Re: ALSA setup fails for user

From: Haines Brown (brownh_at_hartford-hwp.com)
Date: 09/05/05

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    To: debian-user@lists.debian.org
    Date: Mon,  5 Sep 2005 10:13:18 -0400 (EDT)
    
    

    I apologize if this message goes out twice. The only way I can post to
    the debian-user list is via smtp, but I normally read it in the
    newsgroup. Too overwhelmed with other problems to be able to turn my
    attention to this issue.

    "a.list.address@gmail.com" <a.list.address@gmail.com> writes:

    > Well, first off, I'm no expert, so take everything I say with a
    > grain of salt.

    Thanks for your willingness to help.

    > Now then, AFAIK, ALSA doesn't care about /dev/dsp* entries. Again,
    > AFAIK, those are part of OSS, not ALSA. If I understand how things
    > work correctly, they kind of run parallel to each other, and are
    > independant.

    It's simple things like this that cause me to go off track. No wonder
    I concluded that changing /dev/dsp0 had no effect ;-(. Do you know
    what interface is being used? Perhaps the various files in /dev/snd/.

    > So I'm guessing you have a problem with ALSA, not permissions.

    So it seems, but the plot thickens.

    > I recommend that you try these to fix it. If one doesn't fix it,
    > try the next.
    >
    > 1. # dpkg-reconfigure alsa-base (might just need to reconfigure it)

    Actually, the reconfiguration did the trick, partly, and I have had
    the same experience as before. For some reason, perhaps with a reboot,
    sound does not work until I reconfigure ALSA.

    > 2. # apt-get update; apt-get install alsa-base (might need to
    > upgrade it)
    > 3. Upgrade your kernel to 2.6.10 or higher. I've never used 2.6.8,
    > but I've never had any problems with 2.6.10 or higher.

    My version of the packages is current for stable. I'm having other
    problems that may be resolved if I upgrade my kernel, but can't risk
    it yet.

    At this point, I can get sound with these:

       $ gxine test.wmv $ aplay test.wav
       
    but two issues remain. One is trying to play a midi file. I find that
    aplaymidi and pmidi give about the same results, which is that I must
    supply an ALSA output port. When I do

     $ aplaymidi -l
     Port Client name Port name
     64:0 Audigy MPU-401 (UART) - Rawmidi Audigy MPU-401 (UART)
     64:32 Audigy MPU-401 (UART) - Rawmidi Audigy MPU-401 #2

    I'd assume that 64 is the port (the :0 part optional), and so this
    should work:

      $ aplayer -p 64 test.mid

    but this just hangs. I could alsop define the environment variable
    ALSA_OUTPUT_PORTS, but how? I have no ~/.asoundrc, and the only alsa
    configuration file seems to be /usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf, but that
    does not look like file meant to be edited.

    The second issue is xmms. If I do:

        $ xmms test.wav
        Message: device: default
        Message: alsa mixer timed out

    And no sound. In ~/.xmms/config I have:

        pcm_device=default
        mixer_card=0
        mixer_device=PCM

    What is the "default device"? The mixer (I've no problems with
    alsa-mixer)? A /dev interface (and if so, which one?). Or the actual
    card (Audigy MPU-401)? Or a mixer-card? Or what may be a device
    inteface such as /dev/snd/pcmC0D0?

    It may be simply that the config file needs modification, and after a
    reboot I'm loosing the custom configuration I create by running
    alsaconf. I suspect I need /etc/asound.conf or ~/.asoundrc. I'm not
    sure what to put in them and their syntax.

    -- 
     
           Haines Brown
           KB1GRM       
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