Re: aplay fails on amd64 laptop

[Georgi Naplatanov <gosho@oles.biz>]

On 12/21/2017 09:04 PM, Pierre Frenkiel wrote:
> hi,
> the sound works perfectly with vlc or audacity, but I can't make aplay
> to work.
> the "aplay -l" output is:
>    **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
>    card 0: HDMI [HDA ATI HDMI], device 3: Generic Digital [Generic Digital]
>    Subdevices: 1/1
>    Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
>    card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC233 Analog [ALC233
> Analog]
>    Subdevices: 1/1
>    Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
> 
> and both audacity and vlc actually use the  HD-Audio output.
> 
> After configuring ~/.aoundrc like this:
> 
> pcm.!default {
>         type hw
>         card 1
> }
> 
> ctl.!default {
>         type hw
>         card 1
> }
> 
> running "aplay file.wav" gives:
>    aplay: set_params:1081: Sample format non available
>    Available formats:
>    - S16_LE
>    - S32_LE
> 
> I get the same thing with all .wav files I try.
> 
> This problem is specific to my amd64 laptop, as I don't have it on my
> desktop,
> running the same OS version (Stretch), and with the same files.
> 
> Looking at Google didn't gave me any useful information.
> Has anybody an idea?
> 

Hi Pierre,

if you are using PulseAudio just remove any exiting content of
~/.asoundrc and put this:

pcm.pulse {
    type pulse
}

ctl.pulse {
    type pulse
}

pcm.!default {
    type pulse
}

ctl.!default {
    type pulse
}

This redirects ALSA to PulseAudio - see
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/PulseAudio/Examples

then just run:

$ aplay test.wav

OR

$ aplay --device=pcm:pulse test.wav

and you should hear the wave file.

BUT if you are not using PulseAudio then aplay parameters should look
like this:

$ aplay --device=hw:X,Y test.wav

Where X is your sound device number and Y is sub-device number.

For example output of

$ aplay -l

is this on my computer:

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC887-VD Analog [ALC887-VD Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 1: ALC887-VD Digital [ALC887-VD Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Headset [Logitech USB Headset], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

and

$ aplay --device=hw:2,0 test.wav

works just fine.

hw:2,0 is my USB headset on my computer.

Kind regards
Georgi