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Question

Issues with IDT audio device "auto leveling" audio volume

Feb 25, 2016 10:17AM PST

I have an HP Envy M7 Core i7 unit which is overall a very nice laptop. It has some quirks that are annoying but I have found workaround for all but one.

The laptop uses an IDT audio device for the Beats Audio that is sold as an upgrade over traditional audio. This is the case in most circumstances but I have run into one quite annoying "feature" that I cannot seem to turn off.

The input/microphone volume likes to auto level. You can open the mixer and watch it just bounce around. I am not using this laptop for recording but can imagine the mess if I were to try. My main deal is I use it for VOIP communication. Sometimes the input levels get quite high and the person on the other end starts getting feedback and an echo of their own words.

The system is running Windows 10. I am using the newest Windows 8 driver I could find as it appears support for this device stopped before Win 10 was released. I have also tried removing the Beats Audio altogether and using the Windows default drivers. The same thing still happens.

I looked high and low on various forums and no one seems to have come up with a good answer on how to solve this problem. Any suggestions or should I just live with it or use a different laptop for communication?

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Did anyone note changing to a mic?
Feb 25, 2016 10:54AM PST

Look at video review sites and you see the pros do not use the onboard mic. Many don't use the laptop speakers. This is why headphone and mic sets are so popular.

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I did this once but...
Feb 25, 2016 11:17AM PST

I did this once but it still goes through the same audio hardware. This helped eliminate some of the echo but not the volume variation on the other end.

I am not looking for audio quality on par with professional audio or video recordings. I am looking for TELEPHONE quality audio which isn't much to need if you ask me. The onboard setup would work fine if I can turn off this annoying auto leveling "feature".

This laptop also came with a touch screen which was billed as a "feature." A spec of dust hitting the screen would cause it to click on something or pinch zoom. I have other touch screen laptops that do not do this. Again, it appeared to be a bug in this unit as I was far from the only one complaining. This was a quick turn off in device manager so not a big deal.

I have always been an HP guy in recent years but this laptop has disappointed me in several areas, mostly minor annoyances like this. It also has issues with build quality/sturdiness. I figure my next one will be an HP and if it is lousy like this one, I will be done with HP or at least any consumer oriented product.

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Folk know my view on HP today.
Feb 25, 2016 11:59AM PST

It's not any secret my last HP was my last HP. They walked on the warranty at 3 months and so they've lost me forever. No apology, exchange or compensation. I'm sure there are good HP folk out there but the company itself is lost.

There are now a dozen different controls for audio today so I find myself fishing for such a control.

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I see
Feb 25, 2016 4:50PM PST

What type of HP was this? I have found that pretty much all makes are bad about supporting the lower end budget systems. I guess they aren't really making much off these so have pretty poor support. If it was an ENVY or similar, I would be very upset.

As for ones I see working on that are routinely built as cheap as can be, Toshiba seems to have that down pat. The C55 series is commonly in and they are just cheap and flimsy.

To be honest most of the low-end systems that come in are gummed up with soda, cigarette smoke, insects, and the like. You can't blame the manufacturer for not being a little biased against them. A pristine one comes in from time to time and this is shocking.

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Along the way HP support said
Feb 25, 2016 5:24PM PST
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My Envy has build quality issues.
Feb 25, 2016 7:30PM PST

It only has one screw on each corner holding the screen hinges to the body. This screw goes into plastic tabs which broke off because this is a stress concentration point. Apparently I am not the only one with this problem as lots and lots of people are bashing these on forums.

I have taken apart plenty of cheap G-series HPs with 4-6 screws holding that bracket in each corner. They really skimped out on an otherwise nice laptop.

Now I see Toshibas these days without a CMOS battery. When the main battery goes dead the settings are lost and the computer will no longer boot so I end up seeing these in for repair. It is an easy fix for you and me but I wonder how many end up in the trash because of this issue. This just seems like they are cheaping out any any little thing if you ask me. In addition, the plastic casings seem extremely flimsy compared to all the rest.