Re: no sound in Dell Inspiron 3847

[VanguardLH]

The computer is new and came with Windows 8.1.

And that is the 32- or 64-bitwise version of Windows 8.1?

I re-installed the Realtek audio card drivers, but there is no sound.

Did you get the drivers from Dell or Realtek? For Dell:

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/product/inspiron-3847-desktop/get-started

For 64-bit Windows 8.1, they list Realtek high-definition audio driver,
version 6.0.1.7016.,A00, release date 1/6/2014. Since this is a
low-level driver, did you reboot after installing it?

The CPU connects to the Dell 24 Monitor - S2440L monitor via VGA cable.

You mean the video output (backpanel) goes to that monitor. VGA does
not carry any audio signals.

If the monitor has speakers and you're trying to use them, you will need
to either use a HDMI video cable (video+sound) or run the audio-out from
the case's backpanel to an audio-in connector on the monitor. If, for
example, what you have is this monitor:

http://www.dell.com/ed/business/p/dell-e2414h/pd

it has only DVI and VGA connectors. That monitor has no speakers and
those connection types don't carry sound. So don't expect any sound to
come out of that monitor.

Checking in the sounds option in Control panel shows external speakers
are needed. I see there is a message in sound icon in bottom right that
no speakers or headphones are plugged in.

Glanced at the Dell manual at
ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products-Infodev/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_inspiron_desktop/inspiron-3847-desktop_Owner%27s%20Manual_en-us.pdf
and from page 11, it appears that they have a front panel audio connector

That is for connecting a headphone. Peculiarly their manual doesn't
specify the backpanel connectors. Instead you need the quick start
guide at:

ftp://ftp.dell.com/Manuals/all-products-Infodev/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_inspiron_desktop/inspiron-3847-desktop_Setup%20Guide_en-us.pdf

Page 2, item 18, is the sound outputs. Neither manual tells you how to
connect the external powered speakers. One of those sound outputs goes
to the external powered speakers. My guess it's the green one.

Here's a pic of the Dell Inspiron 3847 (well, one config for that
model):

http://atrlaptops.com/ebay/Dell/inspiron3847_3

I think the middle one (green) is for audio output (front speakers).
The blue one is probably for rear speakers. Pink is the mic input. The
online specs for 3847 lists only DVI and VGA for video out yet this pic
shows VGA (15-pin Dsub) and HDMI. Whether or not the sound was wired to
the HDMI connector depends on implementation. In some cases, you have
to run a cable from a header on the mobo for sound to the video out.
However, I don't see the monitor has speakers so it doesn't matter if
the HDMI connector carries sound or not.

In Device manager, I see Bluetooth Audio device, Intel Display audio,
Realtek High Definition Audio all of which have the right drivers.

And in the sound applet in Control Panel, which audio device is
currently selected as the audio output device? I haven't bothered with
Windows 8 for home use so you'll have to figure out how to select from
multiple sound devices as to which one goes to the audio-out backpanel
connectors.

---

Not a valid signature delimiter (which is "-- \n", or dash dash space
newline). That means the following spam is in the body of your post and
not in a signature block.

This email is free from viruses and malware because avast! Antivirus protection is active.
http://www.avast.com

Configure Avast to NOT append their spam promo pseudo-signature into
your e-mails and your posts.

 

[VanguardLH]

No external powered speakers came with the computer which made me think
the motherboard may have a built-in speaker for sound.

Most bundles don't include speakers. Some users are happy with a pair
of cheapie stereo units that can barely reproduce speech. Some want a
7.1 setup costing hundreds. For them to include speakers means
increasing the cost for what are likely throwaway parts.

There is a tiny piezoelectric speaker on the mobo but that is to make
those beeping noises you hear on bootup.

Does that mean I need to buy external speakers from Dell which will work
with Inspiron 3847?

You don't have any speakers. Yes, you'll have to buy some.

Or, can any low cost ones from ebay
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/laptop-external-speakers
work? The usage will be for watching training videos

You'll want a set of speakers that will reproduce well enough so you can
hear it and with enough quality to understand what the speaker is
saying.

That USB audio plug doesn't produce sound. It merely creates yet
another audio device (that you'll have to select in Windows sound
applet). You will have to plug a pair of headphones into that dongle's
jack to hear anything. Why pay for a USB audio device (to add yet
another audio device to Windows you have to select) and use a headphone
with it when you can just plug the headphones into the audio-out jack on
the system case (ya know, the front-panel connector you mentioned)?

So buy a set of headphones if you don't already have a pair. With
laptops and for privacy and also not to nuisance others nearby, you and
they would probably appreciate you using headphones so only you hear the
noise, er, sound that your computer generates. My aunt got something
like the following for an external speaker (I think it's just mono, not
stereo, since obviously there is only one point for the sound source):

http://www.walmart.com/ip/SDI-Technology-IHM61W-Color-Changing-Mini-Speaker/19340295

I've never heard it so cannot attest to its quality of audio output and
volume or lack thereof. I know when one broke she went to Walmart to
get another so it must've been good enough for her. Remember that
external speakers will be heard by and nuisance nearby people. For the
cost of that tiny external speaker, you can get a good pair of
headphones. In fact, if you ever plan to listen to sound from your
computer (assuming it is a laptop instead of the 3847 *desktop* you
specified), you might want to get a pair of headphones that have pads
that surround the ear. These dull the noise from the environment,
especially on an airplane (where ear buds actually accentuate the noise
and make it harder to hear the audio).

What laptop are you talking about? While laptops do have audio-out
jacks to connect external speakers or headphones, the brand, family, and
model you specified is a desktop PC.

Speakers are selected as audio output device, but the computer did not
come with any.

That means the speaker output (audio-out connector on backpanel) is
selected. Obviously you still have to connect something to that
connector to produce sound. Connectors don't make sounds.