2019-01-15

I am using the Dell E5450 laptop for the first time to do anything. I am interested in learning how to set up Alsamixer to make a simple audio recording using Alsamixer, Pavucontrol and Arecord. But my first hurdle is Alsamixer's strange labelling of the channels. I see only S/PDIF, S/PIDF 1, S/PIDF 2, S/PIDF 3 and S/PIDF 4. Which corresponds to the internal MIC? ( I think these labels refer to digital channels).

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Julianvb

probably none of those.
in alsamixer, press F5 to see all channels.
then, at least for me, it's clearly labeled "front mic" and "front mic boost".

ondodo,

Thanks very much for your quick help. I am attaching two Alsamixer screens for your examination, both of which fail to respond to F5 or any other keyboard function keys. The Dell E5450 may be an advanced laptop but its mouse pad is terribly unreliable and jumpy. I am using this awful machine only because I am visiting my relatives.

Julianvb

Attached Thumbnails

   

you didn't press F5.

but yeah, that looks a little weird.

I did press F5 as I attempted to tell you, but the shaky Dell laptop jumped the gun from the keypad!
Actually I've used more than a few drunken laptops in my last 20 years.

Julianvb

I believe Mint uses Pulse Audio. When Pulse Audio is installed, the flexibility of Alsa is limited, as Alsa becomes primarily an input to Pulse.

Try installing pavucontrol, the Pulse Audio mixer. It's in the repos.

It should allow you to make the selection.

mine is alsamixer -> F6 (select sound card : HDA Intel PCH)

that gives me the listing for everything.

Hi, ondoho, frankbell and BW-userx,

Thank you all very much help. At this point I tend to attribute my trouble to the new machine's hardware.

My second attachment shows all the channels but I don't know which two correspond to Mic and Mic Boost, probably the right-most two. I set them up to within the green band before executing the following code: When I play back the recording, I hear no sound even though the file is not empty and the speakers are not muted.

My much older Dell laptop at home has no trouble doing the same simple recording routine.

Julianvb

your specs sheet says,
https://www.dell.com/support/manuals...c0d&lang=en-us

which is rather common, if you do have Pulse Audio installed which too is rather common to have installed, unless otherwise specified, then do as @frankbell suggested and install pavucontrol, and use that to manipulate your sound settings to see if you get any positive results.

Hi, BW-userx,

I do have Pavucontrol, Arecord and Alsamixer all installed on this machine, which is totally new to me. It takes me 10 minutes to type a correct line of text as the cursor bounces erratically all over the place. Once I get home, I won't have any need for it any more. I see no point in troubleshooting someone else's new machine needlessly. As I stated earlier, I've had no problems with my own older dell laptop at home in making audio recordings using Alsamixer, Pavucontrol and Arecorder together. Once thank you all very much.

julianvb

so just toss that one out the window on your way home and say you lost it, and be done with it?