Arch Linux

myrlin

Member

Registered: 2010-06-11

Posts: 300

[SOLVED] Half-Speed Sound!

I am having a peculiar problem with sound on my Intel NUC.

Randomly on boot, ALL sound plays at half speed (Internet, audio files, videos, etc). The only cure I have been able to find is to reboot the system, which usually clears the problem, although sometimes more than one reboot is necessary.

I have a completely up-to-date Arch, and I have updated the system BIOS. I am using an HDMI to VGA/Analogue converter to connect to my monitor, but I am getting the same problem using headphones, so it would seem that this is not the cause of the problem.

I have no idea where to start to track down this problem, so I would be very grateful for any ideas/pointers on how to proceed.

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by myrlin (2016-02-04 10:16:21)

x33a

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2009-08-15

Posts: 4,587

Re: [SOLVED] Half-Speed Sound!

Which NUC model are you using? Is it listed as being compatible with Linux?

Moving to "Kernel and Hardware".

myrlin

Member

Registered: 2010-06-11

Posts: 300

Re: [SOLVED] Half-Speed Sound!

It is the NUC5i5RYH, which Intel say is Linux compatible.
I have been using it for some time now, without any other problems.

x33a

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2009-08-15

Posts: 4,587

Re: [SOLVED] Half-Speed Sound!

Which DE/WM are you using? Are you using pulseaudio or alsa? When you experience the half-speed sound, do you notice any extra load on the CPU?

Last edited by x33a (2016-02-04 06:38:21)

mich41

Member

Registered: 2012-06-22

Posts: 796

Re: [SOLVED] Half-Speed Sound!

Does this report correct sample rate during playback?

head /proc/asound/card*/pcm*/sub*/hw_params

Is it exactly half speed or 0.93578 or whatever?

myrlin

Member

Registered: 2010-06-11

Posts: 300

Re: [SOLVED] Half-Speed Sound!

I have now identified the problem, and it IS the HDMI-VGA converter (or the HDMI output) that is at fault.

I restarted the machine until I generated the problem, then, without powering down, re-selected output devices etc, then  I completely unplugged the converter, and swapped the speaker connection to the analogue output, and all was well.  My original belief that the analogue output exhibited the same problem seems to have been wrong, and due to mis-plugging. My apologies for my mistake.

I will continue to investigate the HDMI output/conversion, but I strongly suspect the converter itself, rather than an NUC or software problem.

I will now mark this as "SOLVED".

Many thanks for everyone's help.