[1002:4383 + VIA VT1708S] Crackling sound when using vlc

[Colin Law]

Crackling on sound when using vlc on ubuntu 12.04. As suggested in https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Audio/PositionReporting I tried in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf setting

options snd-hda-intel position_fix=1

which appeared to have no effect

options snd-hda-intel position_fix=2

which stopped the crackling but the sound was then broken up into sub-second chunks with gaps between
finally in /etc/pulse/default.pa

load-module module-udev-detect tsched=0

fixed the problem.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: alsa-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-26.41-generic-pae 3.2.19
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-26-generic-pae i686
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu8
Architecture: i386
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: SB [HDA ATI SB], device 0: VT1708S Analog [VT1708S Analog]
   Subdevices: 2/2
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
   Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: colinl 1892 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'SB'/'HDA ATI SB at 0xfe8f4000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'VIA VT1708S'
   Components : 'HDA:11060397,18490397,00100000'
   Controls : 38
   Simple ctrls : 17
Date: Sat Jul 14 13:39:25 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release i386 (20120423)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Symptom_AlsaPlaybackTest: ALSA playback test through plughw:SB successful
Symptom_Card: Built-in Audio - HDA ATI SB
Symptom_Jack: Green Line Out, Rear
Symptom_PulsePlaybackTest: PulseAudio playback test successful
Symptom_Type: Underruns, dropouts, or "crackling" sound
Title: [To Be Filled By O.E.M., VIA VT1708S, Green Line Out, Rear] Underruns, dropouts or crackling sound
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 01/21/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: P1.00
dmi.board.name: A790GXH/128M
dmi.board.vendor: ASRock
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrP1.00:bd01/21/2009:svnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:pnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:pvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:rvnASRock:rnA790GXH/128M:rvr:cvnToBeFilledByO.E.M.:ct3:cvrToBeFilledByO.E.M.:
dmi.product.name: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.product.version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.sys.vendor: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
modified.conffile..etc.modprobe.d.alsa.base.conf: [modified]
mtime.conffile..etc.modprobe.d.alsa.base.conf: 2012-07-14T13:26:41.369257

[Colin Law (colin-law)]

Bug #751265 is related.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[JI del Castillo (jignacio-castillo)]

Same problem on ASUS K70IJ with sound card (HD Intel) VIA VT1708S. Crackling confirmed on multiple applications (VLC, Quodlibet, Audacious, Firefox running Adobe plug in).

[Colin Law (colin-law)]

@jignacio what makes you think this is the same bug, since this one seemed to be specific to VLC? Did the workarounds in the description work?

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

do your ASRock A790GXH/128M have fornt audio panel connectors , it is strange that the codec info have no pin complex for the headphone and front mic ?

[JI del Castillo (jignacio-castillo)]

Thank you Colin. The sound is crackling out of VLC, Quodlibet and other applications. That makes me think that the bug is not application specific in my case. Although the posting is for VLC, it's the most comprehensive source I have found specifically for the VIA VT1708S. I have tried the options snd-hda-intel position_fix=1 and =2, to no avail. I have also tried both plus the load-module module-udev-detect tsched=0 in /etc/pulse/default.pa, also to no avail. In short, I am desperate! Any idea what can I do to kill these annoying subsecond sound noches? Many thanks.

[Colin Law (colin-law)]

@jignacio it is a different bug then. Try askubuntu or the ubuntu-users email list for technical support.

[JI del Castillo (jignacio-castillo)]

Many thanks, Colin. I will. Cheers.

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

pcm playback volume of the analog mixer have 12dB gain which is different from those front, ... , side playback volume

Simple mixer control 'Input Source',0
  Capabilities: cenum
  Items: 'Mic' 'Line' 'CD' 'Stereo Mixer'
  Item0: 'Mic'

you can select stereo mixer to record what is playing

Node 0x16 [Audio Mixer] wcaps 0x20050b: Stereo Amp-In
  Control: name="PCM Playback Volume", index=0, device=0
    ControlAmp: chs=3, dir=In, idx=0, ofs=0
  Control: name="PCM Playback Switch", index=0, device=0
    ControlAmp: chs=3, dir=In, idx=0, ofs=0
  Control: name="Mic Playback Volume", index=0, device=0
    ControlAmp: chs=3, dir=In, idx=2, ofs=0
  Control: name="Mic Playback Switch", index=0, device=0
    ControlAmp: chs=3, dir=In, idx=2, ofs=0
  Control: name="Line Playback Volume", index=0, device=0
    ControlAmp: chs=3, dir=In, idx=3, ofs=0
  Control: name="Line Playback Switch", index=0, device=0
    ControlAmp: chs=3, dir=In, idx=3, ofs=0
  Control: name="CD Playback Volume", index=0, device=0
    ControlAmp: chs=3, dir=In, idx=1, ofs=0
  Control: name="CD Playback Switch", index=0, device=0
    ControlAmp: chs=3, dir=In, idx=1, ofs=0
  Amp-In caps: ofs=0x17, nsteps=0x1f, stepsize=0x05, mute=1
  Amp-In vals: [0x17 0x17] [0x80 0x80] [0x80 0x80] [0x80 0x80] [0x80 0x80] [0x80 0x80] [0x80 0x80]
  Power states: D0 D1 D2 D3
  Power: setting=D0, actual=D0
  Connection: 7
     0x10 0x1f 0x1a 0x1b 0x1e 0x1d 0x25

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

Refer to ASRock A790GXH/128M user manual

To enable Multi-Streaming function, you need to connect a front panel audio cable to the front
panel audio header. After restarting your computer, you will find “VIA HD Audio Deck” tool on
your system. Please follow below
instructions according to the OS you install.

f you enable Multi-Streaming function, Side Speaker function will be disabled. You can only
choose to enable either Multi-Streaming function or Side Speaker function.

[Marcus Tomlinson (marcustomlinson)]

This release of Ubuntu is no longer receiving maintenance updates. If this is still an issue on a maintained version of Ubuntu please let us know.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for alsa-driver (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]