SigmaTel Audio Problems

  • Thread starter Thread starter Fernando Duran
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Fernando Duran

I have exactly the same problem and I don\t understand why Windows people
can do this damaged by updating their operating system....still don't have
any sound...
 
My system is built on a D975Xbx2 motherboard with built in auido. I'm using
Vista Business for an operating system. The sound drivers are for SigmaTel
High Definition Audio CODEC. Like so many others, I've mistakenly updated
the drivers from Windows Update Center and lost all audio.

I did a rollback of the drivers and then installed an previous system
restore point. Audio may or may not work for a short while and then
disappears again.

The device manager shows"This device is working properly."
The Sound applet in the control panel shows two devices. One is "Speakers"
and the other is Digital OUtput Device (SPDIF) Both are SigmaTel High
Definition Audio CODECS and shown as working. The SPDIF has a green check
mark and thus I believe is the default device. It shows activity on the bar
graph when music is played, while the "Speakers" do not even when I set them
as default device.

Does anyone have suggestions regarding how to get my audio working again?
 
Yogi,

So to which device are you connected. To the digital out (SPDIF) or to
analog out (speakers)? You post sounds as if you want analog, but the system
thinks you're connected to digital. Please clarify.
 
OK, here is where I show my ignorance.

I have a Logitech Z-5300 speaker system (6 speakers including the subwoffer)
connected to the motherboard. That is where I need the sound to be. I'm
presuming they are analog driven.

The control panel shows the (SPDIF) digital channels are the ones with the
sound on them, but I have no clue what hardware that would entail to actually
hear the audio. When I use the CP applet to switch to the speakers, the
green checkmark moves, but the graphic shows no sound on that channel nor do
I hear any out of the speakers.

The bottom line is I don't know what hardware was involved when I did hear
the audio, but I do want it on the speakers for now.
 
Yogi,

Well, your situation does pose a bit of a dilemma, what with all the changes
made to your system as a result of the updates you downloaded. That makes it
hard to tell where the problem lies or could likely lie.

First, digital SPDIF out would typically be connected to an amplifier via
digital in for production of 5.1 surround sound, or some other similar type
sound effect. Analog out (speakers) is just what it sound like. That is,
the line out is connected to your speakers directly, but could also be
connected to an amplifier via analog in.

So, how is your audio cable connected on the back of your computer (to which
out port)? I must conclude that if your cables are connected correctly and
all settings in Control Panel/Sound are set properly (nothing on mute), then
the problem must be elsewhere, not the with settings, but likely with the
drivers.

Try reinstalling the audio drivers. Where did you get the drivers
originally? Were they on the VISTA DVD, or on the motherboard driver CD, or
did you download them? I would say, reinstall the drivers that worked for
you originally.

Anyone please chime in if you have a better idea. Let us know what happens.
 
Thanks for all your patient help Freddy. I understand a little more about
the audio in my system now. Apparently my Logitech speaker system requires
the speaker drivers not the digital drivers. To verify that, I located the
digital output port on the motherboard, and there were no connections to it.

The rollback to a known good restore point fixed the problem with the
updated drivers that did not work. However, I totally missed the fact that
my web cam software (also Logitech) can override the control panel settings.
That is exactly what happened in this case. It never occurred to me that a
basically video program wold mess up audio settings in the control panel.
Vista tends to overdo it with warnings and permissions to continue, but in
this case a basic configuration change was made without my knowledge.

Thanks again for your assitance
 
Yogi,

So, is it fixed? What setting did you change? Many people read these
postings, and I'd like to have a more complete explanation for everyone's
benefit, including me. We all can always learn something.

So, a setting (or settings) was changed from what to what?

Digital output in audio is nothing more than sound in digital form. That
is, sound represented by 1s and 0s, as they say. A "1" is a transistor that
is turned on, and a "0" is a transistor turned off. Sound is translated into
these 1s and 0s. That's what digital is, otherwise a signal is not digital.
These digital signals are then transmitted to a receiver/amplifier via
digital inputs which translates them into sound and outputs it to speakers.
It's all hardwired and coded to work that way. All digital works in this
manner.

On the other hand, in this case, analog sound is represented by a type of
vibration or wave form carried on the signal. You can send this signal
directly to the speakers or to a receiver/amplifier via analog inputs. Then
the receiver/amplifier sends the signal on to the speakers. Clear as mud.

Anyway, glad you got it working.
 
I've been using Vista since early February (2007) and the audio was not a
problem until I installed the optional Windows recommended updates to the
SigmaTel drivers. This is not the first time an update from Microsoft
crashed my Vista OS, but I'll leave those incidents for another time. The
moral of the story is, "if it isn't broke, don't fix it." And, if Microsoft
is offering an optional driver update, do not install it. Go to the device
manufacturer's web site and get the drivers from them if at all possible.

My recommendation is for the Microsoft developers to do something to improve
the quality control regarding updates.

My specific problem was resolved as follows:

Rollback the SigmaTel drivers to the previous version. Presumably that was
a working version. If not, uninstall the drivers and allow the system to
reinstall them during the next boot. This could be dangerous if the orginals
are not on your computer. Be sure you have a copy somewhere or or that you
can get the originals easily.

Still without audio? Verify all the hardware connections to the audio
devices. Audio and power cords.

Check the configuration of all the audio sources and clients in the Control
Panel. I looked at two, but there may be others depending on your system
configuration:
Control Panel --> Sound --> Playback tab --> each device therein. In my
case Speakers and SPDIF outputs
Control Panel --> System --> Device Manager --> Sound Video and Game
Controllers -- whatever drivers you have in there.

Still no audio? Then roll back to the last known "restore point." You do
create regular Restore Points, don't you?

STILL no audio??? Then look elsewhere to devices and/or software on your
system that use audio. Any one of those may over ride all the settings from
above. In my particular case my Logitech web cam software defaulted to using
the SPDIF (digital) audio output. Since my system has no digital hardware
attached, I connect to the "speaker/analog" output channels. Discovering
where the web cam software was set to use the digital audio channel was the
hard part. Once I found that, and changed it to use the speaker/analog
output from my motherboard, all was well again.


Simple, isn't it? UGH!
 
Yogi...I run this same board with the same onboard sound and the same
speakers...I have my speakers connected through the analog inputs as they
are not digital....I also use a Logitech webcam as well as run Vista
business...Eerily similar I would say....I have not had this problem and I
too have been running it since February....At least I know who to ask or who
to help when we have a problem in the future.....What processor and what
video card as well as what ram are you running ?? If that is also the same
that would be really strange...Just my 3 cents...........Have a good one !!!
 
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