No Audio on LMDE

[markymark12]

Here's my problem. I have LXDE and pulse audio is crap on LMDE. Sound cuts in and out when I'm watching videos and it's frustrating. Last night I got fed up. I found the actual drivers for my soundcard and installed them. Problem is, they weren't configured properly. I found out what the vendor ID was and tried to correct this to no avail. So, I downloaded and installed the Alsa drivers but that was a bust too. Now I'm working on a linux pc without sound. I warn you ahead of time I am a newbie to LXDE but I can get around pretty well. I'd prefer to use the manufacturers drivers if possible. If not, I want the ALSA. Pulse Audio is too unstable on LMDE. Any help would be appreciated.

I forgot to add. I know I have a realtek audio device. Controller is AC97 The ID is ALC888.

[markymark12]

Just an update. I managed to uninstall the alsa drivers and the pulse audio completely. Then I re-installed the realtek drivers but still no sound. Any thoughts on why this is? Clearly my pc doesn't realize that I have a sound card because it doesn't see it when I click on sound>hardware. Can anyone help me configure this?

[markymark12]

Just FYI. Since no one here seems to have a solution I have emailed realtek to ask them to break down the instructions. I'm sure I need to compile rather then doing an automatic install but it's still a bit like stereo instructions in Chinese. I'll post my results after I hear back from them.

[markymark12]

I'm a bit disappointed that no one seems to know how fix this issue or even tell me how to reinstall pulse audio. At least with Pulse audio I had some sound. I've got nothing right now and have to work on my windows partition. I can reinstall Pulse but it won't show my sound card. I suspect there's something else that needs to be ticked in order to successfully detect the sound card in my pc but I have no idea what this would be. Also, realtek has not answered my two emails which tells me that they are clueless. My last option is to back everything up and reinstall LMDE. Maybe I'm install Mint 13 instead. I am actually enjoying linux debian because it is a little different but it's not worth the headache if no one can help me with a simple issue like fixing sound.

[josh2010]

Just an update. I managed to uninstall the alsa drivers and the pulse audio completely. Then I re-installed the realtek drivers but still no sound. Any thoughts on why this is? Clearly my pc doesn't realize that I have a sound card because it doesn't see it when I click on sound>hardware. Can anyone help me configure this?

hiya markymark as you know i am having similar problems with the onboard chip alc887 on my pc but i can see the device in sound-hardware so let's compare notes.

have you EVER had sound on your laptop i.e using another os-- mint-- ubu-- windows.

i have tried numerous mint and ubu distros and the result is the same no sound or very low sound with interference.

the same distros work normally in my other older machine.

i am not familiar with laptops --------is you sound device onboard or a removable card?

if removable have you tried another card.

you appear to have more experience than me when it comes to drivers and installing them i'm totally baffled by it all.

i had suspected a faulty onboard device but doubt that now as it shows in sound/hardware so it's back to the drawing board.

what do you think of the USB NO DRIVERS DEVICE that i posted a few days ago,could it be manna from heaven or just another big letdown???

my next step is to buy a pci card and try it and if it fails send it back and try another.

the answer is out there somewhere-----------but where.

josh

[rhodry]

Any reasonably detailed net search will show that you seem to have one of the more troublesome sound cards ( well chipset actually, not card) for Linux use generally.

Perhaps the following link will give you some direct help, or at least guidance to further assistance. It is only one model behind yours and I know it helped others here get sound working under older versions of Mint. Best I can offer:

http://www.webupd8.org/2010/11/fix-hda-intel-realtek-alc887-no-sound.html#disqus_thread

rhodry.

[xenopeek]

Moved here by moderator

[markymark12]

Rhodry, I'm without a laptop right now. This is a desktop pc and is my main device. That's why this issue is so incredibly frustrating. I tried the solution you recommended but it wasn't for me. It didn't work but thanks anyway.

[chrisfranklin]

Hey buddy,

Your problem is almost certainly with /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.d

This is what I have:

Code: Select all

# Prevent abnormal drivers from grabbing index 0
options bt87x index=-2
options cx88_alsa index=-2
options snd-atiixp-modem index=-2
options snd-intel8x0m index=-2
options snd-via82xx-modem index=-2
# Keep snd-pcsp from beeing loaded as first soundcard
options snd-pcsp index=-2
# Keep snd-usb-audio from beeing loaded as first soundcard
options snd-usb-audio index=1
options snd-hda-intel model=auto index=0

Which works, note the model=auto on the last line, I think this will fix your problem. When I set it to generic as advised elsewhere it doesn't work for me. This is related: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=314383

Try this and let me know,

Regards,

Chris

Edit: I just found this http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1043568 which is a newer list, it includes auto on the list as well. I found it by googling "options snd-hda-intel model=auto"

[markymark12]

I think my chipset may be the problem. Here's my information. I'm not using intel. It's an nVidia chipset.

Audio: Card nVidia MCP61 High Definition Audio BusID: 00:05.0

[markymark12]

Chris, thanks for your help but alas, nothing has worked. It's incredibly frustrating that I can't use my linux partition. I'm going to buy a laptop soon. I really want to load LMDE on it. I think I'll wipe my linux partition and start over. It's frustrating because Amarok doesn't keep track of my podcasts so any podcasts I've downloaded with show up in music but not be listed ad already downloaded in my current list. I suspect there's a file in amarok that keeps track of this information but i have no idea what it is or where it's locate. Anyway, I'll wait until the weekend when I have more time since I know I need a few hours to rebuild this partition with LMDE and restore the music and/or videos I'm going to back up.

Thank you to everyone who tried to help me. I'm cursed with this sound card that LMDE doesn't like. Funny thing is Ubuntu never had problems with my soundcard. Only debian has issue. Go figure!

[DrHu]

I haven't used Amarok in a while, but the reviewer says, podcasts are being tracked ?
http://jamidwyer.blogspot.ca/2009/05/co ... gbird.html
http://linux.about.com/od/mediaplayers/a/swamarok.htm

One of Amarok's strengths is its ability to manage large music collections, allowing you to keep track of and select files in a variety of ways. You can generate file trees organized by year, genre, artist or album, and you can search for specific titles. Playlists and podcasts can be sorted by source.

According to the first reveiwer, podcasts are via playlists and saved files, so it is no doubt a file location, the list of directories shown under the menu selections: music directory

Another way of doing it, simply make your own podcast folder..
http://amarok.kde.org/wiki/Media_Device:IPod

Adding podcasts to your Rockbox-enabled iPod
Before beginning to download podcasts it is recommended that you tell Amarok to download the podcasts in their own folder, somewhere you know like in your own music folder. To do this, create a folder wherever you want and name it "Podcasts".

http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/amarok
--Amarok, the podcasts folder/location..

I did find LMDE scratchy with the VLC media player with movies, but once I used alsa it was ok, still with pulseaudio output selection: I didn't remove any pulseaudio apps or app parts..

--CD or other audio alone was OK, and the default media player included with LMDE, I forget which one at the moment, since I always install VLC, was also better with the default settings (pulseaudio and alsamixer to check the card: although I do have a separate sound blaster PCI card, and don't use integrated sound at all; that was also ok..)

[markymark12]

DrHu, I think you misunderstand. I'm in complete control of all of my podcasts. The point I was making is when I upgraded my pc fro ubuntu to LMDE and reinstalled Amarok I copied my podcast folder back, reconfigured all of my podcasts and all of them are present under music but only the newer ones show up under the podcast label. Does that make sense?

Anyway, maybe if I had added alsa to my configuration or installed the proper drivers for my souncard without removing the pulse audio I would be find. Unfortunately, I was so irritated with pulse audio cutting in and out that I uninstalled it and tried to install my sound card drivers first. I've been battling with my pc for about a month or more now and it's beyond the point of troubleshooting. A simple reinstall should correct the problem and then I'll install also or the realtek drivers.

Thanks.