Sound in headphones doesn't work in Linux Mint

silveringking · 10-13-2015, 06:45 AM

Hi here's the deal, somehow (and even after reinstalling my whole system) sound works well without headphones, but with headphones it doesn't. I know it isn't a hardware problem because the same laptop with the same headphones work very well in Windows.
I've posted the question on Linux Mint boards: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopi...6754&p=1076542 however none of the solutions presented helped me out, I've been wondering if you guys could help me out, if so I would be greatly appreciated.
I really can't find much info about the subject on google either, so it's quite complicated.

The other topic has all the info you might need, but I will post my specs here

Code:

System:    Host: carlos-S550CM Kernel: 3.16.0-38-generic x86_64 (64 bit, gcc: 4.8.2)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 2.6.13  Distro: Linux Mint 17.2 Rafaela
Machine:   Mobo: ASUSTeK model: S550CM version: 1.0 Bios: American Megatrends version: S550CM.202 date: 11/23/2012
CPU:       Dual core Intel Core i5-3317U CPU (-HT-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 6784.86
           Clock Speeds: 1: 825.031 MHz 2: 832.933 MHz 3: 1090.058 MHz 4: 1400.175 MHz
Graphics:  Card-1: Intel 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Card-2: NVIDIA GF108M [GeForce GT 635M] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           X.Org: 1.15.1 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) FAILED: nouveau Resolution: 1366x768@60.0hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ivybridge Mobile GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.1.3 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card: Intel 7 Series/C210 Series Family High Definition Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: k3.16.0-38-generic
Network:   Card-1: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: r8169 ver: 2.3LK-NAPI port: d000 bus-ID: 04:00.2
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2230 driver: iwlwifi ver: in-tree: bus-ID: 03:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
           Card-3: Atmel usb-ID: 001-005
           IF: N/A state: N/A speed: N/A duplex: N/A mac: N/A
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 774.2GB (0.7% used) 1: id: /dev/sdb model: SanDisk_SSD_U100 size: 24.0GB
           2: id: /dev/sda model: HGST_HTS541075A9 size: 750.2GB
Partition: ID: / size: 188G used: 5.3G (3%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 4.72GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap
RAID:      No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 46.0C mobo: N/A gpu: 43.0
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 180 Uptime: 10:27 Memory: 1248.9/5854.8MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.8.4
           Client: Shell (bash 4.3.11) inxi: 1.9.17

Thank you so much!

Ps: I clicked on similar threads but I really don't know how to adapt that content to my computer and release, so if they are of any help if someone could give me a step by step procedure would be great.

Emerson · 10-13-2015, 07:06 AM

You never said whether the Headphone channel is turned on. You can run amixer in a terminal to see the state.

silveringking · 10-13-2015, 07:45 AM

Here's the result:

Code:

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono: Playback 71 [82%] [-12.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-65.25dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-65.25dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Boost',0
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 31
  Front Left: Capture 18 [58%] [10.50dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 18 [58%] [10.50dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Auto-Mute Mode',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
  Item0: 'Enabled'

What do you think?

debguy · 10-19-2015, 11:57 AM

are you using ALSA sound drivers ?

did you run alsamixer or some GUI mixer and enable all volumes of all channels, and did you make sure they are not muted ?

alsa has config files. sometimes you have to edit them. you also have to insure the alsa driver your using supports your card (various cards from different makers using the same chip will not always support all the same features. alsa config files list which features alsa will offer)

you'll have to go to www.alsa-project.org/ to read more about your chip, the options that are enabled for your driver (ie, driver that works with your laptop), where config files are, and such

-----------------------
also: you need to insure your "new linux" loads modules specific to your laptop. NO BY DEFAULT ! /etc/modules

for example, your laptop might access it's built-in sound using ic2 (i2c?) bus, and or need some "bridge support" module loaded

i uploaded advice for that for dell laptop sound on linuxquestions a while back

(also there is: how to make sure all your /dev/snd/xxx are present from /proc or /sys. but if your sound is working at all then that indicates (some) of them were found in /sys and created in /dev/snd and that might not be the problem, absence of device nodes (see MAKEDEV(1)))

DavidMcCann · 10-20-2015, 12:27 PM

Try installing pavucontrol from the Mint repository and running that. I found it simpler than messing with alsa and it even enabled my USB speakers (often a problem on Debian-based distros).

273 · 10-20-2015, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMcCann

Try installing pavucontrol from the Mint repository and running that. I found it simpler than messing with alsa and it even enabled my USB speakers (often a problem on Debian-based distros).

I think it may be installed by default? I agree -- there are quirks in PulseAudio meaning that sometimes it mutes devices for arbitrary reasons. The ALSA controls can also help with troubleshooting but since PulseAudio seems (for better or worse) to be the default nowadays it's probably the place to start.

silveringking · 10-20-2015, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidMcCann

Try installing pavucontrol from the Mint repository and running that. I found it simpler than messing with alsa and it even enabled my USB speakers (often a problem on Debian-based distros).

To answer your question I installed pavu control and it didn't solve anything, I don't know if I said this before, but sound in headphones used to work perfectly.