Acer Aspire 8943G internal stereo microphone doesn't work

[Lukáš Chmela]

The internal stereo microphone in the laptop doesn't work.

A WORKAROUND is to mute one of the two channels - making the microphone input mono only - using e.g. hda_analyzer or possibly pavucontrol. I was not able to get both channels working simultaneously - as one channel's volume gets higher, the input volume gets lower and lower as if the two channels interfered.

There is an existing bug #683901 filled about the stereo microphone.

In addition, the built-in Dolby Home Theater 5.1 Cinematic Surround speakers are recognized at best as 4.0 (not using front center and LFE which is rear center) - only if I select 4.0 from the list in System volume, default is stereo (that's wrong, isn't it?!). I was not able to get these two speakers to work even using hda_analyzer. There is also a bug filled about it as bug #839800 but, as well as the thread at ALSA bug tracker, is dead. In the ALSA bugtracker, I was advised to send a mail to the ALSA mailing list - I tried sending the mail twice but was waiting a year for absolutely no response - the mail wasn't even published in the list if I'm right. I have really no idea what more could I do about it.

Tested on Ubuntu 12.10 - today's build (5th September 2012)

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.10
Package: linux-image-3.5.0-13-generic 3.5.0-13.14
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.5.0-13.14-generic 3.5.3
Uname: Linux 3.5.0-13-generic x86_64
AcpiTables: Error: command ['pkexec', '/usr/share/apport/dump_acpi_tables.py'] failed with exit code 127: Error executing /usr/share/apport/dump_acpi_tables.py: Permission denied
ApportVersion: 2.5.1-0ubuntu4
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: ubuntu 4645 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 4645 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA:
 country AT:
  (2402 - 2482 @ 40), (N/A, 20)
  (5170 - 5250 @ 40), (N/A, 20)
  (5250 - 5330 @ 40), (N/A, 20), DFS
  (5490 - 5710 @ 40), (N/A, 27), DFS
CasperVersion: 1.321
Date: Wed Sep 5 17:00:00 2012
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 12.10 "Quantal Quetzal" - Alpha amd64 (20120904.1)
MachineType: Acer Aspire 8943G
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=cs_CZ.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcFB: 0 radeondrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true persistent file=/cdrom/preseed/username.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash -- maybe-ubiquity
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.5.0-13-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.5.0-13-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.91
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 08/11/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix
dmi.bios.version: V1.06
dmi.board.name: SM83-CP
dmi.board.vendor: Acer
dmi.board.version: Not Applicable
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Acer
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenix:bvrV1.06:bd08/11/2010:svnAcer:pnAspire8943G:pvrNotApplicable:rvnAcer:rnSM83-CP:rvrNotApplicable:cvnAcer:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: Aspire 8943G
dmi.product.version: Not Applicable
dmi.sys.vendor: Acer

[dreKion (drekion)]

same problem with my Acer 8943g

[Lukáš Chmela (lukaschmela)]

Please click on "Yes, this bug affects me" at the top of the page rather than saying it in a comment, the bug report gets more heat points and the thread is clearer. Thank you.

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

Would it be possible for you to test the latest upstream kernel? Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Please test the latest v3.6 kernel[0] (Not a kernel in the daily directory) and install both the linux-image and linux-image-extra .deb packages.

Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. Please only remove that one tag and leave the other tags. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text.

If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tag 'kernel-fixed-upstream'.

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the tag: 'kernel-bug-exists-upstream'.

If you are unable to test the mainline kernel, for example it will not boot, please add the tag: 'kernel-unable-to-test-upstream'.
Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug as "Confirmed".

Thanks in advance.

[0] http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.6-rc4-quantal/

[Lukáš Chmela (lukaschmela)]

I can confirm that this bug still occurs using the kernel version 3.6.0-030600rc4-generic_3.6.0-030600rc4.201209011435 from http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v3.6-rc4-quantal/ .

The internal stereo microphone doesn't react and built-in 5.1 speakers are recognized as 4.0

[Joseph Salisbury (jsalisbury)]

This issue appears to be an upstream bug, since you tested the latest upstream kernel. Would it be possible for you to open an upstream bug report[0]? That will allow the upstream Developers to examine the issue, and may provide a quicker resolution to the bug.

If you are comfortable with opening a bug upstream, It would be great if you can report back the upstream bug number in this bug report. That will allow us to link this bug to the upstream report.

[0] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Upstream/kernel

[Lukáš Chmela (lukaschmela)]

Oh my god.. I have no idea who from the kilometre-long list of maintainers to contact. They really need a way to do it easier.

Could anybody familiar with kernel development report the bug upstream?

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

you need to subscribe to the list before you can srnd email

http://mailman.alsa-project.org/mailman/listinfo/alsa-devel

do 8943g really has 5.1 internal speakers ?

it is strange that user guide does not mention that the mic jack and line in jack can re task to supporyt 5.1 external speakers

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Lukáš Chmela, this bug was reported a while ago and there hasn't been any activity in it recently. We were wondering if this is still an issue? If so, could you please test for this with the latest development release of Ubuntu? ISO images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily-live/current/ .

If it remains an issue, could you please just make a comment to this.

Also, could you please test the latest upstream kernel available (not the daily folder) following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

where VERSION-NUMBER is the version number of the kernel you tested. For example:
kernel-fixed-upstream-v3.12

This can be done by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon next to the word Tags located at the bottom of the bug description. As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results. Thank you for your understanding.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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