sound-settings cannot deal with microphone and inputs

[Sergio Callegari]

On Ubuntu Precise 32bit, ASUS eeepc 1000H hardware.

if I press the mixer indicator and then sound-settings, I get to a window from which I should be able to control the audio system.
Unfortunately it is completely impossible to set up the microphone gain. If I go to the input tab, no input port is shown and nothing can be controlled.

Oviously, this makes it a bit hard to use multimedia apps, telconferencing, voip, etc. on Precise.

If rather than using the sound-settings window, I use pavucontrol, everything works. A microphone input port is recognized and I can set the input gain.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: indicator-sound 0.8.5.0-0ubuntu2.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-24.37-generic 3.2.14
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-24-generic i686
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu7
Architecture: i386
Date: Sat May 19 10:00:44 2012
SourcePackage: indicator-sound
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-04-30 (18 days ago)

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Philip Johnson (grrrats)]

Similar experience on two different systems with Ubuntu 12.04 installed:

1) i386 (32-bit) on eeepc 904HA hardware
2) amd64 on Dell Optiplex 990 hardware

Both systems show same symptoms: clicking on "sound settings" from the indicator-sound, and then the "input" tab shows no devices. HOWEVER, the microphone works! If I run skype, then the indicator-sound dropdown menu will show a slider for microphone (which works properly).

lspci on the Optiplex shows:
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)

This is potentially a duplicate of bug #1003671 under gnome-control-center.

[Philip Johnson (grrrats)]

Slight correction: after reading the details of bug #1003671, I realized that I can make the microphone setting appear on the Optiplex when I plug a microphone in to the front jack.

Thus this bug only applies to my eeepc, which has a built-in mic.

[Philip Johnson (grrrats)]

Sergio, David Henningsson directed me to bug 946232 if the problem is just for the internal (built-in) mic. That was the case for me, and his temporary workaround solved the problem for me. Assuming you're encountering the same bug, sounds like a fix is in the works.

[Sergio Callegari (callegar)]

On 25/05/2012 17:40, Philip Johnson wrote:
> Sergio, David Henningsson directed me to bug 946232 if the problem is
> just for the internal (built-in) mic. That was the case for me, and his
> temporary workaround solved the problem for me. Assuming you're
> encountering the same bug, sounds like a fix is in the works.
>
Hi, thanks for pointing out. Now I do not have the laptop, but I'll be able to
test the workaround on Monday and report.