[SOLVED] Alpha 3 snd-hda-intel users with ALC662 codec

[jaywalker]

The kernel sound driver from version 3.2 has been thoroughly re-worked. The changes may affect users of other codecs with the snd-hda-intel driver, but I only know of how it has impacted on my use with the ALC662.

If you do NOT pass the "model=some-model-name" option to the driver then you may not be affected.
If you do use this option then be aware that some model names are no longer recognised.

The obvious symptom will likely be that alsa mixers no longer show some controls which you used to have, and may show some new ones which may, or may not actually work.

If you only use pulse mixers then you may not see the change, but you will likely suffer some problem if you are using an input or output or control which is no longer detected by the kernel.

The missing model names from kernel 3.2 onwards are

3stack-dig ------------- 3-stack (2-channel) with SPDIF
3stack-6ch ------------ 3-stack (6-channel)
3stack-6ch-dig ------ 3-stack (6-channel) with SPDIF
5stack-dig ------------- 5-stack with SPDIF
lenovo-101e ---------- Lenovo laptop
eeepc-p701 ----------- ASUS Eeepc P701
eeepc-ep20 ---------- ASUS Eeepc EP20
ecs ----------------------- ECS/Foxconn mobo
m51va ------------------ ASUS M51VA
g71v --------------------- ASUS G71V
h13 ----------------------- ASUS H13
g50v --------------------- ASUS G50V
dell ----------------------- Dell with ALC272
dell-zm1 ---------------- Dell ZM1 with ALC272
samsung-nc10 ------- Samsung NC10 mini notebook

The only model names which still exist and can likely continue to be used with no complications are;

asus-mode1 ---------- ASUS
asus-mode2 ---------- ASUS
asus-mode3 ---------- ASUS
asus-mode4 ---------- ASUS
asus-mode5 ---------- ASUS
asus-mode6 ---------- ASUS
asus-mode7 ---------- ASUS
asus-mode8 ---------- ASUS

If you don't know what codec is in your hda-intel sound card, or if it is not the ALC662 codec, then you are unlikely to have any problem due to the kernel change.

I spotted the problem because I use the CD input of my motherboard sound card. Since Mandriva 2010.0 I have been using the model=3stack-dig option to snd-hda-intel to have this input correctly detected and its control and capture channel displayed in mixers. It worked fine in MGA2 until the kernel was updated to 3.2.0 and it is still the same with 3.2.1.

Just for completeness, I have verified that 3.1.9 was OK but the change is present in 3.2-rc1.

You might like to post a reply here if you use snd-hda-intel. You can let us all know if you have experienced any change or no change with kernel 3.2.... Please don't forget to mention which codec is detected.

Richard

[nccpgmr9]

this is my onboard sound using snd-hda-intel driver:
Identification
Vendor: ‎ATI Technologies Inc
Description: ‎SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
Media class: ‎Audio device
card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 0: ALC888 Analog [ALC888 Analog]

running kernel 3.2 have noticed No changes, all my sliders are there that were there before

[doktor5000]

Just look at your /etc/modprobe.conf it it specifies the model="foobar" option:

If you do NOT pass the "model=some-model-name" option to the driver then you may not be affected.

[wobo]

Not in all cases. I checked /etc/modprobe.conf and here are the results:

desktop with Mageia 1 I see no mentioning of a sound module, the machine runs snd-hda-intel (according to lspcidrake) - sound working
laptop with Mageia 1 I see no mentioning of a sound module, the machine runs snd-hda-intel (according to lspcidrake) - sound working
laptop with Mageia 2 Alpha3 I see no mentioning of a sound module, the machine runs snd-hda-intel (according to lspcidrake) - sound working
netbook with Mageia 2 Alpha3 I see no mentioning of a sound module, the machine runs snd-hda-intel (according to lspcidrake) - sound not working.

[doktor5000]

Not in all cases.

Maybe a misunderstanding. To rephrase it, if you haven't manually added some

Code: Select all

options sound_driver_name model=some-model-name

option to /etc/modprobe.conf, you probably don't need to worry

[wobo]

Ah, thx, really a misunderstanding.
I was so hoping to find a reason for the sound problem in my netbook.

[doktor5000]

Well, just say so. Maybe https://www.zarb.org/pipermail/mageia-d ... 11416.html helps?

[wobo]

Sound problem was described in another thread.
I read that mail but I did not reach that machine to change the entry in system-auth. Now I did and sound is working - of course I could not say whether this "patch" was the solution. But after this afternoon's updates several problems went away.

[jaywalker]

We have now gone from knowing the cause of the problem to finding
1. The solution
2. A simple permanent every-time workaround
3. A simple semi-permanent one-time workaround

The solution is only for the ALC662 codec on a particular ECS motherboard, but it can be extended to other platforms should any more turn up with the same problem. It is a patch for the Alsa snd-hda-intel driver, specifically for the file patch_realtek.c. It enables the CD input on that motherboard and provides the mixer controls for it.

The permanent every-time workaround is in the form of a firmware file which can be placed in /lib/firmware and loaded using the driver option; patch=patch_file.fw

The semi-permanent one-time workaround uses the snd-hda-intel /sys entries at /sys/class/sound/hwC0D0 (where the offending card is card 0). Here the patch is written to the card after it has been initialised by writing the required pin configuration to /sys/class/sound/hwC0D0/user_pin_configs followed by writing any value (say a 1) to /sys/class/sound/hwC0D0/reconfig.

All details, as provided by the person who did all the work, can be found here:

https://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/alsa- ... hp?id=5518

The same approach can no doubt be taken to solve quite a few other sound card configuration problems of a similar nature (using snd-hda-intel driver of course) so if you have one then shout out. A fix may not be too far away.

I don't know how long it will take to get the patch into the driver as I haven't yet found the correct communication route for that, but it shouldn't take toooo long. If anyone has the inside track to an Alsa dev or two, that might help.

Richard