Hi, and thanks for the reply :) It seems odd that m-A would use a different dB scale for the Front channels and all the other channels. But it would not be inconsistent with the way the devices are reported in Linux. device hw:0,0,0 is the two front channels hw0,1,0 is the sp/dif hw0,2,0 through hw0,2,2 are the surround channels. So they are not all using the same device. If alsamixer is only reporting the actual outputs of the card, then I suppose I need to set up a software volume control layer between my applications and the sound card. At the moment, 0% - 2% of "PCM" volume is what I would define as 0% to 75% of max comfortable listening volume. Anything above 6% is far too loud. As I said, you have to go above 80% with the other sliders before you're getting too loud. If anything, they could use a volume boost. I suppose my next question should be, what determines the dB scale that alsamixer uses? The card, or some configuration setting? k9 ---------------------------------------- > Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:24:20 -0700 > From: unruh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > To: mouldybread@xxxxxxxxxxx > CC: alsa-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: Re: New alsa user, the adventure so far (please help!) > > No idea about your hardware, but the claim is that alsa simply reports to > the user what the hardware reports to it. If the hardware says that a > certain control is PCM, then PCM it is. If the hardware reports a Master > Volume, then that is what you get. > On windows, the driver might well report something different from what the > hardware reports (ie Maudio's software people and hardware people not > talking to each other-- it would not surprize me, since maudio seems to > regard everything as proprietaty, including their own name, so they will > not disclose it to anyone.:-) > > > On Fri, 12 Sep 2008, Cainan Berry wrote: > >> >> Hello! >> >> FIrstly, I've never used a mailing list before, so forgive me if I deviate from standard posting etiquette :p >> >> After installing Debian lenny, my 4th order of business was getting sound working. >> My soundcard is the m-Audio Revolution 7.1. >> >> Problem1: only getting sound from front speakers >> Fixed by: Google, looking in alsa.conf >> Result: speaker-test -D plughw:0 -c 8 -twav >> # I'm able to get sound out of all outputs on the Revo7.1, including stereo from the coaxial sp/dif. It should be noted, however, that hw:0 fails, as does plug:surround40, and others. Floating point errors and such. >> >> Problem2: >> alsamixer. Big problem this one. >> The front speakers are controlled by "PCM", which is a sliding scale from -34.15 dB to 0 dB. The *very lowest* setting is loud. This is setting "2<>2" in alsamixer. Or 2% of full volume. Anything higher is too loud. In fact, on the default setting of 75%, my headphones blew up, and now I need to buy a new pair. Good thing they were cheap ones... >> >> The next control is "PCM Cent". It's adjustment scale is -125 dB at the low end, and 0 dB at the high end. Unlike "PCM", it has no mute control. The other channels "PCM LFE", "PCM Rear", "PCM Side" are of the same scale as "PCM Cent". At 80% they are sufficiently loud. In fact, at 80% they are still quieter than PCM at 2%. >> >> So what I think is going on is this: >> 1. Either the front speakers channel on the Revo71 uses different hardware to the other channels on the card =or= >> 2. alsamixer is configured wrong. >> >> Is "PCM" supposed to be the master volume, and not tied to the front channel? It would explain the different dB scale it uses. >> If "PCM" is indeed supposed to be Master volume, then I'm also missing a "PCM Front" slider in alsamixer. Hopefully this would use the same scale as "PCM Rear", etc. >> >> Now I've Googled for hours today about this, as well as trying to decipher the rather cryptic alsa conf files. But to be honest I'm not sure where I should be looking. >> >> As a confirmed Windows XP user, I've never had to relate to my soundcard on such an intimate level, as XP and m-A's drivers have done it all for me. Guess I'm a bit spoiled, then. >> >> I should also note here that I did, in my investigations, find such files as /usr/share/alsa/pcm/front.conf, etc. It looks to my untrained eye that there *should* be a "PCM Front" control, but somewhere along the line the controls haven't been matched up properly on my system. Additionally, reports from other users of having a "Master Volume" slider in alsamixer would seem to support that theory. I have no "Master Volume" slider. "PCM" is the first on the list. >> >> I don't mind trawling through the docs if it would lead to understanding ALSA more fully. But I'd love to hear what you suggest, and where I should start looking. >> >> Regards, >> k9 >> _________________________________________________________________ >> Discover Bird's Eye View now with Multimap from Live Search >> http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/111354026/direct/01/ >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge >> Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes >> Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world >> http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ >> _______________________________________________ >> Alsa-user mailing list >> Alsa-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx >> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/alsa-user >> > > -- > William G. Unruh | Canadian Institute for| Tel: +1(604)822-3273 > Physics&Astronomy | Advanced Research | Fax: +1(604)822-5324 > UBC, Vancouver,BC | Program in Cosmology | unruh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Canada V6T 1Z1 | and Gravity | www.theory.physics.ubc.ca/ _________________________________________________________________ Make a mini you and download it into Windows Live Messenger http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/111354029/direct/01/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email is sponsored by the Moblin Your Move Developer's challenge Build the coolest Linux based applications with Moblin SDK & win great prizes Grand prize is a trip for two to an Open Source event anywhere in the world http://moblin-contest.org/redirect.php?banner_id=100&url=/ _______________________________________________ Alsa-user mailing list Alsa-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/alsa-user
