I installed Elive Retrowave on a friend's old MacBook Pro 2010 primarily so that he could continue the Mac experience that he prefers (he's on Windows 10 now but...). Everything has worked out fine; I've found apps to replace those he was using on both platforms and the fact that he didn't have to send the MacBook to the landfill was a win for Elive!
I've only one problem. The MacBook cannot capture audio through it's sole combo 3.5" jack. This MacBook comes with SPDIF out and I have tried using the jack redirect app from alsa but don't know if I'm using the right settings there.
Also, @Thanatermesis, that first paragraph is a decent review of Elive retrowave. How about a link to download the 3.8.34 64-bit Beta? Please? Thanks!!!
Do you mean "capture" as when a microphone is attached?
You can see the settings and alter them through either via the menu: "audio/sound" - "volume-control"
and see if the correct device is enabled there.
Or use "alsamixer" in a terminal.
Also the macbook might have a physical key or switch to turn off microphone. 
We had a similar thingy a while back: https://forum.elivelinux.org/t/microphone-not-working-confirmed
Yes, I do mean for capturing audio. The devices never show up in Volume Control under input. I've tried various devices (i.e. Cassette deck to line in, two different microphones and a cellular phone headset with mic) but nothing is ever recognized.
The combo 3.5" jack is a combo jack that accomodates sdpif(?) digital audio out. Anytime I attempt to use an audio app that has the capability to use an external mic/line-in audio, the combo jack becomes illuminated with a red light from inside. I've read elsewhere that the light is indicative that spdif is active.
As I mentioned above, I also tried to manually override the jack with jackretasker without success...
Failed to mention that the mics were three poles but I have a four pole adapter and that failed as well. The cellphone headset is of course four pole.
The mics also do not appear under Volume Control > Recording devices (while using OBS Studio).
That would mean that a plugged in jack isn't recognized as such.
Knowing Apple (I've no way to check) they might actually be quite capable of having the contacts aligned differently than all other hardware. So squiggling around with the jacks and slowly inserting it waiting for a reaction might help.
It might actually be a hardware thing i.e the mic should be activated when the connection is shorted but there might be some 4 or 8 ohm related stuff.
Knowing Apple (I've no way to check) they might actually be quite capable of having the contacts aligned differently than all other hardware. So squiggling around with the jacks and slowly inserting it waiting for a reaction might help.
Yes, I read something about there being an actual physical switch that would have to be forced with a small thin object from the three o'clock position to the six o'clock position. Last resort.
It might actually be a hardware thing i.e the mic should be activated when the connection is shorted but there might be some 4 or 8 ohm related stuff.
Have inserted a variety of microphones into the jack: TRS (three pole); TRRS (four pole); TRS female-to-TRRS male adapters (three pole to four pole); cellphone headsets with mic, all to no avail. May have to really learn how to use the jackretasker app.
