Have Dell Ripped Me Off

andymanis · 21 Jul 2009 at 20:32

I dont know if im going crazy but ive just had my dell inspiron 546 MT delivered which on the invoice says 7.1 integrated audio. However there are only 3 audio jacks on the back, one for the microphone, then a line in and 1 line out. So i was struggling to see how this is 7.1 as there is only 1 output jack for my 3 leads which come from my sub. Ive called Dell explaining that surely there should be 6 audio jacks but the guy told me there should be 3 and that i will get 7.1 from that. Just to be sure i plugged in my sub to it through the one green cable and sure enough get sound through 2 speakers.

So an someone confirm that for 7.1 audio there need to be 6 jacks and that its not possible which just the standard 3? cos if so ill go and call them back.

longqoo · 21 Jul 2009 at 20:37

'integrated' means not real 7.1, is on board sound which theoretically outputing 7.1, but not via a 7.1 hardware....thus is 3 jacks only

i hope this helps XD

AlexTrickle · 21 Jul 2009 at 20:57

'integrated' means not real 7.1, is on board sound which theoretically outputing 7.1

Gotta love the spin doctors at Dell

PhillyDee · 21 Jul 2009 at 21:01

I would still kick up a fuss. That doesnt seem right to me (Though I wouldnt be surprised if it was true). Integrated audio means integrated into the board and not via an addon card.

Dave M · 21 Jul 2009 at 21:56

Have a look in whatever sound manager program it has (probably in the sys tray), you may have to reconfigure the ports - there's no reason why the line out or mic can't be used to output other channels.

You'd only get 5.1 from three ports though (1 port = stereo, 1 port = rear, 1 port = sub+centre).

TheVoice · 21 Jul 2009 at 23:05

Looking at the config page, it does indeed say Integrated 7.1, and yet on the Tech Specs page, under Sound Cards it says "Integrated 5.1 Channel Audio up to Creative SoundBlaster® X-Fi Xtreme Audio (D)†". Furthermore, the product photos show 6 jacks, and the Setup Guide refers 6 too (http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/insp535mt/en/setgde/F970NOD.pdf).

james.miller · 21 Jul 2009 at 23:08

longqoo said:
'integrated' means not real 7.1, is on board sound which theoretically outputing 7.1, but not via a 7.1 hardware....thus is 3 jacks only

i hope this helps XD

intergrated means on board, nothing else.

Werewolf · 21 Jul 2009 at 23:10

One minor thing to bare in mind, is that if it's a Creative chipset for the sound it's quite possible that the jack sockets are slightly non standard - iirc they sometimes use 3 sockets to do 7.1 sound by using a socket that can handle 3 + shield rather than the normal 2 + shield connections for stereo (and generally only their own speakers have the right connectors to work off the bat with them).

That's based on what I remember of my brothers creative card and speakers (he's got 7.1 sound via 3x jacks).

shadowake · 22 Jul 2009 at 07:44

Werewolf said:
One minor thing to bare in mind, is that if it's a Creative chipset for the sound it's quite possible that the jack sockets are slightly non standard - iirc they sometimes use 3 sockets to do 7.1 sound by using a socket that can handle 3 + shield rather than the normal 2 + shield connections for stereo (and generally only their own speakers have the right connectors to work off the bat with them).

That's based on what I remember of my brothers creative card and speakers (he's got 7.1 sound via 3x jacks).

My 7.1 gigaworks only uses 3 jacks, black, orange and green if I remember rightly.

andymanis · 22 Jul 2009 at 10:13

TheVoice said:
Looking at the config page, it does indeed say Integrated 7.1, and yet on the Tech Specs page, under Sound Cards it says "Integrated 5.1 Channel Audio up to Creative SoundBlaster® X-Fi Xtreme Audio (D)†". Furthermore, the product photos show 6 jacks, and the Setup Guide refers 6 too (http://support.euro.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/insp535mt/en/setgde/F970NOD.pdf).

The problem with that guide, which is the one i have in paper form, is thats its not the same as what i have. For a start in mine it came with a an ATI graphics card installed as well as the on board as shown in the guide. I know as well that the sound chipset is VIA in the one i have not Creative.

I've also looked at the software for the sound and cant see anywhere to set jacks to do anything other than be able to plug a mic in and act as line in. In the speaker test as well there is no way of selecting that you have more than 2 speakers and nowhere is there any link to the words "7.1" in the software or device name.

So im thinking more and more that im justified in writing to Dell and maybe asking for a nice new 7.1 card to add.

Cru54d3r · 22 Jul 2009 at 10:34

andymanis said:
So im thinking more and more that im justified in writing to Dell and maybe asking for a nice new 7.1 card to add.

I would do this - or at the very least get someone from dell to explain to you how to get 7.1 audio from your audio-outs

andymanis · 22 Jul 2009 at 10:34

flicking thorugh that manual to page 54 clears it up. Under 546 it does state there should be only 3 audio jacks, however it then says "Via VT1708S integrated
5.1 channel, High Definition Audio"

so that is not 7.1 which it clearly states on my invoice so i think ill get onto them about it and see what i can do.