Thinkpad T420 Owner's Thread

[andpgud]

Does the turbo boost only make the fan spin faster?
How can I check the temp on my computer?

[Hearst]

Does the turbo boost only make the fan spin faster?
How can I check the temp on my computer?

The point of Turbo Boost is for the CPU to go beyond its base frequency, like an overclock if thermal limits allows it to. The fans will spin faster for extra cooling so the CPU can try to push as much performance as it can. As for checking temps you can try free programs such as HWInfo32 or Core Temp.

[andpgud]

So you are saying that all the thinkpads have the high pitch noise when running on battery power?

[Hearst]

I'm thoroughly enjoying the enhanced sound mod authored by "PeterTWJ" and shared by “600X” that is compatible with the ThinkPad T420 system. If you like listening to music but not overwhelmed by the sound quality on the ThinkPad then the Dolby Home Theatre drivers could be just what you’re looking for.

Not only it enhances the volume which to be fair, is quiet on the T420 but also changes the depth of certain tones giving more vibrancy in playback on stock speakers. You may hear certain things that you couldn’t before with this mod! Instructions on how to load the Dolby Home Theatre on your ThinkPad is shown in this PDF. The relevant files needed for installation can be obtained here.

I have compiled all my Dolby Home Theatre v4 Profile for people to use and modify freely, this file supercedes all my previous files. Simply load it at the Import tab under the "ALL TUNING + PROFILES" section.

Profile Download Link (Right click on link and save to computer).

* P1 - HD Audio by 600X
600X's tuning for loud playback on stock speakers minimising distortion, though not really recommended for headphone/phono jack use.

* P2 - Bass Enhance EQ by Hearst
Tuned for headphones/audio jack use, ideal for music with some bass such as Hip-Hop, R&B, Dance and the Wub Wub types. This EQ makes the bass more pronounced and vibrant.

* P3 - Rock EQ by Hearst
Tuned for headphones/audio jack use, adds a bit more depth to certain rock music.

* P4 - General EQ by Hearst
This EQ generally enhances tones for all kinds of music, adds a bit of depth and feels balanced all round. I also tweaked the surround settings to give a home theatre feel on headphones, of course if you don't prefer that you can always turn it off. If you connect to an external speaker using the audio jack then I probably would recommend to turn the surround feature off.

* P5 - Classical EQ by Hearst
Especially suited for softer genres like Classical and Acoustic Music, this EQ is tuned for headphones/audio jack use. Works quite well with the Surround Virtualizer on for that orchestral experience if desired.

* P6 - Voice
This is a default voice EQ for dictation and microphone conversation.

EDIT: Due to the unofficial support of these drivers, the Dolby Home Theatre v4 Drivers will not work using the ThinkPad dock or with HDMI output. If you use either of these frequently it is recommended to stick to the original Conexant audio drivers. If you want to boost volume on the stock Conexant drivers then try using this method here.

So you are saying that all the thinkpads have the high pitch noise when running on battery power?

Unfortunately the high pitch noise or whine is a characteristic of the Intel processor when it goes to power saving mode, it affects all makes and not just ThinkPads. It's well documented when you do a Google search on the issue.

[Mech0z]

Do that 600X work on W520?

[Hearst]

Do that 600X work on W520?

It should do as the W520 shares the same Conexant Audio chip as the T420 and X220.

[Mech0z]

It should do as the W520 shares the same Conexant Audio chip as the T420 and X220.

Edit: nwm that is in the pdf

[andpgud]

Now this is interesting. I am just DL the 1,2,3 files.
Should I also DL the DAA and DHT files?

[Hearst]

Now this is interesting. I am just DL the 1,2,3 files.
Should I also DL the DAA and DHT files?

I downloaded the whole folder just to be on the safe side though I think you can get away with just downloading the 3 parts of the x86/x64 files as instructed in the PDF.

[andpgud]

Sounds good. This is actually great stuff since I love music. One more thing. In the instructions it tells me to uninstall some drivers. Did you do that and which ones exactly?