Dell's Sorry History of Microphone/Soundcard Issue (Update)

On Wed, 07 Dec 2005 07:55:08 GMT, "Cymbal Man Freq." Don't
g wrote:



"Ted Zieglar" wrote in message

Look, by now everybody knows you're an idiot, so you can stop posting.
There's no one left to convince.

I'm sold. Where's my replacement sound card?

Contact Dell while your system is still new. If it doesn't
work now but did then, basically you've broken it.


This Sound Blaster Live! Value sold
for $99 in March 1999.

.... and?

A Pentium 100 sold for a few hundred $$$ a decade ago, do
you think it's worth that today too?


I'm having other problems with popping, crackling, noise, and silence with it
when using a certain speech program in Win XP.

Random observations have to be narrowed down to specific
causation. If it pops/crackles/etc while doing other simple
things like listening to an MP3, or recording when another
card and mic and app did so fine, you may've then isolated
the cause a bit.

Maybe I need a newer non-Creative
sound card that IS SoundBlaster compatible.


What makes you feel you need a Soundblaster compatible card?
Are you running a lot of old DOS games?

Class_Actionwrote:

WEAK MICROPHONE + AUDIGY 2 PROBLEM - TRY THIS... (9/18/2005)

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=60572

I think I have seen every single volume control slider that
exists
in the system, XP, Creative, etc.

If all you've tried is the sound controls in your 3rd party
hardware-related mixer (eg Creative Surround Mixer), the mic is
probably still set very low or muted.

What other controls have you tried? Please be more specific. Maybe
your problem can be easily resolved - unless that is something you're
not willing to accept.

(edges) wrote:

Class_Action wrote:

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=60572

I have been through every switch, slider and control with
XPS Advanced support at least twice. This isn't a user error.

I think I have seen every single volume control slider that exists
in the system, XP, Creative, etc.


If all you've tried is the sound controls in your 3rd party
hardware-related mixer (eg Creative Surround Mixer), the mic is
probably still set very low or muted.

What other controls have you tried? Please be more specific. Maybe
your problem can be easily resolved - unless that is something you're
not willing to accept.

You put in a lot of effort, and sorry didn't respond to you right away
as I didn't see your posts because you disabled x-posting.

All the controls, switches, sliders and what not, have been tried.
The low mic problem is not caused by wrong settings or user error.

If that were the case, Dell would have shouted the supposed "fix".
'

And if that were the case, why did Dell jerk around the customers?

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=21877

so i contacted Dell tech support they advised me to uninstall the
soundcard and reinstall it. I did that and it made no difference.

They told me to uninstall the windows sound recorder and
reinstall it, that made no difference either,

they told me to uninstall the whole of windows multimedia
I did that and it made no difference

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=60002

I am amazed (& frustrated) with the numerous "hoops" that Dell Tech
Support had me jump through over 12 days without ever admitting a
problem.
'

And if that were the case, why did Dell insist to reformat hard disk?

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=60002

Dell tech support insisted I reformat my hard disk
and reinstall everything.
'

And if that were the case, why did Dell replace soundcards and wonder
of all, even the motherboard?

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor...ssage.id=57660

Dell tech support called tonight to see if my system now worked
after 3 replacement sound cards and a new motherboard.
It doesn't.

Class_Action wrote:
lots and lots of cut'n'paste, but all snipped

I don't really want to extend the war here but I'd like to contribute this
little snippet of info I gained recently.
I have an old Dimension XPS. It has a mic that would appear to be wired a
little unusual. I thought that the 3.5mm stereo jack plug used the end two
conductors for the left and right channels, and the longer conductor
(nearest the jack body) as the common (or ground). Well, the Dell mic that
came with the XPS has the mic element connected between the end two
conductors and does not use the ground part of the plug. This mic does not
work (I haven't tried shouting) in any other piece of audio gear (PCs,
minidisk, etc). Does this mean that the XPS has a weird arrangement on the
sound card (mic input)? And would it follow that only the supplied mic would
work?

kony (Troll) wrote:

"Cymbal Man Freq." wrote:

"Ted Zieglar" (Dell Bot) wrote:

Look, by now everybody knows you're an idiot, so you can stop posting.
There's no one left to convince.

I'm sold. Where's my replacement sound card?

Contact Dell while your system is still new. If it doesn't
work now but did then, basically you've broken it.

Don't you think it's awefully fishy?
Maybe even "fraud-oriented"?

-------------------
kony (Troll) wrote:

Seems awefully fishy though, maybe even fraud-oriented that
you claim mic isn't working right NOW, rather than back when
system was brand new

SB Audigy 2 ZS GEN4 No sound through microphone (3/11/05)
http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=56256

Now a tech is sheduled to come to the house and replace the sound
card. Just what I need a 7 day old system for which I paid extra
for a high end sound card and now I'll have a refurbished one.
'

kony (Troll) wrote:

you claim mic isn't working right NOW, rather than back when
system was brand new and you could've simply asked for a
credit (refund) towards the card. For all we know they
might even offered that but you were too busy whining then
too, rather than anything constructive to resolve this.

Augidy SB ZS microphone problems FIX HERE!!!!
(11/3/2005)
http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=61369

I'm still having the same issue. The Dell tech support (based in
India I guess) does not reply anymore on email (even though I
politely remind them). I got a reply to call the usual support
phone number and want me to start all over again, as part of the
wearing out strategy.

-------------------

On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 00:51:20 -0700, Class_Action
wrote:

kony (Troll) wrote:

"Cymbal Man Freq." wrote:

"Ted Zieglar" (Dell Bot) wrote:

Look, by now everybody knows you're an idiot, so you can stop posting.
There's no one left to convince.

I'm sold. Where's my replacement sound card?

Contact Dell while your system is still new. If it doesn't
work now but did then, basically you've broken it.

Don't you think it's awefully fishy?
Maybe even "fraud-oriented"?


yes, I think you might be trying to commit fraud if your
system worked when new, but doesn't now, so now you blame
Dell.

There are hundreds of thousands (millions?) of Dells sold,
it's not at all unusual that many will have problems getting
any and everything to work that isn't set up exactly as they
need it, by default. Add to that some who really have bad
hardware- the same potential exists with any new system
bought anywhere, these are complex systems with a small
percentage of parts failures/issues/driver-bugs/etc, etc, so
playing the odds, every system is going to have a bug or two
whether it be a Dell or any other...

kony (Troll) wrote:

Class_Action wrote:

kony (Troll) wrote:

Contact Dell while your system is still new. If it doesn't
work now but did then, basically you've broken it.

Don't you think it's awefully fishy?
Maybe even "fraud-oriented"?

-------------------
kony (Troll) wrote:

Seems awefully fishy though, maybe even fraud-oriented that
you claim mic isn't working right NOW, rather than back when
system was brand new

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=56256

Now a tech is sheduled to come to the house and replace the sound
card. Just what I need a 7 day old system for which I paid extra
for a high end sound card and now I'll have a refurbished one.
-------------------


yes, I think you might be trying to commit fraud if your
system worked when new, but doesn't now, so now you blame
Dell.

Don't you think it's awefully fishy?
Maybe even "fraud-oriented"?

-------------------
kony (Troll) wrote:

Seems awefully fishy though, maybe even fraud-oriented that
you claim mic isn't working right NOW, rather than back when
system was brand new

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=56256

Now a tech is sheduled to come to the house and replace the sound
card. Just what I need a 7 day old system for which I paid extra
for a high end sound card and now I'll have a refurbished one.
-------------------

On Fri, 09 Dec 2005 09:36:34 -0700, Class_Action
wrote:

kony (Troll) wrote:

Class_Action wrote:

kony (Troll) wrote:

Contact Dell while your system is still new. If it doesn't
work now but did then, basically you've broken it.

Don't you think it's awefully fishy?
Maybe even "fraud-oriented"?

-------------------
kony (Troll) wrote:

Seems awefully fishy though, maybe even fraud-oriented that
you claim mic isn't working right NOW, rather than back when
system was brand new

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=56256

Now a tech is sheduled to come to the house and replace the sound
card. Just what I need a 7 day old system for which I paid extra
for a high end sound card and now I'll have a refurbished one.
-------------------


yes, I think you might be trying to commit fraud if your
system worked when new, but doesn't now, so now you blame
Dell.

Don't you think it's awefully fishy?
Maybe even "fraud-oriented"?

Yes it is extremely fishy that you refuse to fix your system
and instead point fingers.

kony (Troll) wrote:

Class_Action wrote:

kony (Troll) wrote:

Contact Dell while your system is still new. If it doesn't
work now but did then, basically you've broken it.

Don't you think it's awefully fishy?
Maybe even "fraud-oriented"?

-------------------
kony (Troll) wrote:

Seems awefully fishy though, maybe even fraud-oriented that
you claim mic isn't working right NOW, rather than back when
system was brand new

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=56256

Now a tech is sheduled to come to the house and replace the sound
card. Just what I need a 7 day old system for which I paid extra
for a high end sound card and now I'll have a refurbished one.
-------------------


yes, I think you might be trying to commit fraud if your
system worked when new, but doesn't now, so now you blame
Dell.

Don't you think it's awefully fishy?
Maybe even "fraud-oriented"?

-------------------
kony (Troll) wrote:

Seems awefully fishy though, maybe even fraud-oriented that
you claim mic isn't working right NOW, rather than back when
system was brand new

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=56256

Now a tech is sheduled to come to the house and replace the sound
card. Just what I need a 7 day old system for which I paid extra
for a high end sound card and now I'll have a refurbished one.
-------------------
'


Yes it is extremely fishy that you refuse to fix your system
and instead point fingers.

================================
kony (Troll) wrote:

Class_Action wrote:

Before open your big, fat foul mouth, why don't you read some posts
in this thread

Are you SURE that's a good idea? Seems like the more anyone
reads, the more they realize you had no intention of fixing
the problem rather than whining about it.

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...message.id=495

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WILL SOMEONE PLEASSSSEEEE TELL ME
HOW TO GET MY MIC TO RECORD?!?!
'

IF you actually
had a problem, I'd have had some sympathy up until that
point where you *decided* you're not going to do what they
required.

-------------------
kony (Troll) wrote:

They were probably hoping you'd stop acting like a loon and
just follow their directions, so they kep repeating them.

Did you ever actually DO what they insisted?

Do you suppose even the Dell onsite technician does not follow what
Dell tech insisted?

http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=21877

Well... technician came and installed new card (same type SB Live
Value! 512V CT4780).... He tried uninstalling, reinstalling drivers
etc.... all the same stuff I have tried before.... still no
better....
-------------------

================================

Class_Actionwrote:
You put in a lot of effort, and sorry didn't respond to you right
away
as I didn't see your posts because you disabled x-posting.

All the controls, switches, sliders and what not, have been tried.
The low mic problem is not caused by wrong settings or user error.

If that were the case, Dell would have shouted the supposed "fix".
'

And if that were the case, why did Dell jerk around the customers?

so i contacted Dell tech support they advised me to uninstall
the
soundcard and reinstall it. I did that and it made no
difference.

They told me to uninstall the windows sound recorder and
reinstall it, that made no difference either,

they told me to uninstall the whole of windows multimedia
I did that and it made no difference


http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=60002

I am amazed (& frustrated) with the numerous "hoops" that
Dell Tech
Support had me jump through over 12 days without ever admitting
a
problem.
'
And if that were the case, why did Dell insist to reformat hard
disk?


http://delltalk.us.dell.com/supportf...ssage.id=60002

Dell tech support insisted I reformat my hard disk
and reinstall everything.
'

And if that were the case, why did Dell replace soundcards and
wonder
of all, even the motherboard?


http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor...ssage.id=57660

Dell tech support called tonight to see if my system now worked
after 3 replacement sound cards and a new motherboard.
It doesn't.

Ok, Class, part of the problem why nobody here can help is, which of
these problems did Dell suggest to YOU for YOUR system, and which did
they suggest to OTHER people for THEIR system? This habit you have of
referencing all these other posts on this other forum does not help
your case. It's detracting from your clarity.

It's hard to piece together exactly what it is that you have tried,
what it is that Dell has told YOU to do with your specific machine
and the equipment you're trying to use with it, what your specific
problems are, in some of the links you've posted to the author even
has his problem fixed by the end of the thread. It's also hard to
piece together exactly what microphone you're using - is it one from
Dell? Is it a Radio Shack mic, or was that someone else? Did you get
the mic working on your wife's computer, or was that someone else?
etc etc

It's so muddled, it's impossible to sort out.

Is there another jack for a mic on the rear of the machine? It isn't
the best solution, but you could try that. If having the front jack
was so all-important, you should have tried it out when you got the
machine, and returned it.

At least take a lesson from this and consider having a machine custom
built for you by a smaller outfit next time. For the price you paid,
you should be able to get a very reliable machine suited to your
particular needs - pay attention to and do some research on the
retailer. Frankly, you should have reviewed the hardware included in
the system for the things you intended to use it for and searched for
complaints and problems. And for God's sake, do not purchase a
proprietary machine next time unless it's one *specifically*
configured for exactly what you intend to use it for. If it does have
problems, you won't be able to take matters into your own hands.