ALC256 sound - Internal Microphone not working on Linux (Mint and Ubuntu)

[esc11]

One other thing worth trying is instead of model=laptop-dmic, see if model=laptop-amic in the alsa-base.conf file helps.

Or model=inv-dmic is another possibility. This one actually sounds promising, although it's probably because I don't understand what it means.

Changing to amic, there is movement for inputs in the sound preferences however the movement is not consistent with an sounds.
The other one doesn't work at all.

[esc11]

So I found a somewhat official fix but I don't know how to implement it.
Could someone please explain to me how to implement this...

https://www.systutorials.com/linux-kern ... linux-4-1/

[sebastjava]

Changing to amic, there is movement for inputs in the sound preferences however the movement is not consistent with an sounds.
...

While waiting for an answer on your promising official solution, you could try this: open alsamixer, press F4 key, turn Mic Boost to zero, then check sound preferences again. "Movement is not consistent with any sounds." Still? Try adjusting input level.

[sebastjava]

I really insist you give a try to my instructions in my preceding post. Please. It takes just a few seconds.

First, make sure you are still using that line:
options snd-hda-intel model=laptop-amic

Next, check your "Sound Preferences". Do you still get "movement for inputs in the sound preferences however the movement is not consistent with any sounds" !?? I hope so.

Now, open alsamixer again. Press F4. Do you see any Mic Boost level? Is it turned on? Set it to zero. Go back to your Sound Preferences. How does it looks now on the input tab? Try some mic input software like Cheese.

I have some hopes here. Not much but it is worth the test. Let me explain. On my little notebook, there is a Mic Boost control. The default value was 100 before i permanently changed it to zero. When Mic Boost is at 100, the input level is so over amplified it is just 100% white noise and at maximum volume and the bar graph is not moving at all. At intermediate values it is still mainly white noise and the bar graph moves a bit, randomly. But when the Mic Boost is set to zero, well... the microphone works perfectly!

[MrEen]

So I found a somewhat official fix but I don't know how to implement it.
Could someone please explain to me how to implement this...

https://www.systutorials.com/linux-kern ... linux-4-1/

That is a patch to the kernel that as far as I can tell, has probably already been implemented. I could be wrong.

[sebastjava]

Your title is misleading, in my opinion. It is not a LM Cinnamon 19 problem. It is a Ubuntu problem. You could try installing Ubuntu, Lubuntu, Xubuntu, LM Xfce or Mate, you would still be stuck with this problem.

A good title would be: " Acer Swift 3 - Internal Microphone not working " Because it is a hardware-specific issue.

First, try changing the Mic Boost setting, as i said before.

Then i would suggest you try every possible alsa-base.conf option for your chip/codec: ALC256 Analog. Analog? That is what i found on your Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:15 pm post.

The keywords for your Google searches are:
Ubuntu - Acer Swift 3 - Acer Swift SF314-54 - Alsa - alsa-base.conf - ALC256 - Microphone - Input - hdajackretask

Those keywords resume what i feel about this problem. It is listed by order of importance. This "ALC256" is pretty significant, in my opinion.

[esc11]

I really insist you give a try to my instructions in my preceding post. Please. It takes just a few seconds.

First, make sure you are still using that line:
options snd-hda-intel model=laptop-amic

Next, check your "Sound Preferences". Do you still get "movement for inputs in the sound preferences however the movement is not consistent with any sounds" !?? I hope so.

Now, open alsamixer again. Press F4. Do you see any Mic Boost level? Is it turned on? Set it to zero. Go back to your Sound Preferences. How does it looks now on the input tab? Try some mic input software like Cheese.

I have some hopes here. Not much but it is worth the test. Let me explain. On my little notebook, there is a Mic Boost control. The default value was 100 before i permanently changed it to zero. When Mic Boost is at 100, the input level is so over amplified it is just 100% white noise and at maximum volume and the bar graph is not moving at all. At intermediate values it is still mainly white noise and the bar graph moves a bit, randomly. But when the Mic Boost is set to zero, well... the microphone works perfectly!

Sorry had some other problems.
I don't have that option in alsamixer there is only such an option with dmic

[esc11]

Your title is misleading, in my opinion. It is not a LM Cinnamon 19 problem. It is a Ubuntu problem. You could try installing Ubuntu, Lubuntu, Xubuntu, LM Xfce or Mate, you would still be stuck with this problem.

A good title would be: " Acer Swift 3 - Internal Microphone not working " Because it is a hardware-specific issue.

First, try changing the Mic Boost setting, as i said before.

Then i would suggest you try every possible alsa-base.conf option for your chip/codec: ALC256 Analog. Analog? That is what i found on your Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:15 pm post.

The keywords for your Google searches are:
Ubuntu - Acer Swift 3 - Acer Swift SF314-54 - Alsa - alsa-base.conf - ALC256 - Microphone - Input - hdajackretask

Those keywords resume what i feel about this problem. It is listed by order of importance. This "ALC256" is pretty significant, in my opinion.

The problem is with the ALC256 sound card (which has been in circulation for, what I can gather, 1 and a half year. Since on all Linux distros people with so far 3 different brands (Acer, Asus and Panasoncic) have had the problem.
All slightly different some getting a fix others (like myself) getting nowhere. Some having both a microphone and speaker problem, others only headphones etc.
So I have sort of given up until either Kernel or whoever fixes the bug in the driver code.
Also everyone has noted that this problem does not occur on Windows.

[decros]

Please don't let this topic die. we need to find a solution. I have a acer swift with similar hardware and same issue. Mine is acer swift 3 sf315-52-81hd alc256 mic is not detected in linux you can't see it in the codec dump.

[MrEen]

Hi decros, and welcome to the forum.

Even though your hardware is very similar and issue might seem the same, please start a new topic, and include the results of running inxi -Fxz and aplay -l in the terminal. Probably best to include the results of dmesg | grep snd as well.

If we can get you solved, I'll send a message to the OP of this thread and have them try whatever might work for you.

[decros]

Thank you. I started a new topic.

viewtopic.php?f=49&t=285124&p=1576312#p1576312

[MrEen]

I have found the issue, and at present there is no solution.

The ALC256 codec is not to blame in this case. Intel made a change making the mic no longer part of HDA. Everything else sound related on the newer Swift models (and some other models as well) uses a Realtek codec except for the mic. As a result, any edits to alsa-base.conf will have no effect as they edit snd-hda-intel which the mic isn't using.

On Windows, the speakers and headphones use the Realtek codec while the mic uses the Intel Smart Sound Technology driver.

People at Intel and those working on the Linux kernel have been working on getting this solved since at least October.

I believe, unless the fix gets backported, you'll be lucky if this makes it into any kernel before 5.0.

Source: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=201251

Only way I know to get sound into the computer would be via a USB microphone.

EDIT: I should add a thanks to sebastjava. A post of yours on Ubuntu's bug site led me to that bug report. (At least I assume that was you: seb128)

[decros]

My device id is 8086:9d71 but I guess is all the same. I already knew the internal mic was not included in alc256. however in my case I know the headphone jack mic is in the alc256. Thats how I see it in windows 10 device manager.

[MrEen]

My device id is 8086:9d71 but I guess is all the same. I already knew the internal mic was not included in alc256. however in my case I know the headphone jack mic is in the alc256. Thats how I see it in windows 10 device manager.

8086 is the vendor ID = Intel
9d71 is the product ID and I imagine there will be at least a few affected. From what I read at the bug report, this is something that will start spreading to more new devices in all likelihood. We can only hope that they find a fix soon and that the fix finds it's way to end users in short order. My guess is still some months before it's working for everybody.

[xdpugachevx]

Hi guys!
Is there any update on this bug?
I have Dell Vostro 7590 and Realtek ALC3254 and don't see the intermal mic. I think my problem is the same like topicstarter's.