How Can I use All channels of ALC889a to have 5.1 surround?
 

I am using L8v4 kexts for onboard audio realtek ALC 889a.
MainBoard EP45-DS3R.

I can only get 2 channels out put.

I tried aggregate device option but I couldnt get any sound.

When I set aggregate device , I saw that volume control is disabled.
and When I look at system preferences > sound.
It says there is no output device.

How Can I solve this problem?

My sound board, ALC850, can be set to 5.1 surround through Midi Audio Configuration.
Once you've opened it select the sound output and it should give you the option to change it to 4 or 6 channels.

thanks for reply, I tried aggregate device option but I couldnt get any sound.

I need to make sure ,can you upload the screenshoots of MIDI Audio Configuration?

Thanks in advance.

This is my audio config, hope it helps.

you have AC97 chipset, i think it is not ALC889 chipset.
because of this you can see the AC97 6.can.

can you upload, aggregate audio setting screenshots and the kext file that you use.

thanks for help, eMatoS.

I told you, it's an ALC850.
For your card it's a bit complicated, I think this link might be helpfull.

Support for the 889a appears to be rather wonky. From what I've been able to gather, the various incarnations of hacked Apple kexts derive key information from the drivers for the ALSA project in the linux world. ALSA has until recently had a bug wherein it would recognize ALC889a chipsets as ALC885. Consequently, the codec dumps many OSx86'ers have been relying on are likely wrong. Using Taruga's HDApatcher, and a better codec dump for a correctly identified 889a, I've managed to get 4 channels of input and 4 of output functioning well on my Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS4 r.2.1 motherboard with ALC889a codec running iDeneb 1.3 (10.5.5).

You can see my musings on the topic here;

http://www.infinitemac.com/f7/alc889a-codec-dump-t1105/

...where I have also posted the dump file that got me to this point.

In addition, I've edited the localizable strings in my kexts a bit to make them more friendly on my mobo. If anyone has the same board as me, and would like me to post my current kexts, I will.

Bear in mind that I am by no means an expert. I've simply done some reading, and kept at it. I'm sure there is a better way to approach this, and someone out there will doubtless correct these problems properly someday. Hopefully, Taruga himself will take up the challenge in the not-too-distant future.

is it possible in ALC880 ? i have GA-K8N51GMF-9

Xenophage , thanks for information.

I tried to dump with ubuntu latest version, it didnt work 5.1 with ubuntu and I setup the realtek driver than the 5.1 output works.

after getting dump , I used taruga 1.20 patcher but it didnt solve my problem , I am currently using LS8v14 kext. bu it has only 2 output.

on the otherhand, ALCinject doesnot work for me. I can just use HDAenabler.kext then this time it is working.

What can I do in this case? Do I need to add efi key and how can I do that.

I have efi studio but I dont know how?

I don't really know how to answer. What mobo do you have? Some of the linux chatter has centered around trying drivers for the ALC888, I think. If you have a Gigabyte board, you're welcome to try my patched kexts. I haven't been able to get EFI strings or HDAEnabler to do anything. I'm currently using ALCinject, and Taruga's patcher with the "real" 889a dump I found online. This has gotten me zilch in system profiler, but a bunch of channels show up in prefs anyway. I have 4 inputs and 4 outputs verified functional. I haven't had a chance to check the SPDIF or optical yet.

I think the best hope at this point is to wait for the ALSA project to gain better support for the 889a, and hope that Taruga regains his health and releases patcher 2.0.

More interesting reading from the ALSA project;

http://mailman.alsa-project.org/pipe...ly/009658.html

Not a hopeful sign. If the 889a is proprietary to Gigabyte with no published specs, I suppose there's not much hope of support for it from open-software types. To make matters worse, it appears as if there are two revisions of the 889a. Ugh.

If I'm reading it correctly, however, it seems as if ALSA treats all versions of the ALC889a as ALC883. Does anyone else get that from reading the link? Perhaps trying an ALC883 kext would help.

What happen to Taruga? what is worng with him?
now I dont feel foog , it is not good news.

I will try your kext , can you upload it ?

anc ALCinject.kext also , I need it.

do you get 5.1 surrond dolby sound ??

thanks for help.

Taruga has popped up in this thread on InsanelyMac;

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.p...5&#entry953855


Attached, you'll find the kext I'm currently using. I tweaked it to provide a little more info, and to have ALCInject included inside it. That way, all you see is a single kext. Do the usual dance to install it. Remove any other ALCInject, or HDAEnabler you may have in your extensions.

I haven't been in a position to test the headphone output as yet. That would be the one that outputs from the header directly on the motherboard, and I lack the appropriate cable. If it works, that would make 6 channels of audio output available, and you could then create an aggregate device in Audio/MIDI Setup that would do 5.1.

I am really sorry about taruga, I hope he will be ok.
and ,I also wonder him issue.

and about you;

how did you hack to combine the ALCinject in AppleHDA.kext.

can you share your information to make better my mac knowledge. because I am a programmer but not for mac and, for 2 months , I am a mac lover because I left formatting windows and reinstalling:) Thanks god!get rid of for wasting of time.

anyway, my mainboard is GA-EP45-DS3R.

i am trying your solution , I hope it will work.

thanks for help.

your kext working alone and I like that. and I really want to know your hackin experience and knowledge about it.

another thing is your kext show which one is green and black port:)
that's cool:)

and I want to ask you I can get sound from them but How can I make 5.1 sound?

Glad it's working for you. The hacking was very simple, really. No coding required.

First, I found a proper codec dump for an ALC889 - not an 885 (someone on a linux board had posted it). Next, I simply used Taruga's HDA Patcher version 1.20 with it to get the channels working. Then, I noodled around inside the AppleHDA kext package for the strings that describe the various ports. Turns out it's all in the "localizable.strings" files in the various language subfolders. I sat here with headphones and audio cables figuring out which was which, and put the colors into the English localizable.strings file. Then, I noticed a Plugins folder inside the AppleHDA kext, which contained other kexts. I stuck ALCInject in there, and it all worked perfectly. It's still a separate kext, but it now lives inside the AppleHDA one. Happiness ensues.

See? Nothing earth-shattering or complicated. All just simple, pragmatic thinking.

Regarding 5.1 sound, you need to use Audio/Midi Setup in your Utilities folder. There's a tutorial for it here;

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=87336

...complete with screenshots. If you find that your headphone outputs are working, that will give you a total of 6 channels to work with, which will enable you to create an aggregate device which outputs 5.1. Then, plug the various speakers into the right plugs and you're good to go. In theory.

thanks for information:)

and there is strange thing. I tested another kext after they failed, I re-install your kext and know your kext does not work for me:)

I dont understand what is changed. I can say there is no problem. I checked any old installation kext and If I found , I removed them. I can say all kext installation is clear.

now I am trying another taruga kext and I want to send my linux dump for alc889a and If you want to try it I am uploading.

these are mine dump files. one of them is IntelHDA_5and1.txt and I dumped after installation of realtek driver and I tested on linux 5.1 waas working then I dumped.

the another one is same after latest driver installation , I dumped for any changes but they didnt solved my problem.

now, currently your hda also does not work.

I just want to get 5.1 ,Why I can get , I dont understand , is there any other way?

the tutorial that you told me , I knew that I do after each kext installation. :) but it didnt work also:) I cant get the volume as enabled situation. they seems but they are disabled.

You're positive you did everything you needed to to change your kexts? Something must be different. When I change kexts, I usually use the OSx86Tools application to make sure I've remembered everything. I usually check the following;

Set Extensions Permissions
Clear Extensions Cache
Touch Extensions Folder

...then I click "Run Selected Tasks," and reboot. Always works for me.

I currently know of no other way to get 5.1 sound working with an 889a, and in fact I have not done so myself. So far, I've only checked four channels in and out.

Also, notice your dumps both say 885. I'm not sure why they work under linux better than they would on OSx86. We'll just have to wait patiently for help from Taruga.

OK - I just did a test. I have a 4-channel (Quadraphonic) aggregate device defined in Audio MIDI Setup using the green and black plugs. I selected this as my default output in System Preferences. It is true that System Preferences does not show any volume slider for the aggregate device. I'm not sure why, but that hardly matters, since the volume is usually able to be controlled from the application playing the audio.

I then opened an MP3 in Quicktime Player. I then went to Windows > Show Movie Properties. In the resultant window, I selected Sound Track, and then Audio Settings, to get to the list of channel assignments.

I then plugged my earphones into the green plug, and played the file. It sounded fine. I then switched right and left channels to right surround and left surround respectively. Now I heard silence. I then plugged my phones into the black plug, and lo-and-behold, the sound was playing there, as expected.

My aggregate device works perfectly, and I now have the ability to play quadrophonic mixes (Dark Side of the Moon, here I come...). I fully expect that if I get the headphone output working, I'll have a full six channels, and can assign them properly for 5.1 output.

I'm not sure what you're doing, exactly, but I'm having success.

I didnt try quadraphonic with your kext but now I cant get workingwith your kext.

LS8V14 kext is working now but I couldnt get success with quadraphonic.

I can only get to aggregate device I just select speaker and line out put but I couldnt get sound 4 ch. only 2 ch from speaker and green one.

can you send you screenshot for aggregate device settings and sound pref.

thanks for help

can you also upload screenshot of Audio (built-in ) screen from "more info" window.

By "more info" you mean System Profiler? It says "No Built-In Audio" even though it all works anyway.

The screen shots are attached.

yes it is same with me. that's interesting, my audio (built-in) shows the details but it does not work:((((

do you know how can I debug or do something.

OK, try this. It's another version of my hacked AppleHDA kext, only instead of putting ALCInject inside, I put HDAEnabler in there. Now, not only does it work for me, but my System Profiler shows that there is audio hardware installed!

Remember to remove all other ALCInject, HDEnablers, etc... and clear the kext cache, repair permissions, and all that good stuff...

OK - I've been digging further, and I've discovered several things;

• Taruga's patcher application was made with Platypus - a script wrapper.

• It contains an ini file, which has variables pertaining to "lineout1," "lineout2," and "lineout3." #1 is set to on, whereas 2 & 3 are off.

• The 889a codec dump I found contains nodes for the orange and grey jacks.

All the data seems to be there, but running the patcher app only gives the results we've gotten so far. I tried changing the ini file to enable 2 & 3, but the patcher did nothing different. If I had any idea what the script was doing, it might be possible to force the issue, but alas I have no clue.

So, all the data and ability to get the remaining outputs working appears to be there, but it just won't work. I'd either need the source files for the patcher (and even then I have my doubts,) or for Taruga to get back in the game.

yes, you are doing something:)

there is interesting thing. in this time , kext loaded but the jack is not recognized.

I am sending System profiler screenshot.

I think there is a tutorial about the patching HDA.

we should look at Taruga tutorial and I had found another guy , I think in netkas forum. but I didnt understand what happens.

I will look at again and try find then I will share with you the URL of page.

Odd that your System Profiler shows two devices.

At netkas - do you mean this thread?

http://forum.netkas.org/index.php?topic=226.0

I've read it as well. It's definitely another clue to this whole mystery. I'm planning to play with these ideas today, as time permits, and see where they lead me.

yeah this is.

yes I se two driver, I am thinking that one of them is graphic card Audio.
because it has different pc id.

I hope you will find the solution. for these day I am busy then maybe tuesday I will be totaly free.

do you know Taruga v2.0 patcher? and I didnt find the download link:(

do you have?

I dunno. Without some serious help from above (meaning Taruga and his minions) I don't see much point in it. It would take forever, since I'd have to cover all sorts of ground that's already been covered by others. Seems a waste.

Still, I have a few ideas as to how I might be useful. Let me think it over for awhile...

P.S. (No clue about the 2.0 version. AFAIK, no-one has it but Taruga.)

ok I am waiting.

I found these

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.p...ic=129058&st=0

http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=127819

I wil try them

AHA! That first link you posted is our path to glory. Someone is actually working on the 889a. Excellent. Although it's a step backward from the way he intends them to be used, I took his 889a kexts and put them into my s/l/e folder, and everything works brilliantly - including System Profiler, and my digital coaxial output. Functionally, it actually works the same as my previous solution did, except with a vanilla AppleHDA.kext from 10.5.5. For me, that's a step forward.

Now if only someone would devote some attention to the optical digital output.

I didnt understand did you get 3 kext and pur s/l/e folder. not combine with AppleHDA.kext and did you deleted the AppleHDA.kext , can you make it clear your test?

I also am using ideneb 10.5.5.

what is situation?

I downloaded Stickpin's "Realtek ALC885/889A BETA V5" kexts. I then removed all other audio kexts in my s/l/e folder. No ALCInject, no AppleHDA, no HDAEnabler - nothing. I then put in the ones I downloaded from stickpin, AND a vanilla AppleHDA.kext for 10.5.5 that I grabbed off my (real) MacBook. I launched OSx86 Tools and ran "Set Extensions Permissions," "Clear Extension Cache," and "Touch Extensions Folder" - just to be sure. Upon reboot, the whole thing worked as advertised. To be fair, the only improvement to my previous setup is that I have better info in my System Profiler, but evidently Stickpin is working on getting the other audio outputs working. There's light at the end of the tunnel.

can you send orginal AppleHDA.kext? I want to see the light:)

Well, I doubt InfiniteMac would want me to post actual Apple intellectual property here. There must be one out there somewhere.

it doesn't have to be placed here... thats what PM'ing is for in this case.

Well, dammit.

Installing Little Snitch appears to have broken Stickpin's wonderful little solution. Reverting to my "Third Hack" works as it did before, Snitch be damned. I'll be sticking with that, I suppose.

Pity. Stickpin's thing looked so promising.

what is the last news? i didnt understand anything yet?

do you send PM for kext? or anything else?

Sorry - been busy. I glanced at the PM thing yesterday, and couldn't immediately see how to attach a file to a PM, so I went on to other things. Regardless, you must have a real AppleHDA kext somewhere, no?

you don't attach a file to a PM... you can provide a link to a file (easily hosted on such online hosts as rapidshare or mediafire)... as links within the forum directly to files that may disturb Apple's Copyright Agreement are not allowed.

That's what I concluded the other day. As I said, I didn't really take the time to go that far.

And - more bad news. My non-stickpin solution works for basic system audio, but it crashes Logic 8 something fierce. That basically leaves me avoiding built-in audio like the plague until it gets solved decisively. Fortunately, I have a Terratec Phase 24, or I'd be in hell.

is there any hope?

Not yet. Just waiting for stickpin to save us.

thanks for information. I am waiting you:)