Bug 865717

Summary:	New kernel (kernel-3.6.1-1.fc17.x86_64) causes Skype sounds to have background noise
Product:	[Fedora] Fedora	Reporter:	Kolos Tatar <kolos>
Component:	kernel	Assignee:	Kernel Maintainer List <kernel-maint>
Status:	CLOSED ERRATA	QA Contact:	Fedora Extras Quality Assurance <extras-qa>
Severity:	unspecified	Docs Contact:
Priority:	unspecified
Version:	17	CC:	franco.violi, gansalmon, itamar, jonathan, kernel-maint, madhu.chinakonda, mykola.dvornik, rpetrick
Target Milestone:	---
Target Release:	---
Hardware:	Unspecified
OS:	Unspecified
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version:		Doc Type:	Bug Fix
Doc Text:		Story Points:	---
Clone Of:		Environment:
Last Closed:	2013-03-12 19:17:49 UTC	Type:	Bug
Regression:	---	Mount Type:	---
Documentation:	---	CRM:
Verified Versions:		Category:	---
oVirt Team:	---	RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team:	---	Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:

Description Kolos Tatar 2012-10-12 08:51:29 UTC

Description of problem:

This morning I upgraded to the latest Fedora kernel as usual (kernel-3.6.1-1.fc17.x86_64). After rebooting with the new kernel I noticed that Skype started having some background noise in every sound it tried to make.

The normal Pulseaudio test passed fine.

I reverted back to kernel 3.5.6-1 and the problem is gone. It's got to do something with the new kernel.

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):

kernel-3.6.1-1.fc17.x86_64
skype-4.0.0.8-fc16.i586

How reproducible:

Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Start Skype
2. Try to make a test call or test sound
  
Actual results:

Noise in Skype sounds

Expected results:

Clear Skype sounds

Additional info:

Comment 1 Ron Petrick 2012-10-12 09:56:48 UTC

I have the same problem when I run amarok. The problem disappears with the 3.5.6-1 kernel.

Comment 2 Franco Violi 2012-10-13 07:12:54 UTC

I have the same problem, on a Dell xps17. As above, The problem disappears with the 3.5.6-1 kernel.

Comment 3 Mykola Dvornik 2012-10-15 11:16:02 UTC

Seems like the problem is indeed in pulseaudio. ALSA output works just fine, while PulseAudio output produces either no sound or highly distorted one.

Here are the short list of versions of major components:

kernel.x86_64         3.6.1-1.fc17
pulseaudio.x86_64     1.1-9.fc17 
alsa-lib.x86_64       1.0.26-1.fc17

Comment 4 Kolos Tatar 2012-10-15 11:21:16 UTC

Mykola,

I would argue that the problem is with the kernel as the Pulseaudio test passes fine and Pulseaudio didn't get upgraded the morning I installed the new kernel.

Kolos

Comment 5 Mykola Dvornik 2012-10-15 11:44:15 UTC

Kolos,

Yes you are right from this point of view. But 3.6 has some core changes, which might make pulseaudio unhappy about.

In addition:

I have different two laptops Dell L502x and Dell L702x. The former produces no sound at all with PulseAudio output, while the later one works more or less OK (at least in Audacious and Chrome) and do have significant audio distortion in Skype only.

Comment 6 Kolos Tatar 2012-10-15 11:50:22 UTC

Mykola,

Probably you have a better overview of the problem so if you think it's not the kernel that needs some changes rolled back, but rather Pulseaudio needs some changes to work properly with the new kernel, then fine, please change the component of this bug and assign it appropriately.

Kolos

Comment 7 Kolos Tatar 2012-10-19 08:54:57 UTC

Rather interestingly with the latest kernel (3.6.2-4.fc17.x86_64) the problem disappeared for me.

Has anyone fixed this?

Kolos

Comment 8 Mykola Dvornik 2012-10-19 09:05:59 UTC

For the ALC665 codec the problem is still there. Moreover, for the speakers the ALSA output is now disfunct, while headphones output works just fine.

Comment 9 Ron Petrick 2012-10-20 13:39:06 UTC

The problem also appears to be fixed for me with 3.6.2-4.fc17.x86_64 on a Samsung Ultrabook Series 5.

Comment 10 Mykola Dvornik 2012-10-20 15:21:23 UTC

Only kernel-3.7.0-0.rc1.git2.1.fc19.x86_64 makes Realtek ALC665 alive on Dell XPS L702x.