Some of the Sigmatel drivers just have "Speakers" which includes headphones, and others display "Speakers/Headphones". There is never a separate listing for the headphone jack in Sigmatel.
Try switching to the Windows native audio driver. If you have the same symptoms when using the native driver then the switch in the jack is probably messed up.
I wrote these instructions for Win7 but I think this works in Vista.
1. Open the Device Manager (find it in the Control Panel, or type devmgmt.msc into the search box). 2. Expand the "Sound, video & game controllers" and right click on "Sigmatel High Definition Audio". 3. Select to "Update Driver Software". 4. Click on "Browse my computer for driver software". 5. Click "Let me pick from a list of drivers on my computer". 6. Put a check in the box "Show compatible hardware" if not already checked. 7. In the list of devices, click "High Definition Audio" (the native driver). 8. Click "Next". 9. On the Update Driver Warning box, click "Yes" (install the driver). 10. Restart the laptop if prompted. If not prompted, then no need to restart. [To get back to the Sigmatel driver, do it again but reverse the names in steps 2 and 7.]
I've been doing some reading on this and on the Dell site I found out that headphones with 2 rings on the jack will not work on the in out combo port, you need a headphone with three rings on the jack. Are the adaptors sold for cell phones compatible will Dell computers?
on the Dell site I found out that headphones with 2 rings on the jack will not work on the in out combo port
Hello. I'm not sure what you mean by "2 rings". All stereo headphones have one ring on the plug (a TRS plug, or tip/ring/sleeve). Stereo headphones will work in a combo port. If they don't work something else is wrong.
you need a headphone with three rings
There are smart phone headsets that have 2 rings on the plugs. They use TRRS (tip/ring/ring/sleeve) plugs and are designed to work in a combo jack socket. See section 6 of the Headphone Jack FAQ for details.
Maybe by "three rings" you mean the 3 black bands that separate the tip, ring, ring and sleeve from each other?
Are the adaptors sold for cell phones compatible will Dell computers?
If you have headphones with a TRS plug you do not need an adapter for it to work in a combo port. You only would need an adapter if you have a headset with a mic with a TRS plug. A mic's TRS plug will not work in a combo port and needs an adapter to convert it to a TRRS plug. The adapters sometimes work on Dell laptops but a lot of times they will not work. You might have better luck using a usb audio jack.
Jim Coates
4 Operator
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13.6K Posts
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December 2nd, 2015 14:00
Some of the Sigmatel drivers just have "Speakers" which includes headphones, and others display "Speakers/Headphones". There is never a separate listing for the headphone jack in Sigmatel.
Try switching to the Windows native audio driver. If you have the same symptoms when using the native driver then the switch in the jack is probably messed up.
I wrote these instructions for Win7 but I think this works in Vista.
1. Open the Device Manager (find it in the Control Panel, or type devmgmt.msc into the search box).
2. Expand the "Sound, video & game controllers" and right click on "Sigmatel High Definition Audio".
3. Select to "Update Driver Software".
4. Click on "Browse my computer for driver software".
5. Click "Let me pick from a list of drivers on my computer".
6. Put a check in the box "Show compatible hardware" if not already checked.
7. In the list of devices, click "High Definition Audio" (the native driver).
8. Click "Next".
9. On the Update Driver Warning box, click "Yes" (install the driver).
10. Restart the laptop if prompted. If not prompted, then no need to restart.
[To get back to the Sigmatel driver, do it again but reverse the names in steps 2 and 7.]
Tontileo
1 Message
0
December 11th, 2015 12:00
I've been doing some reading on this and on the Dell site I found out that headphones with 2 rings on the jack will not work on the in out combo port, you need a headphone with three rings on the jack. Are the adaptors sold for cell phones compatible will Dell computers?
Jim Coates
4 Operator
•
13.6K Posts
0
December 14th, 2015 15:00
Hello. I'm not sure what you mean by "2 rings". All stereo headphones have one ring on the plug (a TRS plug, or tip/ring/sleeve). Stereo headphones will work in a combo port. If they don't work something else is wrong.
There are smart phone headsets that have 2 rings on the plugs. They use TRRS (tip/ring/ring/sleeve) plugs and are designed to work in a combo jack socket. See section 6 of the Headphone Jack FAQ for details.
Maybe by "three rings" you mean the 3 black bands that separate the tip, ring, ring and sleeve from each other?
If you have headphones with a TRS plug you do not need an adapter for it to work in a combo port. You only would need an adapter if you have a headset with a mic with a TRS plug. A mic's TRS plug will not work in a combo port and needs an adapter to convert it to a TRRS plug. The adapters sometimes work on Dell laptops but a lot of times they will not work. You might have better luck using a usb audio jack.