Don't expect a fix soon. This issue has been known since last August, and has not been dealt with to date. I suggest sending the laptop back, demanding a full refund, and stating the reason as Dell having sold you, knowingly, a faulty laptop. I reluctantly returned my D820. I really, Really liked the laptop and features it had. I replaced it with an HP NC8430, that worked flawlessy out of the box.
I spoke with Dell customer support. I was told that I have a newer model Inspiron, where the previous issues with on-board Firewire and Expresscard are now resolved. He said that both the SIIG and the Belkin FW800 expresscards have been tested (I think he said tested) and should work fine on my machine. There is a bios upgrade that I may or may not need to install, he said, but that would become evident once I actually set up the expresscard. I've read in forums that the Belkins have had compatibility issues with the Oxford chipset that Lacie Triple Interface drives use, and that SIIG does not. Presumably, that has nothing to do with Dell. Anyway, I guess the only way for me to really know is to buy the SIIG FW800 expresscard and give it try. At the very least, I think this issue and its resolution has been communicated poorly by Dell. I should have been able to look this up quickly in the knowledgebase articles. Instead, I had spend a couple of hours reading forums and calling customer support. If time is money, that's expensive for me, and it's expensive for Dell. Message Edited by typvgs on 03-07-2007 07:25 PM
I think he's lying. I have the SIIG Expresscard 400 firewire card, and tried that on the D820 before returning it. It was even worse than the built-in firewire port.
Thta's how things get fixed. Obviously you don't use your laptop for professional audio applications. And when you spend $2k+ on a laptop, it should work according to proper specs. Not booting up at all when an Expresscard is inserted is simply unacceptable.
Yea, I hate it too! I'm in the same situation. Now what am i supposed to do with my m90. i doubt that anybody will buy it from me. I think that's a complete rip off - having all the specs right, but in reality nothing works like it should. Or perhaps i should have read all the forum posts before buying the pc to find out tha it does not comply with my needs. Of course in future i will know that all that dell writes in their brochures and sites are lies.
I'm using a Dell E1705 for audio recording via a firewire interface----it's working just fine. I also installed a SIIG 2-port Firewire 800 expresscard. It works fine, too.
i was tired of carrying around music hardware and wanted to have a mobile virtual set. and the specs for m90 were exactly as i needed. well how should i have known that in reality it has issues with firewire and even firewire expresscards? at first i was not so frustrated that the built in port didn't work. but after i bought an expresscard (which allowed me at least to find and install the daw hardware) and found out that the gear still doesn't work correctly and crashes all system, i was not so happy at all. did 3 days trying to figure out a solution and then found out that many people have gone through the same and stuck.. how would you feel? i tell you, it is a rip off. someone ought to sue them.
@BigBadHenchman wrote:
Hopefully someone at Dell takes this seriously, and passes this on to the powers that be.
There is a 32 page subject about the problem here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=73829
The Expresscard slot and Firewire port on the Dell latitude D820 as well as Inspiron laptops, simply are not working properly.
If I have a Siig Expresscard Firewirecard in the slot on boot up, the computer will not boot.
The performance of the firewire is completely below what it should be, when the card is inserted after boot up.
When can we expect a fix for this MAJOR problem?
Right now, I have a D820 that is pretty much useless for what I bought it for. The built-n firewire port operates below proper standards, giving me pops and clicks when using a firewire audio card.
I had hoped that my decision between choosing a Dell instead fo a macbook pro was a wise one. I am starting to question that decision now.
This is a serious issue, and does not affect the latitude series only. There are numerous issues regarding the same thing with the inspirons. Alot of musicians have been looking at Dell laptops as a viable portable solution. But this is casuing them to look elsewhere in large numbers.
If neither of these issues (Expresscard slot or Built-in) is to be fixed in the very near future, please let me know, as I will be returning the D820 post haste.
As well as writing all computer publications on and offline asking them to warn people who want to do any kind of multimedia that includes video editing and audio, to not buy Dell laptops.
I will be posting the same warnings on a number of Pro-Audio user sites.
I am a longtime PC user and Audio-Professional, with extensive credits in both music production and Post-Production in TV and Film.
I suggest that dell tests the firewire port by going to the local music store, and buying a Presonus Firebox for all of $300,-.
It comes with Cubase LE, an audio software package. Try and record or playback without getting random posp and clicks in the audio, and you'll see what alot of people are complaining about.
@BigBadHenchman wrote:
Hopefully someone at Dell takes this seriously, and passes this on to the powers that be.
There is a 32 page subject about the problem here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=73829
The Expresscard slot and Firewire port on the Dell latitude D820 as well as Inspiron laptops, simply are not working properly.
If I have a Siig Expresscard Firewirecard in the slot on boot up, the computer will not boot.
The performance of the firewire is completely below what it should be, when the card is inserted after boot up.
When can we expect a fix for this MAJOR problem?
Right now, I have a D820 that is pretty much useless for what I bought it for. The built-n firewire port operates below proper standards, giving me pops and clicks when using a firewire audio card.
I had hoped that my decision between choosing a Dell instead fo a macbook pro was a wise one. I am starting to question that decision now.
This is a serious issue, and does not affect the latitude series only. There are numerous issues regarding the same thing with the inspirons. Alot of musicians have been looking at Dell laptops as a viable portable solution. But this is casuing them to look elsewhere in large numbers.
If neither of these issues (Expresscard slot or Built-in) is to be fixed in the very near future, please let me know, as I will be returning the D820 post haste.
As well as writing all computer publications on and offline asking them to warn people who want to do any kind of multimedia that includes video editing and audio, to not buy Dell laptops.
I will be posting the same warnings on a number of Pro-Audio user sites.
I am a longtime PC user and Audio-Professional, with extensive credits in both music production and Post-Production in TV and Film.
I suggest that dell tests the firewire port by going to the local music store, and buying a Presonus Firebox for all of $300,-.
It comes with Cubase LE, an audio software package. Try and record or playback without getting random posp and clicks in the audio, and you'll see what alot of people are complaining about.
We too are GROSSLY DISAPPOINTED with our new purchase of Vostro 1500 regarding its inability to handle audio/midi data via firewire interface (Presonus Firebox and similar), especially given the laptop's supposed specs on paper.
We are in the process of seeking refund, but so far Dell support/customer care has been suboptimal.
We are only sorry to see so many others in the same frustrating situation and particularly appalled by Dell's lack of acknowledgment of the issue so far.
Bay Wolf
4.4K Posts
0
February 9th, 2007 22:00
Message Edited by Bay Wolf on 02-09-2007 06:58 PM
BigBadHenchman
15 Posts
0
March 7th, 2007 18:00
typvgs
8 Posts
0
March 7th, 2007 23:00
Message Edited by typvgs on 03-07-2007 07:25 PM
BigBadHenchman
15 Posts
0
March 7th, 2007 23:00
Mr_bleu
211 Posts
0
March 8th, 2007 23:00
BigBadHenchman
15 Posts
0
March 8th, 2007 23:00
Grow up, or mind your own business. Or how about you do both.
BigBadHenchman
15 Posts
0
March 9th, 2007 00:00
Thta's how things get fixed. Obviously you don't use your laptop for professional audio applications. And when you spend $2k+ on a laptop, it should work according to proper specs. Not booting up at all when an Expresscard is inserted is simply unacceptable.
Mr_bleu
211 Posts
0
March 9th, 2007 00:00
zeme
11 Posts
0
April 14th, 2007 07:00
Yea, I hate it too! I'm in the same situation. Now what am i supposed to do with my m90. i doubt that anybody will buy it from me. I think that's a complete rip off - having all the specs right, but in reality nothing works like it should. Or perhaps i should have read all the forum posts before buying the pc to find out tha it does not comply with my needs. Of course in future i will know that all that dell writes in their brochures and sites are lies.
zeme
11 Posts
0
April 14th, 2007 07:00
typvgs
8 Posts
0
April 14th, 2007 15:00
BigBadHenchman
15 Posts
0
April 14th, 2007 15:00
It's working great on my HP NC8430.
zeme
11 Posts
0
April 14th, 2007 17:00
zeme
11 Posts
0
April 14th, 2007 17:00
DougynSyl
1 Message
0
September 22nd, 2007 10:00
We too are GROSSLY DISAPPOINTED with our new purchase of Vostro 1500 regarding its inability to handle audio/midi data via firewire interface (Presonus Firebox and similar), especially given the laptop's supposed specs on paper.
We are in the process of seeking refund, but so far Dell support/customer care has been suboptimal.
We are only sorry to see so many others in the same frustrating situation and particularly appalled by Dell's lack of acknowledgment of the issue so far.