Two device drivers for only one sound card

[Matthew Kuiken]

Dave M G wrote:
> Ubuntu Users,
>
> I'm using Dapper.
>
> I have an Asus motherboard which has a sound card built into it. The 
> sound card is a Realtek ALC882.
>
> It outputs sound, but does not recognize any input on the microphone. 
> My goal is to get microphone input so I can record my voice and use 
> VOIP services and whatnot.
>
> I have used Alsamixer and the Gnome Volume Control to un-mute and 
> increase the recording volume. But in Audacity, for example, I see no 
> response whatsoever when using the mike.
>
> I have verified that the microphone works by testing with other hardware.
>
> Figuring out what the problem is has been as difficult as trying to 
> solve it. Although I only have one sound device, Gnome Volume Control 
> lets me select from two:
>
> HDA Intel (Alsa mixer)
> Realtek ALC882 (OSS mixer)
>
> I don't know which I should work with, and why there are two anyway.
>
> What I'd like to do is:
>
> 1. Simplify the drivers so there is one device listed and one set of 
> controls to manage the one sound device I have.
>
> 2. Get control of the microphone.
>
> If anyone can help me with this situation, I would be very appreciative.
>
Dave,

I have an HDA Intel device as well.  Mine is slightly different in that 
the secondary name is Realtek ALC260.  I am hoping that our cards are 
similar enough that this will be of use to you.

All of my testing has been with a fully upgraded Dapper.

I also show 2 devices in the gnome-volume-control.  I do not know why 
this is, but I assume it has something to do with the way the card is 
driven.  In my testing, changing a volume slider on a component in the 
HDA panel also changed the level of said control in the realtek panel.  
Given that this is the way things work, I think it is safe to ignore the 
realtek panel.  If this is not the way yours is working, I had noticed 
on a previous version of Dapper that both of the sliders needed to be on 
in order for the sound card to work properly.  YMMV.

I plugged in a microphone for the first time, and was very gratified 
that I could get sound out of the speakers directly from the microphone, 
and the slider for the mic controlled the level.  Good step number one, 
but the sound recorder program would not record the sound from the mic.

In Gnome-volume-control, I had to Edit->Preferences, and enable the 
"capture" and "input options" selections.  This added two tabs to 
gnome-volume-manager, "Capture" and "Options".  When I selected the mic 
on the Options tab, and set the "capture" slider off of mute, I could 
finally capture sound from the microphone.

I have added a lot more detail than answering the question seems to 
require, as I am not certain how much or which parts are relevant.  
Please let the list know.

I really hope this helps.

-Matt