Acer Travelmate 524 TE sound/microphone problem.


Forum: Laptops
Topic: Acer Travelmate 524 TE sound/microphone problem.
started by: mdaryl

Posted by mdaryl on Sep. 14 2007,17:02
I have an Acer Travelmate 524TE laptop that first had Windows 98 installed on it for years, and recently I have been trying out Linux distros to get the most out of it. I was running Feather Linux on it for about a week and it really ran nicely, but I wanted to try out DSL. It (the most recent DSL) installed perfectly but when it got into the X environment, it sounded like my smoke detectors were going off. I actually ran around seeing which one was going off, but it was my laptop! The screech was tremendously loud and sounded much like electric guitar feedback. There was no wavering in the tone...it was one constant tone.

Granted, I had the volume turned all the way up, but it was turned up that loud from the Feather install with no ill effects. One thing I did notice when I was scrambling to shut the thing up: I could hear it through the speakers when I was scratching around to find the off switch. There IS a microphone built into the top of the screen and when I touched it directly it could be heard through the speakers in addition to the squeal.

I turned the volume down and the suealing stops at around 4 to 5 on my volume wheel. If I turn it all the way down, I can still hear a faint mosquito-buzz while the X environment is running. I do not hear it at any time during bootup or at a full screen console.

Any ideas what I could do to maybe disable the microphone in DSL?

Here's a link to the specs:

< http://www.acersupport.com/notebook/html/tm524te_specs.html >

When installing DSL and Feather, I didn't go into any advanced modes or anything...it was just a straightup install to the HD. No custom compiles or such.

The soundsystem is Cirrus Logic CS4299, which seemed like the most relevant information from the specs.

I have also ran some Live CD's like KnoScience and Knoppix without the squeal.

Thanks for your time and attention.

Posted by roberts on Sep. 14 2007,21:45
Are talking about when you start xmms?
xmms does indeed have a default tone generator which is normally used to test that your sound is working. The message "tone generator" is displayed on xmms.

Posted by mdaryl on Sep. 17 2007,01:39
Quote (roberts @ Sep. 14 2007,17:45)
Are talking about when you start xmms?
xmms does indeed have a default tone generator which is normally used to test that your sound is working. The message "tone generator" is displayed on xmms.

No, I mean the entire GUI portion of the operating system. It goes through the bootup, then when it enters the graphical environment. I am a Linux newb, so I may be using the term "X environment" incorrectly. If I may use Windows terminology to describe it, it goes through the DOS-like environment as usual during bootup, with all of the text on the black background, then as soon as "Windows" starts, the noise begins. I'm not starting any particular program to get the noise.
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