Replacing Dell proprietory Soundblaster Live card with a retail Soundblaster Live card

I recently purchased a new Dimension 4600 machine, for use with the
Linux operating system (SuSE 8.2). Since Soundblaster Live! has
long been a supported audio card for Linux, I ordered the machine
with a Soundblaster Live card in place of the standard onboard Intel
sound chip.

Unfortunately, I discovered after delivery that Dell's Soundblaster
Live card is proprietory and works with Windows only as explained at:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...04%40nerim.net
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor....id=dim_audio&
message.id=39953

So yesterday, I purchased a new retail Soundblaster Live card to
replace the Dell proprietory card (I was prepared to, since although
I explained to the Dell salesperson at the time of placing the order
that the machine would be used with Linux only, I do not believe it
reasonable to expect a salesperson to know about this proprietory
card issue, since officially Windows is the only operating system
supported and the salesperson will have been trained only on that
operating system).

It does not seem, though, easy or straightforward to swap the cards
over. The Dell OEM card appears to be connected to the USB system
somehow (!) using a 6 wire hard wired connection, the "other end" of
which is not accessible. One cannot therefore replace the Dell OEM
card with the retail card without a great deal of hardware knowledge,
which I do not have.

I would like to arrange a (chargeable if necessary, I am quite happy to
pay) Dell service visit to remove the Dell OEM Soundblaster Live card,
and either replace it with the retail Soundblaster Live card which
I have purchased or remove it and re-enable the onboard Intel sound
chip (which Linux similarly supports), and in either case connect
the DVD-RW drive to the sound device enabled.

Is this possible? Cost really isn't an issue, and I am willing to pay
whatever Dell wish to charge. I am hoping for a speedy resolution
if possible. Alternatively I can drive to anywhere in the UK where
Dell might have a service centre, if they can do the work whilst I wait
(I will wait all day if needed).

--
Anthony Edwards

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 23:56:31 -0000, Anthony Edwards
wrote:

I recently purchased a new Dimension 4600 machine, for use with the
Linux operating system (SuSE 8.2). Since Soundblaster Live! has
long been a supported audio card for Linux, I ordered the machine
with a Soundblaster Live card in place of the standard onboard Intel
sound chip.

Unfortunately, I discovered after delivery that Dell's Soundblaster
Live card is proprietory and works with Windows only as explained at:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...04%40nerim.net
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor....id=dim_audio&
message.id=39953

So yesterday, I purchased a new retail Soundblaster Live card to
replace the Dell proprietory card (I was prepared to, since although
I explained to the Dell salesperson at the time of placing the order
that the machine would be used with Linux only, I do not believe it
reasonable to expect a salesperson to know about this proprietory
card issue, since officially Windows is the only operating system
supported and the salesperson will have been trained only on that
operating system).

It does not seem, though, easy or straightforward to swap the cards
over. The Dell OEM card appears to be connected to the USB system
somehow (!) using a 6 wire hard wired connection, the "other end" of
which is not accessible. One cannot therefore replace the Dell OEM
card with the retail card without a great deal of hardware knowledge,
which I do not have.

I would like to arrange a (chargeable if necessary, I am quite happy to
pay) Dell service visit to remove the Dell OEM Soundblaster Live card,
and either replace it with the retail Soundblaster Live card which
I have purchased or remove it and re-enable the onboard Intel sound
chip (which Linux similarly supports), and in either case connect
the DVD-RW drive to the sound device enabled.

Is this possible? Cost really isn't an issue, and I am willing to pay
whatever Dell wish to charge. I am hoping for a speedy resolution
if possible. Alternatively I can drive to anywhere in the UK where
Dell might have a service centre, if they can do the work whilst I wait
(I will wait all day if needed).

The other end of that mystery connector goes to the front headphone
jack. You should be able to plug in the retail SB card and use it.
You just won't have the front headphone jack working anymore. The
retail card doesn't have the connector needed to use the jack.

Dave

Dave so eloquently wrote:

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 23:56:31 -0000, Anthony Edwards
wrote:

I recently purchased a new Dimension 4600 machine, for use with the
Linux operating system (SuSE 8.2). Since Soundblaster Live! has
long been a supported audio card for Linux, I ordered the machine
with a Soundblaster Live card in place of the standard onboard Intel
sound chip.

Unfortunately, I discovered after delivery that Dell's Soundblaster
Live card is proprietory and works with Windows only as explained at:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...04%40nerim.net
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor....id=dim_audio&
message.id=39953

So yesterday, I purchased a new retail Soundblaster Live card to
replace the Dell proprietory card (I was prepared to, since although
I explained to the Dell salesperson at the time of placing the order
that the machine would be used with Linux only, I do not believe it
reasonable to expect a salesperson to know about this proprietory
card issue, since officially Windows is the only operating system
supported and the salesperson will have been trained only on that
operating system).

It does not seem, though, easy or straightforward to swap the cards
over. The Dell OEM card appears to be connected to the USB system
somehow (!) using a 6 wire hard wired connection, the "other end" of
which is not accessible. One cannot therefore replace the Dell OEM
card with the retail card without a great deal of hardware knowledge,
which I do not have.

I would like to arrange a (chargeable if necessary, I am quite happy to
pay) Dell service visit to remove the Dell OEM Soundblaster Live card,
and either replace it with the retail Soundblaster Live card which
I have purchased or remove it and re-enable the onboard Intel sound
chip (which Linux similarly supports), and in either case connect
the DVD-RW drive to the sound device enabled.

Is this possible? Cost really isn't an issue, and I am willing to pay
whatever Dell wish to charge. I am hoping for a speedy resolution
if possible. Alternatively I can drive to anywhere in the UK where
Dell might have a service centre, if they can do the work whilst I wait
(I will wait all day if needed).

The other end of that mystery connector goes to the front headphone
jack. You should be able to plug in the retail SBeh35_jpg.jpg card and
use it.
You just won't have the front headphone jack working anymore. The
retail card doesn't have the connector needed to use the jack.

Dave

Well using an XPS Gen2 Dell- I too almost got "burned" by the OEM SB Live
issue. However, easily overcame that by upgrading to Dell's Audigy 2, which
IS fully compatible with a variety of Linux distros (Mandrake, Suse,
Libranet, etc.).

So perhaps, to preserve all your Dell-specific connector options- see if an
Audigy 2 upgrade is feasible for your 4600. Might even be able to
"guilt-trip" Dell into a no cost swap..?

Regards,
Robert G. Ragosta
--
Linux User #273716 / Linux Machine #227435
KNode 0.7.2 / Mdk 9.2 / KDE 3.1.4 / Krnl 2.4.22-10mdkenterprise
"Which is better- Artificial intelligence or REAL stupidity...?"

That solution also retains the front head phone jack and gains you a
Firewire port.

Tom
"Robert G. Ragosta" wrote in message
ink.net...
Dave so eloquently wrote:

On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 23:56:31 -0000, Anthony Edwards
wrote:

I recently purchased a new Dimension 4600 machine, for use with the
Linux operating system (SuSE 8.2). Since Soundblaster Live! has
long been a supported audio card for Linux, I ordered the machine
with a Soundblaster Live card in place of the standard onboard Intel
sound chip.

Unfortunately, I discovered after delivery that Dell's Soundblaster
Live card is proprietory and works with Windows only as explained at:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...04%40nerim.net

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor....id=dim_audio&
message.id=39953

So yesterday, I purchased a new retail Soundblaster Live card to
replace the Dell proprietory card (I was prepared to, since although
I explained to the Dell salesperson at the time of placing the order
that the machine would be used with Linux only, I do not believe it
reasonable to expect a salesperson to know about this proprietory
card issue, since officially Windows is the only operating system
supported and the salesperson will have been trained only on that
operating system).

It does not seem, though, easy or straightforward to swap the cards
over. The Dell OEM card appears to be connected to the USB system
somehow (!) using a 6 wire hard wired connection, the "other end" of
which is not accessible. One cannot therefore replace the Dell OEM
card with the retail card without a great deal of hardware knowledge,
which I do not have.

I would like to arrange a (chargeable if necessary, I am quite happy to
pay) Dell service visit to remove the Dell OEM Soundblaster Live card,
and either replace it with the retail Soundblaster Live card which
I have purchased or remove it and re-enable the onboard Intel sound
chip (which Linux similarly supports), and in either case connect
the DVD-RW drive to the sound device enabled.

Is this possible? Cost really isn't an issue, and I am willing to pay
whatever Dell wish to charge. I am hoping for a speedy resolution
if possible. Alternatively I can drive to anywhere in the UK where
Dell might have a service centre, if they can do the work whilst I wait
(I will wait all day if needed).

The other end of that mystery connector goes to the front headphone
jack. You should be able to plug in the retail SBeh35_jpg.jpg card and
use it.
You just won't have the front headphone jack working anymore. The
retail card doesn't have the connector needed to use the jack.

Dave

Well using an XPS Gen2 Dell- I too almost got "burned" by the OEM SB Live
issue. However, easily overcame that by upgrading to Dell's Audigy 2,
which
IS fully compatible with a variety of Linux distros (Mandrake, Suse,
Libranet, etc.).

So perhaps, to preserve all your Dell-specific connector options- see if
an
Audigy 2 upgrade is feasible for your 4600. Might even be able to
"guilt-trip" Dell into a no cost swap..?

Regards,
Robert G. Ragosta
--
Linux User #273716 / Linux Machine #227435
KNode 0.7.2 / Mdk 9.2 / KDE 3.1.4 / Krnl 2.4.22-10mdkenterprise
"Which is better- Artificial intelligence or REAL stupidity...?"

Tom, I have the SB Audigy retail. Could you tell me what I would use
the firewire port for? Just curious.

Joan

Tom Scales wrote:

That solution also retains the front head phone jack and gains you a
Firewire port.

Tom
"Robert G. Ragosta" wrote in message
ink.net...

Dave so eloquently wrote:


On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 23:56:31 -0000, Anthony Edwards
wrote:


I recently purchased a new Dimension 4600 machine, for use with the
Linux operating system (SuSE 8.2). Since Soundblaster Live! has
long been a supported audio card for Linux, I ordered the machine
with a Soundblaster Live card in place of the standard onboard Intel
sound chip.

Unfortunately, I discovered after delivery that Dell's Soundblaster
Live card is proprietory and works with Windows only as explained at:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...04%40nerim.net

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor....id=dim_audio&

message.id=39953

So yesterday, I purchased a new retail Soundblaster Live card to
replace the Dell proprietory card (I was prepared to, since although
I explained to the Dell salesperson at the time of placing the order
that the machine would be used with Linux only, I do not believe it
reasonable to expect a salesperson to know about this proprietory
card issue, since officially Windows is the only operating system
supported and the salesperson will have been trained only on that
operating system).

It does not seem, though, easy or straightforward to swap the cards
over. The Dell OEM card appears to be connected to the USB system
somehow (!) using a 6 wire hard wired connection, the "other end" of
which is not accessible. One cannot therefore replace the Dell OEM
card with the retail card without a great deal of hardware knowledge,
which I do not have.

I would like to arrange a (chargeable if necessary, I am quite happy to
pay) Dell service visit to remove the Dell OEM Soundblaster Live card,
and either replace it with the retail Soundblaster Live card which
I have purchased or remove it and re-enable the onboard Intel sound
chip (which Linux similarly supports), and in either case connect
the DVD-RW drive to the sound device enabled.

Is this possible? Cost really isn't an issue, and I am willing to pay
whatever Dell wish to charge. I am hoping for a speedy resolution
if possible. Alternatively I can drive to anywhere in the UK where
Dell might have a service centre, if they can do the work whilst I wait
(I will wait all day if needed).

The other end of that mystery connector goes to the front headphone
jack. You should be able to plug in the retail SBeh35_jpg.jpg card and

use it.

You just won't have the front headphone jack working anymore. The
retail card doesn't have the connector needed to use the jack.

Dave

Well using an XPS Gen2 Dell- I too almost got "burned" by the OEM SB Live
issue. However, easily overcame that by upgrading to Dell's Audigy 2,

which

IS fully compatible with a variety of Linux distros (Mandrake, Suse,
Libranet, etc.).

So perhaps, to preserve all your Dell-specific connector options- see if

an

Audigy 2 upgrade is feasible for your 4600. Might even be able to
"guilt-trip" Dell into a no cost swap..?

Regards,
Robert G. Ragosta
--
Linux User #273716 / Linux Machine #227435
KNode 0.7.2 / Mdk 9.2 / KDE 3.1.4 / Krnl 2.4.22-10mdkenterprise
"Which is better- Artificial intelligence or REAL stupidity...?"

Tom Scales so eloquently wrote:

That solution also retains the front head phone jack and gains you a
Firewire port.


Tom-
Succintly and accurately put.. Also, the Firewire is fully
recoginized/configured by multiple distros (Mandrake 9.1/9.2, Suse 9.0,
Libranet, etc.) as well... Overall, all features, connectors, and Linux
Apps (sound-dependent) work as advertised (Alsa, OSS) in either KDE/Gnome.

Regards,
Robert G. Ragosta
--
Linux User #273716 / Linux Machine #227435
KNode 0.7.2 / Mdk 9.2 / KDE 3.1.4 / Krnl 2.4.22-10mdkenterprise
"Which is better- Artificial intelligence or REAL stupidity...?"

For example, to import video.

Rocky

"Joan Hansen" wrote in message
news:mPBbc.14698$of.11985@lakeread03...
Tom, I have the SB Audigy retail. Could you tell me what I would use
the firewire port for? Just curious.

Joan

Tom Scales wrote:

That solution also retains the front head phone jack and gains you a
Firewire port.

Tom
"Robert G. Ragosta" wrote in message
ink.net...

Dave so eloquently wrote:


On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 23:56:31 -0000, Anthony Edwards
wrote:


I recently purchased a new Dimension 4600 machine, for use with the
Linux operating system (SuSE 8.2). Since Soundblaster Live! has
long been a supported audio card for Linux, I ordered the machine
with a Soundblaster Live card in place of the standard onboard Intel
sound chip.

Unfortunately, I discovered after delivery that Dell's Soundblaster
Live card is proprietory and works with Windows only as explained at:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...04%40nerim.net


http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor....id=dim_audio&

message.id=39953

So yesterday, I purchased a new retail Soundblaster Live card to
replace the Dell proprietory card (I was prepared to, since although
I explained to the Dell salesperson at the time of placing the order
that the machine would be used with Linux only, I do not believe it
reasonable to expect a salesperson to know about this proprietory
card issue, since officially Windows is the only operating system
supported and the salesperson will have been trained only on that
operating system).

It does not seem, though, easy or straightforward to swap the cards
over. The Dell OEM card appears to be connected to the USB system
somehow (!) using a 6 wire hard wired connection, the "other end" of
which is not accessible. One cannot therefore replace the Dell OEM
card with the retail card without a great deal of hardware knowledge,
which I do not have.

I would like to arrange a (chargeable if necessary, I am quite happy
to
pay) Dell service visit to remove the Dell OEM Soundblaster Live card,
and either replace it with the retail Soundblaster Live card which
I have purchased or remove it and re-enable the onboard Intel sound
chip (which Linux similarly supports), and in either case connect
the DVD-RW drive to the sound device enabled.

Is this possible? Cost really isn't an issue, and I am willing to pay
whatever Dell wish to charge. I am hoping for a speedy resolution
if possible. Alternatively I can drive to anywhere in the UK where
Dell might have a service centre, if they can do the work whilst I
wait
(I will wait all day if needed).

The other end of that mystery connector goes to the front headphone
jack. You should be able to plug in the retail SBeh35_jpg.jpg card and

use it.

You just won't have the front headphone jack working anymore. The
retail card doesn't have the connector needed to use the jack.

Dave

Well using an XPS Gen2 Dell- I too almost got "burned" by the OEM SB
Live
issue. However, easily overcame that by upgrading to Dell's Audigy 2,

which

IS fully compatible with a variety of Linux distros (Mandrake, Suse,
Libranet, etc.).

So perhaps, to preserve all your Dell-specific connector options- see if

an

Audigy 2 upgrade is feasible for your 4600. Might even be able to
"guilt-trip" Dell into a no cost swap..?

Regards,
Robert G. Ragosta
--
Linux User #273716 / Linux Machine #227435
KNode 0.7.2 / Mdk 9.2 / KDE 3.1.4 / Krnl 2.4.22-10mdkenterprise
"Which is better- Artificial intelligence or REAL stupidity...?"

Well, I have a film scanner that requires Firewire. My Mini-DV camera
requires a firewire connection too. My Maxtor external hard drive will
support both USB2 and Firewire. Even my Epson printer, with a card I don't
own, could use Firewire.

If you don't need it, you gain nothing. If you do, this saves you a PCI
slot.

Tom
"Joan Hansen" wrote in message
news:mPBbc.14698$of.11985@lakeread03...
Tom, I have the SB Audigy retail. Could you tell me what I would use
the firewire port for? Just curious.

Joan

Tom Scales wrote:

That solution also retains the front head phone jack and gains you a
Firewire port.

Tom
"Robert G. Ragosta" wrote in message
ink.net...

Dave so eloquently wrote:


On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 23:56:31 -0000, Anthony Edwards
wrote:


I recently purchased a new Dimension 4600 machine, for use with the
Linux operating system (SuSE 8.2). Since Soundblaster Live! has
long been a supported audio card for Linux, I ordered the machine
with a Soundblaster Live card in place of the standard onboard Intel
sound chip.

Unfortunately, I discovered after delivery that Dell's Soundblaster
Live card is proprietory and works with Windows only as explained at:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...04%40nerim.net


http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor....id=dim_audio&

message.id=39953

So yesterday, I purchased a new retail Soundblaster Live card to
replace the Dell proprietory card (I was prepared to, since although
I explained to the Dell salesperson at the time of placing the order
that the machine would be used with Linux only, I do not believe it
reasonable to expect a salesperson to know about this proprietory
card issue, since officially Windows is the only operating system
supported and the salesperson will have been trained only on that
operating system).

It does not seem, though, easy or straightforward to swap the cards
over. The Dell OEM card appears to be connected to the USB system
somehow (!) using a 6 wire hard wired connection, the "other end" of
which is not accessible. One cannot therefore replace the Dell OEM
card with the retail card without a great deal of hardware knowledge,
which I do not have.

I would like to arrange a (chargeable if necessary, I am quite happy
to
pay) Dell service visit to remove the Dell OEM Soundblaster Live card,
and either replace it with the retail Soundblaster Live card which
I have purchased or remove it and re-enable the onboard Intel sound
chip (which Linux similarly supports), and in either case connect
the DVD-RW drive to the sound device enabled.

Is this possible? Cost really isn't an issue, and I am willing to pay
whatever Dell wish to charge. I am hoping for a speedy resolution
if possible. Alternatively I can drive to anywhere in the UK where
Dell might have a service centre, if they can do the work whilst I
wait
(I will wait all day if needed).

The other end of that mystery connector goes to the front headphone
jack. You should be able to plug in the retail SBeh35_jpg.jpg card and

use it.

You just won't have the front headphone jack working anymore. The
retail card doesn't have the connector needed to use the jack.

Dave

Well using an XPS Gen2 Dell- I too almost got "burned" by the OEM SB
Live
issue. However, easily overcame that by upgrading to Dell's Audigy 2,

which

IS fully compatible with a variety of Linux distros (Mandrake, Suse,
Libranet, etc.).

So perhaps, to preserve all your Dell-specific connector options- see if

an

Audigy 2 upgrade is feasible for your 4600. Might even be able to
"guilt-trip" Dell into a no cost swap..?

Regards,
Robert G. Ragosta
--
Linux User #273716 / Linux Machine #227435
KNode 0.7.2 / Mdk 9.2 / KDE 3.1.4 / Krnl 2.4.22-10mdkenterprise
"Which is better- Artificial intelligence or REAL stupidity...?"

On Sat, 03 Apr 2004 11:42:03 -0500, Joan Hansen wrote:

Tom, I have the SB Audigy retail. Could you tell me what I would use
the firewire port for? Just curious.


on my pc the following are connected via firewire

dsr11 dvcam video deck
epson 2100 printer
160gb hard drive in firewore enclosure
networking cable to second pc.

Thank You Tom and Rocky. Darn Best Buy. When I bought my DV Mini
Camcorder, I told the guy I had the firewire connector on my SB Audigy
card and he said it was for Audio, so I bought a firewire card and
actually glad I did. Now I also have a beautiful WD external HD with 8
meg cache and I love it. I do have two internal HD's but I use the one
as backup with Ghost. Great when you buy a program like Roxio's Creator
Media 7. For me the program works great. :-) Thank Goodness.

Joan

Tom Scales wrote:
Well, I have a film scanner that requires Firewire. My Mini-DV camera
requires a firewire connection too. My Maxtor external hard drive will
support both USB2 and Firewire. Even my Epson printer, with a card I don't
own, could use Firewire.

If you don't need it, you gain nothing. If you do, this saves you a PCI
slot.

Tom
"Joan Hansen" wrote in message
news:mPBbc.14698$of.11985@lakeread03...

Tom, I have the SB Audigy retail. Could you tell me what I would use
the firewire port for? Just curious.

Joan

Tom Scales wrote:


That solution also retains the front head phone jack and gains you a
Firewire port.

Tom
"Robert G. Ragosta" wrote in message
thlink.net...


Dave so eloquently wrote:



On Fri, 02 Apr 2004 23:56:31 -0000, Anthony Edwards
wrote:



I recently purchased a new Dimension 4600 machine, for use with the
Linux operating system (SuSE 8.2). Since Soundblaster Live! has
long been a supported audio card for Linux, I ordered the machine
with a Soundblaster Live card in place of the standard onboard Intel
sound chip.

Unfortunately, I discovered after delivery that Dell's Soundblaster
Live card is proprietory and works with Windows only as explained at:

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...04%40nerim.net

http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor....id=dim_audio&

message.id=39953

So yesterday, I purchased a new retail Soundblaster Live card to
replace the Dell proprietory card (I was prepared to, since although
I explained to the Dell salesperson at the time of placing the order
that the machine would be used with Linux only, I do not believe it
reasonable to expect a salesperson to know about this proprietory
card issue, since officially Windows is the only operating system
supported and the salesperson will have been trained only on that
operating system).

It does not seem, though, easy or straightforward to swap the cards
over. The Dell OEM card appears to be connected to the USB system
somehow (!) using a 6 wire hard wired connection, the "other end" of
which is not accessible. One cannot therefore replace the Dell OEM
card with the retail card without a great deal of hardware knowledge,
which I do not have.

I would like to arrange a (chargeable if necessary, I am quite happy

to

pay) Dell service visit to remove the Dell OEM Soundblaster Live card,
and either replace it with the retail Soundblaster Live card which
I have purchased or remove it and re-enable the onboard Intel sound
chip (which Linux similarly supports), and in either case connect
the DVD-RW drive to the sound device enabled.

Is this possible? Cost really isn't an issue, and I am willing to pay
whatever Dell wish to charge. I am hoping for a speedy resolution
if possible. Alternatively I can drive to anywhere in the UK where
Dell might have a service centre, if they can do the work whilst I

wait

(I will wait all day if needed).

The other end of that mystery connector goes to the front headphone
jack. You should be able to plug in the retail SBeh35_jpg.jpg card and

use it.


You just won't have the front headphone jack working anymore. The
retail card doesn't have the connector needed to use the jack.

Dave

Well using an XPS Gen2 Dell- I too almost got "burned" by the OEM SB

Live

issue. However, easily overcame that by upgrading to Dell's Audigy 2,

which


IS fully compatible with a variety of Linux distros (Mandrake, Suse,
Libranet, etc.).

So perhaps, to preserve all your Dell-specific connector options- see if

an


Audigy 2 upgrade is feasible for your 4600. Might even be able to
"guilt-trip" Dell into a no cost swap..?

Regards,
Robert G. Ragosta
--
Linux User #273716 / Linux Machine #227435
KNode 0.7.2 / Mdk 9.2 / KDE 3.1.4 / Krnl 2.4.22-10mdkenterprise
"Which is better- Artificial intelligence or REAL stupidity...?"