Hi guys,

I’m a frequent reader of these forums and today I’ve got my first problem with my soon 4 years old TR5.

Luckily as I am it’s not the HDD…I’m wondering the whole time if my HD will die some day…I hope not…but before it wil happen I’ll probably change to a 60GB 1.8” HD.

Okay…my problem is the soundcard. I dropped my TR5 yesterday and desktop speakers were attached. And now: no sound, no sound from the laptop speakers and no sound from the line out.

I took the TR5 apart to look for the soundcard…it must be that thing on the right side, where the line out’s are…but no damage seen there. I also don’t know why both ways (speakers and line out) don’t work anymore…

On the software side everything seems to be okay, my windows recognizes the soundcard, i can install the drivers, and i can change volume. But I just can’t here any sound. No beep, nothing.

I think the whole soundcard is just dead somehow, or are there any plugs which can fall out that can’t be seen that easy by just taking of the keyboard and the cover?

Well, I looked out for an alternative solution and now ordered a bulk Audigy 2 ZS PCMCIA soundcard. I have no idea if this will work, but I hope so.

However I really want to know what got damaged on the soundcard…perhaps someone has similiar experience?

Thanks!

Heady

This may be impossible, but if the headphone board is somehow broken and thinking headphones are plugged in, that would explain why the desktop speakers aren’t working…. although like you say, there is no apparent damage.  If I were in your place, I would be tempted to try replacing the sound/usb board… http://www.notebookparts.com/products/description.php?II=13211

Thanks for your fast reply, much appreciated! Well, I opened my TR again…getting faster and faster doing it. hehe

Well, I took out the DVD-drive to have a better look under to the soundboard. Nothing damage I could see or anything else. No idea what happened! But on the exterior: It seems to me that the green out isn’t anymore on the same line as the red mic out and there’s a little crack in the case part right under the green out…probably coming from the fall with the attached desktop speakers cable. Well well…

Thanks for the link…unfortunately a bit too late…didn’t know that there are retailers for such pieces. So I ordered yesterday the PCMCIA solution by Creative.

If you bought the Pcmcia thing online can you return it for refund if unopened? you have a period you can do this in the UK (distance selling rules).

I’ve a box of sound cards from TR series here and can send to you one tested for $10 + shipping (I’m in the UK)

what Mr B suggested is probably what happened.. inside the headphone socket there is a switch part to turn off the speakers this is either broken or shorted out or the socket is partly pulled off the PCB.

Yeah, that’s probably what happened… :-(

Well, I want to get my TR in repaired shape again, so check your PMs BladeRunner.

But I take the PCMCIA Card as well, probably will give quite a boost in terms of audio quality to external speakers.

Hi got the old parts back thanks, glad it’s all fixed and working and contact me if you ever need other parts..

Thanks again, your soundboard works perfectly.

Oh by the way…the PCMCIA Audigy 2 ZS has some compatiblity issues with the RICOH PCMCIA Controller. So for all TR owners with interest in such a PCMCIA soundcard - don’t buy it (the compatiblity issue is also listed on Creative’s homepage), but I thought to give it a try…no luch though! There’s sound but its chopped up and the whole system has little freezes frome time to time.