Re: ALSA setup fails for user
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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