Mute key a toggle switch? REALLY bad idea! [ Edited ]

[JoeTodd]

In all my past Thinkpads and in a friend's T41 and T60, the mute button always mutes the sound. On my T61, it mutes it when it's on, but unmutes it when it's muted. Is this a bug or a feature? And if it is a feature, who on this planet would want it, especially considering that either of the other two volume buttons always unmutes the sound?
Scenario (I'm sure you can think of others):
- You are reviewing a music video before buying the CD as a gift for your best friend.
- You get notice of an urgent email.
- You quickly mute the sound and open the email.
- You forget you muted the sound, thinking it stopped when the email window obscured the video.
- Your best friend walks in the room.
- You quickly push "mute" to make sure the video won't be overheard.
- Your friend hears the video and figures out your gift.
How can I make my mute button a mute button???

Addendum:  April 06, 2008.   Just installed the latest BIOS and other software for my T61.  Didn't change this button's behavior.  I'm disappointed.


Message Edited by JoeTodd on 04-06-2008 12:08 AM

[RealBlackStuff]

I suggest you get the HMM here, and open up your TP. Then get the old soldering iron out and swap the wiring. Problem solved.

[andyP Community SuperMod]

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RealBlackStuff wrote:

I suggest you get the HMM here, and open up your TP. Then get the old soldering iron out and swap the wiring. Problem solved.

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RBS has suggested one possible solution, a little OTT but should work when correctly executed

To be honest, I hadn't noticed untill you posted You are right, it turns "on and off" on T61. On my T23, T43 and T61 I have always used the volume down button and never the mute button. I don't know why but..........it works for me.

[JoeTodd]

The HMM shows the volume keys (the mute key is included as a volume key) but does not discuss them elsewhere in the manual.  They appear to be part of the keyboard.  I don't think it would be obvious how to rewire it after opening the TP.  What if this behavior is software-related?
Joe Todd

[billbolton Community Moderator]

JoeTodd wrote:

And if it is a feature, who on this planet would want it

Me... it works exactly the same way that the mute buttons do for the external speaker systems on desktop PC now a days, which I find very convenient and a REALLY good idea!!

Cheers,

Bill

Message Edited by billbolton on 02-14-2008 11:00 PM

[JaneL Community SuperMod]

I think it's intuitive enough that I hadn't noticed the change from my T60p to the X61 Tablet.  Mute and unmute the sound with the same button.  That's how the controls in my car and the remotes for my TV and DVR work.  Makes sense to me.

[Ender]

Ugh, seriously. I always press the mute button two or three times to make sure it's muted, especially if I wake the computer up and it's about to make noise when I don't want it to. Glad I got T60 before they messed it up.

[JoeTodd]

And what made it worse when I first got my T61 was that, until my latest round of thinkVantage and Bios updates, the green volume gauge that appeared at the bottom of the screen when pressing these buttons often lied or didn't even appear.  Thank goodness that works now.  When a button for muting lies right next to two buttons that will unmute, the rationale for making it a toggle switch evaporates, IMHO.

[JoeTodd]

What I'd like to know from a Lenovo engineer is if this new, toggle behavior is hard-wired or in software, and of course whether in either case it can be 'fixed'.

[carbon_unit]

I would think it is a software function.