Popping sounds on HDX18

I have an HDX18 with IDT HD Sound (Vista Ultimate 64-bit). I've noticed an annoying popping sound with most applications. For instance, when using Trillian instant messenger, when I receive a message the speakers make a distinct pop at the start of the "ding" and at the end. The sound itself is clear, but always initiates and concludes with some kind of pop or click.

This is the same for all Windows sounds (which I've now disabled because of the audio annoyance). I tried disabling the Dolby effects through the IDT control panel, but that made things worse!

Any clues as to what I should do to alleviate this?

Thanks!

 

Are you using drivers from "Windows Update" or directly from HP? I've been hearing issues from people buying the HDX series...seems like these notebooks have issues with either sound or the touch sensitive buttons...

My dv5t-1000 CTO does not have popping sounds and I use the IDT audio drivers directly from HP.

Try doing a clean install again...install the latest drivers from HP. When you run "Windows Update", make sure to uncheck the IDT sound drivers so it doesn't install....

Install the Intel chipset drivers first (restart), then the Intel Matrix driver (restart), then the audio drivers and everything else...that's the order I usually do it...

Try these IDT drivers... http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...&dlc=en&cc=us&lang=en&os=2100&product=3884584

 

I think that I may have updated the IDT driver from Windows Update, but I'm not entirely sure. I'll attempt your method and see if it works. Wish me luck... Thanks!

 

Yea customize you're "Windows Update" to NOT install drivers from it. They're sometimes (rarely) wrong for your hardware, not optimized, or old (despite saying its new).

When you do "Windows Update" make sure you uncheck all hardware drivers or right-click and hide it forever so it never shows up.

 

I have the same exact issue with the HDX16t. If you want the popping to stop simply uninstall IDT and use the base vista drivers but you wont get all your effects.

 

@mattmjb0188 - OK, I'm willing to try that, since nothing has worked up to this point. But, I'm not sure how to do it. I uninstalled IDT through the Control Panel, but that left me with no audio at all. Then I went into the Device Manager and re-enabled the HD Audio bus, disabled JUST the IDT codec. Now, the NVidia HD audio is active, but there's no audio device in the sounds control panel.

What's the proper method?

 

So the "Windows Update" version works? Is the sound the same though? When I install the "WU" version, it doesn't seem as loud...

 

The windows update method has left people with even worse sound. I uninstalled IDT then restarted windows and windows found its own driver. sounds fine to me but I don't believe it delivers 5.1 sound and srs effects are gone. That's ok I'd rather have clear crackle free sound anyday.

 

Oh, I am getting really frustrated with this. I uninstalled the IDT Codec as well as the NVidia driver, rebooted and let Windows find the proper drivers. They installed fine, and of course the treble and bass controls are gone.. but the sound is HORRIBLE. It sounds like the whole top of the laptop is going to rattle apart! The distortion even at low volume is unbearable. I'm starting to think that I need to just get a set of external speakers...

Now I'm going to try the IDT driver from a source other than HP or wherever Windows found the one it installed. UGH!!!

 

Here's an update: I downloaded the DT High-Definition Audio CODEC Driver sp43288.exe from Softpedia and installed it. Its date is 01/03/08, about 8 months older than the one on the HP site, but it works!

So far, I'm not getting the distortion and popping that I was before. Hope this helps.

 

Well with the base vista drivers it sounded fine to me but yes the treble and bass where gone. Found your driver, gonna try it out.

 

Well I'm using the January 2008 IDT sound driver and it didn't seem to resolve the issue. I originally said I heard crackling sounds well when loading a website the audio will stutter. Stutter would be the better word to describe it. Doesn't happen all the time but enough for it to annoy me.

 

What's causing the popping sound OP? I can't see that you've identified the cause first. Are you sure it's a software issue?

 

I did not mean to suggest that the January 2008 IDT driver was the absolute solution - it just happened to work for me. And, I was not personally able to determine whether this was a software or hardware issue; I'm afraid that I'm new to Vista and deeper exploration is currently beyond me.

Just to recap:

- I replaced the IDT driver from HP with the January 2008 version found here:

http://drivers.softpedia.com/get/SOUND-CARD/OTHER-SOUNDCARDS/ECS-945GCT-M2-V10-IDT-High-Definition-Audio-Driver-040.shtml

Afterward, there was no more popping or clicking either through the HDX speakers or any attached headphones.

- I also discovered that while playing audio through the HDX built in speakers there was some distortion at high volume; I later found out that this was caused by my media player(s) (Winamp and VLC) overdriving the sound

- As a solution to the above, I reduced the volume on the media players to about 25% of maximum and used the system volume control for any increase above that.

- I also made sure that in the IDT control panel the Dolby Sound Space Expander feature was enabled (disabling this seemed to cause very distorted and/or crackly system sounds)

- Finally, I received an email from HP support today regarding this issue; other than suggesting restoring the system to factory state and using the latest IDT driver from the HP site, they recommended installing the latest BIOS update for the HDX found here:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareDownloadIndex?softwareitem=ob-73348-1&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=3884584&os=2100&lang=en

I have yet to do that, especially since I received conflicting info from an HP tech on chat suggesting that there was NO updated BIOS available for my unit.

 

Hmmm, I always use winamp. So your saying to just lower the volume in Winamp? You shouldn't have to do that, a high end laptop designed for multimedia media use shouldn't have a problem outputting audio. I think I'm just gonna return mine since I'm still within my 21 days and then re order it with Pre-Installed Windows 7. Hopefully then they will have made a new driver specifically for Windows 7.

I was thinking of going with another brand but I know the Dell XPS 16 has similar issues as they also use the IDT sound chip.

 

Follow the link under my picutre and update your driver(s)..

Consider running...

http://www.pcpitstop.com/

It is free and you will then know what drivers you have verse which drivers are the newest.

I am running Vista 64 sp2

Newest BIOS from HP

IE8

and not a flinch of a problem.. even with Adobe Pro..

I hope this helps and make sure you thank Justin for taking the time to put together the links for all of our drivers.. or not..

Be well, JW

 

Wow, thanks for putting that together! You're running SP2, huh? Actually got it to install...? That's a whole other issue I'm having.

 

justinkw1
Notebook Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: California, USA
Posts: 477
Rep Power: 6

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=404164

Was the one who did all the work.. I added the link to my signature so people could find it a little easier.. I have to say honestly my clicking and pasting the address was far more work than Justin put in.. (J/K)

Justin rocks.. and is a fellow HDX Lover..

The other link is for W7... I am too chicken blooded to try it yet.. W7 that is..

If you upgrade your system (SP2) and Bios you should be good. I would consider asking around for a driver clean up / out program though depending on when you bought or how long you have had your machine..

Honestly I am not the expert but I do try to help with the easy stuff if I can.

Be well, JW

 

Thanks for that. Personally, I'm looking forward to Windows 7. I started another thread basically asking if I can upgrade to W7 from Vista SP1, because it just seems impossible to install SP2 on this machine - I've spent about 20 hours trying so far - I just can't waste any more time.

 

Yep, Can't get SP2 to even show up in Windows Update, I was originally hoping that would resolve the sound popping. Anyway I highly recommend returning it if you can. The hell with the stupid windows 7 upgrade. Its better to just wait and get it preinstalled. I looked at it like this if I ever have to do a clean install I'd have to install Vista first then upgrade... No I don't think so. I think so many problems will be resolved once 7 is OFFICIALLY released with OFFICIAL WIN7 DRIVERS

 

I wish that returning it were an option for me. I need to use it on a daily basis for graphics production and just can't afford the downtime. Oh, well...

 

Well I'm gonna return mine and just hope that come this October when all pc's come with Windows 7 PRE-INSTALLED that this won't be an issue. And if it is then I really won't know which high end laptop to go with as Dell's Studio XPS has similar issues.

I wish they still used Realtek HD Audio, that was the better sound card, gave you all kinds of cool features like sound effects, and echoes for gaming.

 

http://www.nvidiadriver.org/?kw=nvidia-drivers&gclid=CMub6cKV0ZwCFQS7sgod7jAELg

Update from this site.. the audio drivers will be attached in the file..

Good Luck, JW

For the 130m..