Re: usb audio device & sound card

[Mark Grieveson <dg135@torfree.net>]

Mark Grieveson wrote:
> > Hi.  I have a cheap usb audio device for Skype, and a regular sound
> > card for the rest of the computer.  I'm using Etch.  I would like to
> > be able to get sound when browsing the internet, or listening to
> > music, or watching movies, from the soundcard, while simultaneously
> > being able to use the usb audio device for Skype.   

> I created a file in my home directory named .asoundrc with the following
> contents: 

> pcm.!default {
>     type hw
>     card 1
> }  

> ctl.!default {
>     type hw
>     card 1
> }  

Thanks again for this suggestion.  I did have a brief glimmer of hope when messing around.

I tried this and it didn't seem to work.  I changed the file (ie, making one of the entries read "card 0" instead of "card 1", and it still didn't work (restarting after each change.)  I proceeded to mess around, without success.  Then, I deleted the file, restarted, and IT WORKED perfect.  The sound card provided sound for all the applications, while the usb-audio-device (the phone) worked with Skype.  I then retested it by restarting the computer once again, and, alas, it went back to normal, that being the usb-audio-device (the phone) providing sound for everything, and the sound card providing sound for nothing.  

The fact that I can't get sound working properly for this computer and its devices has my Windows friends laughing at me (sound, apparently, is a "basic", and if Linux can't even handle that, well, "what good is it?").  So, to help me regain a bit of dignity, please share any knowledge you may have with me.

Thanks,
Mark