Optical sound output breaks on upgrade to linux-image-2.6.35-25-generic

[ixothym]

Binary package hint: linux-image-2.6.35-25-generic

I'm running Ubuntu 10.10. On upgrading from linux-image-2.6.35-24-generic to linux-image-2.6.35-25-generic, my optical sound output from my internal soundcard (Intel HDA, ALC889) broke. Analog output still works though.

When I switch back to linux-image-2.6.35-24-generic, optical sound output works again. So it seems that the problem was introduced somewhere between linux-image-2.6.35-24-generic and linux-image-2.6.35-25-generic. I've also checked that "Digital Stereo Duplex (IEC958)" is selected on both kernel versions. Sound is not muted.

The exact package versions that I'm using are 2.6.35-24.42 and 2.6.35-25.43.

Thanks for your help!
---
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.23.
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: buecker 3681 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xfbff8000 irq 54'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC889'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0889,1458a022,00100004'
   Controls : 38
   Simple ctrls : 21
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'Generic'/'HD-Audio Generic at 0xfb8fc000 irq 55'
   Mixer name : 'ATI R6xx HDMI'
   Components : 'HDA:1002aa01,00aa0100,00100200'
   Controls : 4
   Simple ctrls : 1
Card1.Amixer.values:
 Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
   Playback channels: Mono
   Mono: Playback [on]
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=9d8f375f-58f6-4744-8668-ef939eef679a
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Beta amd64 (20100406)
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth1 no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. P55A-UD5
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Package: linux (not installed)
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz-2.6.35-25-generic root=UUID=97245149-733a-4137-b4a0-24016c557898 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_US:en
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-25.44-generic 2.6.35.10
Regression: Yes
RelatedPackageVersions: linux-firmware 1.38.3
Reproducible: Yes
RfKill:
 0: hci0: Bluetooth
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
Tags: maverick kernel-sound regression-update needs-upstream-testing
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-25-generic x86_64
UserGroups: adm admin cdrom dialout disk lpadmin plugdev sambashare
dmi.bios.date: 08/04/2010
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F12
dmi.board.name: P55A-UD5
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.board.version: x.x
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF12:bd08/04/2010:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnP55A-UD5:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnP55A-UD5:rvrx.x:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: P55A-UD5
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.

[ixothym (ixothym)]

Sorry for not being very clear in my first post. By breaking, I mean that I get no sound at all. I can select the optical sound output in "Sound Preferences", but I don't hear anything.

[Michael Helmling (supermihi)]

I have exactly the same problem with a different sound card, which is listed in lspci as

Audio device: ATI Technologies Inc RS880 Audio Device [Radeon HD 4200]

on an MSI 890GXM-G65 board. Booting 2.6.35-24 fixes the problem.

[Michael Helmling (supermihi)]

The current kernel from natty, 2.6.37-12-generic, is also affected.

[ixothym (ixothym)]

One more thing: besides the optical output, I've also got a headset plugged into the back panel. When speaking into the headset, I can actually hear myself through my speakers (which are connected via the problematic optical output).

So it seems that only sound playback is affected, but not the loop from microphone to optical output.

Any ideas?

[Michael Helmling (supermihi)]

I was able to get optical sound working by following this guide: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HdaIntelSoundHowto

If I add the line

options snd-hda-intel model=6stack-dig

to /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf, the SPDIF sound works again. So I'd guess that the autodetection of the sound card model somehow broke in 2.6.35-25?

[Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)]

Hi ixothym,

Please be sure to confirm this issue exists with the latest development release of Ubuntu. ISO CD images are available from http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/daily/current/ . If the issue remains, please run the following command from a Terminal (Applications->Accessories->Terminal). It will automatically gather and attach updated debug information to this report.

apport-collect -p linux 704401

Also, if you could test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text. Please let us know your results.

Thanks in advance.

    [This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[ixothym (ixothym)]

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[ixothym (ixothym)]

I'm unable to test the latest development release of Ubuntu, as I can't find it as a live CD and can't afford to upgrade my system to an unstable release. If there is a live CD and someone could point me to it, I'd be more than happy to try it.

I've tested the latest mainstream kernel linux-image-2.6.38-999-generic (2.6.38-999.201101261132) - it doesn't fix the problem. What works however is the "model"-option for snd-hda-intel that Michael Helmling posted in comment #5. This works for linux-image-2.6.35-24-generic, linux-image-2.6.35-25-generic and the above mentioned linux-image-2.6.38-999-generic.

As requested, I've removed the tag "needs-upstream-testing" and added the apport information (when running linux-image-2.6.35-25-generic without the fix from #5).

Thanks for your help!

[ixothym (ixothym)]

Is there anything else I can do to help fix this?

[baiti (baiti)]

I am experiencing exactly the same problem. Im am running Ubuntu 10.10 64-bit Desktop on a Gigabyte P55A-UD5 main board. Sound over optical digital used to work flawlessly until recently when Linux fox 2.6.35-25-generic #44-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jan 21 17:40:44 UTC 2011 x86_64 GNU/Linux came in.

[baiti (baiti)]

the daily regular "apt-get update ; apt-get install dist-upgrade" brought the following new kernel:

Linux fox 2.6.35-27-generic #48-Ubuntu SMP Tue Feb 22 20:25:46 UTC 2011 x86_64 GNU/Linux

... a reboot into this kernel fixed the problem. Sound over optical digital out is back.

Thanks ... and keep up the good work!

[baiti (baiti)]

Update: In my previous post I was wrong. It actually wasn't the new kernel that fixed the problem, it was the

options snd-hda-intel model=6stack-dig

that I had added quite some time earlier and never rebooted until I also updated the kernel.

[rerooting (richard-flywheelcollective)]

confirmed that adding:

options snd-hda-intel model=6stack-dig

to alsa-base.conf did the trick for me as well. Thanks!

[Robert Hrovat (robi-hipnos)]

Same problem also with Natty. Apparently 6stack-dig works for me too.

[faceman (jfacemyer)]

DUDE!!! It works for me too! Y'alls rock!!!!11 (<- you rock enough for an eleventy...)

[Costis Ghionnis (conighion)]

I had the same problem with card ALC889 and Ubuntu 11.04... Adding options snd-hda-intel model=6stack-dig solved it. The problem now is that i can only play .wav files. I can't play mp3's for example.

[Costis Ghionnis (conighion)]

Sorry... false alarm.. everything works great

[Robert Hrovat (robi-hipnos)]

Can anyone confirm if https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/761134 fix those problems?
Kernel 2.6.38-10.46 is currently in natty proposed.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Ralf Engels (ralf-engels)]

I have an Acer Aspire 8920 laptop and the same problem.
On quantal.
So obviously the bugfix in comment 35 did not solve the problem.
Also adding the 6stack-dig option does not help me.

See also #777481

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/tiwai/sound.git;a=commitdiff;h=20b67dddcc5f29d3d0c900225d85e0ac655bc69d;hp=cb6f4b55f5907528d8a1a927b850c9eb04d4ef90

there are two digital output

0x06 is connected to [Jack] SPDIF Out at Ext Rear
0x10 is connected to [Fixed] SPDIF Out at Int ATAPI

Node 0x06 [Audio Output] wcaps 0x211: Stereo Digital
  Converter: stream=0, channel=0
  Digital: Enabled GenLevel
  Digital category: 0x2
  PCM:
    rates [0x5f0]: 32000 44100 48000 88200 96000 192000
    bits [0xe]: 16 20 24
    formats [0x1]: PCM

Node 0x10 [Audio Output] wcaps 0x211: Stereo Digital
  Control: name="IEC958 Playback Con Mask", index=0, device=0
  Control: name="IEC958 Playback Pro Mask", index=0, device=0
  Control: name="IEC958 Playback Default", index=0, device=0
  Control: name="IEC958 Playback Switch", index=0, device=0
  Control: name="IEC958 Default PCM Playback Switch", index=0, device=0
  Device: name="ALC889 Digital", type="SPDIF", device=1
  Converter: stream=0, channel=0
  Digital: Enabled GenLevel
  Digital category: 0x2
  PCM:
    rates [0x5f0]: 32000 44100 48000 88200 96000 192000
    bits [0xe]: 16 20 24
    formats [0x1]: PCM
Node 0x11 [Pin Complex] wcaps 0x400300: Mono Digital
  Pincap 0x00000010: OUT
  Pin Default 0x99430140: [Fixed] SPDIF Out at Int ATAPI
    Conn = ATAPI, Color = Unknown
    DefAssociation = 0x4, Sequence = 0x0
    Misc = NO_PRESENCE
  Pin-ctls: 0x40: OUT
  Connection: 1
     0x10

Node 0x1e [Pin Complex] wcaps 0x400300: Mono Digital
  Pincap 0x00000010: OUT
  Pin Default 0x014b6130: [Jack] SPDIF Out at Ext Rear
    Conn = Comb, Color = Orange
    DefAssociation = 0x3, Sequence = 0x0
    Misc = NO_PRESENCE
  Pin-ctls: 0x40: OUT
  Connection: 1
     0x06

[Ralf Engels (ralf-engels)]

Raymond,
The patch you mentioned is more than a year old.
I assume that there is some magic hda_verb line that would help.

I am quite helpless when it get's to debugging these hda problems, but I am pretty good in following instructions.
If you tell me what information you need I can try to figure that out.

Today I tried different alsa configuration options but nothing helped. Actually I didn't even see any changes.
Also the realtec alsa driver didn't work. Some missing symbols.

[Ralf Engels (ralf-engels)]

just checked the linux sources. It seems like the patch is in.

Also I fiddled around with the hda_analyzer. If I interpret it right then my optical digital output node is not connected to anything.