[mythtv-users] what to tweak when HDMI isn't device 0?

[Jim Beckett]

Andrew Cagney wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I've an acer revo R1600 running mythbuntu.  It has two HVR-950Q
> devices  (each creates a snd-usb-audio input device) and (somewhere)
> the nvidia code creates a third sound device.  Sound is meant to be
> going out via the HDMI cable.
>
> I'm finding that sometimes sound isn't working, the front end fails with:
>
> 2010-02-04 11:36:59.815 Opening audio device 'hdmi'. ch 2(2) sr 48000
> 2010-02-04 11:36:59.815 Opening ALSA audio device 'hdmi'.
> ALSA lib confmisc.c:1286:(snd_func_refer) Unable to find definition
> 'cards.USB-Audio.pcm.hdmi.0:CARD=0,AES0=4,AES1=130,AES2=0,AES3=2'
> ALSA lib conf.c:3513:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_refer
> returned error: No such file or directory
> ALSA lib conf.c:3985:(snd_config_expand) Evaluate error: No such file
> or directory
> ALSA lib pcm.c:2211:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM hdmi
> 2010-02-04 11:36:59.817 AudioOutput Error: snd_pcm_open(hdmi): No such
> file or directory
> 2010-02-04 11:36:59.817 NVP(1): Disabling Audio, reason is:
> snd_pcm_open(hdmi): No such file or directory
> 2010-02-04 11:37:00.311 NVP(1): Forcing decode extra audio option on
> (Video method requires it).
>
> and I suspect it is because the snd-usb-audio driver is sometimes
> getting in first device (if I blacklist that driver all is well).
>
> Any suggestions?
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>
>   
I had a similar issue. I had two audio devices being created for my 
Avermedia A180 capture cards, in addition to the correct VT8237 
device,and it was a crapshoot as to what order the devices loaded.

Blacklisting, and reordering the module load orders did not seem to help.

I thought I was going to have to use UDEV rules (which is something I 
don't know how to do yet), but came across this .asoundrc solution which 
works great.

There was a script on the following linked page (at the bottom) that 
generated the configuration for me:

http://alsa.opensrc.org/index.php/.asoundrc

Here are the files that were generated for me:

jimbeckett at tv:~$ cat .asoundrc

# ALSA library configuration file

# Include settings that are under the control of asoundconf(1).

# (To disable these settings, comment out this line.)

</home/jimbeckett/.asoundrc.asoundconf>


jimbeckett at tv:~$ cat .asoundrc.asoundconf 

# ALSA library configuration file managed by asoundconf(1).

#

# MANUAL CHANGES TO THIS FILE WILL BE OVERWRITTEN!

#

# Manual changes to the ALSA library configuration should be implemented

# by editing the ~/.asoundrc file, not by editing this file.

!defaults.pcm.card V8237

defaults.ctl.card V8237

defaults.pcm.device 0

defaults.pcm.subdevice -1

defaults.pcm.nonblock 1

defaults.pcm.ipc_key 5678293

defaults.pcm.ipc_gid audio

defaults.pcm.ipc_perm 0660

defaults.pcm.dmix.max_periods 0

defaults.pcm.dmix.rate 48000

defaults.pcm.dmix.format "unchanged"

defaults.pcm.dmix.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.dmix.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.dsnoop.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.dsnoop.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.front.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.front.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.rear.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.rear.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.center_lfe.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.center_lfe.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.side.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.side.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.surround40.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.surround40.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.surround41.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.surround41.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.surround50.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.surround50.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.surround51.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.surround51.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.surround71.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.surround71.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.iec958.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.iec958.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.modem.card defaults.pcm.card

defaults.pcm.modem.device defaults.pcm.device

defaults.pcm.file_format "raw"

defaults.pcm.file_truncate true

defaults.rawmidi.card 0

defaults.rawmidi.device 0

defaults.rawmidi.subdevice -1

defaults.hwdep.card 0

defaults.hwdep.device 0

defaults.timer.class 2

defaults.timer.sclass 0

defaults.timer.card 0

defaults.timer.device 0

defaults.timer.subdevice 0

defaults.namehint.showall off

defaults.namehint.basic on

defaults.namehint.extended off

There is a lot in there that I have no idea what it means.  All I really 
know is that by using this, the problem has not resurfaced, and the 
correct card is always chosen by ALSA.

- Jim