1) lspci gives me this information:
0000:00:05.0 Multimedia audio controller: C-Media Electronics Inc CM8738 (rev 10)

2) Sound output to my speaker is okay, I can hear sound from it.

3)linux:/home/root # amixer set Mic cap
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined cvolume pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 31 Capture 0 - 7
Mono: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture 7 [100%] [on]

I turned on my microphone using the above command. I dont get anything whn i try to ecord. I am trying to use skype.. am I missing something?

Thanks

linux:/proc/asound # cat /dev/sndstat
Sound Driver:3.8.1a-980706 (ALSA v1.0.4 emulation code)
Kernel: Linux linux 2.6.5-7.111.30-default #1 Fri Jan 14 12:58:46 UTC 2005 i686
Config options: 0

Installed drivers:
Type 10: ALSA emulation

Card config:
C-Media PCI CMI8738-MC6 (model 55) at 0xa800, irq 10

Audio devices: NOT ENABLED IN CONFIG

Synth devices: NOT ENABLED IN CONFIG

Midi devices: NOT ENABLED IN CONFIG

Timers:
7: system timer

Mixers: NOT ENABLED IN CONFIG

If it helps in anyway?

Use audacity, its easier to record audio than arecord. I do not know if SUSE has the utility dump-mixers. It displays the OSS mixer settings that comes with xawtv. Then run aumix and set the mic to be the recording device. Also there is alsamixer which is the main mixer for alsa, but not all alsa modules can set capture devices through it. I suggest trying alsamixer to get the recording working and then use aumix if it does not work. Not a sound cards are the same, so you may need to adjust other settings to get it to capture.

I have an Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 and Turtle Beach Santa Cruz. For the Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1, I use aumix to set my capture and I make sure igain is up to a good level. Also I make sure in alsamixer that AC97 mixer setting is set high. For Turtle Beach Santa Cruz, I use mainly alsamixer to set my capture device. I set ADC and DAC levels to maximum. Then use the space bar to select the desire capture device. Also I adjust Capture0 to set the volume of the capture, but I make sure Capture1 is at 0% because it can capture from a PCM source too at the same time.

You have to play with the settings in either alsamixer and aumix to get the recording to work.

Alright, I got it working.. well almost. I needed to turn Microphone Boost on and disable Mic as center/PFE. Now I have a new problem, the sound from the recording is very faint.. I have microphone volume up to 100% and also set microphone capture up to 100%. I cant seem to increase the volume on microphone boost though...

Any suggestions?

^BUMP^ ANYONE??

Well nothing constructive, so I don't know if I should post this (completely new to LQ), but I can tell you that since yesterday I seem to have this exact same prob. Sure hope someone knows more. I'm trying to get decent input level on an sn41g2 with onboard ac97. Tried alsamixer switched to mic2 (before that I had no input at all). Boost is btw onlly on or off (with shift+M) if you ask me so not being able to adjust this is normal.
Should I stumble on anything that gets it to work I'll be in touch
Robin

it's impossible to help cause we don't have the same sound card
but some hints about how my card works might help
is there a capture volume on "Wave" ?
mine also has a volume setting on a controll simply called "Capture"
there is also a on/off capture switch on a control called "Mix" that might help
there is also a capture on/off on a contrl "Mix Mono"
also like someone else said a capture volume on "AC97"

Like I said eariler, you may need to use aumix to adjust the igain. Remove xawtv package and compile xawtv. A utility dump-mixers comes with xawtv compiled version not with the xawtv package that came with your distribution. It gives you all OSS devices that you have setup.

Post what dump-mixers and amixer prints to the screen. I or someone else can put you on the right track.

I have ALSA sound system and not OSS, I tried changing volume with alsamixer, aumix, kamix, kmix.. to no avail.

amixer output is:

linux:/home/root # amixer
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 25 [81%]
Front Right: Playback 25 [81%]
Simple mixer control '3D Control - Switch',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture [off]
Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Synth',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture [off]
Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Line',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch cswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [off] Capture [off]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [off] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Line-In As Bass',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Line-In As Rear',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'CD',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch cswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 2 [6%] [on] Capture [off]
Front Right: Playback 2 [6%] [on] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined cvolume pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 31 Capture 0 - 7
Mono: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture 7 [100%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Mic As Center/LFE',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Boost',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 5V',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Copyright',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 In Monitor',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 In Phase Inverse',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 In Select',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 In Valid',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Loop',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Output',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PC Speaker',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 3
Mono: Playback 2 [67%]
Simple mixer control 'Aux',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch cswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 15
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [off] Capture [on]
Front Right: Playback 15 [100%] [on] Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'Four Channel Mode',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]

foo_bar_foo and Electro thanks for you tips, I'll try them tomorrow when it's not as late as now. Here is also what amixer prints on my setup. I understand some of it, but far from all. Hope I'm not making this thread unreadable.

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 23 [74%] [on]
Front Right: Playback 23 [74%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Master Mono',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Simple mixer control '3D Control - Center',0
Capabilities: volume volume-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: 0 - 15
Mono: 0 [0%]
Simple mixer control '3D Control - Depth',0
Capabilities: volume volume-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: 0 - 15
Mono: 0 [0%]
Simple mixer control '3D Control - Switch',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 16 [52%] [on]
Front Right: Playback 16 [52%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Surround',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Surround Down Mix',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Center',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Center/LFE Down Mix',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'LFE',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Line',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [on] Capture [off]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [on] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Line-In As Surround',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'CD',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture [off]
Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Mono: Playback 31 [100%] [on]
Front Left: Capture [on]
Front Right: Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'Mic As Center/LFE',0
Capabilities: volume volume-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: 0 - 0
Mono: 0 [0%]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Boost (+20dB)',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Select',0
Capabilities:
Mono:
Simple mixer control 'Video',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [on] Capture [off]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [on] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Phone',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Front Left: Capture [off]
Front Right: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Input Monitor',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Playback AC97-SPSA',0
Capabilities: volume volume-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: 0 - 3
Mono: 0 [0%]
Simple mixer control 'PC Speaker',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 15
Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Aux',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [on] Capture [off]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [on] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mono Output Select',0
Capabilities:
Mono:
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 15
Front Left: Capture 15 [100%] [on]
Front Right: Capture 15 [100%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Mix',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Front Left: Capture [off]
Front Right: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mix Mono',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Front Left: Capture [off]
Front Right: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Analog to IEC958 Output',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Duplicate Front',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Exchange Center/LFE',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'External Amplifier',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Swap Surround Slot',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
thanks for scrolling and any help you can offer me

Hi,
I just found this link, did not have time to use it yet, but it seems there are a couple of good tips here for example under Tips to enable recording.
http://alsa.opensrc.org/index.php?page=AlsaTips
Let me know if you have any luck.
I'll give it a try tomorrow.
Robin

I'll just throw this into the discussion

Here in Australia you can buy a kit that will boost the output of a microphone to the computers sound card, apparently not all sound card's -input is very sensitive enough for microphones.

If all else fails, this sort of thing might be worth a look.

floppy