Take that SigmaTel STAC9205!

**reed9** · 10-16-2009

It's an exciting day. I have a Gateway M-Series laptop with this bloody Intel sound card using the SigmaTel STAC9205 codec, and I have never until now been able to get sound from headphones working with ALSA. Plug in headphones and everything muted. It would work using OSS4, though the external speakers wouldn't mute (though I could turn them down myself and keep the headphones), but not ALSA.

It had been a while since I checked up on it, and today I was googling around when bam, there it was. As of ALSA 1.0.20, a new option was added.

Stuck this in /etc/modprobe.d/modprobe.conf

Code:

options snd-hda-intel model=eapd probe_mask=1 position_fix=1

and there you go. Sound out of my damned headphones.

I now have no piece of hardware that doesn't work swimmingly with linux.

**waterhead** · 10-17-2009

It's good to know that options can be added to the sound module. I ran modinfo on the snd-hda-intel module, and here are all of the options:

Code:

parm:           power_save:Automatic power-saving timeout (in second, 0 = disable). (int)
parm:           index:Index value for Intel HD audio interface. (array of int)
parm:           id:ID string for Intel HD audio interface. (array of charp)
parm:           enable:Enable Intel HD audio interface. (array of bool)
parm:           model:Use the given board model. (array of charp)
parm:           position_fix:Fix DMA pointer (0 = auto, 1 = none, 2 = POSBUF). (array of int)
parm:           bdl_pos_adj:BDL position adjustment offset. (array of int)
parm:           probe_mask:Bitmask to probe codecs (default = -1). (array of int)
parm:           single_cmd:Use single command to communicate with codecs (for debugging only). (bool)
parm:           enable_msi:Enable Message Signaled Interrupt (MSI) (int)
parm:           power_save_controller:Reset controller in power save mode. (bool)

It doesn't give any actual option choices, so I wonder how to find them. Some are somewhat obvious, but others?

**waterhead** · 10-17-2009

In my kernel source there is this document:

/Documentation/sound/alsa/ALSA-Configuration.txt

It has quite a bit of info in it. Here is the section for the snd-hda-intel module (sorry for the big post):

Code:

  Module snd-hda-intel
  --------------------

    Module for Intel HD Audio (ICH6, ICH6M, ESB2, ICH7, ICH8, ICH9, ICH10,
			PCH, SCH),
		ATI SB450, SB600, R600, RS600, RS690, RS780, RV610, RV620,
			RV630, RV635, RV670, RV770,
		VIA VT8251/VT8237A,
		SIS966, ULI M5461

    [Multiple options for each card instance]
    model	- force the model name
    position_fix - Fix DMA pointer (0 = auto, 1 = use LPIB, 2 = POSBUF)
    probe_mask  - Bitmask to probe codecs (default = -1, meaning all slots)
    bdl_pos_adj	- Specifies the DMA IRQ timing delay in samples.
		Passing -1 will make the driver to choose the appropriate
		value based on the controller chip.
    
    [Single (global) options]
    single_cmd  - Use single immediate commands to communicate with
		codecs (for debugging only)
    enable_msi	- Enable Message Signaled Interrupt (MSI) (default = off)
    power_save	- Automatic power-saving timtout (in second, 0 =
		disable)
    power_save_controller - Reset HD-audio controller in power-saving mode
		(default = on)

    This module supports multiple cards and autoprobe.
    
    Each codec may have a model table for different configurations.
    If your machine isn't listed there, the default (usually minimal)
    configuration is set up.  You can pass "model=<name>" option to
    specify a certain model in such a case.  There are different
    models depending on the codec chip.

	  Model name	Description
	  ----------    -----------
	ALC880
	  3stack	3-jack in back and a headphone out
	  3stack-digout	3-jack in back, a HP out and a SPDIF out
	  5stack	5-jack in back, 2-jack in front
	  5stack-digout	5-jack in back, 2-jack in front, a SPDIF out
	  6stack	6-jack in back, 2-jack in front
	  6stack-digout	6-jack with a SPDIF out
	  w810		3-jack
	  z71v		3-jack (HP shared SPDIF)
	  asus		3-jack (ASUS Mobo)
	  asus-w1v	ASUS W1V
	  asus-dig	ASUS with SPDIF out
	  asus-dig2	ASUS with SPDIF out (using GPIO2)
	  uniwill	3-jack
	  fujitsu	Fujitsu Laptops (Pi1536)
	  F1734		2-jack
	  lg		LG laptop (m1 express dual)
	  lg-lw		LG LW20/LW25 laptop
	  tcl		TCL S700
	  clevo		Clevo laptops (m520G, m665n)
	  medion	Medion Rim 2150
	  test		for testing/debugging purpose, almost all controls can be
			adjusted.  Appearing only when compiled with
			$CONFIG_SND_DEBUG=y
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)

	ALC260
	  hp		HP machines
	  hp-3013	HP machines (3013-variant)
	  hp-dc7600	HP DC7600
	  fujitsu	Fujitsu S7020
	  acer		Acer TravelMate
	  will		Will laptops (PB V7900)
	  replacer	Replacer 672V
	  basic		fixed pin assignment (old default model)
	  test		for testing/debugging purpose, almost all controls can
			adjusted.  Appearing only when compiled with
			$CONFIG_SND_DEBUG=y
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)

	ALC262
	  fujitsu	Fujitsu Laptop
	  hp-bpc	HP xw4400/6400/8400/9400 laptops
	  hp-bpc-d7000	HP BPC D7000
	  hp-tc-t5735	HP Thin Client T5735
	  hp-rp5700	HP RP5700
	  benq		Benq ED8
	  benq-t31	Benq T31
	  hippo		Hippo (ATI) with jack detection, Sony UX-90s
	  hippo_1	Hippo (Benq) with jack detection
	  sony-assamd	Sony ASSAMD
	  toshiba-s06	Toshiba S06
	  toshiba-rx1	Toshiba RX1
	  ultra		Samsung Q1 Ultra Vista model
	  lenovo-3000	Lenovo 3000 y410
	  nec		NEC Versa S9100
	  basic		fixed pin assignment w/o SPDIF
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)

	ALC267/268
	  quanta-il1	Quanta IL1 mini-notebook
	  3stack	3-stack model
	  toshiba	Toshiba A205
	  acer		Acer laptops
	  acer-aspire	Acer Aspire One
	  dell		Dell OEM laptops (Vostro 1200)
	  zepto		Zepto laptops
	  test		for testing/debugging purpose, almost all controls can
			adjusted.  Appearing only when compiled with
			$CONFIG_SND_DEBUG=y
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)

	ALC269
	  basic		Basic preset
	  quanta	Quanta FL1
	  eeepc-p703	ASUS Eeepc P703 P900A
	  eeepc-p901	ASUS Eeepc P901 S101

	ALC662/663
	  3stack-dig	3-stack (2-channel) with SPDIF
	  3stack-6ch	 3-stack (6-channel)
	  3stack-6ch-dig 3-stack (6-channel) with SPDIF
	  6stack-dig	 6-stack with SPDIF
	  lenovo-101e	 Lenovo laptop
	  eeepc-p701	ASUS Eeepc P701
	  eeepc-ep20	ASUS Eeepc EP20
	  ecs		ECS/Foxconn mobo
	  m51va		ASUS M51VA
	  g71v		ASUS G71V
	  h13		ASUS H13
	  g50v		ASUS G50V
	  asus-mode1	ASUS
	  asus-mode2	ASUS
	  asus-mode3	ASUS
	  asus-mode4	ASUS
	  asus-mode5	ASUS
	  asus-mode6	ASUS
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)

	ALC882/885
	  3stack-dig	3-jack with SPDIF I/O
	  6stack-dig	6-jack digital with SPDIF I/O
	  arima		Arima W820Di1
	  targa		Targa T8, MSI-1049 T8
	  asus-a7j	ASUS A7J
	  asus-a7m	ASUS A7M
	  macpro	MacPro support
	  mbp3		Macbook Pro rev3
	  imac24	iMac 24'' with jack detection
	  w2jc		ASUS W2JC
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)

	ALC883/888
	  3stack-dig	3-jack with SPDIF I/O
	  6stack-dig	6-jack digital with SPDIF I/O
	  3stack-6ch    3-jack 6-channel
	  3stack-6ch-dig 3-jack 6-channel with SPDIF I/O
	  6stack-dig-demo  6-jack digital for Intel demo board
	  acer		Acer laptops (Travelmate 3012WTMi, Aspire 5600, etc)
	  acer-aspire	Acer Aspire 9810
	  medion	Medion Laptops
	  medion-md2	Medion MD2
	  targa-dig	Targa/MSI
	  targa-2ch-dig	Targs/MSI with 2-channel
	  laptop-eapd   3-jack with SPDIF I/O and EAPD (Clevo M540JE, M550JE)
	  lenovo-101e	Lenovo 101E
	  lenovo-nb0763	Lenovo NB0763
	  lenovo-ms7195-dig Lenovo MS7195
	  lenovo-sky	Lenovo Sky
	  haier-w66	Haier W66
	  3stack-hp	HP machines with 3stack (Lucknow, Samba boards)
	  6stack-dell	Dell machines with 6stack (Inspiron 530)
	  mitac		Mitac 8252D
	  clevo-m720	Clevo M720 laptop series
	  fujitsu-pi2515 Fujitsu AMILO Pi2515
	  3stack-6ch-intel Intel DG33* boards
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)

	ALC861/660
	  3stack	3-jack
	  3stack-dig	3-jack with SPDIF I/O
	  6stack-dig	6-jack with SPDIF I/O
	  3stack-660	3-jack (for ALC660)
	  uniwill-m31	Uniwill M31 laptop
	  toshiba	Toshiba laptop support
	  asus		Asus laptop support
	  asus-laptop	ASUS F2/F3 laptops
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)

	ALC861VD/660VD
	  3stack	3-jack
	  3stack-dig	3-jack with SPDIF OUT
	  6stack-dig	6-jack with SPDIF OUT
	  3stack-660	3-jack (for ALC660VD)
	  3stack-660-digout 3-jack with SPDIF OUT (for ALC660VD)
	  lenovo	Lenovo 3000 C200
	  dallas	Dallas laptops
	  hp		HP TX1000
	  asus-v1s	ASUS V1Sn
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)

	CMI9880
	  minimal	3-jack in back
	  min_fp	3-jack in back, 2-jack in front
	  full		6-jack in back, 2-jack in front
	  full_dig	6-jack in back, 2-jack in front, SPDIF I/O
	  allout	5-jack in back, 2-jack in front, SPDIF out
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)

	AD1882 / AD1882A
	  3stack	3-stack mode (default)
	  6stack	6-stack mode

	AD1884A / AD1883 / AD1984A / AD1984B
	  desktop	3-stack desktop (default)
	  laptop	laptop with HP jack sensing
	  mobile	mobile devices with HP jack sensing
	  thinkpad	Lenovo Thinkpad X300

	AD1884
	  N/A

	AD1981
	  basic		3-jack (default)
	  hp		HP nx6320
	  thinkpad	Lenovo Thinkpad T60/X60/Z60
	  toshiba	Toshiba U205

	AD1983
	  N/A

	AD1984
	  basic		default configuration
	  thinkpad	Lenovo Thinkpad T61/X61
	  dell		Dell T3400

	AD1986A
	  6stack	6-jack, separate surrounds (default)
	  3stack	3-stack, shared surrounds
	  laptop	2-channel only (FSC V2060, Samsung M50)
	  laptop-eapd	2-channel with EAPD (ASUS A6J)
	  laptop-automute 2-channel with EAPD and HP-automute (Lenovo N100)
	  ultra		2-channel with EAPD (Samsung Ultra tablet PC)
	  samsung	2-channel with EAPD (Samsung R65)

	AD1988/AD1988B/AD1989A/AD1989B
	  6stack	6-jack
	  6stack-dig	ditto with SPDIF
	  3stack	3-jack
	  3stack-dig	ditto with SPDIF
	  laptop	3-jack with hp-jack automute
	  laptop-dig	ditto with SPDIF
	  auto		auto-config reading BIOS (default)
	
	Conexant 5045
	  laptop-hpsense    Laptop with HP sense (old model laptop)
	  laptop-micsense   Laptop with Mic sense (old model fujitsu)
	  laptop-hpmicsense Laptop with HP and Mic senses
	  benq		Benq R55E
	  test		for testing/debugging purpose, almost all controls
			can be adjusted.  Appearing only when compiled with
			$CONFIG_SND_DEBUG=y

	Conexant 5047
	  laptop	Basic Laptop config 
	  laptop-hp	Laptop config for some HP models (subdevice 30A5)
	  laptop-eapd	Laptop config with EAPD support
	  test		for testing/debugging purpose, almost all controls
			can be adjusted.  Appearing only when compiled with
			$CONFIG_SND_DEBUG=y

	Conexant 5051
	  laptop	Basic Laptop config (default)
	  hp		HP Spartan laptop

	STAC9200
	  ref		Reference board
	  dell-d21	Dell (unknown)
	  dell-d22	Dell (unknown)
	  dell-d23	Dell (unknown)
	  dell-m21	Dell Inspiron 630m, Dell Inspiron 640m
	  dell-m22	Dell Latitude D620, Dell Latitude D820
	  dell-m23	Dell XPS M1710, Dell Precision M90
	  dell-m24	Dell Latitude 120L
	  dell-m25	Dell Inspiron E1505n
	  dell-m26	Dell Inspiron 1501
	  dell-m27	Dell Inspiron E1705/9400
	  gateway	Gateway laptops with EAPD control
	  panasonic	Panasonic CF-74

	STAC9205/9254
	  ref		Reference board
	  dell-m42	Dell (unknown)
	  dell-m43	Dell Precision
	  dell-m44	Dell Inspiron

	STAC9220/9221
	  ref		Reference board
	  3stack	D945 3stack
	  5stack	D945 5stack + SPDIF
	  intel-mac-v1	Intel Mac Type 1
	  intel-mac-v2	Intel Mac Type 2
	  intel-mac-v3	Intel Mac Type 3
	  intel-mac-v4	Intel Mac Type 4
	  intel-mac-v5	Intel Mac Type 5
	  intel-mac-auto Intel Mac (detect type according to subsystem id)
	  macmini	Intel Mac Mini (equivalent with type 3)
	  macbook	Intel Mac Book (eq. type 5)
	  macbook-pro-v1 Intel Mac Book Pro 1st generation (eq. type 3)
	  macbook-pro	Intel Mac Book Pro 2nd generation (eq. type 3)
	  imac-intel	Intel iMac (eq. type 2)
	  imac-intel-20	Intel iMac (newer version) (eq. type 3)
	  dell-d81	Dell (unknown)
	  dell-d82	Dell (unknown)
	  dell-m81	Dell (unknown)
	  dell-m82	Dell XPS M1210

	STAC9202/9250/9251
	  ref		Reference board, base config
	  m2-2		Some Gateway MX series laptops
	  m6		Some Gateway NX series laptops
	  pa6		Gateway NX860 series

	STAC9227/9228/9229/927x
	  ref		Reference board
	  ref-no-jd	Reference board without HP/Mic jack detection
	  3stack	D965 3stack
	  5stack	D965 5stack + SPDIF
	  dell-3stack	Dell Dimension E520
	  dell-bios	Fixes with Dell BIOS setup

	STAC92HD71B*
	  ref		Reference board
	  dell-m4-1	Dell desktops
	  dell-m4-2	Dell desktops
	  dell-m4-3	Dell desktops

	STAC92HD73*
	  ref		Reference board
	  no-jd		BIOS setup but without jack-detection
	  dell-m6-amic	Dell desktops/laptops with analog mics
	  dell-m6-dmic	Dell desktops/laptops with digital mics
	  dell-m6	Dell desktops/laptops with both type of mics

	STAC9872
	  vaio		Setup for VAIO FE550G/SZ110
	  vaio-ar Setup for VAIO AR

    The model name "genric" is treated as a special case.  When this
    model is given, the driver uses the generic codec parser without
    "codec-patch".  It's sometimes good for testing and debugging.

    If the default configuration doesn't work and one of the above
    matches with your device, report it together with the PCI
    subsystem ID (output of "lspci -nv") to ALSA BTS or alsa-devel
    ML (see the section "Links and Addresses").

    power_save and power_save_controller options are for power-saving
    mode.  See powersave.txt for details.

    Note 2: If you get click noises on output, try the module option
	    position_fix=1 or 2.  position_fix=1 will use the SD_LPIB
	    register value without FIFO size correction as the current
	    DMA pointer.  position_fix=2 will make the driver to use
	    the position buffer instead of reading SD_LPIB register.
	    (Usually SD_LPIB register is more accurate than the
	    position buffer.)

    NB: If you get many "azx_get_response timeout" messages at
    loading, it's likely a problem of interrupts (e.g. ACPI irq
    routing).  Try to boot with options like "pci=noacpi".  Also, you
    can try "single_cmd=1" module option.  This will switch the
    communication method between HDA controller and codecs to the
    single immediate commands instead of CORB/RIRB.  Basically, the
    single command mode is provided only for BIOS, and you won't get
    unsolicited events, too.  But, at least, this works independently
    from the irq.  Remember this is a last resort, and should be
    avoided as much as possible...
    
    MORE NOTES ON "azx_get_response timeout" PROBLEMS:
    On some hardwares, you may need to add a proper probe_mask option
    to avoid the "azx_get_response timeout" problem above, instead.
    This occurs when the access to non-existing or non-working codec slot
    (likely a modem one) causes a stall of the communication via HD-audio
    bus.  You can see which codec slots are probed by enabling
    CONFIG_SND_DEBUG_VERBOSE, or simply from the file name of the codec
    proc files.  Then limit the slots to probe by probe_mask option.
    For example, probe_mask=1 means to probe only the first slot, and
    probe_mask=4 means only the third slot.

    The power-management is supported.

I never should have read your post, reed9!

Now you got me going on this, And I don't even have that sound card!

EDIT: I must correct myself. My Eee PC is showing this module loading:

snd_hda_intel

**reed9** · 10-17-2009

It doesn't give any actual option choices, so I wonder how to find them. Some are somewhat obvious, but others?

What I did was find out which "codec" the sound card uses. Which initially I did as so

Code:

cat /proc/asound/card0/codec#0 | less

until I found this easier to read method

Code:

head -n 1 /proc/asound/card0/codec*

Then check it against the kernel documentation.
Linux Kernel Documentation :: sound : alsa : HD-Audio-Models.txt

Searched for STAC9205, and find the module options.

Some of the other options are described in this bit.Linux Kernel Documentation :: sound : alsa : ALSA-Configuration.txt

But I didn't pour through that. I found a blog post somewhere regarding a gateway t-series laptop, and I thought I'd try it with my m-series.

**waterhead** · 10-17-2009

OK, one more thing that troubled me.

Your choice of model=eapd isn't listed in the documentation that I have, but laptop-eapd is. Since you have the latest version, that must be the reason, so the latest documentation on supported cards in found here:

git.alsa-project.org Git - alsa-kernel.git/blob - Documentation/sound/alsa/HD-Audio-Models.txt

The eapd option has been added back in, as you already know.

**reed9** · 10-17-2009

EDIT: I must correct myself. My Eee PC is showing this module loading:

snd_hda_intel

snd_hda_intel is fairly generic as it turns out. You have to find the codec as I mentioned above to get at the goods.

**reed9** · 10-17-2009

Your choice of model=eapd isn't listed in the documentation that I have

Yeah, that was part of my problem. For months I've been looking and it looks like this options was only added recently. Fortunately Arch is bleeding edge.

**waterhead** · 10-17-2009

I am not having sound problems, but I also don't use headphones. This is the codec that my Eee Pc 900 uses.

Codec: Realtek ALC662 rev1

It may come in handy some day, thanks.

Thread Tools

Display

Take that SigmaTel STAC9205!

Posting Permissions