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HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

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evandenbroecke
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HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

#1 Post by evandenbroecke »

This problem is driving me nuts. I do not know where to start diagnosing the issue. Maybe its because my keywords I am using to search the issue is not quite right or maybe nobody else experience this issue but me, but I find that hard to believe since my sound device is in nearly every motherboard manufactured in the past 10 years.

The issue is from my HDMI port, at random, my sound cracks or pops, when this happen the sound (music or video playing at the time) gets noticeably lower for a few seconds and then returns to normal. This can happen several times in a row or sometimes, once every 10-20 seconds or go up-to about 1/2 hour before starting again. Seems to be happening from the driver as it is consistence across all Applications in the environment.

If anyone has a similar issue I would love to hear it, as I said its driving me nuts, more so that I cannot find an answer, or if anyone can tell me how to track down this problem.

About the setup.

Running Debian 9 stretch on a PC connected to my TV (via HDMI) and home amp
Linux saturn.sol 4.9.0-3-amd64 #1 SMP Debian 4.9.30-2+deb9u3 (2017-08-06) x86_64 GNU/Linux
Newly installed and current updates also installed.

Motherboard information.
Brand and Model: ASUS P5QL-EM
Using the on-board hardware (snd_hda_intel driver)

As I said, from here I have no idea whats being used or where the problem is occurring.

If anymore information is need I will be glad to provide and thank you in advance for the help.

Todd.
Todd Vandenbroecke
evandenbroecke[at]gmail.com

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Re: HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

#2 Post by Segfault »

Are you passing digital sound thru TV set to your amplifier? If so, are you sure the problem is with your computer not TV or amplifier or connections between them?

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evandenbroecke
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Re: HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

#3 Post by evandenbroecke »

Yeah, HDMI goes to the TV set and then an audio cable to the amp. Pretty sure its not the tv or the amp or any of the cables as I just upgrade a dusty old HP laptop to this PC. Same setup, only thing different is the PC. I did not get the cracking in the audio until I installed Debian 9 on this computer.
Todd Vandenbroecke
evandenbroecke[at]gmail.com

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evandenbroecke
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Re: HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

#4 Post by evandenbroecke »

Also to note;

I have tried some things from the searchs I have gotten from google. including playing with the power_save and power_save_controller files, increasing the default sample rate to 48000 and turning off or disabling "auto-mute". So far nothing seems to be working.
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Re: HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

#5 Post by Cyborg »

Does it only happen when you connect the computer via HDMI? I've had random pops or "stuttering" on my Thinkpad E440 ever since I started using Debian a couple of years ago. I think it was worse before, but it still happens.
Maybe you could provide some more info about your hardware. There are some really knowledgeable people on this forum.

(Sorry to hijack the thread)
In my case, this could be relevant (dmesg):

Code: Select all

snd_hda_intel 0000:00:1b.0: IRQ timing workaround is activated for card #1. Suggest a bigger bdl_pos_adj.
This is my audio hardware (inxi -F):

Code: Select all

Audio:     Card-1 Intel 8 Series/C220 Series High Definition Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel
           Card-2 Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.12.0-1-amd64

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Re: HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

#6 Post by Segfault »

Once upon time digital passthrough was invented. The idea was to preserve the quality of the sound and all adjustments, including volume control, were supposed to be done only after DAC.
Of course, non-technical people didn't care and started whining there is no volume control for digital output. This means resampling and theoretical loss of quality, defeating the whole idea of digital sound. But who cares, right?
I do not use PulseAudio myself, but isn't this what PulseAudio is doing? Resampling and manipulating the digital sound?
Assuming my speculations above have some truth in them, have you tried to use ALSA directly, without PulseAudio layer as a middleman?

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Re: HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

#7 Post by evandenbroecke »

No No, by all means the more the better. Maybe not the same issue, but it might help, welcome cyborg.

I guess I should provide some relative info. My problem is random in terms of seconds. Sometimes the cracking or popping happens about every 5 to 10 seconds, other times it happens about a minute after. And earlier today, I thought I had fixed the problem when I turned my 'Auto-mute' to disable, but 1/2 hour later, it, like the cat, came back. Also when it happens, the volume of whatever is playing at the time, video, music also decreases to about 50% of what is set to and then gradually increase back to normal over about 5 secs.

Anyways, I had a HP Laptop connected to this configuration before now, Laptop to Samsung 45" LCD via HDMI on port 1, then from the TV to my amp with a normal cable. I had no issues with the sound until I switched this computer to a PC I found last week and install Debian 9 on it.

Mobo is this one... ASUS P5QL-EM

Audio specifics;

Realtek ALC1200 8-Channel High-Definition Audio CODEC
Support Jack-Sensing, Enumeration, Multi-streaming
Support S/PDIF out interface

Chipset: Intel G43 Intel ICH10

lspci;

Code: Select all

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 4 Series Chipset DRAM Controller (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation 4 Series Chipset Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #4
00:1a.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #5
00:1a.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #6
00:1a.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #2
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) HD Audio Controller
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) PCI Express Root Port 1
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) PCI Express Root Port 4
00:1c.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) PCI Express Root Port 5
00:1c.5 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) PCI Express Root Port 6
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #1
00:1d.1 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #2
00:1d.2 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB UHCI Controller #3
00:1d.7 USB controller: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller #1
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev 90)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801JIB (ICH10) LPC Interface Controller
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) 4 port SATA IDE Controller #1
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) SMBus Controller
00:1f.5 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801JI (ICH10 Family) 2 port SATA IDE Controller #2
01:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 02)
02:00.0 IDE interface: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. 88SE6121 SATA II / PATA Controller (rev b2)
03:00.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): JMicron Technology Corp. IEEE 1394 Host Controller
dmesg does not contain some errors, mostly with CPU temp threshold, but no errors about sound problems since the install.

Code: Select all

apt show firmware-intel-sound
Package: firmware-intel-sound
Version: 20161130-3
If anything else is need, I would be glad to provide.

Thanks,
Todd
Last edited by evandenbroecke on 2017-09-09 16:34, edited 1 time in total.
Todd Vandenbroecke
evandenbroecke[at]gmail.com

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evandenbroecke
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Re: HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

#8 Post by evandenbroecke »

Segfault wrote:Once upon time digital passthrough was invented. The idea was to preserve the quality of the sound and all adjustments, including volume control, were supposed to be done only after DAC.
Of course, non-technical people didn't care and started whining there is no volume control for digital output. This means resampling and theoretical loss of quality, defeating the whole idea of digital sound. But who cares, right?
I do not use PulseAudio myself, but isn't this what PulseAudio is doing? Resampling and manipulating the digital sound?
Assuming my speculations above have some truth in them, have you tried to use ALSA directly, without PulseAudio layer as a middleman?

I really have no idea how to do that, so no I havent yet.
Todd Vandenbroecke
evandenbroecke[at]gmail.com

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evandenbroecke
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Re: HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

#9 Post by evandenbroecke »

Well maybe one way to solve the issue... dont use the HDMI port for audio. Took out the audio cable on the back of my tv and plugged it into the mobo directly... so far no pops or cracks!
Todd Vandenbroecke
evandenbroecke[at]gmail.com

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evandenbroecke
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Re: HDMI Audio cracks and pops at random. (HDA_intel)

#10 Post by evandenbroecke »

Yeah so far that seems to have solved issue. I havent heard any cracks or pops for awhile now. I guess that's it, dont use the hdmi audio.
Todd Vandenbroecke
evandenbroecke[at]gmail.com

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