[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: ALSA setup problem



On Mon, Aug 02, 2004 at 09:35:14AM -0400, Chris Metzler wrote:
> On Sun, 1 Aug 2004 12:12:44 -0600
> Paul E Condon <pecondon@mesanetworks.net> wrote:
> >
> > I'm trying to get sound working under Sarge using ALSA. I'm confident
> > that my cables, speakers, etc. are working because I get sound from
> > Knoppix. I've found some instructions at the alsa web site which seem
> > to include consideration of details specific to Debian. My sound card
> > is CM8738. My kernel-image is 2.4.26-1-686. I have installed the
> > alsa-modules-2.4.26-1-686. I have run alsaconf, and it found my sound
> > card and seemed to configure it. Much of what is in the instructions
> > from alsa web site seem already to have been done by debian install
> > scripts.  But, I tried reexecuting update-modules even though all the
> > recommended lines were already in /etc/modutils/ and I got:
> > 
> > depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in
> > /lib/modules/2.4.26-1-686/alsa/snd-pdaudiocf.o depmod: *** Unresolved
> > symbols in /lib/modules/2.4.26-1-686/alsa/snd-vx-cs.o
> > 
> > This looks bad to me. Is it? What do I do about it?
> 
> It's only bad if you need that module.  For a CM8738, I wouldn't think
> you do.  So I think you're OK.
> 
> Getting soundcards to work under ALSA is *usually* a three-step
> process:  
1.  does the kernel see the soundcard OK (what does lspci
> -vv say about the soundcard)?  

0000:00:13.0 Multimedia audio controller: C-Media Electronics Inc CM8738 (rev 10)
	Subsystem: C-Media Electronics Inc CMI8738/C3DX PCI Audio Device
	Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
	Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
	Latency: 32 (500ns min, 6000ns max)
	Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 10
	Region 0: I/O ports at ec00 [size=256]
	Capabilities: <available only to root>

2.  do you have the right modules
> installed (what does lsmod say)? 
(output of lsmod | grep "snd" )
snd-cmipci             19044   0
snd-pcm-oss            39464   0  (unused)
snd-mixer-oss          13848   0  [snd-pcm-oss]
snd-pcm                61124   0  [snd-cmipci snd-pcm-oss]
snd-page-alloc          6392   0  [snd-pcm]
snd-opl3-lib            6596   0  [snd-cmipci]
snd-hwdep               5248   0  [snd-opl3-lib]
snd-timer              14532   0  [snd-pcm snd-opl3-lib]
gameport                1676   0  [snd-cmipci]
snd-mpu401-uart         3504   0  [snd-cmipci]
snd-rawmidi            13504   0  [snd-mpu401-uart]
snd-seq-device          4160   0  [snd-opl3-lib snd-rawmidi]
snd                    33508   0  [snd-cmipci snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm snd-opl3-lib snd-hwdep snd-timer snd-mpu401-uart snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device]
soundcore               3940   4  [snd] 

3.  have you unmuted everything
> you need to in alsamixer (are Master, PCM, and CD unmuted), and are
> the relevant sliders (Master, PCM, CD and Wave) turned up to
> reasonable values?  You haven't given us enough information yet.
> 
Using alsamixer I have unmuted all channels and put all volume controls at maximum.
But alsamixer does not have a 'Wave' channel. 
Using alsaplayer I load and play an mp3 file of some music.
I see the timer ticking off seconds on alsaplayer display, but there is no sound.
Is there some overall mute control somewhere else? Do I need to have something
special in /dev ? Should I start alsaplayer or alsamixer first? Or does it matter?

Also, alsoconf did find my sound card and it confirms that it uses cm8738.
Below is a copy of /etc/modutils/alsa-base

above snd-pcm snd-pcm-oss

# --- BEGIN: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---
# --- ALSACONF verion 1.0.5 ---
alias char-major-116 snd
alias char-major-14 soundcore
alias sound-service-0-0 snd-mixer-oss
alias sound-service-0-1 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-3 snd-pcm-oss
alias sound-service-0-8 snd-seq-oss
alias sound-service-0-12 snd-pcm-oss
options snd  device_mode=0660
alias snd-card-0 snd-cmipci
alias sound-slot-0 snd-cmipci
# --- END: Generated by ALSACONF, do not edit. ---

I renamed alsa-base (above) and redid alsaconf. The new alsa-base
was identical to the above except for the line "above snd-pcm snd-pdm-oss".
It also didn't work. Same failure mode: visual display looks like it is
playing an mp3, but there is no sound.

I'm happy to oblige requests for more data. 
Thanks for any suggestions.

-- 
Paul E Condon           
pecondon@mesanetworks.net



Reply to: