 driver to unlock stereo mix, but your computer isn't one of those. Until someone gets into the inf file for your driver and figures it out you are stuck with either getting an external card, as you said, or connecting the output jack to the headphone jack with a cable.

"The sound options listed are as below : -Integrated sound -Integrated sound audigy(+20$) there are no technical details specifed though...if only they had mentioned audigy wave-out(or something of that sort) it would have been really helpful."

The $20 option is just some enhancement software that piggybacks on top of the Sigmatel. It doesn't give you the option you want so at least you didn't waste $20 on it.

"I have to now get a new external sound card which costs more than 120$."

It depends on how much you want to spend. I have 2 Soundblaster usb cards (the model is called Mp3+ which is no longer being sold). I paid the full price of $39 for the 1st one and got the 2nd one on sale for $20. Here are a couple of current models less than $120:

Live! usb external soundcard:

This is a low cost but full featured usb powered card for 49.99 (cheaper than that at Amazon.com and other retailers):

Live usb


X-Fi Xtreme Audio Notebook

This one fits into your express card/54 slot. Dell sells it for $65.99.
X-Fi Extreme Audio express slot card

I don't know if this one has whatuhear (these days Soundblaster calls it 'wave/midi/cd', no longer wuh). There are even cheaper cards like the Griffin imic, but I don't know much about the features of these lesser known brands. When researching just look at the usb and express slot models; the pcmcia types won't fit into your express slot.

Jim

"the dell tech support guy told me that the audigy sound option did support the wave-out/stereo mix option"

He was incorrect about that. The "Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy Advanced HD Audio" is some software that is similar to the same Creative software that is bundled free with most Soundblaster cards, plus an Audigy driver that needs to be on the system in order for the software to run. The only integrated audio hardware Dell puts on the motherboard of the laptops is a Sigmatel audio chip. In the case of the newer Inspirons it's the 92xx chip and this is what actually produces the audio whether or not you get the "Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy Advanced HD Audio". The software just provides some dsp enhancements to the Sigmatel audio system, like reverb and equalization. If the software has a way to cause the Sigmatel system to be able to record its own output no one on this board has ever known about it, nor has anyone from tech support been able to explain how it can be done.

When Dell started using the 92xx chip they locked away most of the features of the driver, not only stereo mix but a full featured mixer with a multiband equalizer, jack setup re-assigning, and other goodies. Dell has never explained why they did this, but I believe it was a marketing decision, perhaps even a fairly benign one such as: we'll just give the average consumer the very basics and if the people interested in audio need more they can 'upgrade' to the "Integrated Sound Blaster Audigy Advanced HD Audio" for a small fee and get the features they need. From what the tech support guy told you, some of them must believe that the upgrade software gives back the features they have locked away in the inf files, but in reality it doesn't. There seems to be a lack of understanding about their audio products with not only "those technically dumb sales people" but also the their tech support, to the detriment of a lot of folks who want to utilize their computers for audio production.

"But at the least, DELL sales should mention such details to its customers, not telling is like cheating, and I feel cheated."

I think it's more a matter of ignorance than purposeful omission, but of course that's no excuse.

"downloading drivers from LG website, try difft inf files) and hope it works."

If you can get the LG driver to install let me know. The altered inf files instructions that I have posted are only for those computer models that can use the Sigmatel R122161 driver, which doesn't include yours.

Jim

I am trying to download the LG drivers from yesterday, and I have initiated the download infinite number of times, but the LG site/my broadband connection $ucks so much that it just downloads 30-50% of the 92MB and stops, and I have re initiate the download..am still trying...and if I succeed, I wil let you know hw it goes thnx!