[DL-H61MXEL, Realtek ALC888, Green Line Out, Rear] Underruns, dropouts or crackling sound

[gokul]

When the output volume is set near 100% and a sound is playing, volume level alternates too fast. Sometimes it goes to mute.

I watched System Settings > Sound and found that sound output device is alternating between 'Analog Output -Built-in Audio' and 'Headphones - Built-in Audio'. The switching is too frequent and introduces glitches in output.

By default output device is 'Analog Output - Built-in Audio'.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.04
Package: pulseaudio 1:3.0-0ubuntu6
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.8.0-31.46-generic 3.8.13.8
Uname: Linux 3.8.0-31-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.9.2-0ubuntu8.5
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: gokul 2613 F.... pulseaudio
Date: Wed Nov 6 10:36:23 2013
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-05-22 (167 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 13.04 "Raring Ringtail" - Release amd64 (20130424)
MarkForUpload: True
SourcePackage: pulseaudio
Symptom: audio
Symptom_AlsaPlaybackTest: ALSA playback test through plughw:PCH successful
Symptom_Card: Built-in Audio - HDA Intel PCH
Symptom_Jack: Green Line Out, Rear
Symptom_PulsePlaybackTest: PulseAudio playback test failed
Symptom_Type: Underruns, dropouts, or "crackling" sound
Title: [DL-H61MXEL, Realtek ALC888, Green Line Out, Rear] Underruns, dropouts or crackling sound
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 12/16/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A92DLP11
dmi.board.name: DL-H61MXEL
dmi.board.vendor: DIGILITE
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrA92DLP11:bd12/16/2011:svnDIGILITE:pnDL-H61MXEL:pvrTobefilledbyO.E.M.:rvnDIGILITE:rnDL-H61MXEL:rvr:
dmi.product.name: DL-H61MXEL
dmi.product.version: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.sys.vendor: DIGILITE

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

seem jack detection problem as front headphone jack is plugged and unplugged at Nov 6:10:38:08

do your computer chassis has hda front audio panel ?

Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.990| 0.037) [pulseaudio] module-alsa-card.c: Jack 'Front Headphone Jack' is now plugged in
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.990| 0.000) [pulseaudio] device-port.c: Setting port analog-output-headphones to status yes
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.990| 0.000) [pulseaudio] module-switch-on-port-available.c: finding port analog-output-headphones
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Activating path analog-output-headphones
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Path analog-output-headphones (Headphones), direction=1, priority=90, probed=yes, supported=yes, has_mute=yes, has_volume=yes, has_dB=yes, min_volume=0, max_volume=31, min_dB=-144, max_dB=0
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Element Master, direction=1, switch=1, volume=1, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x7ffffffffffff, n_channels=1, override_map=yes
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Element Headphone, direction=1, switch=1, volume=1, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=4, required_absent=0, mask=0x3600000000f66, n_channels=2, override_map=yes
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Element Front, direction=1, switch=1, volume=3, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x6, n_channels=2, override_map=no
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Element Surround, direction=1, switch=2, volume=2, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x6, n_channels=2, override_map=no
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Element Side, direction=1, switch=2, volume=2, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x6, n_channels=2, override_map=no
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Element Center, direction=1, switch=2, volume=2, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x7ffffffffffff, n_channels=1, override_map=no
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Element LFE, direction=1, switch=2, volume=2, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x7ffffffffffff, n_channels=1, override_map=no
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Element PCM, direction=1, switch=0, volume=1, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x3600000000f66, n_channels=2, override_map=yes
Nov 6 10:38:08 void pulseaudio[2613]: ( 50.991| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-mixer.c: Element IEC958, direction=1, switch=2, volume=0, volume_li...

[gokul (gokulnathonline)]

I have a front headphone jack, but it's loose and unusable. But I did notice that when I place headphone jack firmly on front this issue does not occur.

Issue is when I use the ports on the back side and I want to use these ports.

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

are there any reason for you to plug the speaker at the side jack instead of green ?

do it help if you specify hint

trigger_sense = false

https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/tiwai/sound.git/plain/Documentation/sound/alsa/HD-Audio.txt

 jack_detect (bool): specify whether the jack detection is available
  at all on this machine; default true
- trigger_sense (bool): indicates that the jack detection needs the
  explicit call of AC_VERB_SET_PIN_SENSE verb

or

set Misc Bit (bit 8) of pin default of headphone to not enable jack detection

you may need to disable jack detection of headphone if it is not working properly , loss of auto mute

 control.35 {
  iface CARD
  name 'Line Out Front Jack'
  value false
  comment {
   access read
   type BOOLEAN
   count 1
  }
 }
 control.36 {
  iface CARD
  name 'Line Out Surround Jack'
  value false
  comment {
   access read
   type BOOLEAN
   count 1
  }
 }
 control.37 {
  iface CARD
  name 'Line Out CLFE Jack'
  value false
  comment {
   access read
   type BOOLEAN
   count 1
  }
 }
 control.38 {
  iface CARD
  name 'Line Out Side Jack'
  value true
  comment {
   access read
   type BOOLEAN
   count 1
  }
 }
 control.39 {
  iface CARD
  name 'Front Headphone Jack'
  value false
  comment {
   access read
   type BOOLEAN
   count 1
  }
 }

[Mia Dawn (ihzaer)]

I've been experiencing this for a few weeks now. It got noticeably worse when I upgraded to 13.10 ... I can sit here and watch on the Pavucontrol and watch both the output and input jump back and forth from (analog > headphones) or (Line-in > rear-mic > front-mic) Funnily enough I no longer have a front mic or front headset because it died long ago and I've been too consumed with other things to replace it.

I've downgraded to 13.04 again, in the attempt to once again fix the frustrating occurrence that it goes out in the middle of Skype calls or music or an important appointment call, I broke my entire set up and had to do a fresh install, so not sure if I'm going to go up to Saucy just yet.

I can get it to the point that it no longer hiccups and spits sound at me all the time, (just sometimes), through searching out fixes (still fairly fresh to Linux even though have been playing with it for a couple years)

I'm curious though as to why its gotten a mind of its own?

I too have a Realtek ALC888 with an Nvidia GeForce 610 GT that has HDMI audio controller though I don't use it, Alsa and PulseAudio seem to think I want to even though it's not hooked up. Pulse audio keeps turning it on even though I turn it off in the profile.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

>> I too have a Realtek ALC888 with an Nvidia GeForce 610 GT that has HDMI audio controller though I don't use it, Alsa and PulseAudio seem to think I want to even though it's not hooked up. Pulse audio keeps turning it on even though I turn it off in the profile.

PoST the pulseaudio verbose log

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/sb/cs-015851.htm

do your computer chassis have hda front audio panel ?

did you connect the front audio connector according to the user manual of the motherboard ?

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Thank you for reporting this bug to Ubuntu.
Ubuntu 13.04 (raring) reached end-of-life on January 27, 2014.

See this document for currently supported Ubuntu releases:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

We appreciate that this bug may be old and you might not be interested in discussing it any more. But if you are then please upgrade to the latest Ubuntu version and re-test.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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