Re: sound issues

[Celejar <celejar@gmail.com>]

On Fri, 2 Mar 2012 14:19:32 -0800
Kelly Clowers <kelly.clowers@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Fri, Mar 2, 2012 at 13:52, Celejar <celejar@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Fri, 2 Mar 2012 13:36:34 -0800
> > Kelly Clowers <kelly.clowers@gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> On Fri, Mar 2, 2012 at 12:56, Celejar <celejar@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > On Fri, 2 Mar 2012 08:11:18 -0800
> >> > Kelly Clowers <kelly.clowers@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >> On Fri, Mar 2, 2012 at 05:35, Raffaele Morelli
> >> >> <raffaele.morelli@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >> >
> >> >> > if you want two or more audio apps to share the same sound device, start
> >> >> > qjackctl, tell vlc to use jack output module and do the same with other apps
> >> >> > if needed.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > In qjackctl connection panel you should see all your alsa compliant apps
> >> >> > listed as readable clients and the sound device as writeable clients.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Using skype together with other apps is also possible even if it's a little
> >> >> > more tricky, have a look at
> >> >> > http://alsa.opensrc.org/Jack_and_Loopback_device_as_Alsa-to-Jack_bridge
> >> >> >
> >> >> > I can run skype togeter with other jack/alsa compliant apps, record them
> >> >> > and/or route audio output between them using Qjackctl.
> >> >> >
> >> >>
> >> >> That sounds excessively complicated. PA will work fine (and automatically),
> >> >> it just needs to be setup correctly. I set mine up long ago, and it has never
> >> >> given me problems (well, a few times the PA volume got muted and had to
> >> >> be unmuted, but that is about it).
> >> >
> >> > I use just plain alsa, and while I don't use skype, multiple
> >> > applications can use my sound devices simultaneously. No special
> >> > configuration; it just works.
> >>
> >> Either a sound card with hardware mixing, or you got lucky with
> >> alsa's dmix. It has been known to work on occasion...
> >
> > I don't know what dmix is; it doesn't seem to exist on my system. Sound
> > hardware is:
> >
> > 00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801H (ICH8 Family) HD Audio
> > Controller (rev 03)
> >
> > I'm pretty sure I had automatic mixing on my previous system, which
> > also had some sort of Intel sound, although I don't have the info
> > available here ATM.
> 
> I doubt that has hardware mixing. Dmix is part of alsa, you should have
> it unless you recompiled alsa without it or something.

Okay - so dmix it is; I'm using stock Debian packages for everything,
with no specific configuration for my setup. I though that dmix was
some sort of command / daemon / package. But you say it only works on
occasion? I've never seemed to have any problem with it at all.

Celejar