Audio Problem

[Caged Anger]

Ok, this is in regards to my Dell Latitude D620

Windows XP Pro
Intel Core Duo 1.8Ghz
1GB Ram
Sigmatel HD Integrated Audio
NVidea Quadro 110n 256MB
60 Seagate HDD

The dang this skips/crackles/distorts the sound what seems like evry other second. I want to say its somehow tied to the HDD activity but it doesn't always hit right when I see the HDD activity light flash. This isn't a problem that makes listening to music impossible, buts its damn near unbearable.

I have:

Reinstalled the drivers
Changed the Bios HDD settings through all options (Performance, Bypass, ect)
Deleted and reinstalled drivers.....
Tried finding different drivers
Plugged headphones into line in so it would reconfigure jacks
Reinstalled original drivers
Changed Audio acceleration and sample rate conversion settings
Googled and followed up on every lead on Google
Found Wifi possibility
Shut off WiFi
CHaged WIFi settings
.....completely uninstalled drivers, manually cleaned registry, and deleted backups (System restore turned off)
Reinstalled drivers

Still.....nuttin :bawling:

Drivin me nuts, attached sample recording of issue, hear it whether its playing on speakers or over headphones.

[Caged Anger]

25 views, no ideas....Gamemecca is loosing its edge me thinkz....:P

*update

get the distortion even while playing off a usb drive

[Bingo]

Views don't mean anything... could be spider views, guest views, whatever

[Bingo]

My gut feeling is that it's a hardware issue - specifically a loose connection or wiring. Which isn't good in that it would mean cracking the case. Which isn't bad meaning that it should be a simple fix once that's done.

[Caged Anger]

well, i got the 3 year completecare waranty, so any time i can reason out to them i have a hardware issue, they replace. I'm gonna continue to fiddle with it until I get back...at which point i will reimage the system. If that fails to solve the problem I will submit it to have the mobo replaced (sigmatel integrated crap)

Don't take this the wrong way, if any of you have some bright ideas or thoughts on this, please share!

[Fragetti]

Caged
Is the laptop plugged in while your playing mp3? Dose it sound the same through the default speakers?
try plugging it in a diff recpt or batt.

[Death Engineer]

It sounds like it it is definitely located in the audio device itself (which sounds like it is on the motherboard). I'd be calling on that warranty plan in a heartbeat.

[Caged Anger]

Caged
Is the laptop plugged in while your playing mp3? Dose it sound the same through the default speakers?
try plugging it in a diff recpt or batt.


noise is there plugged in or on battery, laptop speakers or headphones

[Caged Anger]

*update


oddly enough....the noise is not present while playing a dvd with the audio cranked or soft.....(think the computer is possesed)

*update2

great...I'm dealing with a possible intermittent harddware issue....randomly appears and disappears so i can't prove to Dell i have a basis for a waranty claim...gfahghhhh

[Fragetti]

I think it’s an interference problem. Have you tried taking the laptop to a different location and playing some mp3? It sounds to me like your picking up noise from something else in the immediate area. Also try muting all inputs mic / line in / aux etc.

Scratching head

[Caged Anger]

wtf...ok, installed a bunch of software today (mind you audio probelm has been gone) using the CD drive. Boom, problem with the audio is back again...

puzzled i eject the cd drive, put it back in and sure enough, audio problem disappears again.....weird stuff

[Bingo]

wtf...ok, installed a bunch of software today (mind you audio probelm has been gone) using the CD drive. Boom, problem with the audio is back again...

puzzled i eject the cd drive, put it back in and sure enough, audio problem disappears again.....weird stuff

My I direct you back to the first reply to this thread, which was mine by the way... :D

My gut feeling is that it's a hardware issue - specifically a loose connection or wiring. Which isn't good in that it would mean cracking the case. Which isn't bad meaning that it should be a simple fix once that's done.

I'm still 90% sure that's the problem.

[Caged Anger]

my bad :D

[Bingo]

my bad :D

lol

No worries. I was just poking fun since I'm still sure that's the problem!

[ME BIGGD01]

If your laptop has warranty I would not dare open it up. Google the model and see if anyone else is having a problem. As far as loose wires or such, there are none as the audio is integrated on the board. Sounds like driver issues and would suggest going to manufacturer site of the audio controller and download the latest driver. Cracking or hissing can becaused by a bad audio driver or chipset driver where the memory addresses are cross referencing. Also check temps of unit which can cause many different problems as well. Monitor cpu and memory usage during audio and video playback and see if their is any relation to what is going on.

[Caged Anger]

no relation between cpu+memory and problem...was watching task manager performance readouts while playback was in. I can crack the case anytime i want as I am covered by the fact i work the school helpdesk (a job with perks i tell yea ^_^) and best of all, sigmatel does not directly distribute drivers for its devices. All drivers come from the end distributor (ie...dell). The problem is gone for the moment, so i am content to leave the problem be...until perhaps i find i want a new mobo :P