[ubuntu] Need help in getting microphone to work.

[dolphinsonar]

Okay folks, I hope you are subscribed to this thread because I found the answer -- at least for those of us using a Dell Inspiron 1318, Lucid Lynx 64-bit. Open a terminal and enter these commands.

• This edits your ALSA configuration:

sudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf

• Copy and paste this at the very bottom of the ALSA configuration file you just opened:

options snd-hda-intel model=dell-bios power_save=10 power_save_controller=N

• This restarts the ALSA daemon:

 killall pulseaudio&&sudo alsa force-reload&&pulseaudio -D

• Just for fun, restart your computer -- but bookmark this page so you can tell us if you got it working!

I hope that helps somebody other than just me!

[dolphinsonar]

Better late than never. If you are using Intrepid Ibex or later on a 64-bit (might work for x86 also) Dell Inspiron 1318 laptop, here is the solution:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=9307284

Works for Lucid Lynx (mine).

[immoweichert]

Hi, I've had the same problem on my wife's Dell Dimension C521. Thanks for the post, dolphinsonar, all works a treat now !

[glencollins]

I have tried every solution posted that I can find but cannot restore the external mic (for my headset) to functionality. It worked FINE with Skype for a while, and suddenly the microphone no longer is detected.
All Alsamixer settings are correct, no mic input is muted anywhere. The Sound Recorder application says "Your audio capture settings are invalid. Please correct them with the "Sound Preferences" under the System-Preferences menu." BUT there are no combination of settings which make the Sound Recorder happy.
What gets me is that this microphone USED TO work on Skype running this same OS Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Lucid Lynx 64-bit, but now nothing I do makes it function. Thanks for any help you can provide.

[lidex]

Originally Posted by glencollins I have tried every solution posted that I can find but cannot restore the external mic (for my headset) to functionality. It worked FINE with Skype for a while, and suddenly the microphone no longer is detected. All Alsamixer settings are correct, no mic input is muted anywhere. The Sound Recorder application says "Your audio capture settings are invalid. Please correct them with the "Sound Preferences" under the System-Preferences menu." BUT there are no combination of settings which make the Sound Recorder happy. What gets me is that this microphone USED TO work on Skype running this same OS Ubuntu 10.04 LTS Lucid Lynx 64-bit, but now nothing I do makes it function. Thanks for any help you can provide.

If skype is the only mic issue, try this fix:
Use a terminal="Applications->Accessories->Terminal"
Enter these commands, one line at a time:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-audio-dev/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install linux-alsa-driver-modules-$(uname -r)

Reboot.

[glencollins]

Thanks, Lidex, however the mic does not work at all. (I did use your suggestions and rebooted, but no dice).
I have verified the mic itself is working, but the OS doesn't 'see' it at all. Sound Recorder will not run (gives 'you have invalid settings' error message) yet no combination of settings makes it happy. Functionally, the sound portion of my setup performs as if no mic was connected at all; yet it IS connected but undetected. Still no joy...

[lidex]

Originally Posted by glencollins Thanks, Lidex, however the mic does not work at all. (I did use your suggestions and rebooted, but no dice). I have verified the mic itself is working, but the OS doesn't 'see' it at all. Sound Recorder will not run (gives 'you have invalid settings' error message) yet no combination of settings makes it happy. Functionally, the sound portion of my setup performs as if no mic was connected at all; yet it IS connected but undetected. Still no joy...

What is your info?

uname -a
aplay -l
cat /proc/asound/version
head -n 1 /proc/asound/card*/codec#*

Terminal="Applications->Accessories->Terminal"
Also helpful is the make/model of your PC/Laptop.
Please post text output using code tags (the # in toolbar)

[glencollins]

My hardware is a Coolermaster tower with an AMD Athelon 64-bit +3200 processor and about 2GB of memory

# uname -a
Linux CommonSense 2.6.32-22-generic #33-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 28 13:28:05 UTC 2010 x86_64 GNU/Linux

# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: V8237 [VIA 8237], device 0: VIA 8237 [VIA 8237]
Subdevices: 3/4
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
Subdevice #2: subdevice #2
Subdevice #3: subdevice #3
card 0: V8237 [VIA 8237], device 1: VIA 8237 [VIA 8237]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

# cat /proc/asound/version
Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.23.
Compiled on May 21 2010 for kernel 2.6.32-22-generic (SMP).

# head -n 1 /proc/asound/card*/codec#*
head: cannot open `/proc/asound/card*/codec#*' for reading: No such file or directory

[lidex]

Try gnome-alsamixer.
Gnome-alsamixer
Using Alt+F2 run dialog

 gnome-alsamixer

Use 'Edit -> Sound Card Properties' menu to enable elements.
Soundcard tab to select / adjust levels.
To install:

sudo apt-get install gnome-alsamixer

Then use pulseaudio volume control (pavucontrol) to select your mic in 'Input Devices' tab.

[kltpzyxm]

Thanks lidex, everything's working perfectly now.

I think a lot of people's issues might be with the fact that ubuntu doesn't enable the microphone input by default. That's the problem I was facing, as well as a friend, and your guide just solved it for both of us.

For new users: Even when you go to sound preferences and check your input, you see all the settings working and assume that there's sound coming in. But showing microphone input in Sound Preferences DOES NOT MEAN that it is enabled! You still need to enable your mic-in ports through the gnome-alsamixer.

Follow lidex's instructions after that and you should be up and running. I have an Asus P5N-E SLI motherboard with Realtek ALC883 onboard audio - which is notorious for not working well with Alsa (even alsa's wiki says so). But now, everything is working smoothly!