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Which Audigy 2 card fits into D/Dock - Page 2

post #21 of 31
5/26/06 at 2:53am
I'm not certain about this (so don't quote me on it), but I recall reading somewhere that the PCI slot in the D\Dock is essentially a pin-to-pin connection with a set of pins on the docking connector. So, while it is physically located off of the notebook motherboard, it is still being driven directly off of the notebook's PCI bus with no controllers or the like in-between, which is why people have reported extremely good results with the PCI slot (errr, when they don't just have a bad PCI slot). I think that most of the connections in the docking stations work that way--they are essentially connected exactly the same way as the ones directly on the motherboard, but are just routed through docking connector. I would think that interference might be an issue, but in most cases it doesn't seem to be a problem at all.

The thing I'm actually most leary about is extra drive bay on it. That is an IDE controller that is driven off of the USB bus (connected to the dock's internal USB hub) instead of directly off the motherboard. For the PCI slot though, I think that the issues that you're going to run in to are physical size, heat (or rather, cooling), and maaaaaybe power consumption ... but I don't see the docking connector itself being a limitation.
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post #22 of 31
5/26/06 at 4:52am
Almost all port replicators are simple pinout, it is far too difficult to do signal transformation on everything. The USB ones are different since they are basically just USB hubs with extra devices, but real port replicators with video and PCI are pinout port replicators.

And it's really easy to connect a couple hundred pins over a dock connector.
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post #23 of 31
5/26/06 at 5:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sykes
The thing I'm actually most leary about is extra drive bay on it. That is an IDE controller that is driven off of the USB bus (connected to the dock's internal USB hub) instead of directly off the motherboard. For the PCI slot though, I think that the issues that you're going to run in to are physical size, heat (or rather, cooling), and maaaaaybe power consumption ... but I don't see the docking connector itself being a limitation.

Really? Thats bad news. Why any person would like to connect a hd in this way? An external 3,5 hd in a usb 2 case would do the same performance, for much less money.
Couple things more:
The 4 usb ports in the d/dock are all replicated or some are aditional usb ports?
When you use the d/dock the notebook replicated ports are detactivated or you can connect things simultaneously to the notebook and the dock ports?
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post #24 of 31
5/26/06 at 7:24pm
Thread Starter 
Bad news here. I put in my Audigy XFi card into D\Dock, installed Creative software. There is no sound now from the internal speakers, not even Log on sounds on the M90, whereas there had been sound before with the Sigmatel HD.
I did find installing the card very difficult. There was no reassuring click that it was seated properly. I've pulled it in and out several times with no success.
Do you all think it's just a bad (new) D\Dock (from Dell)? (I got a fairly good buy when I ordered it with the laptop).
My Audio drivers all updated to the X-Fi.
Please help
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post #25 of 31
5/26/06 at 10:54pm
When I installed my Audigy sound card in the dock the internal audio was no longer the default audio device so the internal speakers will not work. I would assume this is normal, as there is no way to route the audio from the dock to the internal speakers. I have an older Dell Precision with an Audigy card and the Integrated sigmatel was dissabled in the BIOS when I installed the Audigy.
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post #26 of 31
5/26/06 at 10:57pm
Does Windows see the new Audigy card? Did it install the drivers for it?

As far as I know, the PCI Audigy cards are not designed to work with the notebook's internal speakers (only the PCMCIA one is). If you want to use the audigy, you'll have to connect speakers to the audigy card itself.

If you need to use the internal speakers, you'll probably have to change the default sound playback device back to the integrated audio. You can do this on the Audio tab of the Sounds and Audio Devices control panel.
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post #27 of 31
5/26/06 at 11:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sykes
Does Windows see the new Audigy card? Did it install the drivers for it?

As far as I know, the PCI Audigy cards are not designed to work with the notebook's internal speakers (only the PCMCIA one is). If you want to use the audigy, you'll have to connect speakers to the audigy card itself.

If you need to use the internal speakers, you'll probably have to change the default sound playback device back to the integrated audio. You can do this on the Audio tab of the Sounds and Audio Devices control panel.

I hadn't considered that. That is how mine is also, the integrated isnt dissabled its just not set as my default device. I can't see a reason to use the Audigy if you aren't going to attach external speakers.

In my desktop system when I installed the Audigy it turned the integrated sound off in the BIOS.
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post #28 of 31
5/27/06 at 12:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by yellowlt4
I can't see a reason to use the Audigy if you aren't going to attach external speakers.
heh, me either ... the only thing I can think of is someone wanting to use it for the breakout box for the audio inputs and outputs.
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post #29 of 31
5/27/06 at 1:07pm
Thread Starter 
Sorry I couldn't reply sooner. Just getting the card seated without sticking out the back so the cover wont fit was time consuming and frustrating.
Here's where I had the problem: With the card "installed," I tried to get the default device changed to the X-Fi. But instead of having a choice in the pulldown menu, there was onhly "Windows default" which of course is Sigmatel. In Task Mgr., there was only the Sigmatel drivers installed. I tried to disable the onboard sound in the BIOS (like in a desktop), but there is no listing for "sound" in the Integrated Devices. As a new wrinkle, when connected my external speakers to the PCI card, there was no sound from them, but suddenly there was for my laptop's internal speakers. I guess this could be expected since the Sigmatel drivers were the only ones working. Still no choice. I did get the "New Hardware found" box. No luck there either.
So I reseated the PCI card this morning. (The cover still wont fit flat).
Now, Windows recognizes the X-Fi, and there is a choice to make it the default device. This is good news. My internal speakers are not sounding, so, as I understand you, all is correct-so far. I have not yet connected my external speakers to test them out. Will get back to you all. Thanks for the input.
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post #30 of 31
5/27/06 at 2:32pm
Yes, at this point I would say all is correct. I am using the Audigy 2 not the X-Fi and installation was very easy, popped card into PCI slot and slid cover back on the dock. I booted up loaded the Creative drivers/software and everything is working. I did update the creative software as my CD is an older revision.
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post #31 of 31
5/27/06 at 6:14pm
Thread Starter 
The external speakers produce no sound. The card fitted in far enough to have the analog jacks exposed and accessible, but not the digital one (the nearest to the edge). Even so, with the analog connections didn't work either. The height or "depth" of the card is 1/8" too long to enable the exposure of the frontmost jack and also too long to close the back cover without bulges and open ends. The card finally felt seated to my satisfaction, but even so, it could not be pushed back any further. The outside metal bracket that fits up against the screw hole cannot be pushed in any further because it is up tight against the screw hole.
It might be my particular D/Dock , item PD891. Gandalf027 got his X-Fi card to function.
Also, my sound software refused to recognize and give me the choice to choose the Creative X-Fi for default.
So, I will return the D\Dock and try another. I wish I knew what model to ask for the older one, that seems to work, or the newer one for the M90, which I have but doesn't work.
I'm also expecting an Audigy 2 card to arive for comparison first.
Groan. yellowlt4, thanks for the input
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