Tiny Core Linux

General TC => General TC Talk => Topic started by: SamK on March 20, 2011, 07:18:00 AM

Title: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: SamK on March 20, 2011, 07:18:00 AM

A headless TC machine is being planned.  Is there a simple way of producing multiple beeps from an on-board sounder/loudspeaker?  It is not essential to the running of the machine - simply to indicate the boot process has ended.  There will be no audio software installed (OSS/ALSA).
   

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: tinypoodle on March 20, 2011, 07:48:12 AM

Without OSS or alsa that would require the pcspkr module which does not appear to be enabled in kernel config.

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: SamK on March 22, 2011, 02:54:58 AM

Quote from: tinypoodle on March 20, 2011, 07:48:12 AM

Without OSS or alsa that would require the pcspkr module which does not appear to be enabled in kernel config.

It will be interesting to learn the reason for its omission.  Is it recorded  somewhere?  Possibly, one of the development team might comment.  Is it due to the additional size etc?

A couple of suggestions why it might be worthwhile enabling sounder/beeper support

• Core is interested in positioning itself within the embedded sector
• As the popularity of the distro increases there may be a corresponding growth in the number of headless installations

 

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: llondel on March 22, 2011, 03:13:44 AM

Recompile the kernel or compile the module and add it in if you need it. I've added a few things  (and removed others) and repacked the initrd image, and now I have a few scripts to automate some parts of the process it's quite easy. You could probably add it as a tcz as well.

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: SamK on March 22, 2011, 03:53:33 AM

Quote from: llondel on March 22, 2011, 03:13:44 AM

Recompile the kernel...

I try to stay with the standard base wherever possible and in this case activating the on-board beeper is helpful rather than essential to the headless unit.  It is really an enquiry about whether the reasons for it being disabled by default remain applicable as the distro matures.
   

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: curaga on March 22, 2011, 07:26:21 AM

Quote

A couple of suggestions why it might be worthwhile enabling sounder/beeper support
Core is interested in positioning itself within the embedded sector
As the popularity of the distro increases there may be a corresponding growth in the number of headless installations

A completely arbitrary decision, since one of the first things I usually do on new systems is to disable the PC speaker. ;)

Will enable it in the next build, since there's now demand for it.

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: tinypoodle on March 22, 2011, 08:53:14 AM

Behold, the days of playing TOM BOMBEM: Merciless Marauding Malicious Marketers under TC with sound are near!
 ;D

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: SamK on March 23, 2011, 03:12:21 AM

Quote from: curaga on March 22, 2011, 07:26:21 AM

...
Will enable it in the next build, since there's now demand for it.

Thanks.

Will this alone be able to produce a user specified number of beeps or will an extension be required generate them?  If the latter is anything available in the repo or within busybox?

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: curaga on March 23, 2011, 07:03:51 AM

You can beep from a shell, I can't remember the escape code though.

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: gerald_clark on March 23, 2011, 11:05:22 AM

echo -en "\007"

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: bmarkus on March 23, 2011, 12:00:28 PM

There is small program, beep which can do the job:

http://johnath.com/beep/

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: tinypoodle on March 23, 2011, 12:38:27 PM

There is also a busybox applet 'beep' (not enabled in TC busybox config):

Usage: beep -f FREQ -l LEN -d DELAY -r COUNT -n

Title: Re: Audio Beep on Completion of Boot-Up
Post by: SamK on March 24, 2011, 02:23:50 AM

Thanks for the suggestions.

From the perspective of being most obvious/easy to use, the busybox applet is potentially a good fit.  Perhaps it might be considered for possible inclusion at a future date.