Audigy / Sigmatel in Inspiron 6400 question

[Clunk]

Received an Inspiron 6400 today and the audio is supposed to be Audigy, but it appears to be Sigmatel Hi definition audio codec instead.

Does anyone know if this is some kind of driver error, or in fact it has got the wrong sound stuff inside it?

A quick google turned up conflicting reports.

thanks

[dave87]

Its a dell marketing thingy.

Its not an audigy - it uses Creatives software - basically in the same principle as the old non hardware modems - it uses drivers to get the CPU to work out the rest, IF you buy extra software. I personally didn't bother, and before I even ran in the thing it had been reformatted

Dave

[this_is_gav]

From what I could read about when I was speccing up a laptop (model I can't remember), the Audigy doesn't actually exist. It's a more common controller (probably this one you've got) but with the Audigy software layer.

I couldn't believe they charged extra for it, so I moved elsewhere.

//edit: OK... just too damn slow

[Clunk]

Ah, so there is no audigy, but they are selling it as one? Thats a bit shoddy, Ill have to get on to them in the morning.

To be honest, I might send this back, I payed about £100 quid extra for the 1680x1050 screen and it has got one of those horrible shiney finishes on it, and theres 2 dead pixels. And its £30 cheaper on the website now...bugger.

[dave87]

I must admit the shiney finish on the screen is a tad annoying, but I was lucky enough to get a 1680x1050 screen with no dead pixels - so I quite like it. Gives me much more room than the 1280x800 screen which would have been a step down from my 1280x1024 monitor at home. (It also has a shiney finish on it)

What was the spec of it in the end (out of interest)?

Dave

[Clunk]

The screen is fantastic apart from the shineyness, the dead pixels I can live with, but I can see the reflectiveness becoming a problem. they really should mention it on the website.

Specs are;

core 2 duo t5500
2 x 512 ram (one was free alledgedly)
1680x1050 15.4 screen
100gb 7200rpm drive
9 cell battery
wireless
dvdrw
xp home + works + loads that i deleted
alledged Audigy
vista upgrade

I think thats it

Ill see what I can wangle.

[dave87]

I want a vista upgrade coupon

And I upgraded to XP Pro....

[Clunk]

this is only a vista basic voucher. they wouldnt throw in mce, the sods

Edit: This is definately going back, one core is 88c and rising under load, the other is 86c according to TAT

[Clunk]

FFS, trying to get through to Dell is a bit of a nightmare. Rang customer service and was passed to tech support, then back and forth 6 times and now im back at customer service again..on hold

EDit: passed about twice again, this time, the non english speaper gave me the direct number of an accounts manager, so i rang it and he is off until sunday. what a load of crap. Bring back ENGLISH call centres.

This just gets more idiotic by the minute. Another pigeon English speaking person, with no idea about Notebooks is trying to tell me that because I agreed to the order, I will be charged £15 for them to pick up the notebook, yeah course I will. Anyway, they are coming for it on friday.

[Clunk]

Update if anyone is arsed.

After the farce on the phones, I managed to find out two manager's names and emailed them in clear English, that I wanted to return the notebook or be compensated for it not being as described, and they offered me £30, so I told them where to shove it and they offered me £65, so I took it. Add the £65 to the £30 that I blagged off in the first place and that pays for the 1680x1050 screen so £540 total.

[dave87]

I just wonder whether the time spent on the phone to India was worth the £65?

[Clunk]

I wont be phoning them again, email from now on if i need to speak to anyone

[dave87]

Oh if you do have cause to phone them, if you get through to india hang up and redial, they have a call centre in Ireland aswell which is much more helpful