[mythtv-users] AHH! What happened to my dmix audio??

DaveD mythtv at guiplot.com
Sun Aug 26 21:36:58 UTC 2007


Almost forgot - you need to reboot with a rescue disk to delete the 
asound.state because it gets saved as the sound driver is unloading.  
You might be able to rmmod it, then delete it.  I have another distro 
installed and boot under that, delete /etc/alsa/asound.state, then boot 
back into my main distro.  I just installed Fedora 7 and it happened 
again so this is, once again, fresh in my mind.  I'll write protect it 
as soon as I reboot!

DaveD

DaveD wrote:
> Did xine crash?  Is it set up to use passthrough?  These two factors are 
> what killed my audio before.  It seems xine sets up alsa for its own, 
> exclusive use and when it crashes there's nothing to put it back.  When 
> you reboot, the existing (broken) alsa configuration is stored in 
> /etc/asound.state (or maybe asound.conf, I'm not sure as this hasn't 
> happened for some time, now) and that same, broken configuration is 
> restored when alsa restarts.  Took me a long time to figure out the 
> first time, but I just deleted the asound.state (maybe .conf?) and 
> rebooted.   Presto!  Sound was back to normal.  After this happened 
> again, I saved a copy of the asound.conf (state?) and write protected 
> the working version.  Hope this fixes your problem.
>
> DaveD
>
> Jon Boehm wrote:
>   
>> Hi,
>>
>> Everything been working great for quite a while.  I use a spdif
>> connection between my htpc and my receiver.  I used dmix as my
>> alsa:default thus passing analog and digital audio thru this connection.
>>   See the attached asound.conf.
>>
>> I was playing with xine tonight and at one point it popped up some
>> message about not gaining access to the audio channel.  Don't know if
>> that was the cause of the problem but now my analog audio pass thru to
>> the spdif connection is GONE!!  The digital audio still works (hdtv and
>> dvds.)  But no analog source material works (analog tv recording.) Even
>> the annoying system bell is busted.  Its like my machine it totally
>> ignoring the asound.conf.
>>
>> jboehm at catwomen:~$ /usr/bin/aplay -D default
>> /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav
>> Playing WAVE '/usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav' : Signed 16 bit
>> Little Endian, Rate 48000 Hz, Mono
>> But no sound comes out!!!
>>
>> jboehm at catwomen:~$ aplay -l
>> **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
>> card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC883 Analog [ALC883 Analog]
>>    Subdevices: 1/1
>>    Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
>> card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC883 Digital [ALC883 Digital]
>>    Subdevices: 1/1
>>    Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
>>
>>
>> jboehm at catwomen:~$ aplay -L
>> front:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
>>      HDA Intel, ALC883 Analog
>>      Front speakers
>> surround40:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
>>      HDA Intel, ALC883 Analog
>>      4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
>> surround41:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
>>      HDA Intel, ALC883 Analog
>>      4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
>> surround50:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
>>      HDA Intel, ALC883 Analog
>>      5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
>> surround51:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
>>      HDA Intel, ALC883 Analog
>>      5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
>> surround71:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
>>      HDA Intel, ALC883 Analog
>>      7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
>> iec958:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
>>      HDA Intel, ALC883 Digital
>>      IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
>> null
>>      Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
>>
>>
>> That -L output doesn't look right to me.  It used to have pages of
>> output.  This makes me think something in my alsa configuration got 
>> hosed.
>>
>> Please help ... I'm panicking a little,
>> Jon
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> # ~/.asoundrc or /etc/asound.conf
>> # ALSA configuration file
>>
>> ##### USAGE #####
>> # Save this file as "~/.asoundrc" (for user-specific sound configuration) or
>> # "/etc/asound.conf" (for system-wide sound configuration) and specify ALSA
>> # device names ad described in the next section.
>>
>>
>> ##### DEVICE NAMES #####
>> # This configuration file defines four devices for use by the user.  Those
>> # devices are "analog", "mixed-analog", "digital", and "mixed-digital".  The
>> # user may also re-define "default" to be identical to one of the above-named
>> # devices (i.e. to send all sound output to the digital output unless otherwise
>> # specified).  Use the device names as described below:
>> #  - "analog" outputs to the analog output directly and (at least on software
>> #  sound cards) blocks other audio output.  After playback completes, "queued"
>> #  sounds are output in sequence.
>> #  - "mixed-analog" mixes audio output from multiple programs into the analog
>> #  output (so you can hear beeps, alerts, and other noises while playing back
>> #  an audio stream).
>> #  - "digital" outputs to the digital output directly.  Since most (all?)
>> #  digital outputs expect 48kHz PCM audio, this may not work for some playback
>> #  (i.e. CD's--which are 44.1kHz PCM audio--or 32kHz audio streams from TV
>> #  recordings, etc.).
>> #  - "mixed-digital"
>>
>> # All other devices created within this file are used only by the configuration
>> # file itself and should /not/ be used directly.  In other words, do not use
>> # the devices "analog-hw", "dmix-analog", "digital-hw", or "dmix-digital".
>>
>>
>> ##### IMPORTANT #####
>> # To make this ALSA configuration file work with your sound card, you will need
>> # to define the appropriate card and device information for the "analog-hw" and
>> # "digital-hw" devices below.  You can find the card and device information
>> # using "aplay -l".
>>
>>
>> ##### Configuration File #####
>>
>> # Override the default output used by ALSA.  If you do not override the
>> # default, your default device is identical to the (unmixed) "analog" device
>> # shown below.  If you prefer mixed and/or digital output, uncomment the
>> # appropriate four lines below (only one slave.pcm line).
>> #
>> # Note, also, that as of ALSA 1.0.9, "software" sound cards have been modified
>> # such that their default "default" device is identical to the "mixed-analog"
>> # device.  Whether using an ALSA version before or after 1.0.9, it does no harm
>> # and has no affect on performance to redefine the device (even if the
>> # redefinition does not change anything).  Also, by using this ALSA
>> # configuration file, you once again have access to unmixed analog output using
>> # the "analog" device.
>> pcm.!default {
>>   type plug
>> ## Uncomment the following to use (unmixed) "analog" by default
>> #  slave.pcm "analog-hw"
>> ## Uncomment the following to use "mixed-analog" by default
>> #  slave.pcm "dmix-analog"
>> ## Uncomment the following to use (unmixed) "digital" by default
>> #  slave.pcm "digital-hw"
>> ## Uncomment the following to use "mixed-digital" by default
>>   slave.pcm "dmix-digital"
>> }
>>
>> pcm.rc {
>>   type plug
>>   slave.pcm "rate-changer"
>> }
>>
>> pcm.rate-changer {
>>         type plug
>>         slave {
>> #                period_time 0
>> #                period_size 1024
>> #                buffer_size 4096
>>                 rate 48000
>>                 pcm "spdif"
>>         }
>> }
>>
>> # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the card
>> ctl.!default {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>> }
>>
>> # Alias for (converted) analog output on the card
>> # - This is identical to the device named "default"--which always exists and
>> # refers to hw:0,0 (unless overridden)
>> # - Therefore, we can specify "hw:0,0", "default", or "analog" to access analog
>> # output on the card
>> # - Note that as of ALSA 1.0.9, "software" sound card definitions redefine
>> # "default" to do mixing, meaning this device is different from "default" and
>> # allows playback while blocking other sound sources (until playback
>> # completes).
>> pcm.analog {
>>   type plug
>>   slave.pcm "analog-hw"
>> }
>>
>> # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the card
>> ctl.analog {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>> }
>>
>> # Alias for (converted) mixed analog output on the card
>> # - This will accept audio input--regardless of rate--and convert to the rate
>> # required for the dmix plugin (in this case 48000Hz)
>> # - Note that as of ALSA 1.0.9, "software" sound card definitions redefine
>> # "default" to do mixing, meaning this device is identical to "default" for
>> # "software" sound cards.
>> pcm.mixed-analog {
>>   type plug
>>   slave.pcm "dmix-analog"
>> }
>>
>> # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the card
>> ctl.mixed-analog {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>> }
>>
>> # Alias for (converted) digital (S/PDIF) output on the card
>> # - This will accept audio input--regardless of rate--and convert to the rate
>> # required for the S/PDIF hardware (in this case 48000Hz)
>> pcm.digital {
>>   type plug
>>   slave.pcm "digital-hw"
>> }
>>
>> # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the card
>> ctl.digital {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>> }
>>
>> # Alias for mixed (converted) digital (S/PDIF) output on the card
>> #  - This will accept audio input--regardless of rate--and convert to the rate
>> #  required for the S/PDIF hardware (in this case 48000Hz)
>> pcm.mixed-digital {
>>   type plug
>>   slave.pcm "dmix-digital"
>> }
>>
>> # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the card
>> ctl.mixed-digital {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>> }
>>
>> # The following devices are not useful by themselves.  They require specific
>> # rates, channels, and formats.  Therefore, you probably do not want to use
>> # them directly.  Instead use of of the devices defined above.
>>
>> # Alias for analog output on the card
>> # Do not use this directly--it requires specific rate, channels, and format
>> pcm.analog-hw {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>>   # The default value for device is 0, so no need to specify
>> #  - Uncomment one of the below or create a new "device N" line as appropriate
>> #    for your sound card or 
>> #  device 1
>> #  device 4
>> }
>>
>> # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the card
>> ctl.analog-hw {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>> }
>>
>> # Alias for digital (S/PDIF) output on the card
>> # Do not use this directly--it requires specific rate, channels, and format
>> pcm.digital-hw {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>>   device 1
>> #  - Comment out "device 1" above and uncomment one of the below or create a
>> #    new "device N" line as appropriate for your sound card or 
>> #  device 2
>> #  device 4
>> }
>>
>> # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the card
>> ctl.digital-hw {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>> }
>>
>> # Direct software mixing plugin for analog output on the card
>> # Do not use this directly--it requires specific rate, channels, and format
>> pcm.dmix-analog {
>>   type dmix
>>   ipc_key 1234
>>   slave {
>>     pcm "analog-hw"
>>     period_time 0
>>     period_size 1024
>>     buffer_size 4096
>>     rate 48000
>>   } 
>> }
>>
>> # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the card
>> ctl.dmix-analog {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>> }
>>
>> # Direct software mixing plugin for digital (S/PDIF) output on the card
>> # Do not use this directly--it requires specific rate, channels, and format
>> pcm.dmix-digital {
>>   type dmix
>>   ipc_key 1235
>>   slave {
>>     pcm "digital-hw"
>>     period_time 0
>>     period_size 1024
>>     buffer_size 4096
>>     rate 48000
>>   } 
>> }
>>
>> # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the card
>> ctl.dmix-digital {
>>   type hw
>>   card 0
>> }
>>
>>   
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
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>>   
>>     
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