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New Thinkpad T43p Sound Volume Problem

post #1 of 13
8/20/05 at 5:02am
Thread Starter 
I just acquired a new Thinkpad T43p (model 2668H8U).

What baffled me is the unbelievably low maximal sound volume. Going into settings, and the specific software for playing a CD or DVD (mediaplayer or whatever) and putting the sound controls on maximal, and it is still impossible to watch a DVD or listen to the radio.

I have no idea what the problem might be. I contacted Lenovo Tech Support and they guided me through diagnostics which came up with fine. Yet, I find it hard to believe that this can be normal. While I understand that this machine was not developed as a multimedia laptop, the maximum sound I can get out of it must be about 20 times less than from any other mainstream laptop.

Any suggestions on what the problem might be ?
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post #2 of 13
8/20/05 at 12:42pm
get external speakers or headphones. why would you want to listen to the horrid stock speakers in any lapop?

the volume from my thinkpad's speakers is low, but not That low. At least I think so, I've only listened to them accidentally.

You do have the volume all the way up when you click on the little speaker icon in the bottom right corner of the taskbar, and then also with the volume buttons on the keyboard, right?
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post #3 of 13
8/20/05 at 2:17pm
I'm thinking buy a thinkpad similar to you. I have some question:

What do you think about the ATI Movility OpenGL V3200?
How many hours you can use the laptop with the battery included?
If you have some things to tell I'll be a lot of grateful

THANKS!!!!
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post #4 of 13
8/20/05 at 10:26pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jmmmmm
get external speakers or headphones. why would you want to listen to the horrid stock speakers in any lapop?

the volume from my thinkpad's speakers is low, but not That low. At least I think so, I've only listened to them accidentally.

You do have the volume all the way up when you click on the little speaker icon in the bottom right corner of the taskbar, and then also with the volume buttons on the keyboard, right?
Thanks. Good points, but at this point I am simply trying to identify if something is wrong with my Thinkpad or not, so that I can decide to send it in or not. Yes, the volume controls are all the way up (both in the media-specific software, and in the Sounds & Audio Devices Properties in the Settings).

With external speakers it gives a more normal sound. I travel a lot, often international, spend a lot of time in hotel rooms, and thus do not travel with speakers simply to limit weight.

A colleague of mine suggested the Thinkpad might have a faulty amplifier chip, but I don't know how to test that. Every diagnostic I ran comes up with "the device is working properly".
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post #5 of 13
8/20/05 at 10:34pm
Thread Starter 

Battery lasts less than Magazines suggest

Quote:
Originally Posted by pucelano7
I'm thinking buy a thinkpad similar to you. I have some question:

What do you think about the ATI Movility OpenGL V3200?
How many hours you can use the laptop with the battery included?
If you have some things to tell I'll be a lot of grateful

THANKS!!!!
The Battery of the Thinkpad runs out in about 3:40 minutes, give or take a couple of minutes. IBM/Lenovo says you can get up to 8 hours with the largest 9-cell battery + the compact polymer battery added to the slim-line bay. I have ordered those but not tried out yet. Note that if you do that, you also won't have a CD-Rom or DVD drive left, coz the space is taken up by a second battery. Without any doubt the Thinkpad just devours energy.

I have not yet concluded what I have to think of this Thinkpad. You may want to go for the 2668H2U model, which seems to be the best. I have the 2668H8U model and got some initial wrong information; my model does not have a fingerprint reader and IBM says it can't be added either. So, it really seems the 2668H2U (which has the fingerprint sensor) is the model that allows the most extensive upgrade possible.

I also need to figure out what is wrong with the sound. If the very weak sound which my machine produces is really 'normal', then no way that I could recommend this machine. It makes its audio capability quite useless, and I wonder why none of the test magazines have pointed this out.
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post #6 of 13
8/31/05 at 3:58pm
If you got the wrong model for you, instead of the 2668H2U, can't you return it and get the correct model. If you bought directly from Lenovo/IBM, they have a fairly liberal return policy. I know. I returned my T43 with no problems.

Jerry C.
California
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post #7 of 13
9/2/05 at 1:27pm
well i know my T43p's volume is not as hig as my dormates dell media laptop.....but its not 20 times lower then it.....just do what i do...i got some good and comfortable compact hed fones.....with the hed fones on it sounds great.
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post #8 of 13
9/3/05 at 12:45am
Thread Starter 

Does not make any difference

Nope, does not make any difference. I tried headphones with my T43p in the car, in the train and in the plane, and basically can't hear a thing unless there is some fortissimo outburst. As previously said, volume is up to max in the settings or software program everwhere where there is a possibility to turn the volume up. The only thing I can think of, is that my Thinkpad came with a broken or dysfunctional amplifier chip.
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post #9 of 13
9/3/05 at 12:47am
Thread Starter 

Wrong model ?

Quote:
Originally Posted by jerryci
If you got the wrong model for you, instead of the 2668H2U, can't you return it and get the correct model. If you bought directly from Lenovo/IBM, they have a fairly liberal return policy. I know. I returned my T43 with no problems.

Jerry C.
California

Unfortunately, I did not buy from IBM/Levono direct, simply because their prices are way too high. I paid about $800-$1,000 less buying it from a third party seller. Unfortunately, they don't have the same return policy.
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post #10 of 13
9/3/05 at 4:47pm
WOW E.S, if its really that bad then i would definetly say that there is something wrong, cos when i have my hed fones on i almost never turn it up past the half way mark cos it gets way too loud. My suggestion is to act quickly and return the laptop. Cos i usually use my laptop in my dorm and it gets loud becos of those kids playin halo on surround sound, so i usually pop in my fones listen to music and i dont hear anything but the music. Hope this helps
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post #11 of 13
9/4/05 at 1:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by E.S. Blofeld
Nope, does not make any difference. I tried headphones with my T43p in the car, in the train and in the plane, and basically can't hear a thing unless there is some fortissimo outburst. As previously said, volume is up to max in the settings or software program everwhere where there is a possibility to turn the volume up. The only thing I can think of, is that my Thinkpad came with a broken or dysfunctional amplifier chip.
Something is definitely wrong with your internal amp then. I think your two options are seeing about repair through ibm or getting an external soundcard. I can't say for certain that a new soundcard will definitely fix the problem, but I think it might. Since you said you travel a lot, you could look at a pci-soundcard, like the echo indigo or audigy 2. Those two aren't that cheap, but people who buy those sorts of soundcards are usually doing it to get better sound. (The indigo sounds much better than the audigy, btw.) You might be able to find ones for cheaper, I've never really looked into them.
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post #12 of 13
9/16/07 at 12:04pm
Open up the master Volume Control applet via: Control Panel->Sound and Audio Devices->Device Volume->Advanced. You will see several volume controls...make sure to max out the *Wave* volume as that is what controls a lot of the Internet related stuff.

Dan
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post #13 of 13
6/19/08 at 9:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by E.S. Blofeld View Post
I just acquired a new Thinkpad T43p (model 2668H8U).

What baffled me is the unbelievably low maximal sound volume. Going into settings, and the specific software for playing a CD or DVD (mediaplayer or whatever) and putting the sound controls on maximal, and it is still impossible to watch a DVD or listen to the radio.

I have no idea what the problem might be. I contacted Lenovo Tech Support and they guided me through diagnostics which came up with fine. Yet, I find it hard to believe that this can be normal. While I understand that this machine was not developed as a multimedia laptop, the maximum sound I can get out of it must be about 20 times less than from any other mainstream laptop.

Any suggestions on what the problem might be ?
Hey, sorry, but suggesting that the solution to this unacceptable low volume issue is just to lug around some external speakers for your laptop rather than rely on the internal ones is absolutely ludicrous.

Sure, external speakers may be superior, but I think we have laptops for their portability and usefulness. But maybe whoever posted #2 is still using a "bag phone"?

HERE is the solution that worked for me, and I can't even tell you how STOKED I AM!: (AC3 Filter)

http://www.propeller.com/viewstory/2...%2F&frame=true

The AC3 Filter app can be downloaded from SourceForge.

Happy LOUD computing!
HLH
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