Dell Inspiron 1545. I’m having a problem with recording sound with the dual built in mics. The sound is very low. How do i adjust the record volume? I looked in the channel settings but i’m not quite sure what to do. Thanks in advance for any help!
One typically adjusts the volume capture levels in their mixer. The kde desktop has a different mixer than the Gnome desktop. Also, dependant on one’s openSUSE version, the level of pulse audio integration may vary and you did not provide that information (SuSE version ? desktop ? desktop version ? ) .
In my case, I often use the simple ‘arecord’ command. Do a search on my handle (oldcpu) and the application “arecord” and you will see where I have provided many examples as to how that command can be used.
If you wish someone to look at your mixer settings, then you need to provide the mixer settings. You can do that by running the diagnostic script:
/usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh
and then post the provided URL/address of your audio settings. (do NOT post the entire script output here).
or simply run the “amixer” command to obtain your mixer settings in order to provide the settings.
Oops, my apologies. I’m using opensuse 11.3 with kde. kde version 4.4 i believe. Here is my mixer settings output…
ron@linux-5fo4:~> amixer
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 64
Mono: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 64
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 64
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Playback 64 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
Capabilities: pvolume penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Jack Mode',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Mic In' 'Line In'
Item0: 'Mic In'
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Default PCM',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Beep',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 3
Mono: Playback 0 [0%] -18.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch penum
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 15
Front Left: Capture 15 [100%] [22.50dB] [on]
Front Right: Capture 15 [100%] [22.50dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',1
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch penum
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 15
Front Left: Capture 15 [100%] [22.50dB] [on]
Front Right: Capture 15 [100%] [22.50dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Digital Mic',0
Capabilities: cvolume penum
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 3
Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Input Source',0
Capabilities: cenum
Items: 'Mic' 'Front Mic' 'Digital Mic'
Item0: 'Front Mic'
Simple mixer control 'Input Source',1
Capabilities: cenum
Items: 'Mic' 'Front Mic' 'Digital Mic'
Item0: 'Front Mic'
Simple mixer control 'Mux',0
Capabilities: cvolume penum
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 3
Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Mux',1
Capabilities: cvolume penum
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 3
Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
ron@linux-5fo4:~>
Are you using arecord for your capture / recording testing?
I have had success changing volume levels with alsamixer (ncurses-based, I think) when neither the Gnome or KDE volume controls work.
Fixed on my Dell inspiron 1545 laptop
follow the link : - Rohan Puri: OpenSuSe 11.3 mic problem solution for Dell 1545 Inspiron
This sounds promising but i am using KDE.
Typically the built in mics are digital.
I note this in your mixer:
Simple mixer control ‘Input Source’,1
Capabilities: cenum
Items: ‘Mic’ ‘Front Mic’ ‘Digital Mic’
Item0: 'Front Mic’
…
Simple mixer control ‘Digital Mic’,0
Front Left: Capture 0 **[0%] **0.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 0 **[0%] **[0.00dB]
I believe you need to select the internal mics for them to work.
i.e. Try the “Digital Mic” ! … and then turn up the appropriate capture setting (0% won’t capture much).
Hi! Thanks for replying! You know i tried it like that before and it still didn’t help but once again Linux makes a liar out of me. NOW it’s working LOL … well mostly…In Skype it sounds awful like if you’re right up to the mic with the mic volume all the way up. You know all distorted. But it’s mostly working now so thank you so much 
I recommend, when you get it to work (such as now) that you do a screen dump of the settings, and save this, … so that if later you can not get it to work, you have a good record of the settings that work.