Hi Superdamo,

I tried the Studio with the console unpluged and it worked just fine, you just don't see the hard drive activity and don't have the quick key access to the eject button and so on.  Since the Studio line does not have an eject button on the DVD-ROM you have to eject through software.

I ended up returning my Studio and got a Lattitude E6500 for about 100 more dollars.  This laptop lacks some of the multimedia functions like the HDMI port and the webcam is .2 (640x400 ?) which is ok (works fine in Skype just lower resolution).  The Lattitude E6500 has its own set of problems though.  Mostly stuttering Audio.  Disabling functions like the E-SATA and the other radio on the dual-band wireless card seems to fix it.  Using the most recent drivers help too.  So the Lattitude E line has some problems too. 

So take your pick of what problems you want to deal with and what features you are willing to do without.  If you decide to return your Studio go to the support.dell.com website and put in for it now.  You only have 21 days to reqest a return.  You can use the web site to submit your request.  A rep will get back to you in a day or so.  Customer service was very good when I went through this.

Hi ITGuysRock,

after having problems with four ordered Studio 1737 I took a E6500 and a E5500.
I have called Dell today for returning the E6500. Only E5500 had a good quality (maybe luck).
I will order a refurbished D830 which I know are good. Dell has too many problems with all new lines.
Maybe this has to do with all these restrucuring, like Support back to Germany (don't talk to someone from Bratislava).
Assembly and Shipment from Poland doesn't seem to work either.

At the moment I could only recommend to get a Dell from Ebay like old ones from Leasing.
There are serveral on Ebay Germany wirh warranty until end of 2010.

I bought an XPS M1530 right before Thanksgiving and I too am having problems with the media buttons.

So which laptop has the media panel problem - Studio 1537 or XPS M1530? Or both?

I got my media panel replaced by Dell but alas, same problem continued the very next day. Now I'm having it returned for full refund.

i 've already sent an e-mail to Dell mentioning every problem my laptop has, and i am waiting for their response. I hope that they will give us an answer about studios...

IMO best solution is to disconnect the control cover.  I  like it disconnected,  Studio now functions flawlessly, even looks a lot more aesthetic &sexy without the dumb lights, never realized they were such a distraction and totally useless.  Num LK light still works and you can use Fn F10 to eject CDs(w/o software), plus no more finger prints so why bother with it.

Once it was disassembled I quickly observed that that the panel ribbon connection at the motherboard is a marginal design.  Ribbon is inserted into a connector on the mother board and a tab gets pushed down 90 degrees to put pressure & locks the ribbon.  This ribbon is miniature and has 8 to 10 fine wires.  I’m skeptical that you can get uniform loading on each conductor due to light pressure from the lock,  it’s not like a factory crimp.  My problems appeared during cold starts, so my observation may support that.

Also, there was round cable on right side of the ribbon that was mis-routed, actually above the tabs and it created a slight bulge in the keyboard.  I was able to disconnect it and loosen it by the hinge to gain slack and was able to route it properly under the tabs.  Keyboard now sits totally flush and is flat which makes me very happy.  BTW, that misrouting didn’t put pressure on the control cover and I don’t think it affected magnetic interference. My cover (F962C) had protective shield underneath.

Anyway, the disassembly is very easy.  Takes about no more that few minutes.

Remove 2 screws from battery compartment.

Turn over and open lid to the max

Remove 2 screws holding keyboard.

Lift up keyboard bezel with your finger nail (no tool required).  Start where panel meets.

Everything un-snaps very easy.

If you decide to disconnect the ribbon, put piece of tape over the bare conductors.

Dell may come out with a better control cover but they can’t improve the connection without redesigning the MB.  So its possible that there might not be a 100% reliable fix if my observation is correct.  I’m satisfied for now and staying disconnected, don’t have to work on this problem anymore and everything works but I won’t buy a Dell again unless I’m well compensated for this design defect.  

NEW NOTICE

today i noticed something i had also noticed before. While having my laptop connected to power supply cord for about 2 hours, i decided to get it started and i realized that the eject button got stuck again.

Please try it with your laptops. This could be a proof for an electricity issue for Studios. I can't be sure, i am not an electronics engineer or an electrician but i assume that this must be an electricity issue.

Hi guys,   I am another one this problem.  Anyone know of any fixes yet.  Dell keeps saying to reinstall my OS but i am more than sure this is not the fix.  Please if anyone knows how to fix the problem tell me.    Thank you

Reinstalling OS won' t solve the problem. But if you plan to reintall Windows, do it with not your battery on. Just on power cord supply. I found out that installing OS that way, the "problem" occurs basically with battery on. Give it a try...

This is not a software issue it is a hardware issue. I have not contacted Dell yet but this volume problem with the media bar happens in Windows Vista and Windows 7. Someone from Dell needs to respond to this issue!

well, i bit the bullet.  i bought this 1537 because it rocks, but it had "the panel problem" from the get go.  the most frustrating part was that it was somewhat intermittent, so i was able to fall in lust with the awesome performance of this machine.  i hadn't thrown seven hundred bucks at a laptop ever, and my last purchase was a secondhand 8 year old model.  i've been both entranced and dismayed.  luckily found this forum and have been debating whether i was gonna get best buy involved, just return the thing for my moneyback, or take screwdriver in hand and possibly lose everything. no way would i waste my time trying to deal with dell (but i WOULD support the position that they owe me recompense for dealing with this problem on my own.)  

the directions for removing the panel (a few posts up) were spot-on, and the misrouted power line was the same on my machine.  that was pretty straightforward to put it under in the channel it obviously belonged in.  if your f10/f11 key is riding a little high, you are also a victim of shoddy assembly.  if you decide to take the risky but oh-so-fulfilling way out, be quite careful!  the innards are tiny and seem fragile as all get out. 

as far as the actual media panel problem -- i give 50/50 odds I AM ENTIRELY WRONG but:  i believe it is the root of all the blue screen-shutdown stuff, too.  the ribbon is stuck onto the back of the media panel, right behind the eject and volume buttons (the only ones i had problems with. . . seemed like the ribbon and the problems might be related).  i carefully pulled the sticky-ribbon off of the back of the panel and stuck it back on around the other side of the screw-in hole.  so far, the solution has been 100% perfect (remember, though, the problem was intermittent).  i don't know if i would recommend anybody take a screwdriver to their brand-new laptop unless they could live with themselves if they end up destroying something.  i had certainly never done anything like this before, and it was kinda scary, but now i feel much closer to this great laptop.  the speakers now seem to be the only low point, and hopefully it stays that way. . . i can live with it.  for the money, this is the best functioning machine available.. once the two manufacturing errors are corrected..   don't mark up your screws!

UPDATE

Well I just wanted to give everyone the update on my status.  Dell is sending a tech support with a new hardrive with a new operating system installed on it.  They are going to come and install it and see if that works.  I will holding on to my old HD in the mean time that way i can just put it back like nothing happened.  I will keep you all posted. 

i got my new studio 1537 on monday and i am having problems with the media panel control buttons they sometimes don't work at all when i turn on my laptop then the eject button light stays on for a while then goes off then it will automaticaaly turn the volume up to full which is really annoying, as it says in the other posts here there is a problem with the media panel buttons, i'm going to get in touch with dell tomorrow report the probem to them. Apart from this problem everything else seems to be working fine.

Thank you Philavi. I did everything you said and the media buttons started to work right off the bat.... perfect. Must be something to do with either the pressure of the wire against it or most likly the current interferring with it. You should send this solution to Dell.

ok maybe it was a fluke because I turned on my computer today and they didnt work again... sorry. but i got rid of the bump.

I can't believe -- or I'd rather NOT believe -- Dell is still sending out 1537s with this problem. I got mine in December, 2008 and noticed the eject-light/media-panel problem right away. I contacted Dell and they sent a tech within 48 hours who replaced the panel and everything has been fine ever since. I have a dual-boot Vista Home Premium/Windows 7 setup and am having no problems with either OS. I've read about a loose or improperly connected cable, but in my case the whole panel was replaced.