Strange Sound Problem on 4600

The system is a Dimension 4600 with onboard sound and subwoofer plus
two desktop speakers. After working fine for over a year, the user
reported that the sound was no longer working. The computer reported
that the sound was supposed to be working ("this device is working")but
it wouldn't play Windows sounds, CD music, or other sound files. I
checked the master volume controls and they were all about halfway up.

I unplugged the speakers from the sound port on the back of the
computer and plugged them into the earphone jack on one of the CD-ROM's
and tried to play a music CD. No sound, but I noticed a clicking sound
and low bass hum coming over the speakers when I pushed in or removed
the jack for the speaker wire. This told me that the speakers were not
the problem. The default CD player was MusicMatch. While waiting for
the *&%$#! thing to spool up and finally get around to playing the CD,
I noticed that the volume control on the MusicMatch player was at zero.
I turned up the volume and could hear the music over the speakers. In
fact, sound had been completely restored.

Can someone explain how the MusicMatch player volume control got set to
zero and why this volume control could affect the entire computer's
capability to play sounds of any kind?

"powrwrap" wrote in message
oups.com...
The system is a Dimension 4600 with onboard sound and subwoofer plus
two desktop speakers. After working fine for over a year, the user
reported that the sound was no longer working. The computer reported
that the sound was supposed to be working ("this device is working")but
it wouldn't play Windows sounds, CD music, or other sound files. I
checked the master volume controls and they were all about halfway up.

I unplugged the speakers from the sound port on the back of the
computer and plugged them into the earphone jack on one of the CD-ROM's
and tried to play a music CD. No sound, but I noticed a clicking sound
and low bass hum coming over the speakers when I pushed in or removed
the jack for the speaker wire. This told me that the speakers were not
the problem. The default CD player was MusicMatch. While waiting for
the *&%$#! thing to spool up and finally get around to playing the CD,
I noticed that the volume control on the MusicMatch player was at zero.
I turned up the volume and could hear the music over the speakers. In
fact, sound had been completely restored.

Can someone explain how the MusicMatch player volume control got set to
zero and why this volume control could affect the entire computer's
capability to play sounds of any kind?


Musicmatch likely doesn't have a volume control. It is just displaying the
system or a component (CD, Wave, etc.) Volume and allowing you to change it
through their application.

So, the problem was the volume was turned down!

Tom

Earlier versions of RealPlayer, did the same thing, somehow the player's
volume control, hooks into the PC's volume control. If the player's volume
is turned down, the sounds will be hard to hear. I just leave the player's
volume set to max. And use the volume knob on the speakers to adjust the
volume coming from the PC. And if I have volume issues,after I am sure that
the volume is not muted, I first check all the players, and make sure that
they are set to max.

Also check the player's preference settings. If the player is selected to be
the default player for certain media files, such as Window's *.wav files,
the player's volume will control the file. The user may have turned down the
volume on the player interface the last time they used the player. If they
have the player set to run in the background at startup, what ever volume
setting will affect those file types. Also you may want to uncheck the box
in MM preference tab to run MM in QuickPlay mode.
Open MM Jukebox Options Settings General tab.

--

Rich/rerat

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"powrwrap" wrote in message
oups.com...
The system is a Dimension 4600 with onboard sound and subwoofer plus
two desktop speakers. After working fine for over a year, the user
reported that the sound was no longer working. The computer reported
that the sound was supposed to be working ("this device is working")but
it wouldn't play Windows sounds, CD music, or other sound files. I
checked the master volume controls and they were all about halfway up.

I unplugged the speakers from the sound port on the back of the
computer and plugged them into the earphone jack on one of the CD-ROM's
and tried to play a music CD. No sound, but I noticed a clicking sound
and low bass hum coming over the speakers when I pushed in or removed
the jack for the speaker wire. This told me that the speakers were not
the problem. The default CD player was MusicMatch. While waiting for
the *&%$#! thing to spool up and finally get around to playing the CD,
I noticed that the volume control on the MusicMatch player was at zero.
I turned up the volume and could hear the music over the speakers. In
fact, sound had been completely restored.

Can someone explain how the MusicMatch player volume control got set to
zero and why this volume control could affect the entire computer's
capability to play sounds of any kind?

"powrwrap" wrote in message
oups.com...
The system is a Dimension 4600 with onboard sound and subwoofer plus
two desktop speakers. After working fine for over a year, the user
reported that the sound was no longer working. The computer reported
that the sound was supposed to be working ("this device is working")but
it wouldn't play Windows sounds, CD music, or other sound files. I
checked the master volume controls and they were all about halfway up.

I unplugged the speakers from the sound port on the back of the
computer and plugged them into the earphone jack on one of the CD-ROM's
and tried to play a music CD. No sound, but I noticed a clicking sound
and low bass hum coming over the speakers when I pushed in or removed
the jack for the speaker wire. This told me that the speakers were not
the problem. The default CD player was MusicMatch. While waiting for
the *&%$#! thing to spool up and finally get around to playing the CD,
I noticed that the volume control on the MusicMatch player was at zero.
I turned up the volume and could hear the music over the speakers. In
fact, sound had been completely restored.

Can someone explain how the MusicMatch player volume control got set to
zero and why this volume control could affect the entire computer's
capability to play sounds of any kind?



When I strip any new Dell of software without completely wiping the drive,
(unless a customer requests otherwise) Dell Media Experience and Music Match
are my second and third applications to be removed - for this very reason.
"Dell Support" is first, but that's another matter.

For simplification, I want the user to have WMP as their audio CD player,
PowerDVD for DVD play, and they can use RecordNow! to burn their discs.

With multiple MM applications present, there's always a chance that they
will "fight" over an inserted MM disc, settings get screwed or altered, and
confusion reigns supreme.

If the user has no preference, uninstall the POS and launch an audio CD and
select Windows Media Player as the default player....

jmo

Stew

Tom Scales wrote:


Musicmatch likely doesn't have a volume control. It is just
displaying the
system or a component (CD, Wave, etc.) Volume and allowing you to
change it
through their application.

So, the problem was the volume was turned down!

Except that I went to Sounds, Speech and Audio Devices in the Control
Panel, then Adjust the System Volume, Advanced, and all the volume
controls were turned up about halfway. The volume control icon in the
system tray also showed the volume was turned up about halfway. The
speaker volume control was about halfway up too.

As I said in my original post, there is a slider control on the
MusicMatch Jukebox and it was turned all the way down. Once I turned
that up the computer had sound again.

RRR_News wrote:

Earlier versions of RealPlayer, did the same thing, somehow the
player's
volume control, hooks into the PC's volume control. If the player's
volume
is turned down, the sounds will be hard to hear. I just leave the
player's
volume set to max. And use the volume knob on the speakers to adjust
the
volume coming from the PC. And if I have volume issues,after I am
sure that
the volume is not muted, I first check all the players, and make sure
that
they are set to max.

Yes, from now on I will check those settings.

Also check the player's preference settings. If the player is
selected to be
the default player for certain media files, such as Window's *.wav
files,
the player's volume will control the file. The user may have turned
down the
volume on the player interface the last time they used the player. If
they
have the player set to run in the background at startup, what ever
volume
setting will affect those file types. Also you may want to uncheck
the box
in MM preference tab to run MM in QuickPlay mode.
Open MM Jukebox Options Settings General tab.

I removed the desktop icon for MusicMatch, unchecked MM in the Windows
startup file and changed the default media player to Windows Media
Player. So hopefully that will be the last time I have to deal with
MusicMatch on that computer!


--

Rich/rerat

(RRR News) message rule
Previous Text Snipped to Save Bandwidth When Appropriate



"powrwrap" wrote in message
oups.com...
The system is a Dimension 4600 with onboard sound and subwoofer plus
two desktop speakers. After working fine for over a year, the user
reported that the sound was no longer working. The computer reported
that the sound was supposed to be working ("this device is
working")but
it wouldn't play Windows sounds, CD music, or other sound files. I
checked the master volume controls and they were all about halfway
up.

I unplugged the speakers from the sound port on the back of the
computer and plugged them into the earphone jack on one of the
CD-ROM's
and tried to play a music CD. No sound, but I noticed a clicking
sound
and low bass hum coming over the speakers when I pushed in or removed
the jack for the speaker wire. This told me that the speakers were
not
the problem. The default CD player was MusicMatch. While waiting for
the *&%$#! thing to spool up and finally get around to playing the
CD,
I noticed that the volume control on the MusicMatch player was at
zero.
I turned up the volume and could hear the music over the speakers. In
fact, sound had been completely restored.

Can someone explain how the MusicMatch player volume control got set
to
zero and why this volume control could affect the entire computer's
capability to play sounds of any kind?

MMs "volume" control is an applet that adjusts the audio input levels
from both the wave device (sound card) and the media device (CD/DVD
drive) It can override either of those controls as well.

Personally I love MM because it offers more features than WMP and is
less of a system hog as well.


--
Steve Williams

"powrwrap" wrote in message
oups.com...
The system is a Dimension 4600 with onboard sound and subwoofer plus
two desktop speakers. After working fine for over a year, the user
reported that the sound was no longer working. The computer reported
that the sound was supposed to be working ("this device is
working")but
it wouldn't play Windows sounds, CD music, or other sound files. I
checked the master volume controls and they were all about halfway up.

I unplugged the speakers from the sound port on the back of the
computer and plugged them into the earphone jack on one of the
CD-ROM's
and tried to play a music CD. No sound, but I noticed a clicking sound
and low bass hum coming over the speakers when I pushed in or removed
the jack for the speaker wire. This told me that the speakers were not
the problem. The default CD player was MusicMatch. While waiting for
the *&%$#! thing to spool up and finally get around to playing the CD,
I noticed that the volume control on the MusicMatch player was at
zero.
I turned up the volume and could hear the music over the speakers. In
fact, sound had been completely restored.

Can someone explain how the MusicMatch player volume control got set
to
zero and why this volume control could affect the entire computer's
capability to play sounds of any kind?





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