App kills hdmi audio then video after reboot

[werdnahman]

Hello,

I installed emulationstation/retropie on my laptop, a Lenovo Thinkpad S340-15IWL, running Mint 20.1. I hooked this up to a receiver and a TV through HDMI. Everything was great. This may be a coincidence, I'm not exactly sure on the timing, but this is my best guess at the cause. Exiting a rom caused emulationstation to crash, and my audio quit working through the TV. When I rebooted the PC, the HDMI quit altogether. I tried to fix it for one angry hour, and gave up. The next day, it works again. No idea why. Fast forward to today, same thing - I'm teaching my daughter how to play the original smash brothers, and exit the app, and it crashes. I come back later and notice the audio is off. I restart, and now no HDMI whatsoever. This time, before I restart, I checked the display configuration and notice that the display settings do not show the HDMI as connected even though I was looking at the menu on the TV. I restart, and it's gone. I restarted about 20 times, with the cable plugged in, unplugged, letting it sit for a few minutes, doing a few in a row with each configuration, after trying to change xrandr and pavucontrol settings, etc. to no avail. I've updated everything, went from Mint 20.1 to 20.2, installed the 5.11.0.38.42~20.04.17 kernel (and verified it was running), restarted some more, still no luck.
I'm not sure that emulationstation is causing it. I've spent hours searching for solutions to no avail.

Any help would be appreciated.

I'm using Cinnamon. I've used Linux a bit, but I'd hardly call myself a power user. I know the intel drivers are supposed to be included in the kernel, but beyond that everything audio/graphical in linux is a total mystery to me.

Code: Select all

andrew@andrew-Lenovo:~$ inxi -Fxxxrz
System:
  Kernel: 5.11.0-38-generic x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A 
  Desktop: Cinnamon 5.0.6 wm: muffin 5.0.2 dm: LightDM 1.30.0 
  Distro: Linux Mint 20.2 Uma base: Ubuntu 20.04 focal 
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 81N8 v: Lenovo IdeaPad S340-15IWL 
  serial: <filter> Chassis: type: 10 v: Lenovo IdeaPad S340-15IWL 
  serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: LENOVO model: LNVNB161216 v: SDK0J40700 WIN serial: <filter> 
  UEFI: LENOVO v: ALCN27WW(V2.04) date: 07/02/2019 
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 35.0 Wh condition: 35.0/36.0 Wh (97%) volts: 12.8/11.2 
  model: Celxpert L18C3PF6 type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: Unknown 
  cycles: 58 
CPU:
  Topology: Dual Core model: Intel Core i3-8145U bits: 64 type: MT MCP 
  arch: Kaby Lake rev: B L2 cache: 4096 KiB 
  flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx 
  bogomips: 18399 
  Speed: 800 MHz min/max: 400/1800 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 800 2: 1198 
  3: 818 4: 887 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel WhiskeyLake-U GT2 [UHD Graphics 620] vendor: Lenovo 
  driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:3ea0 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 driver: modesetting 
  unloaded: fbdev,vesa tty: N/A 
  OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 620 (WHL GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 21.0.3 
  direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Cannon Point-LP High Definition Audio vendor: Lenovo 
  driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 chip ID: 8086:9dc8 
  Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.11.0-38-generic 
Network:
  Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter 
  vendor: Lenovo driver: ath10k_pci v: kernel port: 3040 bus ID: 02:00.0 
  chip ID: 168c:0042 
  IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Microsoft Xbox 360 Wireless Adapter type: USB driver: xpad 
  bus ID: 1-1:2 chip ID: 045e:0719 serial: <filter> 
  Device-3: Qualcomm Atheros type: USB driver: btusb bus ID: 1-10:5 
  chip ID: 0cf3:e500 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 119.24 GiB used: 42.58 GiB (35.7%) 
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Lenovo O.E.M. model: RPFTJ128PDD2EWX 
  size: 119.24 GiB speed: 15.8 Gb/s lanes: 2 serial: <filter> rev: 11.9 
  scheme: GPT 
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 116.38 GiB used: 42.58 GiB (36.6%) fs: ext4 
  dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 46.0 C mobo: N/A 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/brave-browser-release.list 
  1: deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/brave-browser-archive-keyring.gpg arch=amd64] https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com/ stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/graphics-drivers-ppa-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/graphics-drivers/ppa/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/official-package-repositories.list 
  1: deb http://packages.linuxmint.com uma main upstream import backport #id:linuxmint_main
  2: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal main restricted universe multiverse
  3: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-updates main restricted universe multiverse
  4: deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-backports main restricted universe multiverse
  5: deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ focal-security main restricted universe multiverse
  6: deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu/ focal partner
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/protonvpn-stable.list 
  1: deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/protonvpn-stable-archive-keyring.gpg] https://repo.protonvpn.com/debian stable main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/slimbook-slimbook-focal.list 
  1: deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/slimbook/slimbook/ubuntu focal main
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/steam.list 
  1: deb [arch=amd64,i386] https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/ stable steam
  2: deb-src [arch=amd64,i386] https://repo.steampowered.com/steam/ stable steam
Info:
  Processes: 268 Uptime: 58m Memory: 7.50 GiB used: 1.93 GiB (25.7%) 
  Init: systemd v: 245 runlevel: 5 Compilers: gcc: 9.3.0 alt: 9 Shell: bash 
  v: 5.0.17 running in: gnome-terminal inxi: 3.0.38 

[werdnahman]

I forgot to mention that pavucontrol shows HDMI-1 as being unplugged. I also forgot to mention that while this is happening, I typically have to wait 5-10 seconds after entering my password at a black screen with a mouse (that responds to my touchpad). I restarted the PC today, no wait after logging in (maybe 1-2 sec), plugged in the HDMI, and the screen flashed a few times and lost the mouse like it extended the desktop. When I opened display settings, it wasn't on my laptop screen. Then it went back. By the time I could see Display settings, it only showed the laptop monitor.

I also tried restarting with different resolutions set on the monitor since the emulator changed resolution, and produced several strange visual effects that are difficult to describe.

[werdnahman]

Bump. Anybody?

[SMG]

I installed emulationstation/retropie on my laptop,

Welcome to the forum, werdnahman.

I'm a bit confused here because you created a topic in the graphics section of the forum with a title that indicates a sound problem. Then your description seems to talk mostly about some software application. To be honest I'm not really sure what problem you want help with.

Can you let us know what kind of software emulationstation/retropie is?

What I was able to find indicates it's a game launcher for Raspberry Pi. I did find Retropie on Debian/Ubuntu/Mint which includes what packages and scripts to install. However, the listed information does seem outdated, so perhaps the fact you are trying to run it on a version of Mint based on Ubuntu 20.04 (and not the 18.04 listed in those instructions) might be causing issues?

Generally speaking, the more hardware pieces between your computer and monitor, the more possibilities there are for issues. You have a computer, then a receiver, then cables, and then the television. Best I can tell from your description there seems to be a problem only with the TV and not one with the laptop or its installation. Is that correct?

Exiting a rom caused emulationstation to crash, and my audio quit working through the TV.

What does "exiting a rom" mean?

This time, before I restart, I checked the display configuration and notice that the display settings do not show the HDMI as connected even though I was looking at the menu on the TV.

What menus was on the TV? Are you talking about the Displays app or the retropie thingy display?

I restart, and it's gone. I restarted about 20 times, with the cable plugged in, unplugged, letting it sit for a few minutes, doing a few in a row with each configuration, after trying to change xrandr and pavucontrol settings, etc. to no avail.

You are restarting the laptop or the retropie thing?

I'm using Cinnamon. I've used Linux a bit, but I'd hardly call myself a power user. I know the intel drivers are supposed to be included in the kernel, but beyond that everything audio/graphical in linux is a total mystery to me.

There is nothing listed in your data that I can see which indicates an issue. The graphics driver are installed and running properly. Intel graphics are automatically loaded from the kernel. (I do not know what you may have attempted to do with the graphics-driver-ppa I see in your repo list.)

Audio is mostly a mystery to me as well, but you posted in the graphics section. I think we need some more information about how you installed this emulator stuff and what it is.

I also forgot to mention that while this is happening, I typically have to wait 5-10 seconds after entering my password at a black screen with a mouse (that responds to my touchpad).

Which screen is black? Both of them? Or are you only using the TV?

I also tried restarting with different resolutions set on the monitor since the emulator changed resolution, and produced several strange visual effects that are difficult to describe.

If the emulator is changing resolutions, then it sounds like it is a significant part of this issue you should explain to us what it is so we might be able to help you.

[werdnahman]

I went to check again, and suddenly it's working. I'd like to understand this problem though.

It's an audio and a graphical problem. The audio goes first, and when I restart the PC, no more image (video). Both problems are through the HDMI. They're definitely tied together, and I figured the graphics side would be more likely to get me an answer.

The application is probably the cause of the problem, but it's fairly hard to describe and may be a rabbit trail. Emulationstation launches emulators, the emulators open a rom. These emulators run full screen at a low resolution. Exiting them and returning to emulationstation produced notable graphical glitches, and an audio dropout. To fix the audio, I tried to restart the laptop many times trying many different things. The first time I restart the laptop after the audio glitch, I can no longer use the HDMI for video. This has happened twice. The first time, it eventually started working again. The last time it did not - it's now stuck where I can't use my HDMI. However, I'm getting some strange behavior where it acted like the desktop was extended to a remote desktop (the TV), but the TV had no video.

I'll answer your questions directly.

What does "exiting a rom" mean?
Closing an app launched by emulationstation, known as an emulator.

What menus was on the TV? Are you talking about the Displays app or the retropie thingy display?
The display app.

You are restarting the laptop or the retropie thing?
The laptop

I think we need some more information about how you installed this emulator stuff and what it is.
I followed the instructions here, which list 18.04 LTS or newer: https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Debian/

Which screen is black? Both of them? Or are you only using the TV?
The TV is black, the laptop screen works fine.

If the emulator is changing resolutions, then it sounds like it is a significant part of this issue you should explain to us what it is so we might be able to help you.
As far as I understand, emulationstation is just a front end launching emulators. Where this gets more difficult is that it's launching the emulator through retroarch (as far as I understand, which is another front end program). The particular one for this was "lr-mupen64plus", with the video mode set to HDMI-1:0x88. When I exit, I see this error "Oct 26 21:09:06 lvl0: VolumeControl::init() - Failed to find mixer elements!".

[SMG]

I went to check again, and suddenly it's working. I'd like to understand this problem though.

It's an audio and a graphical problem. The audio goes first, and when I restart the PC, no more image (video). Both problems are through the HDMI.

I understand your setup to be computer>receiver>TV. Have you tried directly connecting the TV to the laptop?

Have you tried just running the entire setup on the laptop to see if the same thing happens?

The application is probably the cause of the problem, but it's fairly hard to describe and may be a rabbit trail. Emulationstation launches emulators, the emulators open a rom. These emulators run full screen at a low resolution. Exiting them and returning to emulationstation produced notable graphical glitches, and an audio dropout. To fix the audio, I tried to restart the laptop many times trying many different things. The first time I restart the laptop after the audio glitch, I can no longer use the HDMI for video.

Are you doing a full shutdown and restart of the laptop or are you just restarting the operating system?

This has happened twice. The first time, it eventually started working again. The last time it did not - it's now stuck where I can't use my HDMI. However, I'm getting some strange behavior where it acted like the desktop was extended to a remote desktop (the TV), but the TV had no video.

I have no clue how that emulator program is supposed to work and what each of the subsequent roms might do. If the system goes down without everything not being shut down properly, filesystem corruption can happen. I do not know if that might be a factor in this.

Have you checked to see if there is anything listed in /var/log/syslog as to what might be happening?

I did some searching and found this thread on the retropie forum Launching RetroPie on TV Display Issue and it mentions a $HOME/.emulationstation/es_log file. Maybe there is info there?

As far as I understand, emulationstation is just a front end launching emulators. Where this gets more difficult is that it's launching the emulator through retroarch (as far as I understand, which is another front end program). The particular one for this was "lr-mupen64plus", with the video mode set to HDMI-1:0x88. When I exit, I see this error "Oct 26 21:09:06 lvl0: VolumeControl::init() - Failed to find mixer elements!".

Mupen64Plus indicates, "Mupen64Plus is a cross-platform plugin-based N64 emulator which is capable of accurately playing many games."

I did a search on lvl0: VolumeControl::init() - Failed to find mixer elements! and found a thread on the retropie forum Latest update lvl0: VolumeControl::init() - Failed to find mixer elements! which is an older Pi2 thread with a workaround listed. I have no idea if it applies to a Mint computer.

It really seems this is more of a retropie issue than a Mint issue which means you are likely to find more help in the retropie forum. Unless someone else on this forum is also using retropie, our ability to help you will probably be limited.

[werdnahman]

I'll give that a try and move over to a RetroPie forum for this one.

Thanks for your help!