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View Full Version : 185A5 - S/PDIF and 96/192K buttons

alexkywalker
03-13-2003, 06:32 AM
I wonder what the F7 and F8 toggle buttons on my 185A5 laptop are supposed to do.

Anyone?

Thanks
ToddBradley
03-16-2003, 05:43 AM
Precisely jack ****.

Meaning they supposedly don't do anything on the 185A5. I have a suspicion, though, that an enterprising explorer could figure out how the digital audio features are disabled on the 185A5 and turn them back on. I'm pretty sure it's the same motherboard as the 200A5, so it probably has the same audio hardware. My guess is it's either disabled via a jumper settings or in software somehow.
Angus
03-16-2003, 10:23 AM
On a 200A5...

F7 toggles between 96k/192k audio quality.

F8 toggles between the different S/PDIF outputs if you have the $250 parrallel cable (SPDIF AC97, SPDIF ODD, SPDIF External XLR, SPDIF External RCA)

I'm curious to see how far you guys get with the 185A5 SPDIF hacking. My money is that the 185A5 is crippled with a jumper and you will need a good high resolution comparison image of a 200A5 to really go poking around. The next time I open up my 200A5 I'll see what I can do.
zoofer
03-19-2003, 06:09 PM
The 185A5 is supposed to have S/PDIF capability. It specifically says it does on Best Buy's VPR-Matrix website under the specs for the 185A5 (under Communications and Connectivity).

Either it does or it doesn't.

If it does, how do I access it? :)
If it doesn't, why do the specs say it does? :(

I'm cornfused :confused:

zoof
Angus
03-19-2003, 08:46 PM
I'm confused too. :confused:
sonoronos
03-20-2003, 08:12 PM
I believe it's possible to edit the configuration file associatied with the VPR MATRIX KEYBOARD utility that comes with the 185A5, so that the idle buttons can perform the same functions as say, the volume, mute, or dimming functions.

I think the file to look for is QTVPRMATRIX or something of the ilk.
ToddBradley
03-22-2003, 06:51 AM
Perhaps if the 185A5 can do S/PDIF, it would do it through the headphone miniplug, the same was as the other vpr Matrix notebooks do it. I don't know that for sure - I'm just guessing.

I'm also with Angus in guessing that the digital audio is only crippled on the 185A5 via a jumper of some kind on the motherboard.

Speaking of experimenting with digital audio on the vpr Matrix notebooks, I got my $250 digital parallel cable yesterday and will start testing it out shortly. If you're interested, you can read about what I find here:

http://www.toddbradley.com/ahi_digital_audio.htm
Ioman
03-23-2003, 05:01 PM
Originally posted by zoofer
The 185A5 is supposed to have S/PDIF capability. It specifically says it does on Best Buy's VPR-Matrix website under the specs for the 185A5 (under Communications and Connectivity).

Either it does or it doesn't.

If it does, how do I access it? :)
If it doesn't, why do the specs say it does? :(

I'm cornfused :confused:

zoof


I will tell you how you get it, through the $250 parallel adapter high-end cables that Best Buy/VPR sells...it is mis-advertisement in my opinion. This is the only way I can figure you get to use it.
ToddBradley
03-30-2003, 08:32 AM
The 185A5 is supposed to have S/PDIF capability. It specifically says it does on Best Buy's VPR-Matrix website under the specs for the 185A5 (under Communications and Connectivity).

Either it does or it doesn't.

If it does, how do I access it?
If it doesn't, why do the specs say it does?


Have you tried contacting tech support to find out what the "official word" is on this matter?