Soundblaster MP3+ USB device does not work with my computer

erzog,

Have you tried SP2?

What all have you tried so far?

Thank you for choosing Dell.

Sorry but i never heard something about sp2 for xp.

For what i tried, every install possible, with and without updates, of xp and of my computer.

XP install always the native driver for "usb composite" and not the driver of the soundcard "sbusb".

All this with the technical support of creative, the manufacturer of the soundcard.

I've got a strange feeling that the USB power provided by the notebook is not enough to power the Soundblaster MP3+ device...  Are you able to connect external power to the MP3+ device?  From pictures on Creatives site, I would suspect, that you cannot.  There are a lot of threads that talk about the lack of USB power in the Inspiron Notebook line.  I truly hope this is not the problem, as the Soundblaster MP3+ is the device I wanted to use with my i8500 to allow better sound and actually have a line in...  Anyone have any comments on the lack of power for USB in the Inspiron notebook line?  Could this be the issue?

As you have seen it, we can't connect any external power on the MP3+ ...

I just hope this in not the problem ... i'm waiting about the answer of creative for a solution for me ...

All that just because DELL has miss the ligne on the 8500 ...

Let us know if a powered Hub will work... 

Yes i try connecting that device to another system, and it was right (a pc with windows 2000)

For the USB voltage limit ... i haven't find it, and i don't know the consommation of the creative card)

I make a test with a USB Hub with alimentation ... hope it will be success

Did you try connecting that device to another system? Have you confirmed that the device works properly? Do you have a laptop with a known USB voltage limit? (I can't find the limit on Creative's website anymore.. did they take it down?)

 

So ... at last i've got a solution.

This soundcard work fine on the inspiron 8500 only with a hub usb with alimentation, and i think with majoritary of notebook.

The update of the driver is necessary for all the fonctionnality, ... we can find it on the creative site ...

So then ... good listen ...

SWEET!. Glad you got a fix.

Ok. now my question. Is it worth it? Quality wise? I'm looking to get it mainly for the Optical I/O.. but is it worth it for the headphone / RCA connections?

Sorry, ... i finish ...

 

but it can be easy correct with the graphic equaliser supply with the software ...

 

In conclusion: a good soundcard for public applications ...

Dell Laptops put out 100ma on the USB ports. This is Not enuf power. 500ma is the spec for USB.

You need to get a USB Hub that has an EXTERNAL power supply.

Hook the Hub into your usb ports and then plug the hub's power into a wall socket. Then plug the MP3+ into the hub and it will work.

Another way to get this to work is to add a USB 2.0 Cardbus card. Get the one from Belkin. If you need more power on the ports the belkin Cardbus USB 2.0 card comes with a power adaptor to plug into the mains.

For the sound, it's a good basic soundcard.

I haven't test all the fonctionnality, but we can't ask a studio quality for this price.

The advantage is the optical I/O and the ligne input.

I specify i haven't test optical I/O because i haven't any device with optical.

Personnaly, i have buy this card to live applications: record of 2 tracks direct on soundboard with soundforge, and check equalisation with SIA Smaartlive.

For those 2 applications, it's enough, very less distortion, with 44.1 and 48kHz sample frequency, as the cd recording, so it's good.

For public applications, i've seen only 1 weakness: i found the sound of the headphone a little agressive, but it can be

erzog -

Your problem sounds identical to mine, but I don't understand your solution.  Can you please say a little more about what you did or need to get the MP3+ to work with the I8500?  What is 'alimentation'?

Thanks,

andy t

Sorry about my bad english.

I would say "external power", but there isn't any external power on the MP3+, so you does use a hub with an external power and it's good.

See you.

Hi SpeedStep-

Thank you for your advice.  I tried a little 4-port USB hub (Belkin).  I believe it provides external power, because it has an AC adapter and a red LED indicating power, but I'm not sure how much, (if it's 500mA per port, then that's 2A, and that seems like a lot for that hub to handle).  Anyway, all adding the hub did was move the non-functioning MP3+ from a "composite" device under the USB group (in device manager) to a "USB device" under the "other" group.

'erzog' also implied the hub and/or MP3+ required an additional driver in his post - do you have any idea what he might mean?

thanks again,

andy t