[SOLVED] gnome sound preferences: sound capture failure with external headset

DrCompost · 01-01-2010, 01:01 PM

I wish to use my eeepc 701 with a headset to have video calls via Skype or similar such app. After many hours of reading often conflicting instructions I still have not learnt how to get the microphone to work. Sound Preferences -> Devices -> Audio Conferencing -> Sound Capture - now gives the error message:

Quote:

Failed to construct test pipeline for 'gconfaudiosrc ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink profile=chat'

Closing the message freezes Sound Preferences.

Sound Recorder -> Record Sound button does nothing - time line is blanked out.

This is after following every suggestion I could find about Alsa [Sound Recorder wouldn't even start]; then following everything I could find about Pulse Audio I am now in need of assistance. Please

DrCompost · 01-01-2010, 02:33 PM

I have included most of the information that was included in http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...nyxfce-631071/

~$ cat /proc/asound/version
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.16.
==========================================================
~$ uname -a
Linux debian 2.6.26-2-686 #1 SMP Wed Nov 4 20:45:37 UTC 2009 i686 GNU/Linux
=======================================================
~$ id
uid=1000(david) gid=1000(david) groups=20(dialout),24(cdrom),25(floppy),29(audio),44(video),46(plugdev),111(netdev),116(powerdev),10 00(david)
==========================================================
~ $ lspci -v
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 82a1
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
Memory at f7eb8000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel
=======================================================
~$ lsmod | grep snd
snd_hda_intel 325720 3
snd_pcm_oss 32800 0
snd_mixer_oss 12320 1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm 62660 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
snd_seq_dummy 2660 0
snd_seq_oss 24992 0
snd_seq_midi 5728 0
snd_rawmidi 18496 1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event 6432 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq 41456 6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_timer 17800 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device 6380 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd 45636 15 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_de vice
soundcore 6368 1 snd
snd_page_alloc 7816 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
=========================================================
~$ cat /proc/asound/version
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.16.
========================================================
~$ cat /proc/asound/cards
0 [Intel ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel
HDA Intel at 0xf7eb8000 irq 16
=========================================================
~$ cat /proc/asound/oss/devices
0: [0- 0]: mixer
1: : sequencer
3: [0- 0]: digital audio
4: [0- 0]: digital audio
8: : sequencer
12: [0- 1]: digital audio
==================================
~$ cat /proc/asound/timers
G0: system timer : 4000.000us (10000000 ticks)
P0-0-0: PCM playback 0-0-0 : SLAVE
P0-0-1: PCM capture 0-0-1 : SLAVE
P0-1-0: PCM playback 0-1-0 : SLAVE
P0-1-1: PCM capture 0-1-1 : SLAVE
==================================
~$ cat /proc/asound/pcm
00-01: ALC662 Digital : ALC662 Digital : playback 1 : capture 1
00-00: ALC662 Analog : ALC662 Analog : playback 1 : capture 1
========================================
~$ cat /proc/modules | grep snd
snd_hda_intel 325720 3 - Live 0xe043f000
snd_pcm_oss 32800 0 - Live 0xe03c8000
snd_mixer_oss 12320 1 snd_pcm_oss, Live 0xe038c000
snd_pcm 62660 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss, Live 0xe039e000
snd_seq_dummy 2660 0 - Live 0xe01fe000
snd_seq_oss 24992 0 - Live 0xe02b8000
snd_seq_midi 5728 0 - Live 0xe01f8000
snd_rawmidi 18496 1 snd_seq_midi, Live 0xe02b2000
snd_seq_midi_event 6432 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi, Live 0xe0145000
snd_seq 41456 6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event, Live 0xe0173000
snd_timer 17800 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq, Live 0xe013f000
snd_seq_device 6380 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq, Live 0xe0128000
snd 45636 15 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_de vice, Live 0xe0166000
soundcore 6368 1 snd, Live 0xe00b1000
snd_page_alloc 7816 2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm, Live 0xe012b000
=================================================
Hope this helps.

DrCompost · 01-01-2010, 03:44 PM

Following http://www.debian.org/releases/lenny....html#no-sound - 5.1.8. Sound stops working;
Running alsaconf I was offered a choice between

Quote:

│hda-intel Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) High Defin│

and

Quote:

│legacy Probe legacy ISA (non-PnP) chips

On choosing the first:

Code:

# alsaconf
Unloading ALSA sound driver modules: (none loaded).
Building card database...


Loading driver...
Setting default volumes...
amixer: Mixer attach default error: No such file or directory


===============================================================================

 Now ALSA is ready to use.
 For adjustment of volumes, use your favorite mixer.

 Have a lot of fun!

On choosing the 2nd

Code:

# alsaconf
Unloading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-hda-intel snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-seq-dummy snd-seq-oss snd-seq-midi snd-rawmidi snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-timer snd-seq-device snd-page-alloc.
Building card database...
Probing legacy cards..   This may take a few minutes..
Probing: opl3sa2 : FOUND!!


Loading driver...
Setting default volumes...
amixer: Mixer attach default error: No such file or directory


===============================================================================

 Now ALSA is ready to use.
 For adjustment of volumes, use your favorite mixer.

 Have a lot of fun!

Following https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ectory-345748/ I tried running amixer and also alsamixer as both user and root without success; both had run earlier...
Found and ran

Code:

# /usr/share/alsa-base/snddevices
Creating mixer?...done.
Creating sequencer...done.
Creating midi0?...done.
Creating dsp?...done.
Creating audio?...done.
Creating sndstat...done.
Creating music...done.
Creating dmmidi?...done.
Creating dmfm?...done.
Creating amixer?...done.
Creating adsp?...done.
Creating amidi?...done.
Creating admmidi?...done.
rm: cannot remove `/dev/snd': Is a directory
Creating snd/control?...done.
Creating snd/seq...done.
Creating snd/timer...done.
Creating snd/hw??...done.
Creating snd/midi??...done.
Creating snd/pcm??p...done.
Creating snd/pcm??c...done.
Creating aload?...done.
Creating aloadSEQ...done.

However, both amixer and alsamixer run as default user and root still fail.

DrCompost · 01-01-2010, 04:03 PM

Ran alsaconf again just to make sure the first Intel sound card was loaded and magically no amixer problem was encountered

Code:

# alsaconf
Unloading ALSA sound driver modules: snd-opl3sa2 snd-opl3-lib snd-hwdep snd-cs4231-lib snd-mpu401-uart snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-page-alloc snd-seq-dummy snd-seq-oss snd-seq-midi snd-rawmidi snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-timer snd-seq-device.
Building card database...


Loading driver...
Setting default volumes...


===============================================================================

 Now ALSA is ready to use.
 For adjustment of volumes, use your favorite mixer.

 Have a lot of fun!

amixer - at least as root is working again.

However, starting Sound Recorder pops up the following error message

Code:

Your audio capture settings are invalid. Please correct them in the Multimedia settings.

I am back where I started.

DrCompost · 01-01-2010, 05:04 PM

Following http://www.alsa-project.org/main/ind...:Module-ymfpci

Code:

# modinfo soundcore
filename:       /lib/modules/2.6.26-2-686/kernel/sound/soundcore.ko
alias:          char-major-14-*
license:        GPL
author:         Alan Cox
description:    Core sound module
depends:        
vermagic:       2.6.26-2-686 SMP mod_unload modversions 686

So it seems I do not need to mess with compiling the kernel.

Ran alsamixer as default user which worked and unmuted and enabled all playback and capture devices - again.

Sound Recorder still produced an error message.
However;

Code:

~$ arecord -l
**** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC662 Analog [ALC662 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC662 Digital [ALC662 Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Code:

~$ arecord -L
front:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC662 Analog
    Front speakers
surround40:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC662 Analog
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC662 Analog
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC662 Analog
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC662 Analog
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC662 Analog
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, ALC662 Digital
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)

Running arecord example from man page without the -D option

Code:

~$ arecord -d 10 -f cd -t wav foobar.wav
Recording WAVE 'foobar.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz, Stereo

This generated foobar.wav without errors.
However, playing it back through totem the sound icon was blanked out and playback was silent.
An mp3 audio file known to work previously with totem was also silent. (Playback was through headphones).

Installing audacity, the recorded foobar.wav played back with near perfect sound through the speakers.

Something is still messed up with my sound - but not badly enough to lose all hope. I just need some assistance - if any is out there to be offered?

DrCompost · 01-02-2010, 05:29 AM

Following https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/15934 I ran sudo gconf-editor then searched for mixer which found /desktop/gnome/sound/default_mixer_device; changed entry from empty to alsamixer.

Then following https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...er/+bug/147298

Quote:

1) open gnome-volume-control (in a terminal i guess; can't find it in menus)
2) Edit -> Preference , and check all the unchecked box
3) Make sure there is no item with it's volume at zero, or an icon barred by a red cross, including "capture mux" (in playback) and "capture" in recording.

... Check that your sound selected device is the alsa one (alsa mixer)

Volume Control -> Options -> Input Source set to Mic.
System -> Preferences -> Sound -> Devices all (Sound Events, Music and Movies, Audio Conferencing) set from Pulse Audio (an earlier suggestion) to Alsa. Default Mixer Tracks -> Device set to HDA Intel (Alsa mixer) and Microphone selected from the dropdown menu.

And all now seems to be well - both microphone and sound.