How can i troubleshoot SPDIF sound output not working in Linux? PC is hooked up to amp via an optical SPDIF cable...

how can i troubleshoot SPDIF sound output not working in Linux? PC is hooked up to amp via an optical SPDIF cable, but nothing comes out. analog 3.5mm connection works fine.

pic related is my alsamixer screenshot

Other urls found in this thread:

wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Advanced_Linux_Sound_Architecture#Getting_S.2FPDIF_output
help.ubuntu.com/community/SoundTroubleshootingProcedure
twitter.com/SFWRedditImages

When I run into that problem its usually the Desktop environment sound mixer not ticked on. Or some sort of ALSA/PulseAudio conflict.

alsamixer and alsa in general is like too difficult to wrap your head around. i usually torubleshoot using pavucontrol. if you dont have pulse installed/enabled idk

try running alsactl init and rebooting, fixed it for me a couple days ago when my sound was kill. if that fixes it, you might want to add it to the autorun for your DE

Install an OS that doesn't use such a retarded sound system.

the desktop's sound setting is set to SPDIF

didn't work :(

Install Microsoft® Windows® 10

pressed F6 in alsamixer and selected a second sound card (Nvidia), then selected the original Intel one (the one with SPDIF connector) and two SPDIF items showed up, but both are set to "00" and i can't raise them

burn in hell micro$oft fag, templeos 4eva!

I don't have your card and alsa is a bitch so here is all i can offer

in alsamixer:
press F5 to view all settings.
"00" means they are on.
the arrows on the right border of alsamixer "->" of alsamixer means there is more stuff the the right. There might be some setting over there.

Another thing to look at is this:
$ amixer -c # scontents
$ amixer -c # scontrols
where # is the card number of your device
(first column of "cat /proc/asound/cards" shows the card number for a sound card)
There may be a setting for "IEC... Playback Switch" or some stuff about "digital output" to turn on.
See man amixer, man alsactl, and google (someone else with the same card may have had the same problem)

Here is the link to the arch wiki regarding alsa spdif
wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Advanced_Linux_Sound_Architecture#Getting_S.2FPDIF_output

user is right, you should use pavucontrol.

You can see if the port is giving of signals by unplugging the cable and seeing if it strobes red light

>how can i troubleshoot SPDIF sound output not working in Linux?
You don't. It takes less time to find a distro that works. Linux audio makes me want to kill myself.

> "00" means they are on.

the two SPDIF outputs are on, but i don't understand why they don't show volume bars

> the arrows on the right border of alsamixer "->" of alsamixer means there is more stuff the the right

you're right, there are two more microphone items to the right of the screen

Trial and error pretty much

$ amixer -c 0 scontents

Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]

Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Default PCM',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]


looks like both are on

$ amixer -c 0 scontrols
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
Simple mixer control 'Front',0
Simple mixer control 'Front Mic',0
Simple mixer control 'Front Mic Boost',0
Simple mixer control 'Surround',0
Simple mixer control 'Center',0
Simple mixer control 'LFE',0
Simple mixer control 'Side',0
Simple mixer control 'Line',0
Simple mixer control 'Line Boost',0
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Default PCM',0
Simple mixer control 'Beep',0
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
Simple mixer control 'Capture',1
Simple mixer control 'Auto-Mute Mode',0
Simple mixer control 'Input Source',0
Simple mixer control 'Input Source',1
Simple mixer control 'Rear Mic',0
Simple mixer control 'Rear Mic Boost',0

doesn't stobe, just a solid red light on the receiver's end

Ok also look at
$ amixer -c 0 controls
$ amixer -c 0 contents
(the scontrols/scontents show simple settings)

in Ubuntu the 'PulseAudio Volume Control' app shows IEC958 SPDIF device active, and volume/level bar moves when sound is playing, but the red light in SPDIF connector is not flickering, it stays steady red.

any way to troubleshoot SPDIF output hardware on the motherboard?

>Linux audio makes me want to kill myself.

me2
op

>i don't understand why they don't show volume bars
They don't have volume bars because they spdif is for digital audio. To adjust the "digital volume", adjust the PCM meter

Before you go all "muh hardware" make sure alsa isn't borked.
Pulseaudio uses alsa as a backend so if alsa is fucked, so is pulse.


First make sure Pulseaudio is out of the way.
Alsa can only handle one program sending it audio at a time (one of the reasons for pulse) so make sure pulse is not running before you test any of this out for simplicity.

$ aplay -l
Find out the device number for the digital device of your card.

$ aplay -D plughw:0,1 /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav
(or any nearby wav file)
where "0" is card number and "1" is device number obtained from "aplay -l"

If you hear sound, it works.

If you do not hear sound,
make sure everything is unmuted in alsamixer.

If you still do not hear sound,
$ amixer -c 0 contents
$ amixer -c 0 controls
view all settings for your card (scontents/scontrols is for simple settings)
Look for "IEC" and "Digital Output" settings and make sure they are good.
Use "amixer set ...." to fix settings
Example:
$ amixer set 'IEC958 Optical' 100 unmute
$ amixer set 'Audigy Analog/Digital Output Jack' on


If you still do not hear sound,
yea your fucked.


Also, you might want to check your BIOS if it is onboard sound.


Here is the link to ubuntu's sound troubleshooting page
help.ubuntu.com/community/SoundTroubleshootingProcedure

thx, will give it a shot

>"00"
That's "OO", it means it's not muted. You can't control the volume of these.