How to make builtin microphone of TravelMate P214-55-55BS series work on Linux?

Species8472
Species8472 Member Posts: 7 New User
edited November 21 in TravelMate and Extensa

The device is visible, but there is just silence when in the configuration screen where it is supposed to show a signal when speaking.

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[Edited the thread to add model name to the title]

Answers

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    There have been a bunch of different P214-55 models. I see five different series, with lots and lots of SKUs for each. They are all new enough however that the Linux developers likely haven't gotten around to supporting the hardware yet. It usually takes about a year after new hardware is introduced before they get support baked in. Contact the developers for your flavor of Linux to see if they have a timetable yet.

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  • Species8472
    Species8472 Member Posts: 7 New User

    There doesn't seem to be an edit button on this forum, but it's a P214-55BS. It will technically be a year old in a month. It is the first time I have a laptop of which the microphone doesn't work out of the box, but I suppose I could test it on Windows to check whether the hardware isn't broken (highly unlikely).

    The normal camera did work out of the box in VLC. I didn't test the IR-camera.

    My intention for this thread is mostly to have a place where if someone uses their favorite search engine that they will find this thread in some time and they will find the answer, since if it works in one distribution it would be very easy to also make it work in any other distribution. Do you use Linux and which model do you have?

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    Your full model number is usually on the same sticker as your serial number, it should look something like P214-55-xxxx, P214-55G-xxxx, P214-55T-xxxx, P214-55-G2-xxxx or P214-55-TCO-xxxx. I don't see a base model with the "BS". The last four digits define the SKU within the model series.

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  • Species8472
    Species8472 Member Posts: 7 New User

    P214-55-55BS to be more clear. (It is really on the sticker.)

  • billsey
    billsey ACE Posts: 34,219 Trailblazer

    OK, this year's model without discrete GPU or touch screen… They shipped with one of three different camera modules that are supposed to be functionally equivalent. Two assembled by Chicony and one by Tech-Front. One of the Chicony is FHD, the other two HD only. The cameras present to the OS as either RealTek or SunplusIT. Which do you have? Likely the drivers needed are going to be slightly different. They don't specify just what chip is used for the Microphone input, but I expect that is sitting on an internal USB port, just as the camera itself is.

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