This HAD always been an issue for me, to have skype work for me.
In openSUSE 11.4-32 bit default installation, I installed the suse version of skype, and it partially worked out of the box in terms of sound output and webcam input. The only issue remained was of Sound input. Never worked out, and I just left it alone. Put the blame on Pulseaudio too. Few days later, removed PA completely, and alsa worked well. Though that issue of sound input remained unsolved.
Fast forwarded one-month, got on to the tumbleweed band-wagon. Did stuff (updates) conservatively, and now its a little mixed situation in the laptop (not to worry, its working fine). So presently, have 4.6.0 (from oss), kernel (from tumbleweed), alsa (from tumbleweed) and with all system updates (from the official update repo).
Hardware:
I have a HP-compaq laptop (CQ45-106 AU) with built-in microphone and speakers. These have always worked in windows vista in the other partition.
I tried all the options in Skype to get the sound working. Same, if I let skype control the options, then it will be near-muted.
While, if I dont let it, then there is the same noise.No matter which setting or input source I selected, there was always either a mute or a constant noise.
This time, I thought I would definitely try and sort out this issue once and for all.
- Research showed that you can use ‘arecord’ and ‘aplay’ from commandline to check the microphone. So I tried that, so as to differentiate whether the issue was in my setup or in the notorious Skype (very easy to blame). It came out the same kind of “static noise” was there from them as well. Conclusion: the problem is in system setup, rather than poor Skype.
- then, in the #suse channel in freenode irc, courtesy oldcpu, I finally managed to work it out. How:-
- He asked me to send the comprehensive alsa.conf by using this command.
/usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh [this command creates a comprehensive alsa and sound report, and automatically uploads it to alsa db, and gives you a link, which can be given to the Help provider.]
the particular link by me was:
http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=998fe18d51a43271904e6fe694929d5ab9b019a0
There was some issue regarding muting of Capture 1 channel. So I used Kmix to unmute both capture channels. Just to be sure, also checked in alsamixer (cli).
I was asked to post the /etc/modprobe.d/50-sound.conf
options snd slots=snd-hda-intel,snd-hda-intel
5Dex.oB+Yu+RuhF7:SBx00 Azalia (Intel HDA)
alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel
l4dC.vfAxXUx5zd4:RS780 Azalia controller
alias snd-card-1 snd-hda-intel
Then I was asked to manipulate and use trial and error to get sound working by force.
the model options for trying to force alsa to try (one at a time) are these from the HD-Audio-Models.txt file in the alsa documentation
in my case:
STAC92HD71B*
ref Reference board
dell-m4-1 Dell desktops
dell-m4-2 Dell desktops
dell-m4-3 Dell desktops
hp-m4 HP mini 1000
hp-dv5 HP dv series
hp-hdx HP HDX series
hp-dv4-1222nr HP dv4-1222nr (with LED support)
auto BIOS setup (default)
I was asked to put a line at the top of the 50-sound.conf file (as root)
like this
options snd-hda-intel model=dell-m4-1
[then the rest of the file follows as it is]
The first option of dell-m4-1 actually worked for me.
Though, the number of channels have decreased, but sound output and sound input both are working. Also checked in skype and it works now. Woot.
Hope this helps someone else too.