Re: [PATCH] ALSA: hda: Allow for codec model selection with module param

[Takashi Iwai <tiwai@suse.de>]

On Mon, 14 Sep 2026 19:58:05 +0200,
Cezary Rojewski wrote:
> 
> On 9/14/2026 6:44 PM, Takashi Iwai wrote:
> 
> >>>> Model selection allows for customization of codec behaviour and thus
> >>>> dealing with various problems on very specific configurations. The
> >>>> parameter already exists but is part of snd_hda_intel specifically.
> >>>> Non-Intel HDAudio controllers and DSP-capable drivers cannot benefit
> >>>> from it.
> >>>>
> >>>> The common place for all the bus drivers is snd_hda_codec. Add modelname
> >>>> parameter there and honor it when initializing codec->modelname field.
> >>>>
> >>>> Link: https://github.com/thesofproject/linux/issues/5683
> >>>> Signed-off-by: Cezary Rojewski <cezary.rojewski@intel.com>
> >>>
> >>> The handling of the model option is a very long-standing PITA.
> >>> A few years ago, I proposed a change like:
> >>>   https://mailman.alsa-project.org/pipermail/alsa-devel/2022-September/206631.html
> >>> but it didn't reach to agreement.  So I'm not 100% sure whether adding
> >>> here is the best choice, either.
> >> Thank you for the link, Takashi.
> >>
> >> IMHO patch presented here addresses the feedback. I too prefer
> >> one-location-for-all approach. Also, I do believe having no option for
> >> specifying the model is worse than choosing either of the approaches for
> >> the model selection.
> >>
> >> snd_hda_codec module is *everywhere* and given the param is an array, it
> >> supports even very complicated scenarios when multiple HDAudio codecs
> >> are engaged.
> > 
> > The multi-codec is exactly the problem I've been seeing (of course in
> > addition to the lack of the option in ASoC HD-audio).  You'll have to
> > be very careful how to pass the option, and it can be even fragile.
> > That's why I hesitated to take this...
> By multi-codec I also meant scenarios where one has 2+ codecs from one
> vendor e.g.: realtek. Having non-array param e.g.: for
> snd_hda_codec_realtek would not suffice.

But those 2+ codecs are for the single device, right?  (e.g. driving
multiple channels with multiple codecs, but all of them are a single
device for user.)

In theory, it can be a hotplug device, and in that case, we may have
two device configurations for multiple codecs of the same codec chip.
But, that's an exception, and I wonder whether we should care for the
model option that is mainly used for debugging or workaround.


thanks,

Takashi