[SOLVED] Sound problems with via-chipset

[DrKosy]

I just did an update from Kubuntu 6.06 to 8.04 and now the sound is gone. It already was very strange in the old version, cause sometimes the sound worked and sometimes it didn't. I could not figure out what could be the reason so I was very hopfully that with the new version this problem could be fixed. But instead it got worse, now I do not have sound at all.
I already checked the "alsamixer" and put all at maximum, but without any effect. In the Info-Center the sound shows up with the installed drivers and if I play music with e.g. Kaffeine, it tells me, that it's playing music but I do not hear anything. Oh and by the way, my speakers are pluged in and are working fine, I tested that with my other PC, so it is definitly a problem of Kubuntu.
My system ist a 64-bit Sempron 3000+ and therefore I use the AMD64 cernel modules.
The alsamixer tells me the following for my sound hardware: Card: VIA 8237 and Chip: VIA1617A

I would be glad if someone could give me some advice what to do

[lmilano]

Re: Sound problems with via-chipset

Two quick ideas:

* Launch "kmix" and see if it helps. Check all the controls, etc
* Check System Settings -> Sound

[DrKosy]

Re: Sound problems with via-chipset

Well I this short ideas were very nice, cause I now recognized that sound is playing. But there are some issues left.
At first the sound is very quiet so I have to turn my speakers to maximum to heare something.
Second in the "kmix" it seems that only the pcm (and of cause the maser) switch are influencing the sound. I can mute the "pc speakers" and here sound regardless.
So is there a way to tell kubuntu that I use pc speakers? I think that could solve the problem (maybe)

[lmilano]

Re: Sound problems with via-chipset

Good, some progress

I am also using a VIA 8237, working fine (32 bit, not sure the Chip, I can't see it in Kubuntu Intrepid). Which Kubuntu version are you running?

Here are typical fixes for this sort of problem (besides googling for a workaround):

* allowing OSS instead of Alsa (this is easier to try in Kubuntu 8.04, I don't see an option in System Settings -> Sound in 8.10
* using analog instead of digital output if you have both (I don't think that's your case, but make could you perhaps be connecting the speakers to the wrong output of the card? Silly question perhaps)

[DrKosy]

Re: Sound problems with via-chipset

My machine is running on Hardy Heron (8.04) and I just switch the audio controll from the "auto-mode" into OSS, but nothing changed. Like before the sound ist very quiet.
The next step was to check the connection of the speakers, but they are pluged in correctly, which is easy to find out for me since I just have 3 audio connectors (all analog: Mic in, Speaker out, line in)

So maybe one solution could be to go to Interpid, but actually I just updated to 8.04 and had various problems afterwards so I don't want to stess my nerves again with an update

Ok, another solution would be to buy bigger speakers but I guess there should be a cheaper solution

[Snowhog]

Re: Sound problems with via-chipset

When trouble shooting, it's always best to eliminate the easy things first. So, have you disconnected the external speakers? When disconnected, do you have normal sound through the PCs speakers?

[DrKosy]

Re: Sound problems with via-chipset

After reading your post twice, I hopfully got the point: So while playing music I plugged out the external speakers but there were no sound coming out of the built-in speaker.

Btw: Do you konw what pcm means in the kmix programm? Could it be that this switch is related to the built-in speaker?

At least I forgot to thank you for helping me with the troubelshooting so I will do this now: Thank you very much for helping me with the trouble shooting

[Snowhog]

Re: Sound problems with via-chipset

Happy to assist in any useful way I am able.

Open a console and type:

alsamixer

and press return. If it runs, you will be presented with a display like this:

┌──────────────────────[AlsaMixer v1.0.17 (Press Escape to quit)]───────────────────────┐
│ Card: HDA Intel                                    │
│ Chip: Conexant CX20549 (Venice)                            │
│ View: Playback Capture [All]                            │
│ Item: Ext Mic Capture [dB gain=0.00, 0.00]                      │
│  ┌──┐   ┌──┐            ┌──┐   ┌──┐        ┌──┐   ┌──┐   │
│  │ │   │ │            │ │   │ │        │ │   │ │   │
│  │▒▒│   │ │            │ │   │ │        │ │   │ │   │
│  │▒▒│   │▒▒│            │ │   │ │        │ │   │ │   >
│  │▒▒│   │▒▒│            │ │   │ │        │ │   │ │   >
│  │▒▒│   │▒▒│            │ │   │ │        │ │   │ │   >
│  │▒▒│   │▒▒│            │ │   │ │        │ │   │ │   >
│  │▒▒│   │▒▒│            │ │   │ │        │ │   │ │   │
│  ├──┤   ├──┤   ┌──┐   ┌──┐   ├──┤   └──┘        ├──┤   └──┘   │
│  │OO│   │OO│   │MM│   │OO│   │MM│            │MM│       │
│  └──┘   └──┘   └──┘   └──┘   └──┘            └──┘       │
│                              ------           │
│  81<>81  58<>58            0<>0   0<>0        0<>0   0<>0   │
│  Master  PCM   IEC958  IEC958 D Ext Mic <Ext Mic > ExtMic Int Mic Int Mic  │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Assuming it does for you, what is identified for:

Card:
Chip:

And what values are showing for:

Master:
PCM:

[DrKosy]

Re: Sound problems with via-chipset

As posted before (1st post) the alsamixer shows me the following hardware: Card: VIA8237, Chip: VIA1617A.
Maser and PCM are both put to 100, so the db-gain for master is 0.00 and for PCM it is 12.00
At Kmix it is exactly the same, so that shouldn't be the problem. As well I put the output volume of the vlc-player to maximum till playing music, but that only enabled me to hear anything. So my speakers are really whispering.

[Snowhog]

Re: Sound problems with via-chipset

In my alsamixer output I posted, the fourth item - IEC958 D - is unmuted. Not knowing what your output looks like, but assuming you have the same/similar item, is it by chance muted (MM)?

[DrKosy]

Re: [SOLVED] Sound problems with via-chipset

Since my alsamixer is a bit strange sorted, I didn't find the IEC958D output switch. But I played around with all the other switches and the one called "VIA DXS 1" did the trick
It first was muted, but as I put it up my sound got A LOT louder. So this problem is solved now and I again have to thank you for your help 8)

[Snowhog]

Re: [SOLVED] Sound problems with via-chipset

Cool. Glad you got it resolved. I know the feeling when you 'get it figured out.' Happy dance and all.

[lmilano]

Re: [SOLVED] Sound problems with via-chipset

awesome

[DrKosy]

Re: [SOLVED] Sound problems with via-chipset

Yeah, what a great feeling But after two days of dancing I run into new problems - but don't worry, they are already solved. I just want to report them for anyone having the same trouble.
First I recognized that my system sounds were as quiet as the same sound was before. So I again played around with the alsa-mixer and figured out, that I have to increase the switch called "VIA DXS" (without 1) to the same level that the "VIA DXS 1". So this is fine now
Next the pidgin-interface was without sound and therefore I had to install the gstream-plugin. So this is fine as well.
Now, after these days of hard work it is time to dance again 8)

[lmilano]

Re: [SOLVED] Sound problems with via-chipset

Excellent. Something that got me trapped more than once was KMix's interface change some time ago. It used to show all controls when clicked, but now it only shows the main control, and you need to make an extra click to see all the channels and stuff. I think it's a good decision, too much clutter confuses new users IMHO