[regression] output device not recognized anymore since update 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9

[Flavien]

SRU Document:

[Impact]

The 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9 introduced a new problem on the machines which do not have internal speaker on them. With the 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8, even there is no internal speaker and nothing plugged in the audio jack, the profile is still set available, then the active profile is analog-stereo; while with the 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9, the profile is set to unavailable, and the active profile is off, after users plug sth in the audio jack, the active profile will not switch automatically, need users to switch manually, this change is unfriendly to users.

[Test Case]

On the machines without internal speaker, open sound-setting and check if there is some output devices in the UI, and play sound from the UI. Under 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9 there is no output device, and can't play sound; under 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8 there is output device, and can play sound.

[Regression Potential]

This is a revert, after reverting, the content of pulseaudio is exactly same as 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8

[Other Info]

none

Since the update 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8 to 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9 , pulseaudio is not showing anymore my soundcard.

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pulseaudio/1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9

The command "pacmd list-sinks" only shows a dummy output

When running on a fresh install of ubuntu 16.04, the sound is ok.
When updating the install with locking the following files to version 1:8.0-0ubuntu3 the sound keeps working:
libpulse0:amd64
libpulse-mainloop-glib0:amd64
libpulse-dev:amd64
pulseaudio-module-x11:amd64
pulseaudio-module-bluetooth:amd64
pulseaudio-utils:amd64

When updating to 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9, I just get a "dummy output".

I tried running the following versions of Ubuntu (live usb), and get the same issue (no need to update to get the problem)
17.04
17.10
18.04

I attached the result of command "pactl list"
I have also generated logs during the boot but I don't know how to attach multiple files

[Flavien (flavien75)]

Here's the logfiles generated during boot

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

@Flavien,

When the output changes into "Dummy output", please upload the alsa-info.txt and pactl list sinks/pactl list cards

thanks.

[Flavien (flavien75)]

I felt it strange to be the only one to experience that problem with a quite common ALC892 chipset.

So I tested without the video acquisition board to check whether it could be an incompatibility issue (although that board has always been connected). It did not work better.
So I connected it back.

Now IT IS WORKING BACK !!!

I included the new alsa-info log file, the sound card is now in second position and the acquisition card is in last position.
Would it be possible that the order of detection of the cards is the cause of this problems ?

I will test again (probably tomorrow) with Bionic Beaver to see if I can have the sound working.

Cheers

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

That is because you have 3 sound cards, all of the output devices on these cards are off in the pulseaudio:

card #0, "HDA Intel HDMI", you didn't connect a monitor or connect a monitor without audio capability, so the "Active Profile" for this card is off.

card #1, "HDA Intel PCH", there is no internal speaker on it, and there are only 4 line outs and 1 headphone on it, but you didn't plug anything in the lineout jacks or headphone jacks, so the "Active Profile" for this card is off too.

card #2, "Brooktree Bt878" doesn't have output device on it.

If you plug sth in the lineout jacks, headphone jack or hdmi port (with a hdmi audio capable monitor), the output device will not be the "dummy ouput".

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

While that sounds like it explains everything, it doesn't sound like great software design.

The user shouldn't get tricked into thinking the system can't find the sound hardware, just because no speakers or headphones are plugged in. Are you sure that's how it's meant to work?

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

@Hui, the user states it's a regression, what changed? did we use to list cards without an output connected?

[Flavien (flavien75)]

@Hui, I have disconnected and reconnected the speakers when plugging back the acquisition board

The strange part is that I had two systems installed on two different partitions. By just booting on a system I had the sound or not.

If I understand well that would mean it is an issue with the speaker detection.

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

@Flavien,

According to the alsa-info.txt of #6 and #7， there is no speaker at all on the 3 sound cards, if you mean there is indeed speaker on one of the sound cards, that should be a problem of kernel driver.

So could you please install the ubuntu 18.04 (bionoic beaver) and test if it has the same behaviour with the issue stated in this bug?

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

@Daniel & Sebastien,

For the 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8, the pulseaudio will regard the profile as available even no output device is plugged, for 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9, the profile will be set to unavailable if there is no output device plugged.

The 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9 has the same behaviour as the 17.10 and 18.04 now, at least according to my previous test and the test just performed, they have the same behaviour.

[Flavien (flavien75)]

@Hui,

I already checked on a live-usb of 18.04, this morning the sound is working (it was not on Sunday morning).

It is definitely a speaker detection issue. It could come from the hardware as well.
Anyway, I planned to install Ubuntu 18.04 to test it before upgrading my main system next summer.

[Flavien (flavien75)]

@Hui,
I confirm, no more issue with Ubuntu 18.04, speakers and headphones are correctly detected.

Thanks.

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

@Flavien,

Got it, thanks. Could you please take some time to generate an alsa-info.txt under 18.04, let us see if it is a regression for pulseaudio 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9.

If the speaker and headphone can't work under 16.04, it is really an issue.

thanks.

[Flavien (flavien75)]

@Hui,

I think there's a misunderstanding,
From the moment I disconnected and reconnected the speakers everything is working well on all the versions I tested it on.

So from my understanding
- the speakers were working although not detected
- due to the update, when speakers are not detected the output is shut down
- disconnecting and reconnecting made the speakers detected and the output enabled

I guess there's a hardware issue on my speakers (20 years old), I will have to solder new jacks on it.
The previous version was more tolerant to hardware faults, the new one might miss a feature for forcing enable a "disconnected" output.

I attached the alsa-info for 18.04.

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

@Flavien,

Got it, thanks. And we have another report possible regression about 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9, if we confirm it is a regression according to that bug, we will revert the pulseaudio to ubuntu3.8, and if you have something new unusual, let us know.

thanks.

[Flavien (flavien75)]

@Hui, of course, I'll keep both my distributions (16.04 and 18.04) up-to-date. I will keep you posted about issues that might come.

In the mean time, don't hesitate asking if you need any test on my side (like if you want test on a different configuration than yours).

Cheers

Flavien

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

Another instance of this issue has been reported in bug 1768411.

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

@Daniel,

Let me revert the change of 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9?

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

OK. Just call it 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.10, but with the contents of 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.8.

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

@Sponsor team,

Please help submit the build request to the queue.

thx.

[Sebastien Bacher (seb128)]

I've sponsored the update

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

Hello Flavien, or anyone else affected,

Accepted pulseaudio into xenial-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pulseaudio/1:8.0-0ubuntu3.10 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed.Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested and change the tag from verification-needed-xenial to verification-done-xenial. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-xenial. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance!

[Open Sense Solutions (opensense)]

1:8.0-0ubuntu3.10 from proposed fixes the problem

[Flavien (flavien75)]

Hello,

1:8.0-0ubuntu3.10 from proposed fixes the problem

Thanks for your support

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

The verification of the Stable Release Update for pulseaudio has completed successfully and the package has now been released to -updates. Subsequently, the Ubuntu Stable Release Updates Team is being unsubscribed and will not receive messages about this bug report. In the event that you encounter a regression using the package from -updates please report a new bug using ubuntu-bug and tag the bug report regression-update so we can easily find any regressions.

[Vincenzo (vincenzo-iaciofano)]

I managed to find a work around. I wonder when this is going to be fixed? I connected a phone to my pc and played music, this kick started the card on boot up and now i have a sound card, although there is no sound card shown in the sound settings. before it was dummy now there is no card shown. i have sound working though. i assume on the next reboot it will loose the sound.

look forward to your help and support. I know this is affecting quite a few users on the new update. Vincenzo

[Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt)]

The fix for this bug was released 7 days ago.

Please update your system and if you continue to have problems then open a new bug.

[Vincenzo (vincenzo-iaciofano)]

Daniel, thanks I will open a new bug as it is still not right. Thanks

On 10 May 2018 at 09:53, Daniel van Vugt <email address hidden>
wrote:

> The fix for this bug was released 7 days ago.
>
> Please update your system and if you continue to have problems then open
> a new bug.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to a
> duplicate bug report (1768509).
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1767784
>
> Title:
> [regression] output device not recognized anymore since update
> 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.9
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pulseaudio/+
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