Tina Norris Fields
tinanfields at torchlake.com
Sat Mar 15 13:05:51 CDT 2014
Okay, good news. I got an adapter from Radio Shack - a sort of Y-adapter - one jack for mic and one jack for stereo headphones, combined to a single 4-pole plug. (Interesting sidebar - the language used by the Dell tech, calling the combo plug a 4-ring plug, confused my Radio Shack guy, because he correctly understands the black bands to be the rings and the metal surfaces to be the poles - which led him to tell me he didn't have any 4-ring adapters. It helps to use the right terms!!!) I now have sound through my headphones, plugged into the adapter and the adapter plugged into the combo jack on the laptop. Next, I will test the external speaker on this adapter. Then, I will test the microphone. The software GUI still refuses to acknowledge the presence of headphones, but I do have sound. Woo-hoo! TNF Tina Norris Fields tinanfields-at-torchlake-dot-com 231-322-2787 On 3/14/2014 4:02 PM, Tina Norris Fields wrote: > Here's my update: > I contacted both Radio Shack and Best Buy in Traverse City, and > learned that neither one has anything at all in-house with a 4-pole > plug or jack. I found an adapter 3-pole male to 4-pole male on eBay > and will have that in hand in another week or so. Meantime, I went > into the Dell Community FAQ Laptop Audio forum and found this about > the new combo jacks: > > http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/laptop/f/3517/t/19345854.aspx#six > > > summary: > ==== > Dell is now putting "combo" jacks in many of the laptop models. A > combo jack combines the function of a mic jack and a headphone jack > into a single jack socket. Here is what you can and cannot use with a > combo jack. > > You can use a smart phone type of headset. > > You can also use conventional headphones that have a 3.5mm 3 segment > plug (a TRS plug). A 3 segmented plug looks like this: (followed by a > picture just like mine) > > > You cannot use the combo jack for stereo line-in recording. It only > is capable of mono input. > > > You cannot use a conventional computer mic that has a 3.5mm TRS (3 > segmented) plug. You might be able to use a conventional mic with an > adapter cable. > ==== > > So, according to the Dell Community FAQ, my 3-pole headphone plug > should work just fine in the 4-pole audio jack. I have sent this very > same information to the tech handling my case. I'm waiting to see > what her response will be to my findings. > > TNF > > Tina Norris Fields > tinanfields-at-torchlake-dot-com > 231-322-2787 > > On 3/14/2014 1:06 PM, Tina Norris Fields wrote: >> Hi again, >> >> Okay, I got an email message from the tech supervising my case, >> asking me to test external speakers on the jack, and to send a >> picture of the headphone plug I am using. So, I tried. No joy with >> the external speaker, either. Both the external speaker and the >> headphone are using 3-ring stereo plugs. The tech has come back to >> me, saying that I need a 4-ring plug for this audio card. Hello, this >> is news. I called my friends at Radio Shack to see if I could get a >> 4-ring plug - they answered that they didn't have anything in the >> shop with 4-rings. The tech linked me to an article showing a >> picture of the kind of plug she said I need. Interestingly enough, >> the article is complaining that Windows 8.1 refused to recognize a >> 4-ring plug. Oh dear, now things are not looking right to me. >> >> Well, we'll see how things work out. >> >> TNF >> >> Tina Norris Fields >> tinanfields-at-torchlake-dot-com >> 231-322-2787 >> >> On 3/14/2014 9:47 AM, Tina Norris Fields wrote: >>> Hi All, >>> >>> I'm working with the Dell tech people to try to solve the problem, >>> and I'm exploring the online discussions on the same topic, but I >>> also want to ask this gang for help. >>> >>> I have a new Dell Inspiron 15R, came with Windows 8 (64-bit) - since >>> upgraded to Windows 8.1. >>> >>> When I plug in headphones, nothing changes - the speakers continue >>> to sound and no sound comes through the headphones. The mixer does >>> not show headphones, only speakers. The Sound properties dialog >>> does not show headphones, only speakers. All sound tests show the >>> speakers working well, and do not recognize headphones at all. >>> >>> After a long online chat with a Dell tech, the decision was to >>> replace the motherboard. That was done Wednesday evening. Upon >>> completion of the replacement, the initial problem remained exactly >>> the same. >>> >>> I have done all the driver updating I could find, both through the >>> My Dell Drivers support and from the manufacturer Realtek >>> Semiconductor website. Results continue to be exactly the same. >>> >>> So far, the online suggestions all point to setting the headphones >>> option in the Sound properties dialog to be the default. My problem >>> is that there is NO headphones option in the Sound properties dialog >>> box - none at all. I do have the "Show disabled devices" and "Show >>> disconnected devices" check boxes ticked. I have uninstalled and >>> reinstalled several times to no avail. The first time I >>> uninstalled, when I rebooted the system it did claim that no sound >>> device was installed. The last time I uninstalled, when I rebooted >>> the system the existing device had already been installed. >>> >>> The sound card is called Realtek High Definition Audio. I'm >>> thinking the sound card is defective, or, if it's truly a >>> motherboard problem, then the replacement motherboard has the same >>> defect as the original mortherboard. >>> >>> Any ideas about a solution? Thanks. >>> >>> TNF >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> dba-Tech mailing list >> dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com >> http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech >> Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >> > > _______________________________________________ > dba-Tech mailing list > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >