[Libreboot-dev] How comes `ThinkPad Console Audio Control` in Libreboot T60 cannot be changed from software? (i.e.: using amixer or alsamixer)

[Jorge Araya Navarro]

Hello, guys!

As some may experienced, when you wake or boot your Libreboot T60, the audio is 
mute. This is
because the `ThinkPad Console Audio Control` is muted and set with 0% of 
volume. What we, the users,
do is to gain sound is simply to press the volume up button on the keyboard 
(the one aside the blue
ThinkVantage button).

But I discovered, horrified, that you cannot do the same using amixer or 
alsamixer, not even as
root.

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
 ~  amixer -c 29 get Console,0                     
Simple mixer control 'Console',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 14
  Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [off]
 ~  amixer -c 29 set Console,0 playback 0% mute   
Simple mixer control 'Console',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 14
  Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [off]
 ~  amixer -c 29 set Console,0 playback 100% unmute
amixer: Invalid command!
 ✘  ~  # pressing the buttons on the keyboard...
 ✘  ~  amixer -c 29 get Console,0                     
Simple mixer control 'Console',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 14
  Mono: Playback 12 [86%] [on]
 ~ 
 --8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

`amixer: Invalid command!`, wtf?!

With `alsamixer` no matter how many times I push the ↑ key or the M key, the 
channel Console is
never unmute and/or gain volume.

The sound issue is annoying and worth fixing anyway, but this impossibility of 
changing by software
the Console channel of ThinkPad Console Audio makes almost impossible any 
workaround[1].

I hope this is a issue in Libreboot.

[1]: https://wiki.parabola.nu/User:Shackra/libreboot-volume-problem
-- 
👋 Pax et bonum.
Jorge Araya Navarro
https://es.gravatar.com/shackra