Bend Over Dude, You’re Getting A Dell
I bought a Dell laptop months ago with the intention of using it as a command center both at home and on the road. […] Time and time again I tried to record audio and video feeds that displayed on my screen with no luck. I would get the video to record no problem, but the audio just wouldn’t record.
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What? Stereo Mix? Where the fuck is my stereo mix? I only see two options, Mic and Line-in. Perplexed, I refocused my efforts on Google and began to search for the missing third option.
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It appears that Dell, and several other computer manufacturers such as Gateway and Pac Bell, were pressured by the RIAA (Record Industry Association of America) into disabling the stereo mix functionality. If true, I find it disturbing that at no time did any of the aforementioned manufacturers see it fit to explain the restrictions they were imposing on our hardware.One forum poster explained that he contacted Dell seeking a solution for his stereo mix woes, and they offered him one — for a $99 fee. So that we are all clear, the evidence points to Dell appeasing the RIAA by disabling hardware, only to have their customer service reps turn around and offer a solution to their consumers that reverses the alteration they made in the first place at a premium price.
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The unfortunate reality here is that prebuilt computers are potentially becoming nothing more than an advertising platform for big time brands and a way for highly influential organizations to impose their will on the unaware masses.
And here I was thinking about purchasing a DELL. Glad you brought this info to light. Kudos DU!
Well, Dr Dobb==thats why you don’t want to buy Vista either. I don’t know what the DRM protection is, but I have read too many articles about certain DRM capabilities being turned off for now but they can be activated in the future.
Getting these boxes is hard enough to do already without coming to grips with intentional disabling.
I bought my first computer and after changing the power supply and adding a hard drive, I was comfortable that the computer is just a collection of parts.
Build your own, and be happy. Go Linux when XP will no longer work. Course, probably doesn’t matter unless you plan on recording High Def TV as I do.
I never bought an off-the-shelf computer in my life and if I did, I would never get involved with Dell Hell. At least there is one place I don’t controlled by some big corporation. Build your own. It may not nessessarily be cheaper, but its more rewarding and you know exactly what you get.
Quote: Bend Over Dude, You’re Getting A Dell
People who buy Dell’s are gay.
That was funny Geezer.
Anyone interested in music might give this a look:
http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/07/listening-posts.html
I’ve gotten some good music from Pandora. Figures its under pressure to shut down?
#2 bobbo
From what I’ve heard of the joys of Vista it appears you are right. Since I’ve always built my own it’s never been an issue but in this case I need a laptop. A preloaded nightmare.
The whole DRM thing is probably the fault of Bill Gates and maybe Sony. The old sleazebags at the RIAA couldn’t figure out anything digital on their own.
I like Dell computers. The desktops have great big heatsinks that you just can’t get if you build your own vanilla box. I just put in a decent power supply and a good video card from nvidia and there’s an excellent cheap machine. On the other hand, Apple computers just plain don’t get viruses.
#6–Dodd==we both know the thrill of DIY, and while I have seen reference to kits for diy laptops, I think I’d stay away from homebuilt there. I watched my father build half a Heathkit TV and learned a lesson from him.
If Microsoft doesn’t reverse itself on the DRM thing, I will make a concerted effort to go linux when XP doesn’t work. At that point, any upgrade will mean finding replacement programs and/or upgraded drivers==so might as well do it for linux instead of Win 7?
I have no problems with my Dell. Why? Ubuntu my friends. Get it. Use it. Love it.
These RIAA, MPAA and any other “AA” poeple are going too far telling everybody how to build their products. What’s next, they come into my home and tell me my computer is illegal because I can play music on it? Maybe we can’t do much about the RIAA at the moment, but we sure can do something about manufactureres like Dell who insist on bowing down to the likes of the RIAA. Just don’t buy Dell’s products and you’ll see how quickly Mr Dell turns straight. Maybe Michael Dell doesn’t seem to mind being sodomized by those guys, but you would’nt see Steve Jobs at Apple take this shit. No one tells Apple how to build their products. Hey, Michael Dell, throw out that tube of KY and get some fortitude.
#8 bobbo
At least for me, building a laptop is out of the question since I would like one that works. 🙂
I’m not opposed to Linux or Apple for that matter, but the programs I rely on are Windows based and would cost quite a bit more to replace than the cost of a laptop.
I blame Bill Gates.
#11: Get a Mac, add Parallels or VM (or use BootCamp if you don’t mind switching), install Windows and you have the best of both OS’.
#4: And people who use the word “gay” in that sense are jerks.
#14 beejay = bj? = blowjob?
With a name like that I wonder about you!
No great love for Dell here, but, I think the finger should perhaps point to Vista. I built my own PC with Vista Ultimate loaded, and tried to use 2 or 3 different recording programs, and 2 different sound cards, and no combo would work.
Went back to XP, everything worked great.
#3 “At least there is one place I don’t controlled by some big corporation. Build your own. ”
Don’t be delusional, the difference between building and buying is who gets your money.
#13 Uncle Dave
That’s a great suggestion… thanks.
#17 Don’t be delusional, the difference between building and buying is who gets your money.
Perhaps I was unclear in how I said that quote you mentioned, not to mention my grammer mistake. Got to watch that. When you build your own you get to choose exactly what you want, not what Dell and the RIAA for instance tells you what you should have. I like to choose my components carefully. And yes I end up giving someone my money, just not Dell and definitely not the RIAA, support independant music, I say. When you buy a Dell you support the RIAA as well.
Thanks for finally answering a mystery that was driving me crazy. I have a Dell Desktop that is two years old, and the one problem I have never been able to solve is why I can’t record online audio that I can hear.
I have absolutely no desire to record music that way. I am a former major market, and national network radio guy and I have both a relative and a close friend who have weekly talk shows that are streamed that I want to record. I wanted to both time shift, and archive them. The stations stream but do not make mp3 files of shows available.
I couldn’t figure out what was wrong. I have four or five audio recorder programs on my Dell PC and none of them will record that, but are otherwise fine. I have purchased or downloaded software programs with no success. I have downloaded drivers and updates for the soundcard. I have opened the case and reseated the soundcard. I have searched online for others with the same problem.
It has been a real annoyance and I am now really disappointed in Dell. They let me down big time. They sold me an inferior not fully useful product on purpose.
As to the RIAA, who are they to tell me I can’t record a talk show that they have absolutely nothing to do with?
I am all for creators rights, but preventing unrelated legitimate use of privately owned hardware is not a fair use way of protecting content creators.
I would like to have all the frustrating hours back I spent trying to solve this “built in” problem. Dell, at least, owes me a solution now.
but you would’nt see Steve Jobs at Apple take this shit. No one tells Apple how to build their products.
Dude.. lay off the Apple Koolaid. If this were true, then I would be able to disable the DVD region lock on my Apple Macbook Pro. Apple has the DVD drive locked down tight and I have yet to be able to find a way to get the drive to ignore DVD region codes.
#19 I think building your own is a fun hobby and lets you take pride in what you have done. And stick’n it to a corporation is “Stuff White People Like” to do. But dell really doesn’t care.
I’m not connivence that the RIAA has as much to do with this as Dell and others just make cheaper junk for the masses. I’d like to see more then a blog post about it.
#21 Dude.. lay off the Apple Koolaid.
Perhaps you misunderstood, I’m not advertising for Apple, I’m not an Apple Fanboy. I build my own. I was merely ilustrating that some companies do not take any crap from the RIAA. What you are talking about is the MPAA, different organization. The RIAA has no business telling Dell, Apple Gateway or anybody how to build things. Imagine if the RIAA where to tell GM or Ford what kind of music players they are only allowed to install? Where does it end? What Apple or the others besides Dell are doing is a problem between their customers and themselves, why bring the RIAA into it? You’re right, its not unusual for Apple to lock things down. iPhone anyone?
All the dumb ass had to do was uninstall/install some drivers and you got stereo recording. The guy is a wanker, with his little Dell wankette. Bobbo is a wanker too.
I learned a new word, wanker, its whats for breakfast with mus’tard.
#15: Just to put your mind at ease, Old Geezer, I’m 100% homosexual! 🙂
#7 “Apple computers just plain don’t get viruses.”
That’s because there aren’t enough Mac users to make it worth the $ to write the “virus” in the 1st place.
@22: There is no cost incentive to disable features hardware already has. Actually, it likely costs more to develop and implement what Dell have done. The only possible reason to spend more in order to give end users less capability is some pressure from “above” (or should that been “below”?).
#15: Just to put your mind at ease, Old Geezer, I’m 100% homosexual!
You said it, I didn’t!
#4
Actually, ALL the mac users I know are Gay or bi.
I’ll take your word for it, I would’t know myself as I don’t use a Mac or a Dell. I get mine custom built. As for the guy that builds my computer, he’s got 3 wives and lives in a compound in Texas. Nothing gay here!
#31 Actually, ALL the mac users I know are Gay or bi.
I don’t use a Mac. I get mine custom built. As for the guy that builds my computer, he’s got 3 wives and lives in a compound in Texas. Nothing gay here!