Comment 41 for bug 148097

on recent intrepid kernel (2.6.27-6-generic) something changed. it's now detected as ALC888:

aplay -L
default:CARD=NVidia
    HDA NVidia, ALC888 Analog
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC888 Analog
    Front speakers
surround40:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC888 Analog
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC888 Analog
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC888 Analog
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC888 Analog
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, ALC888 Analog
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia
    HDMI Audio Output
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)

but their as no new device:

aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 0: ALC888 Analog [ALC888 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 1: ALC888 Digital [ALC888 Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

perhaps it is fixed with 2.6.28 kernel - their should be hdmi support for newer nvidia chips (MCP79)