CS8409 Audio Drivers for MacBook Pro 15" 2016 on Ubuntu 22.04

This repository contains Linux audio drivers for the Cirrus Logic CS8409 HDA bridge chip found in MacBook Pro 15" 2016 models. These drivers enable proper audio functionality on Ubuntu 22.04 and other Linux distributions.

CS8409 Audio Drivers for MacBook Pro 15" 2016 on Ubuntu 22.04

Technologies Used

C C++ Assembly
View Code

Supported Hardware

  • MacBook Pro 15" 2016 with Cirrus Logic CS8409 audio chipset
  • Internal speakers
  • Headphone jack with microphone support
  • Internal microphone


Prerequisites

Before installing the drivers, ensure you have the necessary build tools installed:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r) git

If you encounter compilation errors, install GCC and G++ explicitly:

sudo apt install gcc g++ make


Installation

Quick Installation (Recommended)

  • Clone the repository:
git clone https://github.com/nurxan02/snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409.git
cd snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409
  • Compile the drivers:
make
  • Install the drivers:
sudo make install
  • Reboot your system:
sudo reboot


Manual Installation Steps

If the quick installation doesn't work, try these detailed steps:

  • Prepare the system:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install dkms build-essential linux-headers-$(uname -r)
  • Clone and build:
git clone https://github.com/nurxan02/snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409.git
cd snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409
make clean  # Clean any previous builds
make
  • Install the module:
sudo make install
sudo depmod -a
sudo modprobe snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409
  • Restart audio services:
sudo systemctl restart alsa-state
pulseaudio -k


Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

  • Build fails with missing headers:
sudo apt install linux-headers-$(uname -r) linux-headers-generic
  • GCC/G++ not found:
sudo apt install gcc g++ build-essential
  • Module not loading:
sudo dmesg | grep cs8409
sudo modinfo snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409
  • Audio still not working after installation:
# Check if module is loaded
lsmod | grep cs8409

# Force reload the module
sudo modprobe -r snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409
sudo modprobe snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409

# Restart PulseAudio
pulseaudio -k
pulseaudio --start

Checking Audio Devices

After installation, verify your audio devices:

# List audio devices
aplay -l
cat /proc/asound/cards

# Test audio output
speaker-test -c 2 -t wav

# Check PulseAudio devices
pactl list sinks
pactl list sources


Uninstalling

To remove the drivers:

cd snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409
sudo make clean
sudo rm -f /lib/modules/$(uname -r)/updates/snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409.ko
sudo depmod -a


Kernel Updates

After kernel updates, you may need to rebuild and reinstall the drivers:

cd snd-hda-codec-cirrus-logic-cs8409
make clean
make
sudo make install
sudo reboot


Technical Information

Driver Components

  • patch_cs8409.c: Main driver implementation
  • patch_cs8409-tables.c: Hardware configuration tables
  • patch_cs8409.h: Header definitions and pin configurations

Supported Features

  • Stereo audio playback through speakers
  • Headphone detection and switching
  • Microphone input (internal and headset)
  • Volume and mute controls
  • Jack detection for headphone plug/unplug events

Build Configuration

The driver includes support for:

  • Apple-specific pin sense fixups (APPLE_PINSENSE_FIXUP)
  • Apple codec configurations (APPLE_CODECS)
  • HDA reconfiguration support (CONFIG_SND_HDA_RECONFIG)


Contributing

This driver is based on the work from the Linux kernel mainline and community contributions. For issues or improvements, please refer to the original repository.


License

This project is licensed under GPL-2.0-or-later. See the source files for complete license information.

Credits

  • Installation Guide: Prepared by Nurxan Masimzade
  • Original Development: Cirrus Logic, Inc. and Linux kernel community

Support

For Ubuntu 22.04 specific issues or MacBook Pro 15" 2016 audio problems, you can:

  1. Check the GitHub issues page
  2. Consult Ubuntu community forums
  3. Review ALSA documentation for additional configuration


Note: These drivers are specifically tested on MacBook Pro 15" 2016 models with Ubuntu 22.04. Compatibility with other models or distributions may vary.

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