[Steam Machine] HDMI audio profiles are unavailable with Sony A90J eARC Auto; ALSA ELD stays invalid

Your system information

• Steam client version: Exact Steam client UI build was not captured by the read-only file scan; captured Steam client branch/package indicators: steamdeck_stable, steam-jupiter-stable 1.0.0.85-9
• SteamOS version: SteamOS 3.8.14, build 20260703.1 (STEAMOS_DEFAULT_UPDATE_BRANCH=stable)
• Opted into Steam client beta?: No; captured branch information indicates stable (steamdeck_stable)
• Opted into SteamOS beta?: No; captured OS update branch is stable (STEAMOS_DEFAULT_UPDATE_BRANCH=stable)
• Have you checked for updates in Settings > System?: Yes; the system has already been checked/updated to the latest currently available version

Additional system information collected through read-only SSH diagnostics on 2026-07-12 UTC:

Kernel: Linux 6.16.12-valve24.4-1-neptune-616-gfe145653a794
PipeWire: 1:1.6.4-1.6
WirePlumber: 0.5.14-1.4
ALSA: alsa-utils 1.2.14-1; alsa-card-profiles 1:1.6.4-1.6
Mesa: 25.3.0.213835.radeonsi_25.3.0-4.1
libdrm: 2.4.129-1.1
Failing DRM connector: card0-HDMI-A-1 (connected, enabled)
HDMI EDID: readable, 256 bytes, sha256 67652bca2ec8610b84c08b187d21997eeec462e9f39fca3e8ab1377724be71af
ALSA HDMI card: HDA ATI HDMI / Navi 31 HDMI/DP Audio
Checked ALSA ELD paths: /proc/asound/card0/eld#0.0 through eld#0.3
ALSA ELD state: all four HDMI ELD entries report monitor_present=0 and eld_valid=0
PipeWire/Pulse default sink: auto_null / Dummy Output
PipeWire card profile: off; all HDMI stereo / 5.1 / 7.1 profiles show available: no
CEC device present: /dev/cec0 (cros-ec-cec)

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible

I am seeing a consistently reproducible HDMI audio issue on the Steam Machine. The Steam Machine is connected to a Sony A90J TV, and the TV is connected over eARC to a JBL Bar 9.1 soundbar.

Topology:

Steam Machine HDMI output
  -> Sony A90J HDMI input
Sony A90J HDMI 3 eARC
  -> JBL Bar 9.1 soundbar

TV / audio setting:

Sony A90J eARC mode: Auto
Goal: keep eARC enabled and, if the EDID/ELD capabilities allow it, preserve multichannel LPCM output such as 5.1/7.1.

Expected behavior:

When the Sony A90J eARC mode is set to Auto, SteamOS should detect the HDMI audio capabilities and expose usable HDMI / DisplayPort audio profiles, such as stereo, 5.1, or 7.1, depending on the audio capabilities reported through EDID/ELD.

Audio should go from the Steam Machine to the TV, then from the TV over eARC to the JBL Bar 9.1.

Actual behavior:

When the Sony A90J eARC mode is set to Auto, the Steam Machine has no sound.

In Desktop Mode audio settings, the HDMI / DisplayPort audio card profile dropdown only shows “Off”.

PipeWire / WirePlumber does not expose any usable HDMI audio sink/profile.

Additional attempt:

After the initial diagnostics, I also tried using a DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable/adapter from the Steam Machine, but it still did not resolve the no-audio / profile-only-Off behavior.

Read-only diagnostic comparison:

A. Steam Machine + Sony A90J eARC Auto + failing state

- The DRM HDMI connector is connected.
- HDMI EDID is readable.
- All four HDMI ELD entries are invalid:
  - /proc/asound/card0/eld#0.0 through eld#0.3
  - monitor_present=0
  - eld_valid=0
  - no SAD/audio capability entries are present in the ELD output
- HDMI profiles in PipeWire / WirePlumber are all unavailable (available: no).
- The current active audio profile is off.
- The only available PipeWire/Pulse sink exposed is auto_null / Dummy Output.
- HDMI EDID remains readable: 256 bytes, sha256 67652bca2ec8610b84c08b187d21997eeec462e9f39fca3e8ab1377724be71af.

B. Same Steam Machine + same TV input, but Sony A90J eARC set to Off

- Audio works normally.
- ALSA ELD becomes valid.
- Audio capabilities, including multichannel LPCM capability, appear in ELD.
- PipeWire / WirePlumber exposes usable HDMI audio profiles.
- The HDMI 5.1 profile becomes available.

C. Same Sony A90J + JBL Bar 9.1 eARC Auto chain works with other devices

The same TV / soundbar / eARC Auto chain works normally with other sources, including:

- PS5
- Xbox
- Nintendo Switch / Switch 2
- Steam Deck + official Dock

The Steam Deck official Dock is a useful control sample. In that working state, Linux-side diagnostics show the external display path as a DP-derived output; ELD is valid, and a usable multichannel HDMI audio sink is available. Physically, it is also connected over HDMI into the same TV/eARC chain.

This makes the issue look less like a pure PipeWire profile-selection problem and more like an HDMI audio / ALSA ELD propagation or detection failure in the Steam Machine native HDMI path under the Sony A90J eARC Auto condition.

I do not want to overstate the root cause. The consistently reproducible behavior is:

Sony A90J eARC Auto
  -> Steam Machine HDMI video works
  -> EDID is readable
  -> ALSA ELD stays invalid
  -> PipeWire/WirePlumber marks HDMI audio profiles unavailable
  -> only "Off" is available
  -> no sound

The same Steam Machine can output HDMI audio when the TV eARC setting is Off, and the same TV / soundbar / eARC Auto chain works normally with other devices. Therefore, the failure appears to be concentrated in the combination of the Steam Machine / SteamOS native HDMI audio path and the Sony A90J eARC Auto EDID/ELD condition.

Steps for reproducing this issue

1. Connect the Steam Machine HDMI output to a Sony A90J HDMI input.
2. Connect the Sony A90J HDMI 3 eARC port to a JBL Bar 9.1 soundbar.
3. On the Sony A90J, set eARC mode to Auto.
4. Boot the Steam Machine and open Desktop Mode audio settings.
5. Check the HDMI / DisplayPort audio card profile dropdown.
6. Observe that only “Off” is available and there is no sound.
7. Change only the Sony A90J eARC setting from Auto to Off.
8. Observe that HDMI audio becomes available again and sound returns.
9. Change eARC back to Auto.
10. Observe that the Steam Machine returns to the no-audio / profile-only-Off state.

Start by comparing the native HDMI path and /proc/asound/card0/eld#0.0 through eld#0.3 with the working eARC-Off state, then inspect how PipeWire and WirePlumber expose profiles for the connected DRM connector. Done means eARC Auto remains enabled while the ELD becomes valid and usable HDMI stereo or multichannel profiles and audio are exposed.