[Solved] Problems with microphone input (snd-hda-intel/alc262/Sirius USB2.0)

[kln]

Hi,
I come for advice on getting my sound to work (mic input).
I did a fresh install of Kubuntu 9.10 (so kernel 2.6.31-14-generic) and almost everything is working, except for the audio input. I (un)checked all the right boxes in KMix and put the volumes up.
I plugged a standalone mic in and with mic boost +1/3, when I tap the microphone, I can hear the tapping sound in the built-in speakers. No input in skype (call testing service), except with mic boost at maximum (and permanent loud beeping) I can hear something that sounds faintly like what I said, in the midst of a lot of noise.
I installed qarecord and it shows an increased sound when I blow on the mic but it doesn't record anything in the captured .wav file.

Basically on this laptop, I have built-in mic with the Sirius usb2.0 camera and that never worked under Kubuntu Intrepid (the webcam worked poorly, the mic not at all). But any headset or mic plugged in use to work perfectly.

basic information : lspci -v

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03)
    Subsystem: Device 1a46:1405
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
    Memory at db300000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
    Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel

aplay -l :

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC262 Analog [ALC262 Analog]
 Subdevices: 0/1
 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

I use the 1.0.20 version of alsa-base.

I have added this line to etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf
options snd-hda-intel model=xxx (I tried with 'zepto' and 'auto' and 'toshiba')
no success

I followed Ubuntu Sound Troobleshooting (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SoundTroubleshooting).
This is my ALSA configuration script http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=2b...bb9f3f65915507 (not sure how long they keep the page online)
In the git.alsa-project.org, I found that Alc262 was only referred to in v1.0.18a (but zepto laptop were listed under the alc267/268). Does it mean I have to downgrade ALSA to this version to get it work or that alc262 is supported from 1.0.18a on ?
Or should I upgrade to 1.0.21 version even though it is not yet in the repositories ?

Or ... anything else ?
Many thanks in advance

Besides that Karmic looks nice at first sight (one day), and it boots faster than Intrepid.

[kln]

Re: Problems with microphone input (snd-hda-intel / alc262)

I have tried a couple a model name listed under ALC262 :
(http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=820959)
ALC262
fujitsu Fujitsu Laptop
hp-bpc HP xw4400/6400/8400/9400 laptops
hp-bpc-d7000 HP BPC D7000
hp-tc-t5735 HP Thin Client T5735
hp-rp5700 HP RP5700
benq Benq ED8
benq-t31 Benq T31
hippo Hippo (ATI) with jack detection, Sony UX-90s
hippo_1 Hippo (Benq) with jack detection
sony-assamd Sony ASSAMD
ultra Samsung Q1 Ultra Vista model
lenovo-3000 Lenovo 3000 y410
basic fixed pin assignment w/o SPDIF
auto auto-config reading BIOS (default)

among them, the mic record a very faint sound with -sometimes- noise for 2-3 of them, such as benq-t31, hippo_1, lenovo-3000. 'auto' gives some noise. Something is working, but not at all as it should.
Perhaps the settings of the various channels is wrong : what should be muted/unmuted, what about all those line, beep, capture and so on ? Is it possible that by settings all on 'unmuted', all levels at maximum and capture on, then the mic doesn't capture the right thing ?

Should I try uninstalling ALSA and installing Pulseaudio ?

[panamade]

Re: Problems with microphone input (snd-hda-intel / alc262)

Hi kin,

Have you found a solution to this problem yet? I am having the same problem with my Gateway tablet.

It's not an issue of volume sliders being down or anything. My sound works unless I suspend the computer and return, but my microphone has a ton of noise. Please let me know.

Thanks

[kln]

Re: Problems with microphone input (snd-hda-intel / alc262)

Hey,

No I haven't find the solution so far. I believe the problem lies in the options line in alsa-base.conf
I have tried various modelname in "options snd_hda_intel model=modelname", the ones listed in the post above (plus 'toshiba' and 'zepto', my laptop manufacturer) and I get different results each time.
Often no sound at all, sometimes sound but no mic, 2-3 times sound and bad faint noise captured by the mic. So there should be an option that works, but yet to find out.

Moreover with some options (like model='auto') upon reboot the Hardware Driver Manager tell me that some audio device are apparently not there anymore. so wrong option again.

[Guest]

Re: Problems with microphone input (snd-hda-intel / alc262)

I'm so happy to find this topic even though it does not have a resolution ... yet!

I am having the same issue with both my IBM X40 Thinkpad and my Samsung NC120 Netbook. This one is a deal stopper at the moment. I need to be able to use Gizmo5 for my Google Voice service and it's currently not usable nor is Skype.

FWIW, both machines work just fine on the XP side using the same equipment (though it frosts me to have to admit it.)

Please, those of you who understand this better than I do, make it go away. I really want to go full Kubuntu.

BTW, I have updated my ALSA package to 1.022.1-2 without any improvement in this problem.

Additional Info @3PM 11 Jan 10:
Just tried an USB audio adapter and instant joy. The mic worked perfectly with both Skype and Gizmo5. It's a very inexpensive solution. I just ordered 2 more @ $2.96 each with free shipping.

[kln]

Re: Problems with microphone input (snd-hda-intel / alc262)

An update on this.
It used to work also on my laptop (Zepto Nox A14) only with an external mic (under 9.04), then not anymore (don't remember why, maybe I tried different settings, even after 10.04 update), then again after update to Maverick Meerkat.

Now, I managed to get the Sirius USB2.0 Camera Analog Stereo (built-in webcam and 2 littles mic holes on both sides) to work. I just changed in System Settings > Multimedia > Phonon > Audio Capture > Communication, and made the Sirius device on top of the other one (Internal Audio Analog Stereo). It works fine with the built-in mic, the webcam, and also still with an external mic (tests run in Skype).

I really think I had tried this option before, so I can't say where the solution is. Maybe support for this device was integrated in 10.04 or 10.10 and all that was needed was to put Sirius as defaut device.

Hope that helps, that has been bothering me for a long time. So, solved ?!