T420 and Displayport audio problems

On my T420 I can't get any audio through the Display port. The picture is fine, but the computer does not find any audio devices linked to DP as my T410 and W510 does. The only audio device I have in the sound option in the controlpanel is the Conexant build in soundcard. I really don't get it, the DP cable works flawlessly with a T410, W510 and T510 computers. I have the integrated Intel 3000 graphic card, and there are no new sound drivers available in Lenovo System update, any ideas?

 

BUMP. I could really use som suggestions?

 

Has the system registered the Intel Display Audio with the DisplayPort cable in? You may want to have a look at this thread started by sprtnbsblplya, he used a Displayport-HDMI adaptor and got his audio working from his system.

 

Thanks, nope there are no "new" audio devices in the Sound option in the Control panel, only the Conexant audio device, thanks for the link, but the displayport to hmdi cabel works fine with the T410/W510 so I really doubt is has anything to do with the cabel.

 

If I recall there should be two audio devices on the T420, Conexant Audio and Intel Display Audio. Check your Device Manager to see if its listed.

Personally I haven't installed the Conexant driver and is just using the default HD Audio driver by Microsoft. But in my Sound Properties I also have Digital Audio (HDMI) alongside which is the Intel Display Audio device.

 

Ohh yes, there is a audio device called Intel Display Audio beside the Conexant driver in the Device Manager, but that is not present in the Sound icon in control panel, the only one present there is the Conexant one.

 

I have the same problem as Jesper Juul on my X220. I wonder if the Conexant driver interferes with the Intel driver? I might try uninstalling the Conexant driver later when I have time and see if that makes any difference.

 

I don't get audio through DP for my T420, if that makes it better.
I was actually expecting that when I ordered DP->HDMI...

 

Personally I'm glad that I'm not the only one having this problem. I was wondering if it had something to do with the Intel integrated graphic, but I can see that at least redevils89 has the Optimus graphic card, so thats probably not it, but just to be sure, redevils89, could you test it running only the Nvidia card?

I've tried to uninstall the Conexant driver and smart audio program, no difference. I tried to do a clean install and not updating any drivers or programs, no difference.

I've bought a converter from DP to HDMI to if that makes any difference instead of using af DP->HDMI cabel.

 

Yup, I switched over to Nvidia, but still not getting it.
I have no other cable options, so I can't test any other cable combinations out for you. But definitely not getting audio in either graphics card mode

 

Okay, thanks for trying it out. I hope I have the converter monday, but I'm out travelling until thursday so I won't be able to do any testing before that, except if they have a flastscreen with a free hdmi plug at my hotels ;-)

 

This works perfectly on my W520 using a DP->HDMI cable:
https://www.insight.com/search/ppp.web?materialId=54182-CTGO

It took a minute for the audio port to configure itself but it all went smooth. Tried it on Win7 Ultimate clean install with the Nvidia Optimus driver and Win Server 2008 R2 clean install with the Nvidia Optimus driver.

 

wow... $80 really?
I give up

 

It's 10', you can get a shorter one.

It also helps that I spend 300k+ a year there ordering parts for my company so I received a discount on it. You might find it cheaper elsewhere though. I just know this one works flawlessly for me.

 

Thanks for the link, but I live in Denmark, so it's problaby cost a little fortune with tax etc. , I'll the converter a try at first.

 

I've just received an adapter for my T420, and still no audio, I don't get it.

 

Your adapter most likely doesn't support audio.

 

Perhaps, now I've ordered one on Amazon that people who had problems with audio on their T410, said works, but it takes up to 10 days before it arrives.

 

I don't know if this helps, but on my T420s (with discrete graphics), I have to make sure that I do not disable the nvidia drivers using msconfig. Only if the drivers were loaded, the audio output shows up.





Might not help OP since he has the Intel HD3000, but hopefully this helps others.

I am using this cable,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270278

Worked perfect for audio and video @ 1080p to my HDTV.

 

Thanks for the info, it might help some of the others having audio problems.

 

Wish I knew what to say to help, other than what part I listed as what I used in the thread linked to earlier.

Honestly I just bought the DP-HDMI adapter and everything worked automatically. Audio settings automatically detected my Toshiba Regza HDTV and began putting sound out without a single setting change on my part.

This was done using the default Win7 install that came with my T420. Did you change some drivers from when you got the system in from Lenovo?

 

I got the same issue as many on this thread, video but no audio on my TV. My 420 has the stock Intel graphics.

Do you need to plug-in a cable to see the Intel audio device, because I don't see it normally in the playback selector.

 

Hey mate, this thread talks about an issue seems similar to what you are facing (albeit for the T410), hopefully it can help you.

T410s - no audio via Displayport to HDMI adapter - Lenovo Community

 

Thats the adapter I've ordered but not yet received so I'm looking to see if that one solves anything.

 

On my T410 and W510 I can only see the DP audio device if I have the cabled plugged in.

 

I have changed a couple of things, but I have also made a complete reinstall/recovery and installled nothing but the default drivers and Lenovo software, so the computer was as it came from the factory, no difference.

 

Real unfortunate mate, hope its just a cable issue and your new cable will fix that.

 

Thanks, me too, it would really irritating if I had to send it back to repair.

 

OK. I'll assume it's the adapter I chose, because I never see the DP audio device on my 420 hooked-up to the TV or not. This is the adapter that doesn't work (audio) for me:

Amazon.com: Premium Black DisplayPort Male to HDMI Female Adapter: Electronics

Apparently most of these are just passive devices that knock the voltage down and match pins. It seems it's possible that a working adapter for one video output/TV won't work with a different combination. Sad but true.

I'll give an adapter cable a try next time around.

 

You can consider this, I have it and it works fine for T420s/Optimus.

Newegg.com - BYTECC AP-DPHDMI-005 DisplayPort to HDMI Cable Adapter 0.5ft (6") w/IC

 

Interestingly I bought supposedly the same adapter from a different Amazon.com vender, ELMENOS. Amazon.com: Premium Black DisplayPort Male to HDMI Female Adapter: Electronics

Looking at it again, what I got looks a bit different than the picture. What I got doesn't work with my X220. Others are reporting that the following works with the X220. You might give that a try.

For only $6.30 each when QTY 50+ purchased - DP (DisplayPort) Male to HDMI Female Adapter | DisplayPort to HDMI | DVI | VGA Adapters

 

Ensure you have the latest audio drivers as well. I was having issues with the audio while in a skype call (would tell me that soundcard was disabled) which were rectified with the latest audio driver from lenovos site. Worth a try even though these problems are most likely not related.

 

Thanks, but I already have the latest audio drivers.

 

YES, it finally works. The one I ordered from Amazon worked right away, it's this one: Amazon.com: StarTech.com DP2HDMI DisplayPort to HDMI Video Adapter Converter: Electronics

Thanks for your help and suggestions.

 

Congrats, at least we now know that it's not fault of the system itself! I guess the cable choice is really key to whether you can output sound or not through the Displayport (different DP versions maybe?).

I hope your findings will also help others on making the correct cable choice for a hassle-free experience.

*I stickied your findings on the T420 thread.

 

Thanks, yes it could be something to do with versions, because the cabel that works with the X10 series Thinkpads doesn't work on the T420 and the other adapter I bought in Denmark which should pass audio doesn't work either.

 

Thats weird, because I have that exact adapter with a cheap HDMI 1.3 cable running from the adapter to my Toshiba Regza, and all works perfectly.

T420 (fully stock Win7 install from Lenovo) --> Premium black DP male to HDMI Female --> cheap HDMI 1.3 cable from Amazon --> Toshiba Regza

Everything worked automatically from day one. Maybe its the cable you're using with the adapter and TV? Who knows.

 

I ordered that adapter from Amazon.com but what I received did not look exactly like the image. My adapter was more rounded like, and without the hump at the female end. I think I got some Chinese knockoff and not exactly what was listed. I bought my adapter from ELMENOS at Amazon.com. My adapter will not work with the X220, but others report that they have adapters that do work with the X220.

Does the adapter you received look exactly like the image in the link?
Is there any branding or part number on your adapter?

 

My non-working adapter is like you describe, rounded and different from the picture. I've decided I don't like the way these adapters stick out of the laptop, so I'm going to give a cable a try.

By the way, my 420 is up-to-date using the shipped Win7 installation.

 

Mine isn't rounded, it is square like in the image.
There isn't any branding or model numbers on it.

 

That explains it. We got different adapters. Yesterday I sent an email to ELMENOS asking for the "Premium" "GTMax" adapter that was in the description. If ELMENOS doesn't respond appropriately, I am going to complain to Amazon.com.

The adapter I received does not have any branding or part numbers on it either and the plastic bag it came in only said: "Made in China".

 

bought two different DP to HDMI cables and ended up getting only Video and no Audio. Finally bought this..

DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter, Display Port Male - HDMI: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics Worked right off

Problem solved. Did not even need to set the default audio adapter worked plug and play.

 

I'm having mixed results with this Startech cable and the T420 (HD3000). I used it to connect with my 720p Samsung TV and while it worked (video and audio), the resolution wasn't quite right. The Windows resolution was set properly (1280x720) but the desktop image didn't fit the screen perfectly (it was somewhat large) and the text was not nearly as crisp as it should have been, though it was legible. I've used the Samsung TV with my desktop computer via HDMI, and the T420 works just fine with a VGA cable.

Any ideas? I have modified the text DPI settings on the T420, but this wouldn't seem to be relevant given that it works just fine with the VGA cable.

 

Hey GomJabbar,

I'm in the exact same boat you're in. Ordered from ELMENOS and received the cheap knockoff that does not do sound. Were you able to get anything resolved with them? I've sent an email but no response thus far.

Thanks,
Aakash

 

@aakashn

Nope, no reply from ELMENOS. Been away from the internet for the last several days. Probably nothing will get resolved, but I do plan to complain.

 

I've just checked with the cable on my Panasonic Plasma screen, there is no problem with the resolution, and the picture looks the same as it does with another one of my computers which is connected to the screen directly with a HDMI cable.

 

Check and see if your tv has a "dot by dot" mode. I forget what the mode is called on Samsung TVs. The picture may not fit perfectly if your TV is not capable of 1:1 pixel mapping.

 

Make sure your TV is set to Normal mode and not Widescreen, Panoramic, Zoom, Panning, etc. This threw me off for a time.

 

Thanks for all the tips! I changed the mode from 16:9 to "Screen fit" and the resolution problem was solved. The unclear text issue, however, still remained. The picture now fits on the screen, but sharpness is noticeably inferior to the VGA connection.

 

Received the following email from ELMENOS:
----------------------------------------------------------
Akas,

We apologize for any inconvenience
Pleases send it back to:

ELMENOS
ATTN: RETURNS
83 N SUMMIT ST
TENAFLY, NJ 07670
Order #:

and include this email and your order #.It need to be returned in the original condition, packiging,and all of the accessories. We will test it if you wish we will send to you a replacement.

Thank you
Elmenos
--------------------------------------------------

It's not worth sending back at my expense to receive a replacement with the exact same issue. I went ahead and filed a claim with Amazon. We'll see what happens.