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XPS M1210 SPDIF & Screen Ripple

post #1 of 17
7/7/06 at 12:12pm
Thread Starter 
Just wanted to ask a few questions:

1. Has anyone else out there has gotten the SPDIF connector that you plug into the 3 jacks in front of the M1210? I wonder if it comes standard or if it had to be ordered (didn't see an option to select this online).

2. Does anyone notice slight rippling of the screen when pressed from the back? My screen does not ripple except for a small dime sized spot around the mid-upper-left part, my last Latitude with this ripple ended up getting dark spots where the ripple occured (want to address it while still with-in my 21 days if it's an isolated issue.)

3. Though I didn't order the Audigy HD software, my system came with it installed and all its software seems to work. Is paying for the Audigy HD software a waste of money since it's already preinstalled or did I get lucky?

Thanks, so far this system rocks. Sreen is awesome except for some minor light leakage... even though the screen is not as bright as the outgoing E1405 and the whites could be better, after calibrating it with Adobe Gamma, this screen bangs with the best. Screen also doesn't go dark at top or wash out at bottom when slightly tilted like the E1405 and there is not grainy/sparkly effect on the screen, better on my eyes.
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post #2 of 17
7/7/06 at 12:50pm
I'm curious about #1 as well. I am using the analog 5.1 output (multichannel) from the 3 jacks in the front of the 1210 but would rather use digital if there really is a way to get a s/pdif signal from the integrated audio.
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post #3 of 17
7/7/06 at 12:57pm
1. I personally don't know the answer to that, but there is a thread that is pretty recent which includes step-by-step how to output 5.1 channel surround right from his M1210

2. My screen does not ripple and if tilted to the rigt level, no light leakage is visible on a black background.

3. Hm... I ordered the 25 dollar software, so I wouldn't be able to answer that for you.
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post #4 of 17
8/19/06 at 4:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dajohu
I'm curious about #1 as well. I am using the analog 5.1 output (multichannel) from the 3 jacks in the front of the 1210 but would rather use digital if there really is a way to get a s/pdif signal from the integrated audio.



The M1210, as far as I know, only has a two-channel sound card. So what you said should not be possible. Care to explain???

Regarding S/PDIF - you will need this:

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...4&sku=310-8274

It plugs into the S-video output (!)

See also here:

http://www.notebookforums.com/showth...ighlight=spdif
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post #5 of 17
8/19/06 at 7:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by NYCscorpio2000
2. Does anyone notice slight rippling of the screen when pressed from the back? My screen does not ripple except for a small dime sized spot around the mid-upper-left part, my last Latitude with this ripple ended up getting dark spots where the ripple occured (want to address it while still with-in my 21 days if it's an isolated issue.)

how hard are you pressing? it seems to take alot for mine to ripple, normal pressure does not do anything
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post #6 of 17
8/19/06 at 8:28pm
1 no idea

2. Like the dude above said, mine only ripples if you press really hard. Harder than I feel comfortable putting pressure on my m1210 that is. Actually, I just found a tiny spot were it ripples a little if I put pressure on it. I guess I'm not really worried cos I have 4 year complete care anyway.

3. I got it free too. I figure they just try to make the extra $25 and if they don't they send it anyway...I'm not complaining though. It's decent.
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post #7 of 17
8/20/06 at 11:58am
Thread Starter 
System issues have been address since I posted this... the rippling occured by just opening and closing the lid, new LCD back cover fixed the issue along with a new LCD due to watery ripple effected when moving the laptop. SPDIF does have be ordered seperately... and the Audigy software expired after a month... dunno why, so I used the one that I bought with the 640m, worked fine.
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post #8 of 17
8/20/06 at 12:28pm
Does the Audigy s/w make a lot of difference to sound from the speakers/headphones? I assume it stays in the background at all times? Does it tax the system resources this way?
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post #9 of 17
8/20/06 at 2:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by m94mni


The M1210, as far as I know, only has a two-channel sound card. So what you said should not be possible. Care to explain???

Sure, actually you can get at 6 channels without using any sort of digital connection. Go to the control panel, then the Sigmatel Ausio icon, from there you can assign each jack on the front to a different pair of speakers (left/right, left surround/right surround, center/subwoofer). It works great but it's a pain to have to plug/unplug all three everytime I take the computer anywhere. This usage is called "multichannel" output and you need to have a "mutichannel" input on your receiver or computer speakers for it to work. I am using a Onkyo 7.1 receiver that has one set of multichannel inputs. Some DVD players have outputs like this as well, but I have never needed to use it until now though.

If anyone else bought the Kensington USB port replicator, it also has the ability to do this, but through it's own drivers, not the Sigmatel ones.

Note: Also I don't use and have never tried the Soundblaster software.
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post #10 of 17
8/20/06 at 4:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dajohu
Sure, actually you can get at 6 channels without using any sort of digital connection.

Still confused.... I'm trying to understand what sigmatel card you have. All the pics I've seen of the M1210 don't have any front jacks at all. And the specs on www.dell.com only say 2-channel sound. Do you have pics, or some other kind of documentation about this? I'm very curious, especially since my M1710 does certainly *not* have multichannel outputs...

Of course, if you get it to work, more power to you...
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post #11 of 17
8/20/06 at 4:40pm
Update: so, it seems I'm wrong, according to the manual:

http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...m/PF362A02.pdf

(page 68).

Wow, that makes the M1210 the first laptop I've seen with analog multichannel outputs.

Thus, my previous statement is withdrawn...

Edit: actually, I know of an Acer model with 5.1, but this has to be the first Dell laptop with 5.1
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post #12 of 17
8/20/06 at 5:24pm
Went to Dell chat, where the guy said:

"It will be like virtual surround since its card is only stereo"

The card is the 2-channel Sigmatel STAC9200 (according to Dell)...
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post #13 of 17
8/20/06 at 8:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by m94mni
Went to Dell chat, where the guy said:

"It will be like virtual surround since its card is only stereo"

The card is the 2-channel Sigmatel STAC9200 (according to Dell)...

Well let me assure you that through the Sigmatel control panel you can independantly test all 5(+1) speaker channels and they correctly address each speaker, so it is definitely 6 actual channels. How well programs and games can use these channels is the question. I did notice that it is easier to tell that it is 6 channels using the Kensgington port replicator than the built in sound card, like the rear channels had better seperation and the volume was correct. But this could be because I tweaked the levels of each speaker for the port replicator, if I did that for the built in sound I bet it would sound better.

Dell reps have been known to tel you different things and even flat out lie/say incorrect things (remember the whole Sound Blaster Audigy sound card "upgrade" deal?)
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post #14 of 17
8/20/06 at 9:08pm
Oh, yeah, I know Dell seldom tells the truth...

I'm not sure we're getting the whole picture. I just wonder what card is in there... and I don't really know how to find out.
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post #15 of 17
8/21/06 at 10:25pm
Just did a quick google on the Sigmatel 9220 and here is what i found. Of course I'm assuming that the BIOS is reporting the chip correctly. From there is looks like it is at least 5.1 capable, the 9200 by the way is only 2 channel.

http://www.sigmatel.com/products/pca...k/stac9220.asp
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post #16 of 17
8/22/06 at 7:16am
Yep, the 9220 is 8 channel. But I want to see some confirmation that the M1210 indeed has the 9220... How can we find out???
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post #17 of 17
8/22/06 at 9:56am
Other than the BIOS, I suppose one could open up the case and look at the chip. A third way would be some sort of program that identifies hardware, maybe Sandra or another benchmarking program.
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