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Michael
Asked: 2012-03-13 23:13:31 +0800 CST

Ubuntu refuses to output audio via HDMI

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I have my PC hooked up to speakers and a monitor. In addition, it is hooked up to my Vizio 37' LCD Television. When I was on Windows 7, I could choose to output sound via HDMI. I have the choice in Ubuntu but no sound is outputted. Any Ideas? I don't know how to get system specs on Ubuntu so if you need them please tell me how to get them.

aplay -l output:

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices **** 
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], 
device 0: ALC887 Analog [ALC887 Analog] 
Subdevices: 0/1 
Subdevice #0: 
subdevice #0 card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 3: ALC887 Digital [ALC887 Digital] Subdevices: 1/1 
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0 card 1: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0] Subdevices: 1/1 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
sound hdmi

6 Answers

  1. With the HDMI cable plugged in, run the following utility:

    speaker-test --channels 2 --rate 48000 --device hw:0,3

    (for others, the hw:x,y is x = card, y = device)

    This just runs a sound test with static bouncing back and forth. Once it has played out of each speaker, hit Ctrl+c to stop it, and then check in your sound settings to see if the HDMI output is now listed under the internal device.

    That was all I had to do to get it working. If it doesn't work for you, check out this tutorial for upgrading alsa to the ppa version.

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  2. You can try installing program "PulseAudio Volume Control" (sudo apt-get install pavucontrol)

    In tab Configuration select profile mentioning HDMI.

    The desktop sound output should immediately switch to HDMI.

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  3. Install GNOME alsa mixer which is in the universe repository (activate the universe repository in your software sources by running Software & Updates and insuring the 2nd box from the top is checked) then Install via Ubuntu software.

    gnome-alsamixer

    run it and you'll see a screen like this:

    gam

    unmute everything by clearing the mute checkboxes , then check the IEC958 checkbox.

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  4. I have had similar problems, and all the forums I could find were talking about PulseAudio and AlsaMixer. None of those solutions worked for me.

    I finally found my solution in updating my Graphic Cards driver from which the HDMI cable was connected following the steps here.

    You might not have the same grapic cards or any but you might give it a try to update your driver.

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  5. For me the things that worked was killing the pulseaudio daemon via the following command

    pulseaudio -k

    I got inspired from this link.

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  6. I have Debian with LXDE but this may apply to you in other cases.

    Open PulseAudio Volume Control

    enter image description here

    Initially I thought I needed to upgrade something because I could not see HDMI here

    enter image description here

    But after going to Configuration and selecting a profile with HDMI

    enter image description here

    You can go to Output and see there your HDMI port. Now the sound goes through the HDMI cable. Nothing to install / update / tweak (in my case).

    enter image description here

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