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Author Topic: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.  (Read 8266 times)

Offline cast-fish

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getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« on: August 17, 2011, 11:09:07 PM »
Hello,

below is the terminal ouput when i try the alsa command that you see.

This terminal=output is on a clean CD boot of tcl  with my USB soundcard plugged in. The alsa.tcz extension was then loaded which presumably grabbed it's other dependancies also.

Code: (bash) [Select]
tc@box:~$ sudo /usr/local/etc/init.d/alsasound start
Starting sound driver: snd-intel8x0 
Starting sound driver: snd-intel8x0m
tc@box:~$


As you can see, alsa seems to be just seeing the internal laptop sound chip. This is similar to what
happens with OSS. Tcl defaults to the internal laptop sound chip.

This below, is the terminal output of the same command as above,but  without superuser.

Code: (bash) [Select]
tc@box:~$ /usr/local/etc/init.d/alsasound start
/usr/local/etc/init.d/alsasound: line 182: can't create /opt/alsa/.alsadriver: Permission denied
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_audio': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_intel8x0m': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_ac97_codec': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_hwdep': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_usb_lib': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_pcm': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_rawmidi': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_timer': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd_seq_device': Operation not permitted
rmmod: can't unload 'snd': Operation not permitted
Starting sound driver: snd-intel8x0 
Starting sound driver: snd-intel8x0m 
modprobe: can't load module snd_mixer_oss (kernel.tclocal/sound/core/oss/snd-mixer-oss.ko.gz): Operation not permitted
modprobe: can't load module snd_seq (kernel.tclocal/sound/core/seq/snd-seq.ko.gz): Operation not permitted
modprobe: can't load module snd-mixer-oss (kernel.tclocal/sound/core/oss/snd-mixer-oss.ko.gz): Operation not permitted
tc@box:~$


I looked in etcmodprobe file but there is nothing listed in there, just etc/modprobe.

Where do i begin the journey of getting ALSA working on my USB soundcard?  I believe it's with blacklisting
as per previuos posts about this topic and also postions of devices...0 or 1.

Thanks

V

(gutmensch: edited font size and color and code env)
« Last Edit: August 18, 2011, 01:14:34 AM by gutmensch »

Offline gutmensch

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2011, 01:30:36 AM »
You cannot run alsasound as a normal user because it tries to load and unload modules, so for the second - just skip it, sudo is necessary ;)

Btw. it is trying to unload snd_usb_audio, which can only come from your USB audio card (I do have one as well), so I don't suppose any blacklisting issue involved here.

What does
Code: (bash) [Select]
$ cat /proc/asound/cardsprovide after starting alsasound? If there are two cards you can setup one or the other card with the appropriate number like

Code: (bash) [Select]
$ sudo alsactl init #cardnumber
or set a default within the file /etc/asound.conf and with the other commands alsactl store #cardnumber, alsactl restore #cardnumber you can save settings for this card, so you would have to put /etc/asound.conf and /etc/asound.state to your backup. For the default setting of one sound card please refer to the alsa wiki ;-)
If I seem unduly clear to you, you must have misunderstood what I said. (Alan Greenspan)

Offline cast-fish

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2011, 04:23:15 AM »
Hello

Ok i will give your advice a try

V.

Offline cast-fish

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2011, 05:04:47 AM »
hello

I did  a virgin tcl boot off CD disc and loaded the alsa.tcz extension.

After that extension loaded, i typed the following command below....

Code: (bash) [Select]
$ sudo /usr/local/etc/init.d/alsasound start
and the above command gave the following output below....

Code: (bash) [Select]
Starting sound driver: snd-intel8x0 
Starting sound driver: snd-intel8x0m 
tc@box:~$

I  then typed the following command below....

Code: (bash) [Select]
$ cat /proc/asound/cards
which gave the following output below...

Code: (bash) [Select]
0 [I440MX         ]: ICH - Intel 440MX
                      Intel 440MX with YMF743 at irq 9
 1 [Modem          ]: ICH-MODEM - Intel 440MX Modem
                      Intel 440MX Modem at irq 9
tc@box:~$

i am not sure what the YMF743 thing is. The two sound devices
it appears to list are both parts of the laptop internal sound chip.

i don't see that the USB soundcard is listed...... at all.

Furthermore, i have noticed that up until today, any virgin TCL boot off
CD disc would always show an error about the USB soundcard as it was trying to initialize
usb devices.

Some error similar to this below.....

Bad USB port 49....or something.

This error message no longer appears on virgin tcl CD disc boots and has dissappeared .

The remedy of the error was due to.....

a) unplugging the USB soundcard from the second 4 port usb hub
b) removing that second 4 port usb hub which had been plugged into the first 4 port usb hub which in-turn came directly from the laptop.
c) Re-Connecting the USB soundcard  back into the remaining 4 port usb hub in b) above............thus leaving me with 3 free usb hub sockets.

V.










« Last Edit: August 18, 2011, 05:12:44 AM by cast-fish »

Offline cast-fish

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2011, 05:19:43 AM »
hello,

just to point out,

The error that had been happening with the USB soundcard on boot up
was not actually stopping the card from functioning correct under OSS.
(it was just an error that always appeared...until recently when it stopped appearing on virgin tcl
CD disc boot ups)

V.

Offline cast-fish

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2011, 07:42:52 AM »
Hello

0)The YMF thing is meaning Yamaha....which is the brand of the
soundchip in the laptop or at least the synth that is on that soundchip
It is listed  intel 440x because it's like an proprietory thing.

1)That is just the modem driver of that same soundchip. 440x

So alsa does not list the USB soundcard at all. (in that capacity)

V.


Offline cast-fish

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2011, 06:59:08 AM »
Hello

i have managed to get ALSA working correct with my USB soundcard.

I will explain how i did it because it is not complex. It may be some help to the forum because it's an example of "multiple sound cards" in a computer arrangement which is something that Alsa does not automatically set-up or deal with very well.

Basically, after looking on google, there were articles referring
to this exact subject and peoples long long frustrations with it.

I think my situation is worth explaining to the Forum because it involves
3 sound devices which is definantely "multiple devices" as compared to a typical persons situation of multiple devices meaning just "2 devices".

will post answer soon.

V.

Offline cast-fish

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2011, 08:11:48 AM »
here is the advice on this Alsa "multiple sound devices" subject

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-software-2/how-to-configure-flash-9-in-firefox-to-use-a-specific-alsa-device-629183/

Basically,  my laptop is like most laptops and contains an internal sound chip.
Like many other people, i don't want to use that internal chip because
i want to use an external USB soundcard instead.

Firstly i checked the bios and there was no way to disable the internal
sound chip. Newer laptop BIOS settings may offer the ability to disable the
internal sound chip.

For similar tcl user situations, where people have "multiple sound devices" but only want to use ONE device with Alsa, then disabling the internal sound chip is the easiest way for most people to get alsa working with a single external USB soundcard. They can disable the internal sound chip, thus, they typically no longer have "multiple sound devices" and so Alsa should have no trouble in finding the single external USB soundcard.

if, like me, you can't disable the laptops internal sound chip and yet
you still want to use an external USB soundcard via Alsa, then you are in the territory of "multiple sound devices". Alsa is not very good at automatically setting up multiple sound devices. (You must do this manually)

1) i Worked with a virgin boot of TCL from CD disc. i Plugged in the USB soundcard "before" powering on the laptop and booting into tcl.

2) i Reached the tcl desktop and installed Alsa.tcz extension and Alsaplugins.tcz extension and Alsaconf.tcz extension and Alsamodules2.3.6.tcz extension.

3) i ran the terminal command below to show what sound devices tcl sees in my system....

Code: (bash) [Select]
aplay -l
which resulted in the output below...

Code: (bash) [Select]
tc@box:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: I440MX [Intel 440MX], device 0: Intel ICH [Intel 440MX]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Modem [Intel 440MX Modem], device 0: Intel ICH - Modem [Intel 440MX Modem - Modem]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Set [USB Headphone Set], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
tc@box:~$

4) As you can see, tcl knows about 3 sound devices. The first 2 of those devices are the internal sound chip. Alsa and tcl, infact, see 2 devices corresponding to the internal sound chip because 1 of them is some modem
hardware. The 3rd device, device number 2, is my external USB soundcard.

5) Sometimes you may not initially see the external USB soundcard as listed. Different laptop BIOS chips behave in different ways and some
may give priority to usb devices first, over-riding internal sound chips.
(i am not 100 percent certain here)

6) Anyway, i now unplug the external USB soundcard.

7) i Run the following terminal command to start Alsa driver.

Code: (bash) [Select]
sudo /usr/local/etc/init.d/alsasound start
8. The step 7) results in the following output for me.... below
 
Code: (bash) [Select]
Starting sound driver: snd-intel8x0 
Starting sound driver: snd-intel8x0m 
tc@box:~$

9) As you can see in 8, alsa and tcl have not initialized the external
USB soundcard
because it's not plugged into the laptop. But Alsa has
initialzed the 2 internal laptop sound devices. (it appears so).

10) Now i run the command below....

Code: (bash) [Select]
$ sudo alsaconf
11) Then i step through the Automatic configuration windows of Alsaconf ignoring doing any configuring but just probing ISA cards (non available) so as to complete the script.

12) Now i run this terminal command below..... again.

Code: (bash) [Select]
$ aplay -l
13) The result of step 12) is NO sound devices are found. (see output below)

Code: (bash) [Select]
aplay: device_list:235: no soundcards found...
tc@box:~$

14) Now i plug in the external USB soundcard and run the same command
as in step 12)  The USB soundcard is detected as the "only" sound device presented to Alsa.

Code: (bash) [Select]
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Set [USB Headphone Set], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
tc@box:~$

15) Play some music with a musicplayer and test that Alsa is correctly
driving your external USB soundcard.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

i intend to try the advice given in the link at the start of this message
just to see if it works. It's pretty easy to alter his situation for your own
sound devices situation ....and see if his ideas work.

thanks

V.

 






Offline curaga

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2011, 08:45:17 AM »
That's a long procedure, why not blacklist the internal module, and add a modprobe of the usb one to bootlocal.sh? That should be all that's needed. (do not run any of the alsa config scripts with this setup).
The only barriers that can stop you are the ones you create yourself.

Offline cast-fish

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2011, 09:21:09 AM »
hello

uh i don't really know Curaga.

My first steps with a laptop and tcl were directed towards getting
alsa sound working with an external USB soundcard. This was a while back on this forum...... but it never succeeded.

So i/we kind of moved away from Alsa and towards getting OSS sound working with an external USB soundcard.....which succeeded after about 20 posts.

Since OSS has worked right ever since, i kind of just tinkered with getting alsa working.... but never got it working.

This thread did kind of help, but it did not get alsa working.

I kind of finally got alsa working by trial and error. Somebody on this thread
said that Alsa certainly knew about the USB soundcard from the outset, which
gave me some hope. After tinkering for a while i got alsa working.

I had read all the alsa instructions in the tcl wiki, about multiple sound devices but it did not work.Or at least it was complex. The first link the wiki points you to, if alsaconfig fails you, is a link  of about 10 pages long about kernels and stuff?..(modprobe this, modprobe that) No wiki reader will ever get alsa sound going via that link, even with good Linux experience.

My procedure takes 5 seconds now. Boot laptop without USB card plugged in.
Then 2 commands and 10 seconds and plug it in..... and alsa is working.
Ye...

You have the experience to go in at a much lower level (higher understanding)
but i don't know all that stuff, nor had ever seen your help comment previously.
I need step by step explicit instructions with regard to any linux thing really. Sadly

thanks

V.


Offline cast-fish

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2011, 06:05:18 PM »
hello,

crazy thing about tcl and Alsa issues (multiple sound devices)

It's looking like the  way to get Alsa driving a USB soundcard on a tcl
computer that has Multiple sound devices is very simple.

Here, it was just a case of booting the tcl machine. Installing
the Alsa extension and the Alsaplugin extension and Alsaconf and Alsa module

1) Then unplug your usb soundcard.
2) Run Alsaconf script and don't configure
anything.
3) Then plug your USB soundcard back in. That's it!

how come was this never recommended in threads of the past?
I never thought it could be that simple?

V.

Offline curaga

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Re: getting alsa sound working on a USB soundcard.
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2011, 11:31:22 PM »
OK, just for kicks, try:

Boot with "blacklist=snd-intel8x0m", with the usb card connected, do nothing else. Make sure there are no alsa* commands in bootlocal.sh. Assuming alsa.tcz is set onboot, this should do what you want automatically.
The only barriers that can stop you are the ones you create yourself.