[HDA-Intel - HDA ATI SB, playback] No sound at all with built in display speakers

[Brett Bogert]

Problem Description: No sound at monitors built in speakers after fresh install of Utopic 14.10 Unity Desktop.

Details: After installing Ubuntu 14.10 I had no sound at all from the speakers in my monitor.

After troubleshooting I determined that the output from the sound system at the 'green'
connector on the motherboard was fine but was not being delivered to the monitors speakers.

I then replaced the audio cable from the motherboard to the monitor which did not help.

I assumed that the analog input of the monitor had gone bad and removed a HDMI cable from my television
and tried using it from the Video Card to the monitor and the sound in the monitor speakers worked(e.g.
HDMI with combined Video and Audio signal).

I assumed that the analog input in the monitor had gone bad and bought a new HDMI cable and used it from
the Video card to the monitor.

This did not work well however as I had to disable the audio chip on the motherboard to force the system
to use the video card sound functionality to get the "system ready" sound to work.

There was also a large latency when sending the sound signal through the video card to the monitor causing the
"system ready" sound and "desktop notifications" to be cut off or not output at all.

A short time after this I installed the same Utopic 14.10 Unity Desktop onto another computer with a similar monitor
and had the same result (no sound through the monitor speakers) and discovered the real cause of the problem.

The cause of the problem became appearant on the second install when the "system ready" sound was played but
was cut off after a second or so.

After this no more sound at all was output to the monitors speakers.

For some reason in Utopic 14.10 the sound input in the monitor is being coupled to the video input making it impossible
to use the HDMI input for video and the monitors analog input for sound. The audio input is "tracking" the video input
in the monitor and the audio input is switching from the analog input to the HDMI input if a HDMI video cable is being
used.

This lead me to the conclusion that code is switching the analog input in the monitor to the HDMI audio input based
on HDMI video being used and this was proven by the fact that a VGA (analog) video cable and analog audio cable/input
works fine as well as a combined HDMI video/audio cable working (not quite fine but working) and to the conclusion that
someone has coupled the Video and Audio inputs of the video monitor in the software in Utopic 14.10.

In short the analog audio input in the monitor is being "switched" to the HDMI audio input if a HDMI video cable is being
used reguardless of it actually carrying audio (e.g. in my case a DVI to HDMI cable is only used for video and a seperate
analog audio cable is being used to carry the audio signal to the analog input in the monitor).

Note that this hardware configuration seemed to work fine in Ubuntu 14.04 LTS (e.g. HDMI video and analog audio) and
just appeared after the fresh installs of 14.10.

Again this problem does not occur if a VGA video cable and and the aforementioned analog audio cable and input are
used and only occurs if a DVI to HDMI video cable and analog audio cable/input on the monitor are used.
A HDMI combined video/audio cable works as well other than the undesirable characteristics described above
(e.g. having to disable onboard audio to force use of the sound on the video card to get the "system ready" sound
and latency problems with the audio).

Hardware specifics: Motherboards are ASUS Sabertooth and m5a97 with ASUS mx279h and mx239h monitors respectively.
Monitors are connected via DVI to HDMI video cables and audio is being delivered via an 1/8" stereo audio cable from the
"green" analog output at the motherboard to the analog input of the monitor.

I am not sure to who this issue belongs because I could not tell who is switching the audio input in the monitor.
It occurs sometime during the playing of the "system ready" sound (this timing may be specific to my hardware
configuration and may occur earlier or later depending upon the relative speed of the system).

I also was not sure what data to collect as I could not tell what software subsystem (e.g. ALSA or Display) was responsible
for the audio input in the monitor being switched.

Please let me know what data I can collect so this problem can be resolved and I can get back to using my DVI to HDMI
video cable and analog audio input and still have sound. In the mean time I have to use the VGA (analog) video cable so
that the analog input to the monitor can be used as the HDMI combined video/audio cable solution had undesirable
side effects.

This bug report was originated using the ubuntu-bug command from terminal so I expect that some data was collected
but I am not sure if it will be what is needed to resolve the issue.

Thank You

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10
Package: alsa-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-24.32-generic 3.16.4
Uname: Linux 3.16.0-24-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.7-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: wolfland 4088 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: wolfland 4088 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Thu Nov 20 10:36:59 2014
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-11-20 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: WolfLand-Elite-v1.4 14.10 - Release amd64
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Symptom_AlsaPlaybackTest: ALSA playback test through plughw:SB failed
Symptom_Card: Turks/Whistler HDMI Audio [Radeon HD 6000 Series] - HDA ATI HDMI
Symptom_DevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: wolfland 4088 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: wolfland 4088 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/seq: timidity 1612 F.... timidity
Symptom_Type: No sound at all
Title: [HDA-Intel - HDA ATI SB, playback] No sound at all
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 01/06/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 2301
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: SABERTOOTH 990FX/GEN3 R2.0
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
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.:bvr2301:bd01/06/2014:svnTobefilledbyO.E.M.:pnTobefilledbyO.E.M.:pvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnSABERTOOTH990FX/GEN3R2.0:rvrRev1.xx: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.

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

post output of

xrandr --verbose

[Brett Bogert (bbogert24)]

Raymond,

                Thanks for the quick response. I will gather the data
for all three setups VGA video with analog audio, HDMI video with analog
audio and lastly HDMI Video with combined digital audio from the video
card either this weekend or very early next week. I have one item that I
have to get done before I can gather the data but I should have
something posted by early next week at the latest.

Thanks,
Brett

On 11/21/2014 02:31 AM, Raymond wrote:
> post output of
>
> xrandr --verbose
>
> ** Changed in: alsa-driver (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>

[Brett Bogert (bbogert24)]

Raymond,

I have performed the requested data captures and will attach them.

I took a look at the xrandr command and decided to try a little troubleshooting on my own and found
that the following xrandr command resolves the problem until the system is shutdown or rebooted
(e.g. the System Settings sound tests pass and the "System Ready" sound is output if I logout):

xrandr --output DVI-0 --set audio off

So it appears that the underlying code for the "audio = auto" setting for DVI-0 is incorrectly determining
that the setting for this configuration(e.g. DVI to HDMI with analog audio) is "on" instead of "off".

I can understand the confusion after looking at the DVI video specification on wikipedia and finding this:

DVI-D devices output HDMI signals, many including audio, (examples: ATI 3000-series and
NVIDIA GTX 200-series video cards) ,[9] and some multimedia displays input that HDMI signal,
including audio, by using a DVI to HDMI adapter. Exact capabilities vary by video card specifications.

The only test I have not run is to see if the HDMI video card selection in the System Settings Sound
dialog will actually output sound on the DVI to HDMI cable and also resolve the issue. I will try this as
soon as I finish attaching the data files and will add another comment to let you know what the outcome
of the test is.

[Brett Bogert (bbogert24)]

Ok I have run the aforementioned test with the DVI to HDMI cable and no analog sound cable attached
and the System Setting Sound dialog set to the HDMI video card sound chip. This does output sound from
the test application but the "System Ready" sound still appears to be going out the analog output.

To clarify the "latency" problem I have been having using HDMI sound on the video card when the sound
test application is run initially the "front left" sound is missing the "front" sound. After this it works fine
until the System Settings dialog is exited and reentered then the "latency" problem occurs again.

This also causes desktop notifications to be only partially output or not output at all when using the
HDMI video card's sound device. This is why I have been using the analog output on the motherboard
as the problem does not occur with it..

If you need more information or want me to try something I havn't tried or need me to test a proposed fix
let me know and I will do so as soon as I can.

Thanks

[Brett Bogert (bbogert24)]

Raymond,

I spent most of the day today (Sunday) trying to see if I could make any progress toward
making the combined digital audio over the DVI to HDMI or HDMI to HDMI issues I am
having any better(e.g. no "System Ready" sound without disabling the onboard sound
in the bios and loss of the first 1 to 2 seconds of audio when output is initiated) and
I am sad to say I made little to no progress.

I made multiple attempts to force HDMI to be default using methods I found that
worked for others with no progress. I also read a butt load of ALSA and Pulseaudio
tips, tricks and bug reports as well as design documentation from ALSA.

I figured if I could get the HDMI digital sound on rhe Video card working properly I
would not need the analog as default for anything other than the inputs (non-linear
 video editing and such).

I also wanted to try the fglrx or fglrx-updates driver but there is a problem with
dependencies and Wine that prevents installing the driver if Wine is installed.

A few issues with HDMI were solved by using the fglrx proprietary driver so I
thought I would give it a try until I ran into the dependency problem.

About the only thing I accomplished today was to find out that even if the
alc892 chip is disabled on the motherbord to force the HDMI to the default
(e.g. "0") entry when the alc892 chip is re-enabled the sound stays on HDMI
at least from the "System Ready" sound standpoint. I checked the /proc/
asound card entries and the alc892 was listed at card "0" so I am not sure
how the "System Ready" sound is still being output via the HDMI output.

Other sounds played by the sox "play" command seem to be coming out
at the analog "green" output despite the desktop being set to HDMI in
the System Settings Sound dialog(AARRGGHH).

Oh well at least I am learning a bit about the linux sound systems(lol).

I will spend the rest of the evening backing up this system in case we
need to do anything nasty that might take it down and will make a
new up to date respin on my "build server" in case I need to reinstall
the OS at some point(e.g. we will be able to do destuctive testing if
needed).

Thanks again.

[Brett Bogert (bbogert24)]

Raymond,

Monday I concentrated on trying to make any progress on getting HDMI to output sound
from my video card without losing the first 1 or 2 seconds of it. This is what I tried:

ALSA: Position fix quirking - No Effect

Pulseaudio: turned off timer scheduling - No Effect
                      commented out module load for suspend on idle - No Effect
                      installed pavucontrol and tried changing setting etc - No Effect

General: Completely removed Wine and install fglrx-updates - No Effect

I've done all I can except kernel driver patching and I just can't get the HDMI audio
on the video card to stop dropping the first 1 to 2 seconds of audio(maybe PCI bus
latency or something ?). This happens with the "System Ready" sound and in the
desktop and even playing sounds using aplay in the terminal.

Do I need to raise a bug on this HDMI Latency problem ?.

I also ran into a problem when disabling and then re-enabling the onboard sound.
It appears that the default device is correct but the "System Ready" sound is still
being output on the previous device(e,g, if I disable onboard sound in the BIOS to
force output to HDMI it does not return to the onboard sound when the onboard
sound is re-enabled and is still outputting on the HMDI device despite that the
"default" device is the onboard sound and no longer the video card).

Do I need to raise a bug on this as well ?.

While debugging I also noticed that the fglrx-updates does not have the fields for
audio like the open source driver does. I am currently using xrandr to turn the
HDMI audio off so that the onboard sound can be used by adding it to startup
applications. I still don't get the "System Ready" sound output but at least I get
my desktop notifications output. I will not be able to do this when the problem
with fglrx and wine is fixed(wine is already fixed, fglrx will be next year I hear).

I did a clean install last night and will use xrandr to disable the HDMU audio output
for the time being. This will only work until the fglrx/wine dependancy problem
is fixed and I can run the proprietary driver again.

Let me know if you need any thing else. Sorry for the bad formatting (someone
should shrink the Add comment box to the wraparound size so that formatting
takes care of itself).

Once a software developer/architect always a software developer/architect.

Thanks again

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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