[Dell System XPS L502X, Realtek ALC665, Speaker, Internal] Unpredictable loss of audio when two apps are calling Pulseaudio

[Saad Bin Javed]

When I'm running two program that have a sound output (e.g. a youtube video and VLC), I lose audio in one program off and on. Here is what happens: I'm watching the youtube clip, I pause it and switch to VLC and VLC loses sound. The sound indicator does not show muting. The Applications tab under Sound Settings does not show the VLC. If I stop and restart VLC the audio starts working again. This does not happen every time but regularily enough for it to be a problem.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: alsa-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-24.37-generic 3.2.14
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-24-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu7
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC665 Analog [ALC665 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: saad 3003 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: saad 3003 F...m pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xf1c00000 irq 54'
   Mixer name : 'Intel CougarPoint HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0665,1028050e,00100003 HDA:80862805,80860101,00100000'
   Controls : 31
   Simple ctrls : 13
Date: Mon Apr 30 15:06:48 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Symptom_AlsaPlaybackTest: ALSA playback test through plughw:PCH successful
Symptom_Card: Built-in Audio - HDA Intel PCH
Symptom_Jack: Speaker, Internal
Symptom_PulsePlaybackTest: PulseAudio playback test successful
Symptom_Type: Only some of outputs are working
Title: [Dell System XPS L502X, Realtek ALC665, Speaker, Internal] Playback problem
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 03/25/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A04
dmi.board.name: 0NJT03
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 0.1
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA04:bd03/25/2011:svnDellInc.:pnDellSystemXPSL502X:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0NJT03:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr0.1:
dmi.product.name: Dell System XPS L502X
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[Saad Bin Javed (sbjaved)]

After the last few updates, the problem seems fixed. I haven't had the issue for the last 12 hours.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[frank mahler (crmhound)]

Pulse Audio seems to selectively choose to allow me to use the speakers. I have no problems with using head phones. A reboot, allows the sound to be conveyed over speakers, but if I pause the music/movie then all sound is gone - accessible via headphones only.

[frank mahler (crmhound)]

A reboot does not always sort it out.

[Marcus Tomlinson (marcustomlinson)]

This release of Ubuntu is no longer receiving maintenance updates. If this is still an issue on a maintained version of Ubuntu please let us know.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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