Dell laptop headphone jack problem

radiospan

I've a problem on my Dell Studio XPS 13.

If I use plug in headphones, only the left channel works, nothing from the right. This happened suddenly when there was a tug on the headphone cable, but I've tried different headphones and it's the same problem. I've checked balance settings in Windows, so I don't think it's that either.

The main problem though is that the speakers on my laptop don't work. This problem happened at the same time so I'm sure it's related (probably faulty headphone jack, thinks that headphones are plugged in always, so mutes the laptop speakers?)

Any tips on what I could try to fix this. Is there a Dell software that can control whether the speakers or headphones are muted?

Biggins

Process of elimination first.

Have you tried the jack on any relevant sound ports at the back of your pc AND the front?

If it works in one and not the other, there is a possibility that the port could have been damaged with the jerking out of it.
If it does work in one it could also indicate that the headphones are fine too!

Have you tired the headphones/jack on any other sound system that is not pc/laptop related? The result?

radiospan

Biggins wrote: »

Process of elimination first.

Have you tried the jack on any relevant sound ports at the back of your pc AND the front?

If it works in one and not the other, there is a possibility that the port could have been damaged with the jerking out of it.
If it does work in one it could also indicate that the headphones are fine too!

Have you tired the headphones/jack on any other sound system that is not pc/laptop related? The result?

It's a laptop with just one working headphone jack output. The other headphone jack never worked since I got rid of the Dell Vista install and put on Windows 7 myself. There might have been some Dell software for turning on the second output, I never use it anyway.

I have a USB soundcard, and that works fine through the same laptop and headphones. Headphones work on my iPod too, definately not them I'd say.

Biggins

I take it you have checked out the control panel for any third party software/icons which might be additionally installed?

Dell as far as I know, do use their own additional incorporated software to run things at times.
One of these things would be the audio out and audio recording.

If you feel you missing software which might solve the problem, have you looked at Dells support website section for drivers that might be missing?

radiospan

I installed all the relevant software from the Dell website, but I can't find anything that says whether or not headphones are plugged in.

I thought they had some software program that did that, a kind of Dell audio control panel. Any idea where that might be? I've checked the Control Panel.

Biggins

plazzTT wrote: »

...I thought they had some software program that did that, a kind of Dell audio control panel. Any idea where that might be? I've checked the Control Panel.

In honesty, its always been there in the control panel if its originally part of the set-up. Its rarely elsewhere.
If in the remote chance the icon has been removed/deleted, did yo look though the list of application in the c:\programe files directory?

radiospan

Made a bit of progress now

I found the right download for the audio control panel on the Dell website. It's IDT Audio Control Panel.

I've been able to configure the 2nd headphone jack as an output now and this works fine, both left and right channel are working through it, so at least I have proper stereo headphone use now.

But as I thought, the 1st headphone jack is registering as being connected even when nothing is plugged in, which is why my laptop speakers are being muted. I've tried disabling this jack altogether, but I don't see the option. Might be able to open the laptop and disconnect it manually?

Biggins

plazzTT wrote: »

...As I thought, the 1st headphone jack is registering as being connected even when nothing is plugged in, which is why my laptop speakers are being muted. I've tried disabling this jack altogether, but I don't see the option. Might be able to open the laptop and disconnect it manually?

Opening a laptop (sometimes not easy in itself) and then working through very tight spaces (having removed other components just to get where you want to get) is not easy at the best of times. I DO NOT recommend you take that step unless your sure of what your doing and aware of/willing to accept the consequences.

If the jack port is not working, you might be able to go into "Device manager" (in the Control Panel/system) and disable it there?