I'm new to Ubuntu, running 13.10 on an Alienware M14x R2. The laptop comes with a "Intel Panther Point PCH - High Definition Audio Controller" sound card (for which I couldn't find a Linux driver). Running cat /proc/asound/card0/codec* | grep Codec returns "Creative CA0132," which I think is recognized as "Soundblaster Recon3di" in Windows. When I plug in my headphones, no audio device is detected, and sound continues to be played from the speakers. I've tried running alsamixer to disable auto-mute, but there is no auto-mute option. I've also tried appending "snd-hda-intel position_fix=1" with varying syntax to the alsa-base.conf file. I tried playing around with the model parameter, but none of the options listed here that seemed compatible worked (i.e. "alienware", "laptop", dell-eq"). At this point, I've wiped everything with a clean install to rule out any other newbie mistakes I might've made. Any advice would be appreciated.
Unfortunately I don't have the reputation points to post an image. Here's a screenshot of alsamixer.
pulseaudio --check returns no output.
pulseaudio --dump-conf, headphones in:
### Read from configuration file: /etc/pulse/daemon.conf ###
daemonize = no
fail = yes
high-priority = yes
nice-level = -11
realtime-scheduling = yes
realtime-priority = 5
allow-module-loading = yes
allow-exit = yes
use-pid-file = yes
system-instance = no
local-server-type = user
cpu-limit = no
enable-shm = yes
flat-volumes = no
lock-memory = no
exit-idle-time = 20
scache-idle-time = 20
dl-search-path = /usr/lib/pulse-4.0/modules
default-script-file = /etc/pulse/default.pa
load-default-script-file = yes
log-target = auto
log-level = notice
resample-method = speex-float-1
enable-remixing = yes
enable-lfe-remixing = no
default-sample-format = s16le
default-sample-rate = 44100
alternate-sample-rate = 48000
default-sample-channels = 2
default-channel-map = front-left,front-right
default-fragments = 8
default-fragment-size-msec = 10
enable-deferred-volume = yes
deferred-volume-safety-margin-usec = 1
deferred-volume-extra-delay-usec = 0
shm-size-bytes = 0
log-meta = no
log-time = no
log-backtrace = 0
rlimit-fsize = -1
rlimit-data = -1
rlimit-stack = -1
rlimit-core = -1
rlimit-rss = -1
rlimit-as = -1
rlimit-nproc = -1
rlimit-nofile = 256
rlimit-memlock = -1
rlimit-locks = -1
rlimit-sigpending = -1
rlimit-msgqueue = -1
rlimit-nice = 31
rlimit-rtprio = 9
rlimit-rttime = 1000000
There was no difference with the headphones unplugged. amixer -c 0, headphones plugged in.
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 99
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 99 [100%] [9.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Playback 99 [100%] [9.00dB] [on]
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 'Surround',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Mic SVM',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'Mic1-Boost (30dB)',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on] Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Default PCM',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',16
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 99
Front Left: Capture 99 [100%] [9.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Capture 99 [100%] [9.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'AMic1/DMic',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'AMic1/DMic Auto Detect',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Analog-Mic2',0
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 99
Front Left: Capture 90 [91%] [0.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Capture 90 [91%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'CrystalVoice',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Crystalizer',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Dialog Plus',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Echo Cancellation',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Equalizer',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'HP/Speaker',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'HP/Speaker Auto Detect',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Noise Reduction',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'PlayEnhancement',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Smart Volume',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Voice Focus',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'VoiceFX',0
Capabilities: cenum
Items: 'Neutral' 'Female2Male' 'Male2Female' 'ScrappyKid' 'Elderly' 'Orc' 'Elf' 'Dwarf' 'AlienBrute' 'Robot' 'Marine' 'Emo' 'DeepVoice' 'Munchkin'
Item0: 'Neutral'
Simple mixer control 'What U Hear',0
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 99
Front Left: Capture 90 [91%] [0.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Capture 90 [91%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'X-Bass',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
The output was identical with the headphones out. Here's pacmd dump-volumes with the headphones in:
Welcome to PulseAudio! Use "help" for usage information.
>>> Sink 0: reference = 0: 100% 1: 100%, real = 0: 100% 1: 100%, soft = 0: 100% 1: 100%, current_hw = 0: 100% 1: 100%, save = no
Sink 1: reference = 0: 100% 1: 100%, real = 0: 100% 1: 100%, soft = 0: 100% 1: 100%, current_hw = 0: 100% 1: 100%, save = no
Source 0: reference = 0: 100% 1: 100%, real = 0: 100% 1: 100%, soft = 0: 100% 1: 100%, current_hw = 0: 100% 1: 100%, save = no
Source 1: reference = 0: 100% 1: 100%, real = 0: 100% 1: 100%, soft = 0: 100% 1: 100%, current_hw = 0: 100% 1: 100%, save = no
Source 2: reference = 0: 100% 1: 100%, real = 0: 100% 1: 100%, soft = 0: 100% 1: 100%, current_hw = 0: 100% 1: 100%, save = no
The output with headphones out was identical. Here's pactl info with the headphones in:
Server String: unix:/run/user/1000/pulse/native
Library Protocol Version: 28
Server Protocol Version: 28
Is Local: yes
Client Index: 20
Tile Size: 65472
User Name: zach
Host Name: zach-M14xR2
Server Name: pulseaudio
Server Version: 4.0
Default Sample Specification: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
Default Channel Map: front-left,front-right
Default Sink: alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.iec958-stereo
Default Source: alsa_input.pci-0000_00_1b.0.iec958-stereo
Cookie: c0e8:4e43
There was a difference here. When I ran the command without headphones it, the output read Client Index: 22 on line 5.
Thanks for the feedback so far. AFAIK, there is nothing wrong with my headphones; I've used them on other devices.
edit: The headphones are detected when plugged into the headset jack. Sound settings will read "headphones" rather than "speakers," and the headphones will momentarily crack when plugged in, but the speakers will continue to play over them.
alsamixerplease :) Headphones plugged in, preferably. – Seth♦ Dec 29 '13 at 22:53pulseaudio --check,pulseaudio --dump-conf,amixer -c 0,pacmd dump-volumesandpactl infowill be helpful, with both the headphones plugged and unplugged. – Braiam Dec 29 '13 at 22:57