[alsa-devel] Intel alsa sound request for Laptops

[Takashi Iwai]

On Sat, 28 Jan 2017 17:54:29 +0100,
John Frankish wrote:
> 
> > > For two or three kernel versions of alsa divers now, HDMI has been the default alsa device on my
> > > laptop (Dell Latitude E7240) - this does not make logical sense.
> > >
> > > In the latest kernel version I use, 4.2.9, alsa sound will not work at all unless I load the i915 kernel driver
> > > - this does not make logical sense and means that I cannot use Xvesa.
> > >
> > > Is it possible to make an alsa feature request for analogue sound to be the default alsa device on
> > > laptops and for alsa sound to work without the need to load the i915 kernel driver?
> > >
> > It's a configuration issue.  Pass the module option if you prefer the secondary device:
> > 
> > options snd-hda-intel index=1,0
> > 
> Sure, I realise I can do that, but it's not the point and it's awkward to do so with the "live CD-type" distro I use (tinycorelinux).
> 
> Laptop sound should work in standalone mode by default - i.e. if laptop uses analogue sound for its built-in speakers then the alsa default should be analogue sound.
> 
> The above notwithstanding, analogue sound should work without needing to load the i915 kernel driver.

For a smart automation, use PulseAudio.  It's exactly for such a
purpose.

The kernel driver assigns each device just in the order how they are
enumerated.  In the case of HD-audio, it's the order of PCI devices.
It's nothing different from any other PCI drivers.


Takashi