recently purchased Dell system, Dimension E520, asked for upgraded Audigy "soundblaster" soundcard option.
it arrived Friday.
The souncard Software model is as shown "advanced MB" "HD", all I really know. Sound is incredibly faint, if anything lower softer than on standard computer with no card. My old computer had a "Soundblaster 16" card,apparently that is same parent company Creative-Audigy, that's an old outdated soundcard they dont even sell anymore I dont think, it was twice this volume, I wouldnt call it anything special still, but acceptable/good.
but this..
I have rerun the software, makes no difference, i have checked all volume settings,including "wave" , including on the realplayer slide, are all showing full volume. Looking at online help pages about souncards, checked the hardware showing in "device manager",
In order, These are the items showing in the device manager menu:
"[b]Audio codecs"
"Legacy audio Drivers"
"Legacy Video Capture devices"
"Media Control devices"
"SigmaTel high definition audio Codec"
"Unimodem Half-duplex audio device"
"Video codecs"[/b]
then it goes to the "system devices" heading.
I do wonder why the word "Audigy" or "soundblaster" or "blaster", isn't mentioned on that devices list, I'm reluctant to open the machine up as it is brand-new under Warranty dell, a sound-card was on the option list, and the software had been run or seemed to have, Audigy CD was in unopened packet with the bits and pieces but I imagine they have their own copies and run them at Dell on various installations.
then it goes to the "system device" heading.
At my wits end as to how a system with any soundcard could be this soft a sound, with a DVD movie in it, have to have silence around me in the house to hear speech.
There is no point playing an MP3 on the computer as it is too soft to even be worth playing music, on old computer, was at least audible throughout most of house.
The speakers are plugged into the hole shown, there are 5 or 6 similiar holes around it, but none of the others produce any sound with speakers plugged in.
I am wondering to some extent if the card has even been installed, shouldn't it show in that "Device manager" hardware list?
Would it be physically obvious if the thing was there if I lifted the lid, are they typically marked what they are, and it obvious they are connected?
They are bascially a bit of green circuit board which should have the name of what it is written somewhere, right?
they just plug into motherboard, should stand out, right?
