Sound randomly stops working for individual programs

[richard]

The sound for an individual program will randomly stop working.

For example I am listening to music on youtube using firefox right now but VLC will not play sound. Randomly firefox will stop playing sound but other programs will work.

The only way to fix it is to restart my computer every 45 minutes to 1.5 hours.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: alsa-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-21.25-generic 5.4.27
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-21-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu22
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: cortana 3089 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC1D0p: cortana 3089 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: cortana 3089 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/timer: cortana 3089 f.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Sat Apr 4 13:59:21 2020
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-11-10 (511 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20180725)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_GB:en
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_GB.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Symptom_Card: Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller - HD-Audio Generic
Symptom_Jack: Green Line Out, Rear
Symptom_PulseAudioLog:
 Apr 04 13:46:12 Cortana-U dbus-daemon[1845]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.freedesktop.RealtimeKit1' unit='rtkit-daemon.service' requested by ':1.35' (uid=121 pid=2196 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no " label="unconfined")
 Apr 04 13:46:13 Cortana-U dbus-daemon[1845]: [system] Activating via systemd: service name='org.bluez' unit='dbus-org.bluez.service' requested by ':1.40' (uid=121 pid=2196 comm="/usr/bin/pulseaudio --daemonize=no " label="unconfined")
 Apr 04 13:46:25 Cortana-U systemd[2165]: pulseaudio.service: Succeeded.
 Apr 04 13:46:35 Cortana-U systemd[2165]: pulseaudio.socket: Succeeded.
Symptom_Type: Sound works for a while, then breaks
Title: [System Product Name, Realtek ALC887-VD, Green Line Out, Rear] fails after a while
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to focal on 2020-04-04 (0 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 09/12/2019
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 5220
dmi.board.asset.tag: Default string
dmi.board.name: PRIME B350-PLUS
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev X.0x
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Default string
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Default string
dmi.chassis.version: Default string
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr5220:bd09/12/2019:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnPRIMEB350-PLUS:rvrRevX.0x:cvnDefaultstring:ct3:cvrDefaultstring:
dmi.product.family: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.sku: SKU
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

[richard (theonejay)]

Update

I have found a work around so that I don't have to restart my computer as often but the bug is still live and kicking.

I use "indicator-sound-switcher"
https://github.com/yktoo/indicator-sound-switcher

When the sound breaks I can use the indicator in the top bar to select "Starship/Matisse HD Audio Controller -line out". If I select this twice then the sound comes back.

In Youtube if I pause, skip or watch a new video the sound cuts out and I have to select the option again two times for it to come back.

This bug does however make Skype completely unusable.