KMIX or PulseAudio or ALSA or OSS Does Not "See" Microphone

[mhumm2]

To start with, I've always thought the Linux sound system works on smoke and mirrors, but now I'm sure of it. Basically the sound system works on my 13.04 installation as I can play CDs and listen to MP3 files and system event sounds work, but today, I discovered that my microphone is not "seen" by the OS at all. I've tried the front jack and the rear jack which goes right into my motherboard. I've tried a very nice Sony microphone and the one that's part of my headset. I hate to type it, but the hardware works fine in M$ Windoze; it "sees" when I plug either mic into the front jack or the rear. So I know it's not bad mics and I know the front jack is connected to the mobo header pins.

I've researched this problem, but to date, no joy. Perhaps I just need to assign a dev to the mic hardware. Anyway I'm wrapped around the axle trying to sort out ALSA from Pulseaudio and OSS. I'd say I'm JACKD, but that's another sound thing for Kubuntu I'm totally ignorant about. At this point I'd like to start over and uninstall all sound devices and then reinstall same. Please help.

Just let me know if you need me to submit any readouts or config files.

[vinnywright]

I discovered that my microphone is not "seen" by the OS at all.

how do you know this ?

do you have a mic controle if you open "alsamixer" in a terminal?

if you install pavucontrole dose it show a mic input?

VINNY

[mhumm2]

Hi vinny. Yes, now with pavucontrol, I can see my front mic and set the sound level. The default kmix volume control in my system tray only provides my webcam (with built-in mic) and my built-in analog audio card (incorporated into the mobo).

Wow! I just tried a new screencast using kazam and it does pick up the front mic audio now. I don't understand it. I installed the volume control you suggested and IT allows the OS to "see" my front mic. and an installed app can now capture from that same mic. But I've since closed that volume control so the only one active is kmix which doesn't see anything differently than it did.

Do you have the time to explain the basics of this? Will I have to run pavucontrol for every session when I want to use my mic? I really need to buy a vowel.

[vinnywright]

Hi vinny.

Do you have the time to explain the basics of this? Will I have to run pavucontrol for every session when I want to use my mic? I really need to buy a vowel.

well I can not realy enplane this as to me , as you, linux sound can be all smoke and mirrors I just know that pulse audio volume control seams to work things out faster for me than going though system settings>multimedia>phonon ,,,,,,,like when I want to record an Internet radio stream with Audacity and need the monitor of built in audio picking up.

I think it will be easier for you to just alt+F2 type pulse and click pulse Audio volume control and use it to select the input device when you knead to change it

VINNY

[mhumm2]

Thanks to all who weighed in; I appreciate the effort. vinnywright is right, Linux audio does seem to be more smoke and mirrors than logical programming. This is a tough one. I can get my system to do what I want for a particular session, but at some point (I don't use audio recording very much) I have to reset the volumes to record audio again. Thanks again.

[SteveRiley]

Linux audio does seem to be more smoke and mirrors than logical programming

Yep.