Lexia Tech Note #100302

I don't hear any sound on my computer, or the sound is 'garbled' or choppy.

Lexia Programs:
  • Early Reading 3.x
  • Primary Reading 1.x
  • Phonics-Based Reading 4
  • Strategies for Older Students 4.x
  • Quick Reading Test 2.x
  • Cross-Trainer 1.x

Version:
  • Early Reading 3.x
  • Primary Reading 1.x
  • Phonics-Based Reading 4
  • Strategies for Older Students 4.x
  • Quick Reading Test 2.x
  • Cross-Trainer 1.x

Platforms Affected:
  • Windows

Symptom:

No sound is heard when using Lexia programs, or sound is of poor quality.

Explanations:

The explanations below are taken from our support knowledge base:

Why is the sound clipped in the programs on a Dell computer?
Newer Dells have sound being clipped off. For these users, they should uninstall the "Yamaha SW Synth", "Yamaha SX Synth", or "Yamaha SG Synth" by finding it through the Add/Remove programs of their control panel. (Support update: the words "Yamaha" and "Synth always appear in the control panel name, but the 2 letters in between vary depending on operating system and sound card.)

Why is there no sound on my Dell Inspiron 8100 laptop with ESS Maestro playback device?
There is a conflict between sound device and the modem on the mother board. Uninstall the modem by going to the Hardware tab in the System Properties box and clicking on the Device Manager. Right click on the modem device and uninstall it.

Why is there no sound on my Windows machine?
You may need to adjust the advanced properties for the sound playback device. These settings are found by clicking Advanced in the Sound Playback box on the audio tab of the Sound and Multimedia property. Set the Hardware Acceleration to ¼ full and Sample Rate Conversion Quality to Best.

Why is there no sound on my Dell laptop?
On some Dell laptops (we've seen this on Inspiron 8200) with no sound and which have no modem installed, go to Control Panel -> Phones/Modems -> Modem. You will see a modem that is "not functional": Remove it.

Why are words chopped off and directions not completed on Windows machines?
Try adjusting the Hardware Acceleration to ¾ full. This setting is found by clicking Advanced in the Sound Playback box on the audio tab of the Sound and Multimedia property.

Keywords:

sound problems, audio