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Dell Inspiron 1520 Microphone Problems
I have been having problems with both the built in microphone and any headset that I plug into my laptop. I have been looking through windows but it doesn't seem to recognize the built in microphone anymore and doesn’t want to recognize the headset I plug in either. When I plug in my headset I normally got the beep that I plug something in, and a window would pop up asking what I wanted to use that jack for, and I always selected the mic. option. I have tried looking for new/updated audio drivers but haven’t found any on the dell website. And to no avail I emailed dell support and they told me to make sure my web cam was also working properly, only problem was that I don’t have a webcam. So after I told them that they told me I needed to do a factory restore/ clean install of vista just to fix the microphone. Worthless, what should I expect I guess. I really appreciate your guy help with this. Thanks!!!
Jim Coates
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November 8th, 2007 02:00
Go to Start/Control Panel/ Sigmatel (actually that is the path in XP, it might be different in Vista) and check the 'allow popups' box. Then plug in the mic again and test it. If that doesn't work I'd reinstall the Sigmatel driver even though it is not an updated one.
Jim
Jim Coates
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November 8th, 2007 10:00
I forgot about this. There are several Sigmatel audio drivers compatible with the 1520. Currently it is shipping with the R167846, but the one reported to make the mic array work best is
Sigmatel audio driver R157031
Forum member sportscar wrote this about how to install if you have a different driver:
"You must first completely remove the original drivers from your system [ by right clicking ]. Windows will then install a "generic" driver when you reboot. After this basic generic driver is installed (which will not work either), install the R157031."
This is also supposed to fix the low mic level.
Jim
SirAwesome
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November 8th, 2007 17:00
Jim Coates
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November 9th, 2007 11:00
"Open the Dell Webcam Center, and look for Audio Source in the bottom right corner. Click on Microphone/Line In and then go to More, and select Microphone Array (SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC). Once the Audio Source says Microphone Array (SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC) then the microphone should be active." --- Rollie
Re the external mic, did you try the tip about the popup box? You said Windows doesn't 'recognize' the external mic. How did it recognize it when it was working, by showing the popup box?
Jim
SirAwesome
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November 9th, 2007 19:00
Jim Coates
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November 10th, 2007 00:00
Jim
SirAwesome
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November 10th, 2007 15:00
Message Edited by SirAwesome on 11-10-2007 11:36 AM
liz1111
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November 11th, 2007 02:00
liz1111
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November 11th, 2007 02:00
ebertbl
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November 18th, 2007 14:00
Jim Coates
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November 19th, 2007 01:00
Your model does not have a built-in mic.
You might use Dell Diagnostics external mic test to find out if your hardware and mic work.
Next I would try running the external mic test in the audio section of Dell Diagnostics. To run Diagnostics restart the computer and as soon as it starts to boot up hold down f12. Select 'Diagnostic' from the boot menu. The computer will run its pre-boot assessment tests for 3 or 4 minutes before the Dell Diagnostic starts. These pre-boot tests play some beeps and tones through the system speaker but this is not part of the Dell Diagnostics.
When Dell Diagnostics opens, select 'custom', then the audio test. This will test your audio system independently of Windows and drivers, meaning it doesn't matter if they are working correctly or not.
Dell Diagnostics will play some audio and ask you whether you heard it, etc. Eventually the external mic test should come up. If the test passes that means the hardware is okay but there is a problem with the software or configuration. If it fails that means there is a hardware problem such as:
mic doesn't work
mic works but the plug is incompatible with the jack
the jack is malfunctioning
the audio chip is malfunctioning
etc.
Jim
ebertbl
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November 20th, 2007 23:00
Jim Coates
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November 21st, 2007 01:00
I notice that you have another thread going about this same problem. You have asked another person in that thread to comment on my advice in this one, and now you are asking me to comment on their advice.
My comment is that is quite a cute game you are playing.
Jim
Message Edited by jimco on 11-20-2007 10:16 PM
alfredmcgreg
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June 7th, 2014 12:00
Hi, I upgraded my inspiron 1520 from vista to windows 7 32bit, everything is working fine , but the microphone is only not working, it shows the driver is installed and is working fine but the microphone itself is not working
It stopped working as soon as I installed windows 7.
What do I do
Jim Coates
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June 7th, 2014 15:00
Is it the Sigmatel audio driver or the Windows native audio driver? The native driver does not support the external mic jack.
There is no Windows 7 Sigmatel driver, so the best you can do is install the Vista version of it using compatibility mode.
For the internal mic you might need the webcam software because the mic is part of the webcam hardware. The webcam driver is integrated into Windows 7 so no need to install it, but you might need the Creative Labs Dell Webcam Manager. There is not a version for 7 that I know of.
I don't know for sure if you need to have that software for the mic to work in 7, but if you open the Recording tab of the Sound properties (right click the audio icon on the taskbar then click Recording Devices) and select mic array from the list and it does not work, then probably need the software. [If mic array is not in the list then right click in the Recording Devices box and select to show disconnected and disabled devices.]
If you can get the Webcam Manager installed then do this:
1. Click Start.
2. Click either All Programs or Programs.
3. Click the Dell Webcam folder, then click the Dell Webcam Manager icon to open it.
4. In the Dell Webcam Manager, click the Dell Webcam Center.
5. In the lower right-hand corner of the Dell Webcam Center window, click the drop-down arrow next to Audio Source and click Digital Mic to enable the microphone. (On some models click Microphone/Line-in>More>Microphone Array Sigmatel.)