[SOLVED] Microphone problem with Dell Latitude 5410

[jur]

I am unsuccessful in getting my microphone on my Dell. I am using ALSA and can't get joy out of skype. On my netbook  no problem.

I have tried everything I can think of; I use alsamixer and have set everything to maximum, as well as tried all combinations of input/capture device, nothing. It uses an Intel sound device. Very frustrating as I can be almost but not quite fully functional for work.

Any hints on how to proceed?

[Juanito]

As well as the possibility of being muted, the microphone might have an option in alsamixer between internal and external?

Just to be sure - do you have the alsa or oss version of skype?

[aus9]

hi

can you post an image of alsamixer after running

Code: [Select]

alsamixer -V all

upload it to
http://imagebin.org/index.php?page=add

or any other site you like

I prefer

http://ompldr.org/

but image must have an extension like------
.png or .jpeg or .jpg
I am not sure but me thinks you have only one device based on reply?

oops forgive me if you already know post it like this but not in a code box

Code: [Select]

 [img]www.somewhere.xxx/something.png[/img]

[tinypoodle]

What about trying OSS?

[jur]

I am using the same skype on both machines, alsa on both as well. I have grown used to alsa and would not like to change, and am using volumeicon which only works on alsa.



I have also now tried with an external plug-in microphone-headset, sound yes but mic still no.

The source inputs can be either Mic or Front Mic, I have tried both in all combinations.

[aus9]

hi

your mic inputs are not active....equals..muted

go to 2 sections

Use arrow -> to get to first mention of 100 capture....

Press the Space bar to turn ON

arrow right to get to input source= mic...press up or down to change it from mic = rear mic to front mic as you see fit

2) as you have 2 mic inputs you can now do the other bit as

second mention of 100 capture ...arrow to it and press space bar to Activate it

second mention of input source change it to the other mic source

3) then do a record and playback test then save your settings as per wiki

sudo alsactl store

and the files as per  Persistence section

Yes I should mention it again in the mic section but lets see how you fair first?

4) My eyesight can not spot a MUX so you may have no amplifier to your mic inputs

if true....you may need to speak louder or have mic closer to mouth etc depending on the result of your playback test.

To be rude...if still true....speak lower I find helps

[jur]

OK, before getting back here I made progress - I found in amixer contents the Capture switches were set to off, dunno why I missed these before. In alsamixer the dotted lines at the Capture sliders didn't mean anything to me in fact I never noticed them until setting the capture switches to on. Thanks for the spacebar tip.

So I am getting mic input from the external headset mic now. But the internal one is still, well no longer mute, it records hiss only. I am fairly sure it actually works as I was using it not so long ago in Windows with skype. By elimination I found the two input sources which are 'Mic' and 'Front Mic', 'Mic' is the external plugged one and 'Front' is the built-in one, at least on the speakers they seem to be.

What is 'Digital' for?

[aus9]

1) what do you mean by internal

is this a laptop?

2) Where in your image is this digital

if you are referring to my image in the wiki its because my sound card is capable of
analog or digital

post the output of your

aplay -L

aplay -l

lspci -vvv

(for your sound devices)

commands and we shall see

[jur]

Yes, sorry it is a laptop.


tc@box:~$ aplay -L
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
default:CARD=Intel
    HDA Intel, STAC92xx Analog
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, STAC92xx Analog
    Front speakers
surround40:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, STAC92xx Analog
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, STAC92xx Analog
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, STAC92xx Analog
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, STAC92xx Analog
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, STAC92xx Analog
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
hdmi:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
    HDA Intel, INTEL HDMI 0
    HDMI Audio Output

~$ tc@box:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 3: INTEL HDMI 0 [INTEL HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 7: INTEL HDMI 1 [INTEL HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
tc@box:~$

Here the result of the lspci, cut & paste just the audio:

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio (rev 05)
        Subsystem: Dell Device 0429
        Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx+
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
        Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
        Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 32
        Region 0: Memory at f7d40000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>
        Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
        Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel

[aus9]

hi

well you have no digital input for mic

but if interested you have hdmi out which according to the wiki will need to adjust spdif setting but it won't help your mic issue

2) your codec has multiple choices so if interested you need to look at the wiki on how to get to your codec and then look at

http://ompldr.org/vOHQ1OA/HD-Audio-Models.txt

3) reviewing Juanito reply.....it might be this inbuilt mic needs bios activation.

Pls check your motherboard manual to see if it needs a setting.
I have a desktop so can't help

[jur]

Could the microphone be actually a part of the built-in camera? So it would only be activated with video? That's where there is a small hole in the panel, next to the camera.

[jur]

Well I have now managed to hear the Mic when I knock loudly on certain areas on the laptop. It seems there is poor amplification.

[aus9]

hi

its if devoted to webcam....then

a) the webcam details should appear by running

lsusb

b) but in alsamixer press F6 to see if webcam appears as an option then go it

then check if its mic is unmuted and volume set

c) Not sure if you are using it for your skype but you mentioned you were using headphone so I am guessing you do not use webcam or need it.

[jur]

I used the headset to investigate the mic problem only, normally I wouldn't use it.

Last night I had the camera running when testing, but I think there was no difference. I also could not see any other device listed in the alsamixer F6 list.

While testing, I finally got something out of the microphone. I turned everything up to maximum again, and knocked everywhere on the case and found that knocking in the vicinity of the speakers I actually got something back in the skype test playback. But the level is so low that even shouting at the speakers didn't produce anything audible, only knocking did and only with everything set to 11.

So it seems that there is something lacking in the amplifier department - a driver setting or module...?

[aus9]

well we need details please.

http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:setting_up_sound

strange that your webcam is not showing up.

Please re-look at your bios motherboard to see if you have a setting to disable
"internal" mic and or internal webcam

post the output of

lspci -vvv   for any webcam hits

lsusb for your webcam line

/var/log/rsyslog or messages etc for any webcam and sound device

cat /proc/asound/cards

cat /proc/asound/card0/codec#0 | grep Codec

(immediate line above) will give us the intel codec for on board sound but I also like to see your codec as I talked about it but did not request......if we need to change your model=string the wiki should suffice but lets see exactly what you have.

Extra...sorry to be verbose....exactly describe how many colour sound connectors you have but
ignore the hdmi output and the spdif output please

(below are some of my outputs  with external webcam plugged that may illustrate what I am alluding to)

Code: [Select]


WARNING this is not OP output just examples

cat /proc/asound/cards
 0 [Intel          ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel
                      HDA Intel at 0xf9ffc000 irq 40
 1 [Q9000          ]: USB-Audio - QuickCam Pro 9000
                      Logitech, Inc. QuickCam Pro 9000 at usb-0000:00:1d.7-7, high speed

cat /proc/asound/modules
 0 snd_hda_intel
 1 snd_usb_audio

cat /proc/asound/card0/codec#0 | grep Codec
Codec: SigmaTel STAC9221 A2


2) In testing your knocking stuff.....can you redo and report with nothing in the other sound slots

b) Have you successfully restored meaning has your persistence worked.
Meaning are your mixer levels exactly what you saved as before reboot?