Thread: [Alsa-user] Intel CougarPoint HDMI, no "input source" control
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From: Thomas K. <kr...@op...> - 2012-02-28 19:59:49
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Hi Alsa list! I bought a Toshiba Ultrabook Z830. It has jacks for external headset (with the usual greenn and pink connectors). I have no problem with sound output. As for input, the internal microphone is recognised but makes for a horrible capture. The Mic boost automatically goes up and this results in a lot of fan sound (I think) being caught. I want to use an external microphone/headset. I can hear a feedbock from the headset's microphone onto the headset speaker, but no sound is captured. I can't switch the input source to the external microphone. There is no such control available. trabbi:~# amixer contents | grep name= numid=15,iface=MIXER,name='Master Playback Switch' numid=14,iface=MIXER,name='Master Playback Volume' numid=2,iface=MIXER,name='Headphone Playback Switch' numid=1,iface=MIXER,name='Headphone Playback Volume' numid=21,iface=MIXER,name='PCM Playback Volume' numid=9,iface=MIXER,name='Mic Boost Volume' numid=6,iface=MIXER,name='Mic Playback Switch' numid=5,iface=MIXER,name='Mic Playback Volume' numid=10,iface=MIXER,name='Capture Switch' numid=11,iface=MIXER,name='Capture Volume' numid=16,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Con Mask' numid=17,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Pro Mask' numid=18,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Default' numid=19,iface=MIXER,name='IEC958 Playback Switch' numid=7,iface=MIXER,name='Auto-Mute Mode' numid=13,iface=MIXER,name='Beep Playback Switch' numid=12,iface=MIXER,name='Beep Playback Volume' numid=22,iface=MIXER,name='Digital Capture Volume' numid=8,iface=MIXER,name='Internal Mic Boost Volume' numid=4,iface=MIXER,name='Speaker Playback Switch' numid=3,iface=MIXER,name='Speaker Playback Volume' numid=20,iface=PCM,name='ELD',device=3 I spent about 40 hours looking for a solution. I have been trying to fiddle with /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf, and /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base-blacklist.conf. Here is a bit of background trabbi:~# aptitude show alsa-base | grep Version Version: 1.0.23+dfsg-4 trabbi:~# aptitude show alsa-utils | grep Version Version: 1.0.25-1 trabbi:~# uname -a Linux trabbi 3.2.0-1-686-pae #1 SMP Fri Feb 17 06:27:21 UTC 2012 i686 GNU/Linux trabbi:~# lsmod | grep snd snd_hda_codec_hdmi 26319 1 snd_hda_codec_realtek 142101 1 snd_hda_intel 21856 4 snd_hda_codec 63448 3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel snd_hwdep 12943 1 snd_hda_codec snd_pcm 53390 4 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec snd_seq 39487 0 snd_timer 22356 3 snd_pcm,snd_seq snd_seq_device 13016 1 snd_seq snd 42691 15 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device soundcore 12921 1 snd snd_page_alloc 12867 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm Any ideas? Cheers, Thomas Krichel http://openlib.org/home/krichel http://authorprofile.org/pkr1 skype: thomaskrichel |
From: Clemens L. <cla...@go...> - 2012-02-28 20:24:41
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Thomas Krichel wrote: > I want to use an external microphone/headset. I can hear a feedbock > from the headset's microphone onto the headset speaker, but no sound > is captured. I can't switch the input source to the external > microphone. There is no such control available. "arecord -l"? Regards, Clemens |
From: Clemens L. <cla...@go...> - 2012-03-01 08:42:45
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Thomas Krichel wrote: > I did more testing tonight. Skype raises the Mic Boost and then > the sound becomes unbearably shushy. Is there a way to force > Mic Boost to be zero, posssibly as root, so that a sound application > can not change it? It's possible to lock a control, but a tool to do this yet needs to be written. Regards, Clemens |
From: Thomas K. <kr...@op...> - 2012-03-02 20:31:56
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Clemens Ladisch writes > It's possible to lock a control, but a tool to do this yet needs to > be written. Actually, I found that a later version of Skype for linux has a checkbox to allows it to fiddle with the alsa settings. I am much happier now that I have unchecked that. Thanks and cheers, Thomas Krichel http://openlib.org/home/krichel http://authorprofile.org/pkr1 skype: thomaskrichel |
From: Thomas K. <kr...@op...> - 2012-02-28 20:25:54
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Clemens Ladisch writes > Thomas Krichel wrote: > > I want to use an external microphone/headset. I can hear a feedbock > > from the headset's microphone onto the headset speaker, but no sound > > is captured. I can't switch the input source to the external > > microphone. There is no such control available. > > "arecord -l"? trabbi:~# arecord -l **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices **** card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC269VB Analog [ALC269VB Analog] Subdevices: 1/1 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0 Thanks and cheers, Thomas Krichel http://openlib.org/home/krichel http://authorprofile.org/pkr1 skype: thomaskrichel |
From: Clemens L. <cla...@go...> - 2012-02-28 20:39:56
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Thomas Krichel wrote: > Clemens Ladisch writes > >> Thomas Krichel wrote: >>> I want to use an external microphone/headset. I can hear a feedbock >>> from the headset's microphone onto the headset speaker, but no sound >>> is captured. I can't switch the input source to the external >>> microphone. There is no such control available. >> >> "arecord -l"? > > card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC269VB Analog [ALC269VB Analog] > Subdevices: 1/1 > Subdevice #0: subdevice #0 I had hoped for more than one device. Please show the output of alsa-info.sh. Regards, Clemens |
From: Thomas K. <kr...@op...> - 2012-02-28 21:02:42
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Clemens Ladisch writes > I had hoped for more than one device. I already had looked at this I think. > Please show the output of alsa-info.sh. Now at http://openlib.org/home/krichel/tmp/alsa-info.txt Thanks and cheers, Thomas Krichel http://openlib.org/home/krichel http://authorprofile.org/pkr1 skype: thomaskrichel |
From: Clemens L. <cla...@go...> - 2012-02-28 21:21:12
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Thomas Krichel wrote: > Clemens Ladisch writes >> I had hoped for more than one device. > > I already had looked at this I think. > >> Please show the output of alsa-info.sh. > > http://openlib.org/home/krichel/tmp/alsa-info.txt > Node 0x22 [Audio Selector] wcaps 0x30010b: Stereo Amp-In > Amp-In caps: N/A > Amp-In vals: [0x00 0x00] [0x00 0x00] [0x00 0x00] [0x00 0x00] [0x00 0x00] [0x00 0x00] [0x00 0x00] > Connection: 7 > 0x18* 0x19 0x1a 0x1b 0x1d 0x0b 0x12 The external mic _is_ selected; this might be done automatically. Does the Mic playback volume have any effect on the feedback? Does "Mic Boost" have any effect? Regards, Clemens |
From: Thomas K. <kr...@op...> - 2012-02-28 21:39:51
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Clemens Ladisch writes > The external mic _is_ selected; this might be done automatically. > Does the Mic playback volume have any effect on the feedback? I am not sure what you mean by feedback here krichel@trabbi:~$ amixer cset iface=MIXER,name='Mic Playback Volume' 10,10 numid=5,iface=MIXER,name='Mic Playback Volume' ; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=31,step=0 : values=10,10 | dBscale-min=-34.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0 krichel@trabbi:~$ amixer cset iface=MIXER,name='Mic Playback Volume' 5,5 numid=5,iface=MIXER,name='Mic Playback Volume' ; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=31,step=0 : values=5,5 | dBscale-min=-34.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0 krichel@trabbi:~$ amixer cset iface=MIXER,name='Mic Playback Volume' 0,0 numid=5,iface=MIXER,name='Mic Playback Volume' ; type=INTEGER,access=rw---R--,values=2,min=0,max=31,step=0 : values=0,0 | dBscale-min=-34.50dB,step=1.50dB,mute=0 It makes no difference in my tests. krichel@trabbi:~$ alias | grep testsound alias testsound='arecord -r 20000 -d 2 > /tmp/a.waf ; aplay /tmp/a.waf' krichel@trabbi:~$ testsound Recording WAVE 'stdin' : Unsigned 8 bit, Rate 20000 Hz, Mono Playing WAVE '/tmp/a.waf' : Unsigned 8 bit, Rate 20000 Hz, Mono I notice no difference whether external microphone is plugged in or out. I therefore think that the external microphone does not work. When mic is high and mic boost is up, I hear a white noise on the headset and a faint small feedback from the external microphone > Does "Mic Boost" have any effect? It goes up during skype sessions. My correspondants say it is better when it is down. But constantly hitting the down arrow during a conversation is no fun. Cheers, Thomas Krichel http://openlib.org/home/krichel http://authorprofile.org/pkr1 skype: thomaskrichel |
From: Clemens L. <cla...@go...> - 2012-02-29 07:53:18
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Thomas Krichel wrote: > Clemens Ladisch writes >> Does the Mic playback volume have any effect on the feedback? > > I am not sure what you mean by feedback here You said: | I can hear a feedbock from the headset's microphone onto the headset | speaker > It makes no difference in my tests. But does it come from the computer? Does it vanish if you unplug the mic jack? > alias testsound='arecord -r 20000 -d 2 > /tmp/a.waf ; aplay /tmp/a.waf' Please try with two channels (-c 2). > I notice no difference whether external microphone is plugged in > or out. I therefore think that the external microphone does not work. > When mic is high and mic boost is up, I hear a white noise on > the headset and a faint small feedback from the external microphone So it _does_ work. >> Does "Mic Boost" have any effect? > > It goes up during skype sessions. My correspondants say it is > better when it is down. What's the difference? In theory, the data you capture should be the same that is sent out by Skype. Regards, Clemens |
From: Thomas K. <kr...@op...> - 2012-02-29 22:09:09
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Clemens Ladisch writes > | I can hear a feedbock from the headset's microphone onto the headset > | speaker > > > It makes no difference in my tests. > > But does it come from the computer? Does it vanish if you unplug the > mic jack? The white noise that I head when Mic Boost is up and Mic is up does not go away when I unplug the microphone jack of the external microphone. It disappears when I mute Mic. Muting Mic and unplugging But the feedback (most noticable from scraping a bit on the microphone) goes away. > > > alias testsound='arecord -r 20000 -d 2 > /tmp/a.waf ; aplay /tmp/a.waf' > > Please try with two channels (-c 2). Does not seem to make a difference. > > I notice no difference whether external microphone is plugged in > > or out. I therefore think that the external microphone does not work. > > When mic is high and mic boost is up, I hear a white noise on > > the headset and a faint small feedback from the external microphone > > So it _does_ work. It does not record, just feedback. > >> Does "Mic Boost" have any effect? > > > > It goes up during skype sessions. My correspondants say it is > > better when it is down. > > What's the difference? I made a short recording, http://wotan.liu.edu/home/krichel/tmp/mic_boost.waf to demonstrate the effect of Mic Boost at 100, 51, 20 and 0. > In theory, the data you capture should be the same that is sent out > by Skype. Sure. Another hint: there appears to be two built-in microphones on this laptop. One is on top of the lid, next to the webcam. The other is on the chassis, left, close to screen and on switch. Scatching on them, during a recording, I have not been able to find out which one is the one that is working. Now coving the internal microphone in the chassis, I can still hear my test recording when the external microphone is plugged in but I can hardly hear it when the extrenal microphone is plugged out. So contrary to what I claimed the external microphone is working, it is just that the internal microphone can not be switched off because ALSA does not give me the option, and when the external mircophone is plugged off the internal sets in to create the impression that the external is not working, since the recordings are similar. I spent some time fiddling with sound settings that hopefully avoid the microphone boost going up in Skype. Thank you so much for your support Clemens. If you make it to NYC, I will be happy to have you as my guest. Cheers, Thomas Krichel http://openlib.org/home/krichel http://authorprofile.org/pkr1 skype: thomaskrichel |
From: Thomas K. <kr...@op...> - 2012-03-02 20:29:52
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Thomas Krichel writes > > Another hint: there appears to be two built-in microphones on this > laptop. The "second microphone" turns out to be a light source for the webcam. I finally see the light. ;-) Cheers, Thomas Krichel http://openlib.org/home/krichel http://authorprofile.org/pkr1 skype: thomaskrichel |
From: Thomas K. <kr...@op...> - 2012-03-01 01:14:39
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I did more testing tonight. Skype raises the Mic Boost and then the sound becomes unbearably shushy. Is there a way to force Mic Boost to be zero, posssibly as root, so that a sound application can not change it? Cheers, Thomas Krichel http://openlib.org/home/krichel http://authorprofile.org/pkr1 skype: thomaskrichel |