[XPS M1530] Internal microphone does not work

[Kenneth Loafman]

Refer to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux-backports-modules-2.6.22/+bug/147682, where I got the link to
install the linux-ubuntu-backports v50 from linux.dell.com on my M1530 running Gutsy, rebooted, and still no microphone. Neither Skype nor Ekiga work.

Even after the install and reboot, the 'digital input source' does not have any entries. Should it? I've attached my alsa-base file just in case it is missing something that I need. Any help would be appreciated.

BTW, v50 did fix one of the user interface problems. Now I can at least control volume. Before this, it was either off or 100%, and the control buttons did not work.

/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base
# autoloader aliases
install sound-slot-0 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-0
install sound-slot-1 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-1
install sound-slot-2 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-2
install sound-slot-3 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-3
install sound-slot-4 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-4
install sound-slot-5 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-5
install sound-slot-6 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-6
install sound-slot-7 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-7

# Cause optional modules to be loaded above generic modules
install snd /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-ioctl32 ; : ; }
install snd-pcm /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-pcm && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-pcm-oss ; : ; }
install snd-mixer /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-mixer && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-mixer-oss ; : ; }
install snd-seq /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-seq && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-seq-midi ; /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-seq-oss ; : ; }
install snd-rawmidi /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-rawmidi && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-seq-midi ; : ; }
# Cause optional modules to be loaded above sound card driver modules
install snd-emu10k1 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-emu10k1 $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe -Qb snd-emu10k1-synth ; }
install snd-via82xx /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-via82xx $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe -Qb snd-seq ; }

# Load saa7134-alsa instead of saa7134 (which gets dragged in by it anyway)
install saa7134 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install saa7134 $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe -Qb saa7134-alsa ; : ; }

# Load snd-seq for devices that don't have hardware midi;
# Ubuntu #26283, #43682, #56005; works around Ubuntu #34831 for
# non-Creative Labs PCI hardware
install snd /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd && { /sbin/modprobe -Qb snd-seq ; }
# Prevent abnormal drivers from grabbing index 0
options snd-bt87x index=-2
options cx88-alsa index=-2
options saa7134-alsa index=-2
options snd-atiixp-modem index=-2
options snd-intel8x0m index=-2
options snd-via82xx-modem index=-2
options snd-usb-audio index=-2
options snd-usb-usx2y index=-2
options snd-usb-caiaq index=-2
# Ubuntu #62691, enable MPU for snd-cmipci
options snd-cmipci mpu_port=0x330 fm_port=0x388

[Kenneth Loafman (kenneth-loafman)]

No change, just fix model number in subject.

[sven_di (sven-dierckens)]

Hello,

I have the same problem.
Did you find any solution yet for this ?

[Kenneth Loafman (kenneth-loafman)]

The model number is xps1530. The subject is wrong. Sorry.

No, I have not found a solution to this yet. Still looking.

[sven_di (sven-dierckens)]

I know,

I also have the xps1530,
but without microphone :o)

Tried all the solutions discussed in the bug for the xps1530,
yet none of them worked for me.

[Jose De la Rosa (jose-de-la-rosa)]

Digital microphone works on Hardy with linux-image-generic-2.6.24-7-generic and linux-ubuntu-modules-2.6.24-7.12, which has ALSA 1.0.16. Try downloading and installing it manually, should work.

[Kenneth Loafman (kenneth-loafman)]

Any idea when this kernel will be available in gutsy?

Are there any dependencies that will need hardy's repositories?

[Mikael B (mikaelbje)]

This kernel will probably not be available in gutsy. AFAIK there will be no major upgrades from the current kernel version to a new kernel version in gutsy. I believe we will have to wait for Hardy which is about 2 months away.

[Jose De la Rosa (jose-de-la-rosa)]

You may want to download and install ALSA 1.0.16 yourself. Not sure how to do it, I've never done it, but I'm sure if you Google it (or go to http://www.alsa-project.org) you'll find plenty of hits.

[Kenneth Loafman (kenneth-loafman)]

I got the microphone to work by upgrading kernels to 2.6.24-7-generic, plus associated libraries, etc. Now that the microphone is working VMware with birdged wireless networking is not working. Sometimes its a pain to be on the bleeding edge! ;-)

Thanks for all the help on this.

...Ken

[misty (ratinov2)]

Hey, Kenneth, can you please describe the procedure you used
to get your mic. working? I also have xps1530, but I'm new to
ubuntu, and I'm afraid that I'll make more damage than good.
So, can you give me a setp-by-step coaching?

[Kenneth Loafman (kenneth-loafman)]

Hi Misty,

Follow the directions in Option #1 here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=646755

That's really all I did and it seems to be solid.

...Ken

[misty (ratinov2)]

Thanks, Ken.

The mic now works, but the recording is very quiet.
I tried opening preferences in alsamixer, and set the
recording volume for capture, capture1, capture2 to max,
but it did not help. The digital input source is set to "Digital Mic 1"
Am I missing something?

I also have two other unrelated problems:

1) (BIG!) When I suspend, and then turn the computer
on, the screen doesn't wake up. Did you manage to fix it?
(I tried to follow the instructions here,
http://blog.higherthings.org/borghardt/article/3077.html
but either they don't work for M51530 or I did something wrong)

2) Skype apparently does not see my integrated webcam
(though kopete does). I'm using the latest version of skype
that should allow video calls, but I cannot see any option to
turn on my webcam or to test it.

Any tips?
Thanks again.

[Kenneth Loafman (kenneth-loafman)]

misty wrote:
> Thanks, Ken.
>
> The mic now works, but the recording is very quiet.
> I tried opening preferences in alsamixer, and set the
> recording volume for capture, capture1, capture2 to max,
> but it did not help. The digital input source is set to "Digital Mic 1"
> Am I missing something?

In the Volume Control panel, make sure Master, PCM, Front, Surround,
LFE, are all set to max. I had to add the last three by editing
preferences.

> I also have two other unrelated problems:
>
> 1) (BIG!) When I suspend, and then turn the computer
> on, the screen doesn't wake up. Did you manage to fix it?
> (I tried to follow the instructions here,
> http://blog.higherthings.org/borghardt/article/3077.html
> but either they don't work for M51530 or I did something wrong)

I doubt you did something wrong. As far as I can tell Hardy is the
first release where suspend actually works with laptops, or at least,
its the first one that's worked on the M1530.

I'm on Hardy now, but its kind of flaky, especially Firefox 3 Beta. I
feel like I've been devolved to an AOL user... copy&paste the URL into
the browser rather than being able to double click on it. Very, very,
time consuming.

> 2) Skype apparently does not see my integrated webcam
> (though kopete does). I'm using the latest version of skype
> that should allow video calls, but I cannot see any option to
> turn on my webcam or to test it.

In Skype / Options / Video, there is a test box in the upper right
corner of the dialog. Have you tried that? The webcam should be set to
"Laptop Integrated Webcam (/dev/video0), and the Enable Skype Video
should be set.

...Ken

[misty (ratinov2)]

Thanks, Ken. Now everything but suspend works.
Let's hope that when the official Hardy comes out,
it'll work properly

[shaikailash (steve-doc-brown)]

No, the problem is still up because the microphone doesn't work for me. It seems that with the last kernel upgrade the microphone doesn't work again!!
The last kernel is 2.6.24-12
I have alsa-base installed from repo 1.0.16, and i tried to compile it too.
Any ideas?

[Timothy R. Chavez (timrchavez)]

The bug task for the somerville project has been removed by an automated script. This bug has been cloned on that project and is available here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1305749