Re: [gentoo-user] Anyone get Acer laptop internal microphone working in Gentoo?

Re: [gentoo-user] Anyone get Acer laptop internal microphone working in Gentoo?

[Elaine C. Sharpe]

In linux.gentoo.user, you wrote:
> On Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 11:54:38PM +0000, Mick wrote
>
>> Ah ... mine have more.  <F4> in alsamixer brings up all these Capture devices:
>> 
>> Front Mic  67<>67
>> Mic        67<>67
>> Capture    80<>80
>> Capture    80<>80
>> Digital    61<>61
>> Digital    33<>33
>> Input So   Digital Mic  (other options are: Front Mic, Mic)
>> Input So   Digital Mic  (other options are: Front Mic, Mic)
>> 
>> There's a microphone on the top of the screen and a jack on the
>> front left of the keyboard.
>
>   Another search on Goggle finally found something, but I'm not sure I
> like it.  My card shows up in "lspci -v" as...
>
> 00:14.2 Audio device: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) (rev 40)
>         Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 0372
>         Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 64, IRQ 16
>         Memory at d0400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
>         Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
>         Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
>
> alsamixer shows...
> Card: HDA ATI SB
> Chip: Realtek ALC272X 
>
>   One solution I've seen involves modprobing the sound driver with a
> parameter.  Problem is I've been using kernel-mode alsa for years and
> I'm an absolute newbie on "alsa-driver".  alsa-driver is keyworded
> ~amd64 but I'm desparate enough to try it.  Maybe even desparate enough
> to try the other solution, namely revert to OSS.
>
>   If I want to keyword alsa-driver and install it, I assume that I have
> to remove all kernel support for sound, i.e in "make menuconfig"...
>
>< > Sound card support  --->
>
>   Is that correct?  

I don't think so. One of my machines is a mac mini with the 
intel HDA chipset, and I don't recall right now whether it 
was alsa-driver, alsa-firnmware, or both but I did get it 
working without disabling audio in the kernel.

>Also, what should I specify in ALSA_CARDS in
> /etc/make.conf ?
>

ALSA_CARDS="hda-intel"

-- 
caveat utilitor 
♫ ❤ ♫ ❤ ♫ ❤ ♫ 

Re: [gentoo-user] Anyone get Acer laptop internal microphone working in Gentoo?

[Mick]

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On Sunday 20 February 2011 08:50:48 Elaine C. Sharpe wrote:
> In linux.gentoo.user, you wrote:
> > On Sat, Feb 19, 2011 at 11:54:38PM +0000, Mick wrote
> > 
> >> Ah ... mine have more.  <F4> in alsamixer brings up all these Capture
> >> devices:
> >> 
> >> Front Mic  67<>67
> >> Mic        67<>67
> >> Capture    80<>80
> >> Capture    80<>80
> >> Digital    61<>61
> >> Digital    33<>33
> >> Input So   Digital Mic  (other options are: Front Mic, Mic)
> >> Input So   Digital Mic  (other options are: Front Mic, Mic)
> >> 
> >> There's a microphone on the top of the screen and a jack on the
> >> front left of the keyboard.
> >> 
> >   Another search on Goggle finally found something, but I'm not sure I
> > 
> > like it.  My card shows up in "lspci -v" as...
> > 
> > 00:14.2 Audio device: ATI Technologies Inc SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA) (rev
> > 40)
> > 
> >         Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device 0372
> >         Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 64, IRQ 16
> >         Memory at d0400000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
> >         Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
> >         Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
> > 
> > alsamixer shows...
> > Card: HDA ATI SB
> > Chip: Realtek ALC272X
> > 
> >   One solution I've seen involves modprobing the sound driver with a
> > 
> > parameter.  Problem is I've been using kernel-mode alsa for years and
> > I'm an absolute newbie on "alsa-driver".  alsa-driver is keyworded
> > ~amd64 but I'm desparate enough to try it.  Maybe even desparate enough
> > to try the other solution, namely revert to OSS.
> > 
> >   If I want to keyword alsa-driver and install it, I assume that I have
> > 
> > to remove all kernel support for sound, i.e in "make menuconfig"...
> >
> >< > Sound card support  --->
> >
> >   Is that correct?
> 
> I don't think so. One of my machines is a mac mini with the
> intel HDA chipset, and I don't recall right now whether it
> was alsa-driver, alsa-firnmware, or both but I did get it
> working without disabling audio in the kernel.
> 
> >Also, what should I specify in ALSA_CARDS in
> >
> > /etc/make.conf ?
> 
> ALSA_CARDS="hda-intel"

Around a couple of years ago my alsa stopped working and was getting some 
errors about not finding the right modules or similar.  Until that moment I 
had it build in the kernel.  I remember raising a bug, only to be told that I 
should rebuild my kernel with alsa drivers as modules, because alsaconf should 
be able to probe them.

Indeed, the Gentoo Alsa Guide still says pretty much the same thing:

"Please note that for ease of use, all examples show ALSA built as modules. It 
is advisable to follow the same as it then allows the use of alsaconf which is 
a boon when you want to configure your card."

I've added some options for my alsa modules in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf, 
e.g.:

  options snd-hda-intel enable_msi=1

HTH.
-- 
Regards,
Mick

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Re: [gentoo-user] Anyone get Acer laptop internal microphone working in Gentoo?

[Walter Dnes]

On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 12:09:27PM +0000, Mick wrote
> Indeed, the Gentoo Alsa Guide still says pretty much the same thing:
> 
> "Please note that for ease of use, all examples show ALSA built as
> modules. It is advisable to follow the same as it then allows the
> use of alsaconf which is a boon when you want to configure your card."
> 
> I've added some options for my alsa modules in
> /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf, e.g.:
> 
>   options snd-hda-intel enable_msi=1

  This is exasperating.  After re-building alsa sound support as kernel
modules, rather than built into the kernel, I see some improvement.
When I blow into the internal mic I hear it from the laptop speakers.
With mic-boost turned up, I can hear myself echoing when I talk into the
internal mic or into an external mic.  Turn up the boost high enough,
and the external mic generates a mean high-ptched feedback squeal,
unless I also plug in headphones.

  So the hardware is working now, *BUT I STILL CAN'T RECORD THE BLEEPING
THING*.  When I try "ffmpeg -f oss -i /dev/dsp audio.wav" it thinks it's
recording, but the output file is only hiss.   Ditto for the command
"ffmpeg -f alsa -i plughw:0,0 audio.wav".

  I notice that I have a file named /etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf but no
alsa-base.conf file.  Should I rename it?

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>

Re: [gentoo-user] Anyone get Acer laptop internal microphone working in Gentoo?

[Mick]

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On Monday 21 February 2011 01:33:22 Walter Dnes wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 12:09:27PM +0000, Mick wrote
> 
> > Indeed, the Gentoo Alsa Guide still says pretty much the same thing:
> > 
> > "Please note that for ease of use, all examples show ALSA built as
> > modules. It is advisable to follow the same as it then allows the
> > use of alsaconf which is a boon when you want to configure your card."
> > 
> > I've added some options for my alsa modules in
> > 
> > /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf, e.g.:
> >   options snd-hda-intel enable_msi=1
> 
>   This is exasperating.  After re-building alsa sound support as kernel
> modules, rather than built into the kernel, I see some improvement.
> When I blow into the internal mic I hear it from the laptop speakers.
> With mic-boost turned up, I can hear myself echoing when I talk into the
> internal mic or into an external mic.  Turn up the boost high enough,
> and the external mic generates a mean high-ptched feedback squeal,
> unless I also plug in headphones.
> 
>   So the hardware is working now, *BUT I STILL CAN'T RECORD THE BLEEPING
> THING*.  When I try "ffmpeg -f oss -i /dev/dsp audio.wav" it thinks it's
> recording, but the output file is only hiss.   Ditto for the command
> "ffmpeg -f alsa -i plughw:0,0 audio.wav".
> 
>   I notice that I have a file named /etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf but no
> alsa-base.conf file.  Should I rename it?

No, just create your alsa-base.conf and add the desired options in there.

From what you're saying the microphone works now - not sure why it won't 
record ... I'm not the best man to advise on recording because I have never 
tried it.
-- 
Regards,
Mick

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Re: [gentoo-user] Anyone get Acer laptop internal microphone working in Gentoo?

[YoYo Siska]

On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 08:33:22PM -0500, Walter Dnes wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 20, 2011 at 12:09:27PM +0000, Mick wrote
> > Indeed, the Gentoo Alsa Guide still says pretty much the same thing:
> > 
> > "Please note that for ease of use, all examples show ALSA built as
> > modules. It is advisable to follow the same as it then allows the
> > use of alsaconf which is a boon when you want to configure your card."
> > 
> > I've added some options for my alsa modules in
> > /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf, e.g.:
> > 
> >   options snd-hda-intel enable_msi=1
> 
>   This is exasperating.  After re-building alsa sound support as kernel
> modules, rather than built into the kernel, I see some improvement.
> When I blow into the internal mic I hear it from the laptop speakers.
> With mic-boost turned up, I can hear myself echoing when I talk into the
> internal mic or into an external mic.  Turn up the boost high enough,
> and the external mic generates a mean high-ptched feedback squeal,
> unless I also plug in headphones.
> 
>   So the hardware is working now, *BUT I STILL CAN'T RECORD THE BLEEPING
> THING*.  When I try "ffmpeg -f oss -i /dev/dsp audio.wav" it thinks it's
> recording, but the output file is only hiss.   Ditto for the command
> "ffmpeg -f alsa -i plughw:0,0 audio.wav".

Seems that the mic works, but is not selected for capture... (routing it
to speakers recording from it are two different things ;)

You basically need to tell alsa which sources to record from, which may
be different from which are just unmuted in the mixer (and thus playing
from the speakers). I've seen a few different sets of alsa controls on
different sound cards that control the record sources, these are the two I remember:

Run alsamixer, pres F4 (capture) and either look for
- a "mic" control (along with CD, Line, Aux,... controls), then make sure it has a red "CAPTURE" text (spacebar
  toggles CAPTURE)
- if you dont't have separate Mic, Line, ... controls, try looking for a
  "Input source" control, you should be able to use up/down arrows to
  change it to mic

Also in both cases make sure a "Capture" control has CAPTURE on too..
You might have more Mic sources two choose from, or you might also have
a "Mic Select" control, with which you can switch between different
mics, so you might have to experiment to find which is the correct
one...

yoyo

Re: [gentoo-user] Anyone get Acer laptop internal microphone working in Gentoo?

[Walter Dnes]

On Mon, Feb 21, 2011 at 11:11:54AM +0100, YoYo Siska wrote

> Run alsamixer, pres F4 (capture) and either look for
> - a "mic" control (along with CD, Line, Aux,... controls), then make
> sure it has a red "CAPTURE" text (spacebar toggles CAPTURE)

  Thank you very much.  That was the last step that I was missing.  Both
alsa mode and oss compatibility mode work with their appropriate command
lines now...

ffmpeg -y -f alsa -i plughw:0,0 audio1.wav

ffmpeg -y -f oss  -i /dev/dsp audio2.wav

  Again, thank you very much.

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>

[gentoo-user] Re: Anyone get Acer laptop internal microphone working in Gentoo?

[walt]

On 02/21/2011 03:14 PM, Walter Dnes wrote:
  
> ffmpeg -y -f alsa -i plughw:0,0 audio1.wav
>
> ffmpeg -y -f oss  -i /dev/dsp audio2.wav

I understand the /dev/dsp, but where did plughw:0,0 come from?

After googling around a bit, I must say I've rarely seen such
opaque documentation as I've just found for alsa.

I can feel your frustration -- but I'm glad you got it fixed :)