Lenovo P1G3 - unable to select system speakers when headset plugged into audio jack

[Mark Pearson]

I suspect this is a pulseaudio or alsa bug.

Our test team reported this:
1. Prepare Padme-3 machine and Install Ubuntu_20.04 OS .
2. Boot system.
3. Play audio or video file.
4. Open Settings > Sound.
5. Hot attach headset.
6. Notice that headset is selected as output device in sound settings and sound can be heard from headset => EXPECTED
7. While playback, select Internal Speaker as output device => KEYPOINT
9. Notice:SUT havo no sound from Internal Speakers => PROBLEM

I was able to confirm this - it seems with the headphones connected that I can't select the system speakers. If I don't have headphones connected I can switch between dock audio and system speakers correctly - so it's just related to the audio jack

Thanks
Mark

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

I could reproduce this problem with padme-3 machine.

But it looks like a hardware design limitation, plugging headset/headphone into the audio jack, the speaker will be muted by hardware signal (like a enable signal)?

I checked both pulseaudio and alsa driver, there is no obvious problem.

BTW, How does it work under windows?

[Chi-Wei Chen (cchen50)]

@hui, our team confirmed that this issue does not happen on Windows side using the same system. Looks not a HW limitation.

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

@Chi-Wei,

OK, got it, will investigate this issue.

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

@cchen50,

After debugging with Realtek (thank Kailiang@Realtek's help), we found 2 issues, the 1st one is about linux, the 2nd one is about the BIOS.

1st issue, we need to disable auto-mute (run alsamixer, find auto-mute, disable it), after this operation, nearly all machines could work except this P1G3.

So P1G3 has the 2nd issue, after plugging the headset/headphone, the EC/BIOS will power down speaker unconditionally, so far, linux driver could do nothing to power it up. I am wondering how windows powers the speaker up or under windows the EC will not power the speaker down?

Or maybe the BIOS version on the windows machine is different from the bios version on my machine? (on my machine: the bios version is N2VET22W(1.07) the EC version is N2VHT12W (1.01))

[Chi-Wei Chen (cchen50)]

@hui,
Thanks for the feedback.
Linux machine and Windows machine shall use common BIOS/EC version for the test. I'll ask BIOS team to get some input from them.
BTW, Could you help to check if you can see the same phenomena with corresponding EC version 1.05 (N2VHT16W)?
https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-p-series-laptops/thinkpad-p1-gen-3-type-20th-20tj/downloads/driver-list/component?name=BIOS%2FUEFI

Thanks.
LO-627 for our internal tracking.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Chi-Wei Chen (cchen50)]

Hi @Hui,
Our PA team confirmed this issue was verified PASS using BIOS 24W.
It seems to be BIOS related issue.
Please let me know if this BIOS 24W or later version not work on your side.

[Hui Wang (hui.wang)]

@Chi-Wei,

OK, got it. thx.

[Yuan-Chen Cheng (ycheng-twn)]

originate bug fixed