Re: ALSA Woes

From: John Bailo (jabailo_at_texeme.com)
Date: 05/10/05 

Date: Mon, 09 May 2005 22:48:56 -0700

Ok.

The story so far.

I went and completely reinstalled my Suse 9.2 from the ftp iso.

I think I'm a step ahead.

The sound card (CMI8738) was detected. After the install, I was able to
log right into Suse. I saw the card listed. This time, when running
through the configuration, instead of throwing an error and saying to use
command line YaST, it went to the Finish button; however, it did not
actually start, it just reported itself as Stopped. I think I fixed it
though.

Then, as long as I am being canonical here ( in the sense of doing
everything the SuSE/Novell way, and trying not to use any 'add-ons' other
than what's in the distro. I went and set up my monitor, which is a
behemoth 21" CRT. It's a ViewSonic 21 but I didn't see it listed. I
bought it refurb so luckily I found the specs on a web site and entered in
the refresh rate, vsync and hsync and screen dimensions ( 18.8" x 19.8" --
luckily I had pen and paper and remembered that 1 inch = 2.54 mm ! ). I
tried going for the top specs, 1600x1200, and 4million colors. The SaX2
test came out funny, so I went with the basics: 1024x860 but kept the 4
million colors. I decided to check 3-D acceleration which has /never/
worked with my ATI 9200 card ( it just unchecks itself ).

Ok, reboot.

Well, there was no start up sound ( but I hadn't heard that since Suse 9.0 )
so I wasn't too hopeful. Then I was mucking around and shut down the
KInternet dialer ( I don't need it because I have always on DSL ) and must
have hit an error because I heard a little broken glass sound. Cool, I
have sound...even if its only wave files.

Then I try to play an mp3 stream. I go to http://somafm.com and click on a
stream. Amorok launches...but instead of /playing/ the stream, it seems
to just continually *download* it like a file! Any help here would be
appreciated.

Then, I test the ATI card with glxgears...WOW, 1200 fps. Nowhere near the
special driver that can go up to 2300, but that might be good enough ...
and the point of this distro is for me not to be making kernel mods, just
going with the standards.

So, I think I have sound, but have no way to really test it (!).

I think I have acceleration as well, but I have to install UT2004 to see if
its any good.

John Bailo wrote:

>
> This is yet another thread in my continuing effort to get a fully
> functional sound card under Suse 9.2
>
> The story so far:
>
> After struggling with my Via chipset, which through web search and
> Advocate recommendation, I have come to the conclusion is unworkable and
> not worth using, I disabled it in my BIOS and purchased a Sound Blaster
> 24-bit Live! I did not go out of my way to find this card, I just went
> around the street and bought the only card they carried, at Staples.
>
> Big mistake. This card looks like an Audigy, but has the ca0106 chip
> and Creative has refused to release the driver.
>
> Months go by...I try OSS...it eventually stops working...I get the
> cvsbuild of ALSA....compile and install my drivers...it works, but
> poorly...I long for the day of a driver that doesn't require special
> handling...but that day never comes!
>
> So, I go to the hardware list...I try to order a Terratec Fun from one
> of the very few vendors in the US. I even order 2day air. I check
> back and find they ( Terratec USA ) no longer carry the product...sigh.
>
> Then, I decide to eschew all big computing stores and web vendors and
> call the nearest local parts store...hoping they will have alternative
> manufacturers to Creative.
>
> Eureka, I find one in Auburn, WA. He carries a clone card with the
> CMI8738 chip. Yes! It's on the list!
>
> I rush after work to buy one, and great...it's only $12.
>
> I race home and install it. Boot into Suse...and---mmm...not detected!
> Ok, I boot into Windows, run the driver disk...not detected! Oh, ok,
> I didn't push it all the way into the slot. (No comments.)
>
> I boot into Suse, and WOW! it's detected -- right manufacturer chip and
> everything...my mouth starts to water...but then...NOOO...after taking
> me to the Suse control panel, and letting me select Quick Install -- it
> fails...and tells me to go run Yast on the command line...they threw
> salt on my tongue!
>
> Ok, I try. Yast doesn't or won't find the card...but I
> remember...gee...all that ALSA dev crap...so, I go through the build and
> do a bunch of "make uninstalls" and then delete all the snd references
> from /etc/modprobe.conf.local
>
> I boot up...get to the login...and now...ouch..GNOME won't load! It
> just comes back to the login screen...ok, I guess I liked KDE better
> anyway...mmmm...doesn't seem to detect the card...so I go to Control
> Center/Hardware. I let it search and it does find the card, but when I
> get to starting the sound system it fails again and tells me to run the
> Yast at the command line!
>
> Well, I take a break and boot into XP just to confirm the card is alive,
> the XP detects the new hardware but then it takes me into one of the
> circular reasoning "wizards". It offers me advice about an Express
> "recommended" get the driver from the Internet choice, but then after
> two screens says I should go back if I have a CD and use that...mmm...I
> cancel and go direct to the CD. I install it and it wants me to reboot
> -- I do. When it boots it plays some crazy electronic music, that
> sounds very new and foreign and I like. I want to test it, so I load
> up Rhapsody's Classic Vault. After first, I am not impressed -- but
> then I play with the settings and find that this $12 card is actually
> producing much cleaner, distinct sounds than the Sound Blaster 24-bit!
> ( Is 24-bit all marketing ?! ).
>
> Anyway, I boot back into Suse, and drop to the line command and do the
> Yast install. It autodetects the card! Then I boot into KDE, and try
> the mixer -- doesn't work...says I need some libsound module. I'm not
> complaining since I probably wrenched the whole OS with all my doo-dads
> and OSS and ALSA add ons.
>
> I fear that I may need to do a complete reinstall, which would be great,
> because I feel confident now that this sound card will work in Suse for
> me.
>
> At the same time I dread having to load all the stuff I've layered into
> my machine ( dvd decoder, bitstream stuff, ATI accelerated drivers ).
>
> Hey, but SuSE is for the /experts/ right!
>
> Give me a day or two and I'll get to a complete rebuild -- right now I'm
> listening to Pink Floyd on Rhapsody.
>
> "Home Home Again,
> I like to be here when I can."
>
>
>