# Intel CougarPoint HDMI - surround sound broken [SOLVED]

## epsilon72

Hello all,

I have a Lenovo x220 notebook that, since the update to 3.2.* kernels, has had broken surround sound.

This notebook uses snd_hda_codec_conexant for the laptop speakers and snd_hda_codec_hdmi for hdmi audio (which is actually a displayport, but audio works with an adapter).

Audio worked perfectly with the 3.0.* and 3.1.* kernels, but since 3.2.*, surround will not work.  Stereo does work, though.

This command lets me test my speakers.  With any 3.2.* kernel, everything but Left and Right do not produce any sound.  If I boot into my 3.1.10-r1 kernel, surround works just fine.

```
speaker-test -D hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=0 -c 8
```

aplay -L output:

```
null

    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)

default:CARD=PCH

    HDA Intel PCH, CONEXANT Analog

    Default Audio Device

sysdefault:CARD=PCH

    HDA Intel PCH, CONEXANT Analog

    Default Audio Device

front:CARD=PCH,DEV=0

    HDA Intel PCH, CONEXANT Analog

    Front speakers

surround40:CARD=PCH,DEV=0

    HDA Intel PCH, CONEXANT Analog

    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers

surround41:CARD=PCH,DEV=0

    HDA Intel PCH, CONEXANT Analog

    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers

surround50:CARD=PCH,DEV=0

    HDA Intel PCH, CONEXANT Analog

    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers

surround51:CARD=PCH,DEV=0

    HDA Intel PCH, CONEXANT Analog

    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers

surround71:CARD=PCH,DEV=0

    HDA Intel PCH, CONEXANT Analog

    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers

hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=0

    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 0

    HDMI Audio Output

hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=1

    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 1

    HDMI Audio Output

hdmi:CARD=PCH,DEV=2

    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 2

    HDMI Audio Output
```

Relevant lspci entry:

```
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Cougar Point High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
```

I thought at first that it might be related to this bug, but the bugfix patch has been applied to any kernel 3.2.6 and above, and my problem persists.

If any of you have Intel Cougar Point HDMI, please test whether or not your surround sound works with any 3.2.* kernel.

EDIT: I think it's more trouble than it is worth to try and pin down the specific change that caused this problem, especially considering the fact that the 3.3 kernel appears to handle multichannel audio just fine.  Labeling this as WORKAROUND.Last edited by epsilon72 on Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:06 am; edited 5 times in total

----------

## roarinelk

Try the latest -git kernel and if the problem persists, please report it

the ALSA developers <alsa-devel@vger.kernel.org>.

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## epsilon72

I downloaded, compiled and installed the 3.3_rc5 git-sources kernel with portage.  The problem seems to be fixed in this version.

I will just use this kernel version until the 3.3 gentoo-sources show up.

Thanks for the tip.  Should I still report a bug to the alsa devs?  I know that Debian, for instance, will be using the 3.2 kernel for their next stable release.  Maybe there is a fix that can be backported?

----------

## epsilon72

Here's my alsa bug:

https://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/alsa-bug/view.php?id=5545

----------

## epsilon72

Problem is fixed in linux 3.2.12 patch and linux 3.3 kernel.

----------

