ALSA doesn't play on HDMI

Question

I have Ubuntu 14.04.3 with kernel 3.16.0-48 installed on mini-PC Gigabyte GB-BXBT-2807. The chipset also integrates audio controller Realtek ALC283. I've been struggling to have my audio play over HDMI, with no luck.

First of all, I removed PulseAudio and reinstalled ALSA as was recommended in multiple articles on the web:

% dpkg -l | grep alsa
ii  alsa-base  1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu4 ...
ii  alsa-utils 1.0.27.2-1ubuntu2 ...

After reboot all modules seem to be present:

% lsmod | grep snd
snd_hda_codec_hdmi     47548  1
snd_hda_codec_realtek    77561  1
snd_hda_codec_generic    69011  1 snd_hda_codec_realtek
snd_hda_intel          30469  0
snd_soc_rt5640         93042  0
snd_soc_rl6231         13037  1 snd_soc_rt5640
snd_hda_controller     30228  1 snd_hda_intel
snd_hda_codec         139719  5 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_controller
snd_hwdep              17698  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_soc_core          200204  1 snd_soc_rt5640
snd_compress           19200  1 snd_soc_core
snd_pcm_dmaengine      15172  1 snd_soc_core
snd_pcm               104112  7 snd_soc_rt5640,snd_soc_core,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_controller,snd_pcm_dmaengine
snd_seq_midi           13564  0
snd_seq_midi_event     14899  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_rawmidi            30876  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq                63074  2 snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_device         14497  3 snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_midi
snd_timer              29562  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd                    79468  13 snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_soc_core,snd_hwdep,snd_timer,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_pcm,snd_seq,snd_rawmidi,snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_intel,snd_seq_device,snd_compress
soundcore              15047  2 snd,snd_hda_codec
snd_soc_sst_acpi       13007  0
%

% aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC283 Analog [ALC283 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
%

I also added my account in audio group. Here is a list of PCMs:

% aplay -L
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
default:CARD=PCH
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=PCH
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    Front speakers
surround40:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 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
dmix:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    Direct sample mixing device
dmix:CARD=PCH,DEV=3
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 0
    Direct sample mixing device
dsnoop:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    Direct sample snooping device
dsnoop:CARD=PCH,DEV=3
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 0
    Direct sample snooping device
hw:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
hw:CARD=PCH,DEV=3
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 0
    Direct hardware device without any conversions
plughw:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
    HDA Intel PCH, ALC283 Analog
    Hardware device with all software conversions
plughw:CARD=PCH,DEV=3
    HDA Intel PCH, HDMI 0
    Hardware device with all software conversions
%

What happens is that I'm able to play sounds via headset connected to audio jack, however I'm unable to do this via HDMI link hooked to a TV. I tried to run aplay -D for different devices marked as DEV=3 as listed above, but none of them worked. Also, it doesn't work in FireFox.

Is there a special configuration to set audio play on HDMI? What else should I try?

Answer 1

Old problem. I looked at this when I connected PC-Yamaha receiver-TV. Previously with a digital cable (10 metres) and later with a new motherboard and I managed to get an HDMI Cable 10 metres long (for about 5 GBP, maybe about 10 US dollars).

Eventually I just left Pulse intact - using 'export AE_ENGINE=SOFT' to turn on the sound via ALSA and stop Pulse from taking over. My Audio now shows the actual TV model in PLEX for selection...

The reason I'm bringing this up is that, once I figured out the settings for Audacious to play direct to ALSA (so I can play DTS, AC3, WAV, or other multi-channel recordings direct) and had my PLEX player working, there wasn't much more need to actually remove Pulse.

Hard to say what else you can try - Audacious feeds PCM Device: with 'HDMI Audio Output', but also a later 'hw:0,7 - HDMI 1' option works.

For switching sound from TV to headphones (remember, I'm connected first to receiver via HDMI which in turn feeds the TV) I hit the volume applet (not working when Pulse isn't running) in the taskbar... Then I can switch sound from 'HDMI/DisplayPort2 Built-in' (which must stupidly be set to Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output if you want DTS to emerge unmolested) and select 'Headphones Built-in Audio'.

It's not perfect, and I got headaches trying to work this out... but it's good enough for the time being.