Stereo Mix device turned off on Vista+Vaio systems?

[Nickblaster]

Hi and excuse my english for not bein so perfect!

I've recently upgraded to Vista (from Sony express upgrade DVDs) and I cannot find "stereo-mix" recording device in the audio panel (with XP was OK) even if I show all recording devices (disabled and deactivated). The only source I can see is the microphone.
I've tried also to install the latest realtek high definition drivers (R.1.67) from realtek site but nothing changed.

I've contacted also the Realtek support that replies to me:

"I'm sorry . This is Sony requirement to turn off "Stereo Mix" item . Our HD Audio driver has supported "Stereo Mix" for recording ( Except ALC861 and ALC660 ) . Because Sony need to turn off it , so we do it . There are many more customization programming for many more machine . Your computer do not support it by Sony requirement . This is not our driver issue . Please try to contact Sony to confirm it ."

Can anyone confirm me that all Sony notebooks with Vista doesn't have a "stereo-mix" device?
I cannot understand such a strange requirement from Sony.

Any help will be very appreciated. I bought this notebook to record my singing performances (I'm studing to be a crooner )
Bye
Nick

[roblishm]

How fitting is THIS

[laptopnovice]

I presume you all mean that the microphone in question is the one that is alongside the "motion eye" webcam facility that is in most VAIO these days?
I too have the problem described and used to happily record the occaisional online radio station using some suitable audio recording software. Now I find out that it is not possible at all and not my missing something.
Is it not possible to install a secondary audio driver that we could switch on when we didn't want to use the webcam?

[VINEEVAIO]

The "stereo mix" function does not work on my Realtek HD AUDIO sound card .

Before someone points out that you can enable stereo mix through a driver update or by changing settings, note that there is an additional issue with Sony laptops where none of this is possible. Please read on.

I have a VAIO VGN-NS10J/S . After much persistence, Sony confirmed -- albeit in a round about way -- that the limitation applies to all VAIOs (read the emails below for their own words).

I have contacted both Sony and Realtek, in an attempt to enable the function or atleast understand why the function cannot be enabled.

I first contacted Realtek who were cordial and straightforward with their answers. I was referred to Sony who were unhelpful and uncooperative! :smileyliar:

In chronological order (my questions have been omitted for conciseness, but they should be obvious...):

pctech@realtek.com
Dear Sir,
We need more information to solve your problem. Please provide system information (motherboard, or notebook type model etc.), Realtek codec name (ALC xxx)
Best regards,
PC-tech
pctech@realtek.com
Dear Sir,
All of Sony notebook models disable the stereo mix function. It is our customer's (Sony) request. We must follow their spec.
We recommed you contact Sony for detail answers.
Best regards,
PC-Tech
pctech@realtek.com
Dear Sir,
The Stereo Mix function is disabled by driver.
We don't know why Sony doesn't need Stereo Mix function. We just do they want.
Best regards,
PC-Tech
pctech@realtek.com
Dear Sir,
Yes, we do have driver for general models.
But we recommend users use custom driver for special models since we do a lot of customizations.
We can not guarantee there is no side effects to install general driver on Sony models.
Best regards,
PC-Tech

customersupport.en@vaio-link.com
Dear Sir / Madam,
We would have been happy to assist with any issues you were having with the vaio if you have difficulties / compatibility issues with Windows Vista we do have certain business models with an option to downgrade to Windows XP.
Regards
Ger
Sony Vaio link support
customersupport.en@vaio-link.com
Thank you for contacting us.
We do not support Third party software like Cool Edit.
With that sound card you can only output once.
You will need to purchase an external sound card to use as the second output.
Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to update your case. If you would prefer an e-Support agent to contact you by telephone, please update your case with your preferred contact number and a suitable timeframe between the hours of 8:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday.
Regards,
Dave
Sony Vaio-Link Team
customersupport.en@vaio-link.com
Thank you for contacting us.
The reason for this is that the mixer is disabled on all OEM Vista system by Microsoft. Regarding Windows XP please note that we can support only OEM preinstalled operating system.
Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reply to this email.
Regards,
Maggie
Sony Vaio-Link Team
customersupport.en@vaio-link.com
Thank you for your reply.
Unfortunately there is no firmware update for the sound card to enable mixer. This function has been disabled on all OEM operating system. Unfortunately, we cannot give you any other satisfactory response.
Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to reply to this email.
Regards,
Maggie
Sony Vaio-Link Team

In conclusion:
Sony asked Realtek to disable the stereo-mix function on their sound cards. Realtek did as they were asked. Sony, rather than admitting this, blame the Vista OEM they preinstalled for you. They are then careful to point out that should you install any other operating system (e.g. a non-OEM copy of Vista, XP or Linux), and still be unsuccessful with the stereo-mix function, then they will no longer provide support. How convenient for them!

Speculations:
There are rumours going around that the RIAA has been pressuring the computer industry to do more to stop the illegal reproduction of copyrighted music and video. Sony with their Sony Music Entertainment has more invested interest in this action :smileymoney_eyes: than most, and it perhaps explains why they have taken the disabling of "stereo-mix" a step further than everyone else and made it impossible to recover. The Sony VAIO laptop is advertised as the solution to all my multimedia needs and by the slogan "go create" [sic].

Solutions:
To date (March 2009) there are no good solutions if you own a Sony VAIO. I have researched this extensively. Realtek, who manufacture microchips and soundcards around them, have suggested that since their HDAUDIO chips are also used by other brands, the problem could be solved at the driver level. Perhaps if people continue to make noise someone will listen. Other solutions are buying an external soundcard and risking the same thing or paying for a program called "virtual audio cable", which does not fix the problem but works around it in a rudimentary way. Feeding the signal directly from the Audio output to the Microphone input might be useful, but depending on how the electronics are designed you risk damaging the hardware.

[Link6590]

I hope this doesn't count as reviving the dead beaten horse but the above poster mentioned external sound cards as an alternative, but I'm pretty clueless of what to look for. Like what type of brand, important features. Anyone have any recommendations for quality sound cards that won't empty my wallet? (I'm still confused why Sony, even with their money interests, took a step back, into a pit of needles, with this one.)

[phenriot]

You have to remember that Sony is also a major music publisher/producer.

Sony doesn't want you to record any music.
It is as simple as that.

Sony was also the company which has put malware rootkits on their audio cds in order to cripple people's computers.

The absence of the sound mixer is just another evil feat.
I wish someone with enough energy and money would go to court to have a judge to force them to prominently display on the packages all the standard functions that their products cannot perform. The european court could be a good choice for that.

Packages would could like this:
- "insert this disk and forget about ever burning DVDs or CDs again!"
- "Blu-Ray reader included! Impossible to display on anything except a HDMI v.2 certified TV!"
- "Sounds on this laptop can't be recorded!"

To the people who decided that: please just die.

Once countries like China, Thailand, Russia etc. will start to make good Notebooks without western help, then you can tell byebye to all your nerfed junk.

[phenriot]

needless to say, I got the same problem.

Now I deleted the fake driver delivered by sony and try to install a generic one by realtek.

I'll post the results.

[phenriot]

ok, that didn't work.

I installed the generic driver, but somehow still now joy.


When I restarted the comp, it installed a driver... but I installed it before, so this looked strange, as if it had "undone" my driver installation and reinstalled the fake driver.

[phenriot]

I'll now try to install the older AC97 drivers on vista...

[phenriot]

installing the AC97 drivers made strictly no difference at all.

I wonder even if they got installed.
I got about 40 red warnings that vista didn't like the drivers, and after a reboot, everything worked like before again.

There is just one difference with the previous state: the problem with the sound not being loud enough on the laptop is solved. If I turn the sound on now, it is really deafening.

So, one small problem solved after all.


I notice that instead of a sound card, the hardware manager now displays an
"Intel 82801HBM ICH8M - High Definition Audio Bus Controller"

I will try to fiddle with that a little, and see if I can't use an XP driver for that.
Maybe they have hidden the malware in the bus controller.

[tjjbergh]

Until now I was pretty pleased with my new sony vaio, but this stupid "little-problem-turning-into-a-disaster" has pretty much spoiled all the fun.

As has been said by others I use my laptop for creating and producing my own music, so a "what you hear" function comes in handy...

Sony, thank you very much for NOT choosing you again from now on...