Surface 3 Audio Not Working

AdrianG

Can't get audio to work on internal speakers or headphone jack. Searched all around the forums not able to find an answer. Anyone else get audio to work with Surface 3?

AdrianG

Found this post: https://batocera-linux.xorhub.com/forum/d/2196-no-sound-upon-startup
Tried editting /recalbox/share/system/batocera.conf

change the following in the # ------------ C - Audio ------------ # section

audio.device=hdmi was commented out. tried auto, hdmi and jack
audio.volume=100 was 0
audio.bgmusic=0 was 1

Did not work unfortunately

AdrianG

If it helps I found some log entries that may be related to the audio issue:

This is logged in the /userdata/system/configs/emulationstation/es_log.txt

lvl2: Launching /recalbox/scripts/recalbox-config.sh canupdate
lvl2: Cannot update
lvl2: req sound [video.launch]
lvl2: (missing)
lvl2: Attempting to launch game...
lvl0: VolumeControl::init() - Failed to find mixer elements!

The following is logged in /userdata/system/logs/batocera.log

setting audio volume : 0

The following is logged in /userdata/system/logs/es_launch_stderr.log

ALSA lib seq_hw.c:466🙁snd_seq_hw_open) open /dev/snd/seq failed: No such file or directory

AdrianG

Also just noticed this error when trying to run the out of the box included Commodore 64 game SUPER_MARIO_BROS_64-ZEROPAIGE:

VICE ERROR
Sound: initialization, failed for device 'alsa'

AdrianG

I have tried going into the Mixer and unmuting both the speakers and the headphone and turning up the output level but that has not worked. The sound card that it shows is chtrt5645. Perhaps my question should be changed to how to get audio working for the chtrt5645 card?

Thanks

AdrianG

Tried going into Kodi Media Center as suggested in other posts. Tried playing a video. No sound from Kodi either. Made sure the volume is not muted and is turned up using the keyboard shortcuts. Get the speaker icon in the top middle when pressing the keyboard shortcuts so that part is working. Went into Settings > System Settings > Audio, the Audio output device is "Default (chtrt6545 Analog)" it is greyed out and can't be changed.

Any other suggestions?

Kugelblitz

Is this an Atom-based Surface 3 (no Pro)? This might not work, it has an odd audio solution with not a lot of driver support outside of Windows.

AdrianG

Yes it is the Surface 3 (not Surface 3 Pro.) I guess it would work better on a Pro? Now to decide whether to abandon trying to use batocera or try to find a used Surface Pro to buy for what seems to me to be the ultimate traveling retro game solution... :-)

Kugelblitz

I guess you will not get the GO working with Batocera as the underlying Buildroot system seems to have no drivers for that weird chipset inside it.

I am running Batocera on two Surface Pro 2 (TWO!) - these are the old black ones with 16:9 screens. Perfect portable stations, can do Wii games (with a Dolphinbar) and can use the SD-Card (not as BOOT but as Data drive).

Workflow: Turn off secure boot, install Bato X64 on a USB drive, boot from the USB. Connect to Network (most USB dongles work fine, WiFi works too), use "Install" function to install to internal SDD (will KILL Windows!!!). Format large SD Card with EXT4 filesystem (need special tool for that), insert and ask Batocera to use that as a data drive.

I am VERY happy with that setup.

Surface 3 Pro should work too, but it is not a 16:9 screen which makes Batocera display with huge black bars.