HDMI killed real high definition audio

alsa-mixer-select-sound-card-png.10870

As you can see, the only sound card I can choose is the audio from my graphics card. Anyway, that is a moot point now.
I've come to the conclusion that my problem is not a problem, it's as designed (configured). I should have given the following information at the beginning. The distro I'm using is MX 21. I upgraded from MX 19 (not upgraded, but replaced. formatted and did a fresh install of MX 21) . When I first noticed this 'problem', I tried another distro I'm familiar with, Manjaro and had the same situation. Then I reinstalled MX 19 where I could choose audio from my motherboard. Same situation. I also tried EndeavourOS. No love there either. So, can only assume that it is the kernel configuration and/or Linux Firmware that is the cause. Ofcourse distros configure their own kernels. Is this a trend now? Go with HDMI Audio and forsake any other audio hardware? That certainly makes it easier for the distros. I don't know if it's just the distros or the base kernel. The only way to determine that is to install and configure a fresh kernel. But, here is something that makes me wonder.....

Kernel.org main page.png


Look at the dates that these versions have been updated. All this month. Hmmm, why would that be?
 


Ok, I think I'm done with this, for now. I wont close this thread, yet. Thank you to everyone that has posted in this thread. It shows the togetherness in the Linux community.
 
Mr. Wizard, you are correct. Are 'bits' also being removed?
Anyway, I have attached the text of the kernel config file from /boot/config-5.10.0-9-amd64.
 

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I am surprised that MX failed its one of the best for older hardware [and the HAS version is brilliant on anything under 2 years old]
I can only offer general help with Arched based builds as it not one I am over familiar with [as the old English joke goes...I tried it once and didn't like it]
 
I had the same issue with sound on my Manjaro partition. I cleared that partition to try MX19, ans still got the same results. Also with EndeavourOS.
 
@cddickey
there is only one distribution i would feel confident in saying would [should] work and that is Emabuntis, it is designed to resurrect old computers and laptops for third world school children, it will even work on most pentium 1 and amd 586 kit, it is the bigest download of any linux distribution at nearly 4gb as it contains drivers for 99% of components ever used
 
No luck with Emmabuntus. I'm not saying it's a conspiracy, but it is conspicuous. It really makes me sad, that Linux has gone the way of MS. Going for the easy way out. You know MS would come out with an upgrade that would 'fix' something and in the process 'break' others. What pisses me off most is that the developers have taken up this paradigm. They have forsaken the idea of supporting ALL hardware, and gone with what is popular and easy. Namely HDMI audio in this case. Well, I can still watch my DVD collection (223 movies, so far) , which I converted to .mkv file format, and get stereo audio, but my music won't play to my 5.1 audio speakers, only through my monitor's HDMI connection. I'm thinking it's time to build a new machine. This one is 13 years old. And I'm almost 70, so I guess I should be happy I got this much use out of it.
Peace to all of you. Live long and prosper.
 
Well sorry to say you have me beat
 
'pavucontrol' is installed. I was asking what distro is 'dos2unix' showing there.
Fedora with MATE, but there are similar control in other distro's and other desktops.
 
Today, I picked up a soundbar to use with my TV/Monitor. It takes optical audio in (TOSLINK), which my TV has 'out', so I have HDMI to my TV/Monitor and optical out to the soundbar. It sounds much better, and I can live with that. Played some music with Clementine and it sounded decent. Disconnected my 5.1 speakers. I'll probably end up throwing them in the trash. Yes, I took an easy way out. Oh well, thanks all.
 

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