[13.10] Alienware M14xR2 (CA0132) - External headphone/headset/microphone do not work when plugged in

[Earl W. Van Alstyne, III]

The Alienware M14xR2 has 3 left-side audio jacks. A headphone jack, and headset jack, and a microphone jack. Audio will play through the internal speakers regardless of whether a device is plugged into any of these jacks, and sound will not play in the headphones regardless of which jack they're plugged into. External microphone does not work when plugged into either jack (microphone jack or headset jack).

In sound settings, plugging headphones into the headphones jack does not register any change. When plugged into the headset jack, the "Play sound through" device will change from "Speakers" to "Headphones", but sound is not funneled to the headphones; the sound continues to play through the speakers.

Also, in a semi-related note, unplugging the headphones seems to change the output device from "Speakers" to "Digital Output (S/PDIF)", which does not produce any sounds through internal speakers nor headphones/headset.

Furthermore, if I run gnome-control-center from terminal to launch System Settings and click Sound, the following messages appear in the terminal:

(gnome-control-center:4041): sound-cc-panel-WARNING **: active_output_update - couldn't find a stream from the supposed active output

(gnome-control-center:4041): sound-cc-panel-WARNING **: active_input_update - couldn't find a stream from the supposed active input

I'm trying to get a headset (headphones/microphone) to work well with Ubuntu to support Steam gaming on Linux and Linux gaming in general; having a functioning headset so I can communicate with others via Mumble would be of great help. Thanks for any insight on how to get this working.

Have also tried the alsa-daily ppa (dkms) with no luck.

lsb_release -rd:
Description: Ubuntu 13.10
Release: 13.10

apt-cache policy alsa-base
alsa-base:
  Installed: 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu4
  Candidate: 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu4
  Version table:
 *** 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu4 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ saucy/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
Package: alsa-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-14.21-generic 3.11.7
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-14-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.12.5-0ubuntu2.2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: earl 1937 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: earl 1937 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: earl 1937 F...m pulseaudio
Date: Thu Jan 9 20:31:27 2014
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-11-16 (54 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Release amd64 (20131016.1)
MarkForUpload: True
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Symptom_AlsaPlaybackTest: ALSA playback test through plughw:PCH successful
Symptom_Card: GK107 HDMI Audio Controller - HDA NVidia
Symptom_PulsePlaybackTest: PulseAudio playback test successful
Symptom_Type: Only some of outputs are working
Title: [HDA-Intel - HDA Intel PCH, playback] Playback problem
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 06/29/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Alienware
dmi.bios.version: A09
dmi.board.name: M14xR2
dmi.board.vendor: Alienware
dmi.board.version: A09
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Alienware
dmi.chassis.version: A09
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAlienware:bvrA09:bd06/29/2012:svnAlienware:pnM14xR2:pvrA09:rvnAlienware:rnM14xR2:rvrA09:cvnAlienware:ct8:cvrA09:
dmi.product.name: M14xR2
dmi.product.version: A09
dmi.sys.vendor: Alienware

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

[ 11.760380] ca0132 DOWNLOAD OK :-) DSP IS RUNNING.
[ 11.981646] input: HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=3 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input8
[ 11.981799] input: HDA Intel PCH Headphone as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input9
[ 11.981939] input: HDA Intel PCH Line as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input10
[ 11.982804] hda_intel: Disabling MSI
[ 11.982812] hda-intel 0000:01:00.1: Handle VGA-switcheroo audio client
[ 11.982846] hda-intel 0000:01:00.1: Disabling 64bit DMA
[ 11.983339] [drm] Memory usable by graphics device = 2048M
[ 11.983343] i915 0000:00:02.0: setting latency timer to 64
[ 11.986111] hda-intel 0000:01:00.1: Enable delay in RIRB handling

[ 12.360021] input: HDA NVidia HDMI/DP,pcm=3 as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:01.0/0000:01:00.1/sound/card1/input11

[ 19.966812] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 19.972118] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 19.973016] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 19.980233] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 19.982508] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 19.988161] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 29.553603] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 29.553759] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 29.554573] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 29.559205] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 29.562253] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc
[ 29.567204] hda-codec: out of range cmd 0:6:707:fffffffc

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

>> headphone jack, and headset jack, and a microphone jack

are you sure that it support headset jack ?

are there any hardware spec of your motherboard ?

does it support 5.1 by using the three audio jacks ?

[Shannon VanWagner (shannon-vanwagner)]

>> >> headphone jack, and headset jack, and a microphone jack
>>are you sure that it support headset jack ?
There are 3 multimedia jacks, all are 3.5mm: microphone(picture of microphone), headhpones/microphone-combo(picture of headhpones with microphone boom), and headphones(picture of headphones).

>>are you sure that it support headset jack ?
Yes

>>are there any hardware spec of your motherboard ?
What specific information are you needing?

>>does it support 5.1 by using the three audio jacks ?
Nope, the audio jacks are as listed above.

We were testing out some changing pins with David Henningsson's hdajackretask util from alsa-utils, but have had no luck in getting it working with that yet. Would be nice if the hdajackretask util could automatically cycle through some different pin-profile settings, while the user is listening on speakers, and then with headphones to help settle the right pin settings.

I'm not entirely sure this is a pin setting issue, but since the sound through built-in speakers and the built-in microphone works without issue, it seems we are very close to getting sound to work through the headphones and microphone jack.

related link for hda-jack-retask procedure I mentioned:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/alsa-driver/+bug/960124/comments/6

Thanks for the help!

[Earl W. Van Alstyne, III (ninjasofresh)]

I was working on this issue with shannon-vanwagner, so his answers are accurate. We tried many different "fixes" and nothing seemed to work. As for the incompleteness of this bug, I can provide command outputs or other information if I know what it is that is needed.

Thanks much for the help!

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

try hda-jack-sense-test to find out the node of mic , headphone and headset ?

autoconfig: line_outs=2 (0xb/0x11/0x0/0x0/0x0) type:line
   speaker_outs=0 (0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0)
   hp_outs=2 (0x10/0xf/0x0/0x0/0x0)
   mono: mono_out=0x0
   dig-out=0xc/0xd
   inputs:
     Mic=0x12
     Line=0x13
   dig-in=0xe

[Shannon VanWagner (shannon-vanwagner)]

@Raymond - Thanks for the answers. Would you happen to know where we can get the 'hda-jack-sense-test' util for Saucy 13.10?

David Henningsson's PPA at ppa:diwic/ppa, which formerly provided it, only seems to provide packages for Precise(12.04) and below. For example, the hdajackretask util has been integrated int alsa-tools-gui but I can't seem to find hda-jack-sense-test in there.

I see some others looking around for 'hda-jack-sense-test' too, so I'll also ping Mr. Henningsson about it.

[Shannon VanWagner (shannon-vanwagner)]

Ok, I just thought of something.. For all those who want to get the values from 'hda-jack-sense-test' (there are many apparently), perhaps you can do this:

Run the LiveCD of 12.04 on your computer, then add https://launchpad.net/~diwic/+archive/ppa to it and run the 'hda-jack-sense-test' from there. Then post the values to your bug.

On a separate and unrelated note: I also just realized that I didn't use hdajackretask correctly before, as this note from David applies to the situation: (Note: if you don't have a .pulse directory, try symlinking .pulse to .config/pulse - and remove the symlink again when you have closed hda-jack-retask.)

[Shannon VanWagner (shannon-vanwagner)]

Um, woops... Please disregard my previous 2 comments.

I must have been suffering from a lack of oxygen to my brain or something..

To get hda-jack-sense-test, we simply need to run these commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:diwic/hda
(hit enter to run, authenticate, then hit enter to add)

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install snd-hda-tools
(hit enter to run, authenticate)

cat /proc/asound/cards
(to list out your cards)

Then run (replacing 0 with your card number designation from the previous command):
sudo hda-jack-sense-test -c 0

Post the output here.

[Earl W. Van Alstyne, III (ninjasofresh)]

earl@machine:~$ cat /proc/asound/cards
 0 [PCH ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel PCH
                      HDA Intel PCH at 0xd2710000 irq 47
 1 [NVidia ]: HDA-Intel - HDA NVidia
                      HDA NVidia at 0xd1000000 irq 17

earl@machine:~$ sudo hda-jack-sense-test -c 0
Pin 0x0b (Green Line Out): present = Yes
Pin 0x0c (Purple SPDIF Out): present = No
Pin 0x0d (Yellow SPDIF Out): present = No
Pin 0x0e (Blue SPDIF In): present = No
Pin 0x0f (Green HP Out): present = No
Pin 0x10 (Orange HP Out): present = No
Pin 0x11 (Grey Line Out): present = No

[Earl W. Van Alstyne, III (ninjasofresh)]

I tested the outputs of hda-jack-sense-test with a device plugged into the three different side ports, and the following are the outputs, which show a new pin being present for each port:

Nothing Headphones plugged into external jacks:
earl@mach:~$ sudo hda-jack-sense-test
Pin 0x0b (Green Line Out): present = Yes
Pin 0x0c (Purple SPDIF Out): present = No
Pin 0x0d (Yellow SPDIF Out): present = No
Pin 0x0e (Blue SPDIF In): present = No
Pin 0x0f (Green HP Out): present = No
Pin 0x10 (Orange HP Out): present = No
Pin 0x11 (Grey Line Out): present = No

Headphones plugged into headphone jack:
earl@mach:~$ sudo hda-jack-sense-test
Pin 0x0b (Green Line Out): present = Yes
Pin 0x0c (Purple SPDIF Out): present = No
Pin 0x0d (Yellow SPDIF Out): present = No
Pin 0x0e (Blue SPDIF In): present = No
Pin 0x0f (Green HP Out): present = Yes
Pin 0x10 (Orange HP Out): present = No
Pin 0x11 (Grey Line Out): present = No

Headphones plugged into headset jack:
earl@mach:~$ sudo hda-jack-sense-test
Pin 0x0b (Green Line Out): present = Yes
Pin 0x0c (Purple SPDIF Out): present = No
Pin 0x0d (Yellow SPDIF Out): present = No
Pin 0x0e (Blue SPDIF In): present = No
Pin 0x0f (Green HP Out): present = No
Pin 0x10 (Orange HP Out): present = Yes
Pin 0x11 (Grey Line Out): present = No

Microphone plugged into microphone jack:
earl@mach:~$ sudo hda-jack-sense-test
Pin 0x0b (Green Line Out): present = Yes
Pin 0x0c (Purple SPDIF Out): present = No
Pin 0x0d (Yellow SPDIF Out): present = No
Pin 0x0e (Blue SPDIF In): present = No
Pin 0x0f (Green HP Out): present = No
Pin 0x10 (Orange HP Out): present = No
Pin 0x11 (Grey Line Out): present = Yes

Using this information, I will try out hdajackretask to see if I can get everything working. I'll keep you guys posted.
Thanks for the insight, all!

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=55541

seem the firmware was designed for chromebook pixel

[Shannon VanWagner (shannon-vanwagner)]

Thanks @Raymond!!

So Earl, maybe we can try the suggestion from the bug there to get sound working:
#Bootup normally, ensure sound works, then run these in the terminal and test the sound again:
sudo rmmod snd_hda_intel
sudo modprobe snd_hda_intel position_fix=1

If the above works, we can see about adding it to the startup scripts..

Otherwise, maybe we can test this:
'Found a solution for my problems with the front headphone port. By default CA0132 has the HP/Speaker and HP/Speaker Auto Detect muted. Unmuting them by going into alsamixer and pressing M on their controls unmutes them and sound works.'

As they mention in the bug, Creative needs to know.. http://forums.creative.com/showthread.php?t=699748&page=12
Also, supposedly creative provided some source code or something, so hopefully this will all get ironed out soon.

Or we could try the below, using the same rmmod/modprobe to test:
more /etc/modprobe.d/ca0132.conf
options snd_hda_intel position_fix=4

And as they also mention in the bug - get one SteamOS Linux dev on this and Creative will awaken to helping.. Will get the word out!

[Earl W. Van Alstyne, III (ninjasofresh)]

Sorry I haven't updated this bug in a little while. I did try the "position_fix=1" and "=4" suggestions, to no avail. I am pretty busy and haven't had a chance to mess around with the computer much as of late, but there are a few things I'm going to try, and if I find a viable solution to the issue, I'll be sure to post it here.

[Shannon VanWagner (shannon-vanwagner)]

Perhaps there is a fix mentioned by Michael Murphy (mstick) at this link can make thinks work for Earl: https://plus.google.com/114251447858061222694/posts/MnPLEVs486u

Basically it entails starting alsamixer from the command line, then moving to the various external ports related controls and pushing the m key to unmute the devices. Michael then mentions saving settings with alsactl.

Earl, maybe you could give the above a test and see how it works? You definitely have sound on the laptop, so we know the sound driver is working.. It's just a matter of getting the external ports working and it makes total sense that they would be muted..

I notice there are many a discussion to be found about "Creative Recon3D + Sound Blaster Z (CA0132) Linux Support" on the creative forums by mmstick as well. Just search the Internet for CA0132 site:creative.com. Solutions can be far..

Example: http://forums.creative.com/showthread.php?t=699748&page=12

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

http://git.alsa-project.org/?p=alsa-utils.git;a=blob;f=alsactl/init/hda;hb=HEAD

you can add entry to set up controls for alsactl init

[Earl W. Van Alstyne, III (ninjasofresh)]

I finally got a chance to try the alsamixer fix, and it worked.

I had to go into alsamixer, find HP/Speaker settings, which both were defaulted to MM, and press the M-key to change the values to 00, and then that seemed to work.

Sorry it took so long to try this, and thanks all for the help!

[Marc Bourgoin (jagged-jimmy-j)]

Heyyo,

Just an update. I've gotten the microphone port to work without issue by using alsamixer and going to input and Unmuting "AMic/DMic Auto Detect" which picked up input, but then I also did it for "Mic1-Boost" and that of course made it pick up sound better with the stereo microphone I have. Give it a shot! :)

[karunakar (karan-antham)]

Well, I had same issue , followed instruction from here, and unmuted alsa mixer HP/Speaker settings, But no Luck.

Am i missing anything here.

Please have a look : http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2225643

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Thank you for reporting this bug to Ubuntu.
Ubuntu 13.10 (saucy) reached end-of-life on July 17, 2014.

See this document for currently supported Ubuntu releases:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

We appreciate that this bug may be old and you might not be interested in discussing it any more. But if you are then please upgrade to the latest Ubuntu version and re-test. If you then find the bug is still present in the newer Ubuntu version, please add a comment here telling us which new version it is in and change the bug status to Confirmed.