A NOTE has been added to this issue. ====================================================================== <https://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/alsa-bug/view.php?id=1612> ====================================================================== Reported By: Manolo Assigned To: ====================================================================== Project: ALSA - driver Issue ID: 1612 Category: 1_OTHERS Reproducibility: always Severity: major Priority: normal Status: new Distribution: Ubuntu 5.10 Breezy Kernel Version: Linux 2.6.12 ====================================================================== Date Submitted: 12-02-2005 17:51 CET Last Modified: 08-04-2006 15:18 CEST ====================================================================== Summary: Ubuntu5.10 not configured for Alsa device:surround51? Description: Hardware Motherboard: Abit Ic7, Audio: Onboard (Intel ICH5) RealTek ALC650F 6-Channel AC97 CODEC. uP: Pentium4, Hyperthreading, 3Ghz Software Ubuntu 5.10 Custom compiled kernel from 'linux-source-2.6.12 2.6.12-10.24' make menuconfig Device Drivers Sound <M> Sound card support Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ---> <M> Advanced Linux Sound Architecture <M> Sequencer support <M> Sequencer dummy client <M> OSS Mixer API <M> OSS PCM (digital audio) API [*] OSS Sequencer API <M> RTC Timer support PCI devices ---> <M> All drivers <M> when option available. Open Sound System ---> < > Open Sound System Compiled Alsa packages: alsa-driver-1.0.10 alsa-lib-1.0.10 alsa-utils-1.0.10 # configure --disable-nls: configure fails otherwise. alsa-oss alsa-plugins-1.0.10 # configure,pcm/Makefile.in:Modified to compile without jack. Note: At boot, if file /var/lib/alsa/asound.state does not exist, file /etc/asound.state is overwritten with default values (No surround sound!). Alsa package is not responsible for this (Ubuntu5.10 or Kernel2.6.12??). Sound Applications aplay (alsa-utils-1.0.10) audacity 1.2.3 #Device /dev/dsp xmms 1.2.10 #plugin /usr/lib/xmms/Input/libwav.so (does not accept 5.1ChannelFile.wav) replaced by older version (Ubuntu 4.10). mplayer 4.0.2 xine v0.99.3 esd daemon running: aplay -Dsurround51 File.wav #GnomePanel or gnome-terminal 5.1ChannelFile.wav, 2ChannelFile.wav: Sound Ok. .xsession-errors fills with: ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:819:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave aplay -Ddefault File.wav # GnomePanel or gnome-terminal 2ChannelFile.wav: Sound Ok. No output sent to .xsession-errors audacity #GnomePanel Error Message: There was an error initializing the audio i/o layer. You will not be able to play or record audio. Error: Host error. audacity #gnome-terminal Most of the times application starts without error message. xmms #OutputPlugin:Alsa;AudioDevice:default.GnomePanel or gnome-terminal Application starts without error message No output sent to .xsession-errors 2ChannelFile.wav: Sound Ok. xmms #OutputPlugin:Alsa;AudioDevice:surround51.GnomePanel Error Message: Couldn't open audio. Please check that: Your soundcard is configured properly You have the correct output plugin selected No other program is blocking the soundcard. After several Play/ErrorMessage: 5.1ChannelFile.wav, 2ChannelFile.wav: Sound Ok. .xsession-errors fills with: ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:819:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave xmms #OutputPlugin:Alsa;AudioDevice:surround51.gnome-terminal Most of the times application starts without error message. 5.1ChannelFile.wav, 2ChannelFile.wav: Sound Ok. .xsession-errors fills with: ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:819:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave mplayer # 'mplayer -v -ao alsa:device=surround51 -channels 6' No StdError error messages (-v) All kinds of files and DVDs (Multichannel AC3) play Ok. .xsession-errors fills with: ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:819:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave xine # 'xine --verbose --audio-driver alsa';SpeakerArrangement:Surround5.1 Error Message: The audio device is unavailable. Please verify if another program already uses it. StdError error messages (--verbose): audio_alsa_out: snd_pcm_open() of plug:surround51:0 failed: Device or resource busy audio_alsa_out: >>> check if another program already uses PCM <<< After several Play/ErrorMessage: All kinds of files and DVDs (Multichannel AC3) play Ok. .xsession-errors fills with: ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:819:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave xine # 'xine --verbose --audio-driver alsa';SpeakerArrangement:Stereo2.0 No error Message No StdError error messages All kinds of files and DVDs play Ok. Multichannel AC3 downshifted to 2 Channels. No output sent to .xsession-errors esd daemon NOT running (killall esd): aplay -Dsurround51 File.wav #GnomePanel or gnome-terminal 5.1ChannelFile.wav, 2ChannelFile.wav: Sound Ok. .xsession-errors fills with: ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:819:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave aplay -Ddefault File.wav # GnomePanel or gnome-terminal 2ChannelFile.wav: Sound Ok. No output sent to .xsession-errors audacity #GnomePanel or gnome-terminal Application starts without error message xmms #OutputPlugin:Alsa;AudioDevice:default.GnomePanel or gnome-terminal Application starts without error message No output sent to .xsession-errors 2ChannelFile.wav: Sound Ok. xmms #OutputPlugin:Alsa;AudioDevice:surround51.GnomePanel or gnome-terminal Application starts without error message 5.1ChannelFile.wav, 2ChannelFile.wav: Sound Ok. .xsession-errors fills with: ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:819:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave mplayer # 'mplayer -v -ao alsa:device=surround51 -channels 6' No StdError error messages (-v) All kinds of files and DVDs (Multichannel AC3) play Ok. .xsession-errors fills with: ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:819:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave xine # 'xine --verbose --audio-driver alsa';SpeakerArrangement:Surround5.1 Error Message: The audio device is unavailable. Please verify if another program already uses it. StdError error messages (--verbose): audio_alsa_out: snd_pcm_open() of plug:surround51:0 failed: Device or resource busy audio_alsa_out: >>> check if another program already uses PCM <<< After several Play/ErrorMessage: All kinds of files and DVDs (Multichannel AC3) play Ok. .xsession-errors fills with: ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:819:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave xine # 'xine --verbose --audio-driver alsa';SpeakerArrangement:Stereo2.0 No error Message No StdError error messages All kinds of files and DVDs play Ok. Multichannel AC3 downshifted to 2 Channels. No output sent to .xsession-errors ====================================================================== ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Manolo - 08-04-06 10:43 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't have a customized .asoundrc aplay reads and plays 6-channel wav files all right but sends error messages to .xsession-errors if invoked with -Dsurround51. Please read: https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/alsa-lib/+bug/26483 which includes a lot of information about this bug. I don't want to be an audio expert, I just want to use Linux. I bought a set of 'Home Cinema' speakers and naively thought it would be a matter of plug and play. Well it was not. It took me more than one week of fiddling with ALSA, Linux kernel, etc, until I could use my new speakers. Now it works all right but still there is no master volume control -gnome volume control only affects FrontLeft and FrontRight channels- and all applications using surround51 send continuous error messages to .xsession-errors. xine has an extra problem sometimes refusing to play surround51 movies: https://sourceforge.net/tracker/?func=detail&atid=109655&aid=1226595&group_id=9655 Forgive me if I am mistaken but I think ALSA should be more 'intelligent': All audio streams carry number of channels information, neither user nor applications need to specify the number of channels to ALSA (Why 'aplay -Dsurround51 5.1File.wav'?). A line in ALSA configuration file specifying the number of speakers available should be enough to have it map audio channels into available output channels. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Raymond - 08-04-06 15:18 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Post output of cat /proc/asound/cards cat /proc/asound/pcm content of test.state after 'alsactl store -f test.state' cat /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/info aplay -v stereo.wav Issue History Date Modified Username Field Change ====================================================================== 12-02-05 17:51 Manolo New Issue 12-02-05 17:51 Manolo Distribution => Ubuntu 5.10 Breezy 12-02-05 17:51 Manolo Kernel Version => Linux 2.6.12 12-03-05 13:54 Manolo Note Added: 0006898 07-28-06 05:39 Raymond Note Added: 0011283 08-02-06 20:15 Manolo Note Added: 0011390 08-03-06 03:56 Raymond Note Added: 0011394 08-03-06 05:33 Raymond Note Edited: 0011394 08-03-06 17:37 Manolo Note Added: 0011405 08-03-06 18:20 Raymond Note Added: 0011406 08-04-06 03:29 Raymond Note Edited: 0011406 08-04-06 05:25 Raymond Note Edited: 0011406 08-04-06 09:51 Raymond Note Edited: 0011406 08-04-06 10:41 Manolo Note Added: 0011418 08-04-06 10:43 Manolo Note Edited: 0011418 08-04-06 15:18 Raymond Note Added: 0011419 ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Take Surveys. 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