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| - | ====== Troubleshooting Linux Audio ====== | ||
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| - | <WRAP info> | ||
| - | **TL;DR** \\ | ||
| - | -Check hardware | ||
| - | -Turn all audio on and up in ''alsamixer'' | ||
| - | -Turn all audio on and up in ''kmix'' | ||
| - | -Turn all audio on and up in application | ||
| - | </WRAP> | ||
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| - | When sound doesn't work on you Linux machine, don't panic. On any operating system, there are at least four separate volume controls for sound: | ||
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| - | - Hardware: the hardware device, such as volume knobs on speakers, for instance. | ||
| - | - OS: the operating system audio configuration controlling which device attached to the computer should play sound. | ||
| - | - Desktop: the desktop master volume control, usually identified with a speaker icon in a system tray or menu bar. | ||
| - | - Applications: each individual applications producing the sound you expect to hear. | ||
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| - | The same is true for Linux. | ||
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| - | If you cannot hear sound from your Linux machine, or your Linux machine isn't accepting audio input from you, stay calm and perform these simple troubleshooting steps, in this order: | ||
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| - | ===== 1. Hardware ===== | ||
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| - | First, do a "dummy check" on your hardware: | ||
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| - | * If you're not hearing sound from your speakers, are you headphones plugged in by accident? | ||
| - | * Is the volume turned on your speakers or headphones? | ||
| - | * Are your speakers plugged in? | ||
| - | * Are you speakers //on//? | ||
| - | * Is your microphone plugged into the headphone (and not the speaker) port? | ||
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| - | It seems obvious, but a good audio engineer checks connections first. | ||
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| - | ===== 2. OS ===== | ||
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| - | Next, ensure that the audio inputs and outputs are detected by the OS, and that the levels are set. | ||
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| - | There are several interfaces that tap into the low level audio settings, but the clearest and most comprehensive is the most basic: ''alsamixer'' (ALSA being the audio driver on Linux). | ||
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| - | - Launch and use ''alsamixer'' from a terminal, like ''konsole''. | ||
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| - | {{ alsamixer.png }} | ||
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| - | The ''alsamixer'' window is divided into three panels: **Playback** for output, **Capture** for input, and **All** for both output and input in one view. | ||
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| - | - Press **F3** to view Playback, **F4** for Capture, and **F5** for All. | ||
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| - | Some computers have more than one sound output or input (a "sound card", which is not necessarily always a literal card; it may also be an expensive USB-audio interface, or a microphone-headphone combo, or even a graphics card with an audio-capable HDMI port). For that reason, the ''alsamixer'' interface may be used on each audio interface inside of or connected to your computer. | ||
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| - | - Verify which sound "card" ''alsamixer'' is talking to by pressing **F6** on your keyboard. This displays the soundcards that ALSA is aware of. | ||
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| - | {{ soundcard.png }} | ||
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| - | You may not know the exact factory model and number of each sound card in your computer, but usually there's enough indication for you to make an intelligent decision about which card you are actually trying to use. For instance, an Nvidia audio device on a desktop is probably your graphics card, especially if it's an Nvidia HDMI device. A Logitech, Plantronics, or Turtle Beach audio card is probably the USB headset you have plugged in. | ||
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| - | If you are unsure, do the same thing for each and every device. | ||
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| - | - Unmute every possible sound output or input, and turn the level up. | ||
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| - | Sound "cards" frequently have several different audio "streams" it can handle; your inbuilt audio device, for instance, can probably at least provide a speaker output as well as a headphone output. Unmute everything, and turn the level up on everything. You can come back around later and adjust as needed, but for now, make sure //everything// is **On**. | ||
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| - | Navigate between audio streams using the **Left** and **Right** arrows on your keyboard. | ||
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| - | Each ''alsamixer'' control has two parameters: | ||
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| - | {{ alsalevel.png }} | ||
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| - | Use the **Up** and **Down** arrows on your keyboard to set the level of a stream. | ||
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| - | A level marked **MM** is muted, regardless of what level it appears to be set to. To unmute a stream, press **m** on your keyboard. | ||
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| - | ===== 3. Desktop ===== | ||
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| - | {{ kmixfinal.png }} | ||
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| - | ===== 4. Applications ===== | ||
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| - | <WRAP centeralign> | ||
| - | <wrap fa>[[linuxaudio|R]]</wrap> <wrap fa>[[start|S]]</wrap> <wrap fa>[[pkg|Q]]</wrap> | ||
| - | </WRAP> | ||