Arch Linux

j3h1

Member

Registered: 2025-05-04

Posts: 5

How do I be able to use my audio jack for other purposes than output?

Hello.

I have an Aspire A514-54 V1.26, which has a 4-pole aux jack on the side that *should* be able to be configured for other purposes like speakers, headphones, headset, and microphone input. I could do that in Windows using the Realtek Audio Console. But since I've switched to Arch Linux, I've never been able to get it working like how I wanted it to be. I've tried searching for solutions on this forum but when I actually found one, it was never answered properly because it was closed after the moderators realized it was an xy-problem and was resolved some other way in favor of the OP.

I use PulseAudio to manage my Audio. I also use linux-zen instead of vanilla linux (I think this might be useful).

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,156

Re: How do I be able to use my audio jack for other purposes than output?

Such adjustments are normally exposed on the mixer level that you can look at with amixer, e.g.

amixer -c0 #For card 0

sometimes driver level toggles which are  explained in https://dri.freedesktop.org/docs/drm/so … notes.html and/or tools like hdajackretask (from alsa-tools, this is probably the most fruitful depending on what it is you want to do) -- but all of this can be very card dependent.

Maybe post some actable details

sudo fuser -v /dev/snd/*
aplay -lL
amixer -c0 # or whatever index of the card you want to adjust
pactl list cards
pactl list sinks

Also - since you're familiar with the XY problem - post the X: You want to configure your jacks how exactly, to interface with what, and what is the actual problem you're looking to solve?

Last edited by V1del (2025-05-05 09:26:29)

j3h1

Member

Registered: 2025-05-04

Posts: 5

Re: How do I be able to use my audio jack for other purposes than output?

I want to use a microphone instead of having only access to using headset.

j3h1

Member

Registered: 2025-05-04

Posts: 5

Re: How do I be able to use my audio jack for other purposes than output?

Here are the output of the commands

https://pastebin.com/7Hm159cw

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 2,116

Re: How do I be able to use my audio jack for other purposes than output?

I want to use a microphone instead of having only access to using headset.

then you have to use a combo-jack or a splitter: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B07VK76QXJ/
the idea of the TRRS jack is to combine stereo output with mono input - and is quite common these days with the most captilistic reasons of all of them: to save a few cents by using a slightly more complicated 4-pin connector but one connector less overall - which, when dealing with 100.000 units, does end up saving you quite a margin + you make money by offering the customer to buy an adpater as linked instead of relying on a 100 year old standard
this isn't a question about software but rather hardware

j3h1

Member

Registered: 2025-05-04

Posts: 5

Re: How do I be able to use my audio jack for other purposes than output?

I would like to deal with it in the software level, not in the hardware level.

j3h1

Member

Registered: 2025-05-04

Posts: 5

Re: How do I be able to use my audio jack for other purposes than output?

I managed to get it to work. Here is how I did it for future reference.

1. You need the alsa-tools package

   $ sudo pacman -S alsa-tools

2. Run hdajackretask as root

   $ sudo hdajackretask

3. Select the codec which contains the jack. Mine says "Realtek ALC255" (Usually named something after your audio device manufacturer, AND DEFINITELY NOT HDMI)

4. Find the pin configuration that corresponds to your jack. For me it says "Black Headphone, Front Side"

5. Check the override checkbox and then select how you want it to be configured by the dropdown below.

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 2,116

Re: How do I be able to use my audio jack for other purposes than output?

I would like to deal with it in the software level, not in the hardware level.

Important note in regards to your solution:

Reconfiguring physical ports requires the hardware actual supporting it!
So just because you were able to get away with some software hacks because your hardware supports it doesn't mean someone else with some different hardware will have the same luck.
Hence your "solution" should be seen as "a possible option on supporting hardware" as for users whose hardware not support reconfiguration the only solution will be a hardware plug.