[SigmaTel STAC9205] Recording problem, does not record from line-in source

[Lemmiwinks]

No matter which input source I select in gnome-volume-control->Input->Connector, I only get the sound from the build-in microphone of my laptop (Dell Inspiron 1520), but not from the line-in connector where I used to plug in my TV-card's output.
I also tried out alsamixer, but it does not offer me any options to change the input source. In karmic there was a setting where I could chose between "digital input source" = the mic or "analog input source" = line-in.
I also find it really annoying that, since I think Jaunty, there is no simple option anymore to loop-through the line-in or mic source to the speakers.

I am using Lucid 64bit, pulseaudio 0.9.22, alsa 1.0.22

ProblemType: Bug
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.21.
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: andy 1582 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: andy 1582 F...m pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xfebfc000 irq 21'
   Mixer name : 'SigmaTel STAC9205'
   Components : 'HDA:838476a0,102801f1,00100204 HDA:14f12c06,14f1000f,00100000'
   Controls : 19
   Simple ctrls : 11
Date: Mon Feb 22 19:09:39 2010
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Package: alsa-base 1.0.22.1+dfsg-0ubuntu3
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-14.20-generic
SelectedCard: 0 Intel HDA-Intel - HDA Intel
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Title: [SigmaTel STAC9205] Recording problem
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-14-generic x86_64

[Mitch Towner (kermiac)]

Hi Lemmiwinks . Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. I have found that you need to do the following to enable the built-in mic on a HP dv7:

1. Please ensure all "linux-backports-modules-alsa-" packages are not installed (They would only be installed if you have installed them - they do not get installed by default).

2. Install the "crack of the day" alsa-driver from https://edge.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-audio-dev/+archive/ppa Also ensure that you install the "linux-alsa-driver-modules-2.6.31" package from that same repository.

3. Do a complete shutdown, as a reboot does not seem to make these settings "stick".

4. Ensure that the correct channels are not muted using alsamixer (from a terminal window).

If this does not resolve your issue, please attach your "/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf" & "/etc/pulse/default.pa" to this bug report so that I am able to help you further diagnose this issue.
Thanks in advance!

[Lemmiwinks (lemmiwinks)]

Thanks for your quick answer.
Actually I want to get the line-in to work not the built-in mic, as the mic already works...

So I installed the new driver from the ppa, but it didn't change anything. Also in alsamixer there are no different options.

I attached both files...
Thanks!

[Lemmiwinks (lemmiwinks)]

I found out, that I have the same problem as srix described in his post from http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1357332

"I have the same problem on a Dell Vostro 1500 - internal mic works fine, external headphones work fine, but external mic. is not recognized. I also found that when the external mic. is plugged in when booting, it is recognized and works. Once I pull it out and plug it back in, it's never recognized again.

There was some other post that did acknowledge broken external mic. support and said fixes are coming in Lucid, but "patches are too invasive for Karmic"."

[Srix (srix)]

I can (re)confirm this problem on Lucid Beta 1 (32bit).
Installed:
 linux-alsa-driver-modules-2.6.32-16-generic
 pulseaudio - 0.9.22~0.9.21+stable-queue-32-g8478-0ubuntu12
 alsa-base - 1.0.22.1+dfsg-0ubuntu3

Removed linux-backports-modules-alsa-*

alsamixer screenshot (Capture controls) attached.

[Artúr (ikartur)]

Same problem here. However, if i boot the computer width an active line-in signal, it's seems to work at the first time, but when I unplug and reconnect the jack-cable, then only the internal mictophone works...

Dell Inspiron 1520, Lucid 64bit

[Axelectrik (axelectrik)]

Same problem....
This is really annoying
Is there a way to block or disable the built-in mic??
Hope we get a solution soon.
My experience was the same::
1. Boot computer with jack-cable plugged and it works fine
2. Alsamixer only shows 1 capture
3. Unplug the jack-cable and the built-in mic starts working
4. Reconnect the jack-cable again and still only the built-in mic is working

Gateway M6207, Ubuntu 10.10 x86
(I also use Karmic and it works perfect)

[Mark Darbyshire (markdarb)]

I'm having the same problem on my Inspiron 1520 under Ubuntu 10.10 (64-bit). I have to plug in my microphone and restart the computer, which is indeed rather annoying. This wasn't a problem under Ubuntu 10.04.

[Mark Darbyshire (markdarb)]

Quite significantly, once I've managed to switch to line-in (by restarting the computer), I can only switch back to the internal microphone by unplugging my external microphone, at which point I can no longer switch back to my external microphone except by plugging it back in and restarting the computer once again.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[mint-user (mint-user)]

Confirmed in Maverick on a Dell Vostro 1500. Haven't tried Natty yet, but if this bug wasn't closed, I have no reason to believe it was fixed.

Expected: Using a mixer application to toggle between the built-in microphone and the mic jack should enable the external mic jack.
Observed: The microphone toggle exposed by mixer applications is a no-op. The built-in microphone is the input device regardless of the toggle.

[Zoubidoo (zoubidoo)]

Also confirming for Dell Vostro 1500 with 32-bit Maverick.
The workaround (Shutdown and restart with external microphone plugged in) works fine.

This is clearly a software problem and made me look bad when I was demonstrating linux.

Does anyone have any suggestions for upstream bugs?

[Srix (srix)]

I'm now on Natty and the problem continues...
Instead of shutting down and rebooting, I shut the laptop lid to put it to sleep (suspend to RAM), plug in the mic and open the lid - that works, and is a lot faster than a full reboot.