Audacity does not "hear" the microphone

[thinkpada21]

I am running Audacity 1.3.5 on Mepis Linux 7.5 with Debian Lenny repositories on an IBM Thinkpad A21m (PIII, 750MHz, Sound Fusion CS46xx).

I can load sound files into Audacity and they play just fine, however, while I can hear the microphone input through my headphones, the microphone audio does not get to Audacity.

Initially, I used the default settings (/dev/dsp). I then tried the various ALSA settings. Same result: Play ok, no audio to record.

In the wiki, I read a note about a BIOS option to disable the modem in Thinkpads could cause problems when the modem is disabled. I made sure that the modem isnot disabled.

Also, I checked my mixer settings (aumix) and tried various changes. Still no audio to record.

Also, I was able to capture the following error messages:

(while using the default /dev/dsp)
Expression 'tempDevHandle = open( deviceInfo->name, flags )' failed in 'src/hostapi/oss/pa_unix_oss.c', line: 687

(while using any of the ALSA settings)
Expression 'ret' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1034
Expression 'AlsaOpen( hostApi, parameters, streamDir, &pcm )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1066

[steve]

I presume that you have ALSA fully installed and working.

Do you have the options in "Edit menu > Preferences > Audio I/O > Recording and Playback devices" for "ALSA default"?
If not, try shutting down "Pulseaudio" (if running) and restart Audacity. If "ALSA default" is then available, select it for both recording and playback and restart Audacity (again).

[thinkpada21]

I presume that you have ALSA fully installed and working.

As best I can tell, yes. Up until now, I have not used any apps that record (or otherwise "listen" to) audio. So far, I have had no issues with playing audio.

Anyway, installed ALSA packages are: alsa-modules-2.6.22-1-mepis-smp, alsa-base 1.0.17, alsa-utils 1.0.16. These appear to be the latest available from the Lenny and MEPIS repositories.

Do you have the options in "Edit menu > Preferences > Audio I/O > Recording and Playback devices" for "ALSA default"?

Yes. Also, as I mentioned, I tried the other ALSA selections with the same results.

If not, try shutting down "Pulseaudio" (if running) and restart Audacity. If "ALSA default" is then available, select it for both recording and playback and restart Audacity (again).

Except for libpulse0 (ver 0.9.10), as best I can tell, I do not have Pulseaudio installed, let alone running.

[steve]

Set Audacity to use "ALSA default", then in your computer volume control (I don't know what "volume contro/mixer Mepis uses, but I presume that it is a GUI for AlsaMixer) select the microphone as the recording source. If you cannot see an option for selecting the microphone as the recording input, you may need to go into the mixer's preferences.

After changing the settings, it may be necessary to restart Audacity.

A rather primitive interface for AlsaMixer is also available by entering "alsamixer" in a terminal window.

I'm no expert on this, but more information about AlsaMixer is available here: http://alsa.opensrc.org/Alsamixer

[thinkpada21]

I did all that. Same results. I will see what I can find on the alsa site.

[steve]

There is information about ALSA supported sound cards here: http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Main
Good luck.