Re: what if `alsactl init' doesn't configure sound?

[Emanoil Kotsev <deloptes@yahoo.com>]

Liviu Andronic wrote:

> for 2.6.30:
> liviu@debian-liv:~$ cat /proc/asound/devices
>   0: [ 0]   : control
>   1:        : sequencer
>   4: [ 0- 0]: hardware dependent   <--- different
>  16: [ 0- 0]: digital audio playback
>  17: [ 0- 1]: digital audio playback
>  24: [ 0- 0]: digital audio capture
>  32: [ 1]   : control
>  33:        : timer
>  36: [ 1- 0]: hardware dependent   <--- different
>  51: [ 1- 3]: digital audio playback
> 
> Liviu

Yes, you have a new device (I think this HDMI thing)

I don't have experience with ati sound chips. I have a machine with pretty
modern intel (with hdmi)

cat /proc/asound/devices
  2:        : timer
...
  6: [ 0- 0]: digital audio playback
  7: [ 0- 0]: digital audio capture
  8: [ 0- 3]: hardware dependent
  9: [ 0- 2]: hardware dependent
 10: [ 0]   : control

cat /proc/asound/cards
 0 [Intel          ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel
                      HDA Intel at 0xff650000 irq 22

Have a look at the chip model

cat /proc/asound/card*/codec* | grep Codec
Codec: IDT 92HD73E1X5
Codec: Intel G45 DEVELK


Google about configuring this codec in my case (Codec: IDT 92HD73E1X5)

Also you can check the documentation in the kernel.

        shell>>> :# /usr/src/linux$ less
Documentation/sound/alsa/ALSA-Configuration.txt

Most probably you'll fit in this section

  Module snd-hda-intel
  --------------------

    Module for Intel HD Audio (ICH6, ICH6M, ESB2, ICH7, ICH8, ICH9, ICH10,
                        PCH, SCH),
                ATI SB450, SB600, R600, RS600, RS690, RS780, RV610, RV620,
                        RV630, RV635, RV670, RV770,
                VIA VT8251/VT8237A,
                SIS966, ULI M5461

I'll bet that your problems could be solved by loading the module with
proper options applied.

I'm usually adding a custom file called sound to my machine
in /etc/modprobe.d/
   /etc/modprobe.d/sound

where usually the problem is solved by telling the driver to use the
reference to the board and guess the best model (subset)

cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound
        # ALSA portion
alias char-major-116 snd
alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel
alias snd-card-1 snd-usb-audio
       # module options should go here
#ex. options snd-hda-intel index=0 model=dell-m6,ref,auto
options snd-hda-intel index=0 model=ref
options snd-usb-audio index=1,2

hope it helps.

regards