Public bug reported: This is a report for Ubuntu 10.10 (Maverick Meerkat). After some investigation, my intuition is that it is the result of an interaction between PulseAudio and ALSA.
State #1 Fresh install sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade Symptoms: Recording from the built-in microphone works from the Sound Recorder but not from Google Talk, Skype, etc. State #2 sudo apt-get install pavucontrol set the left and right inputs to different levels, as suggested on various forum posts Symptoms: Recording from the built-in microphone works in Google Talk for a short time (< 2s), but then dies. State #3 sudo apt-get install linux-alsa-driver-modules-$(uname -r) sudo reboot Symptoms: No change State #4 sudo apt-get purge libcanberra-pulse pulseaudio pulseaudio-esound-compat pulseaudio-module-bluetooth pulseaudio-module-gconf pulseaudio-module-udev pulseaudio-module-x11 gstreamer0.10-pulseaudio pulseaudio-utils pavucontrol sudo reboot Symptoms: No change State #5 sudo echo "options snd-hda-intel model=acer-aspire" > /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf sudo reboot Symptoms: Recording is now working in Google Talk, Skype, etc, but the result is extremely noisy. There is a loud hum/buzz in the background. Changing the input volume/gains in alsamixer causes the recording to go silent. Hope that gives you some leads! ~br ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10 Package: alsa-base 1.0.23+dfsg-1ubuntu4 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-23.41-generic 2.6.35.7 Uname: Linux 2.6.35-23-generic i686 AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.23. AplayDevices: **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices **** card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC268 Analog [ALC268 Analog] Subdevices: 1/1 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0 Architecture: i386 ArecordDevices: **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices **** card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC268 Analog [ALC268 Analog] Subdevices: 1/1 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0 AudioDevicesInUse: USER PID ACCESS COMMAND /dev/snd/controlC0: br 2300 F.... pulseaudio Card0.Amixer.info: Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0x58540000 irq 45' Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC268' Components : 'HDA:10ec0268,1025015b,00100101' Controls : 9 Simple ctrls : 6 Date: Sun Dec 19 19:49:07 2010 InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007) PackageArchitecture: all ProcEnviron: LANG=en_US.utf8 SHELL=/bin/bash SelectedCard: 0 Intel HDA-Intel - HDA Intel SourcePackage: alsa-driver Symptom: audio Title: [Realtek ALC268] Recording problem dmi.bios.date: 05/09/2008 dmi.bios.vendor: Acer dmi.bios.version: v0.3114 dmi.board.asset.tag: Base Board Asset Tag dmi.board.vendor: Acer dmi.board.version: Base Board Version dmi.chassis.type: 1 dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacturer dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAcer:bvrv0.3114:bd05/09/2008:svnAcer:pnAOA150:pvr1:rvnAcer:rn:rvrBaseBoardVersion:cvnChassisManufacturer:ct1:cvrChassisVersion: dmi.product.name: AOA150 dmi.product.version: 1 dmi.sys.vendor: Acer ** Affects: ubuntu Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Tags: apport-bug i386 maverick -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/692392 Title: [Realtek ALC268] Recording problem on Acer Aspire One (ZG5) -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs