Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core Extensions => TCE Bugs => Topic started by: floppy on May 24, 2011, 08:26:18 AM

Title: (solved) Error indicating "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: floppy on May 24, 2011, 08:26:18 AM
Hello,
by using skype (see log hereunder), a lot of errors comes up after trying to capture my video (TCE wxcam).
It show errors for alsa which is running.
Any Idea what happens and how to avoid this breakdown?
I can see the video of the called skype person, but it breakdown when I try to send my webcam picture.
I had a mic in my webcam but blacklisted it (so.. probably not the issue).
I use Xorg7.4.

Starting sound driver: snd-ens1371 
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-exclusive penum
  Capture exclusive group: 0
  Playback channels: Mono
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono: Playback 16 [52%] [-10.50dB] [on]
  Front Left: Capture [on]
  Front Right: Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined penum
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 15
  Front Left: Capture 8 [53%] [12.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 8 [53%] [12.00dB] [on]
snd_pcm_avail_update() returned a value that is exceptionally large: 102880 bytes (535 ms).
Most likely this is a bug in the ALSA driver. Please report this issue to the ALSA developers.
snd_pcm_avail_update() returned a value that is exceptionally large: 103904 bytes (541 ms).
Most likely this is a bug in the ALSA driver. Please report this issue to the ALSA developers.
snd_pcm_avail_update() returned a value that is exceptionally large: 105664 bytes (550 ms).
Most likely this is a bug in the ALSA driver. Please report this issue to the ALSA developers.
snd_pcm_avail_update() returned a value that i...
 a bug in the ALSA driver. Please report this issue to the ALSA developers.
snd_pcm_avail_update() returned a value that is exceptionally large: 397440 bytes (2070 ms).
Most likely this is a bug in the ALSA driver. Please report this issue to the ALSA developers.
snd_pcm_avail_update() returned a value that is exceptionally large: 395776 bytes (2061 ms).
Most likely this is a bug in the ALSA driver. Please report this issue to the ALSA developers.
snd_pcm_avail_update() returned a value that is exceptionally large: 397536 bytes (2070 ms).
Most likely this is a bug in the ALSA driver. Please report this issue to the ALSA developers.
snd_pcm_avail_update() returned a value that is exceptionally large: 395872 bytes (2061 ms).
Most likely this is a bug in the ALSA driver. Please report this issue
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: Rich on May 24, 2011, 09:18:30 AM
Hi floppy
It appears that either your CPU or your Internet connection are too slow. If you look at the numbers
in those messages you will see that they are getting progressively bigger because the audio data is
not being sent out fast enough. I'm not quite clear on what you are trying to do. Are you recording the
video or doing a screen capture and sending the file?
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: floppy on May 24, 2011, 11:35:10 AM
Hello Rich,
I am using skype.
I connect in it via my account.
I can see the webcam of another skype person (my wife laptop in the house with her personal skype account,  connected to the same router via WLAN).
My webcam is activated and running in my PC (I am connected via LAN).
As soon I try to capture my picture of my webcam (via the skype function for it) on my old PC, then the showdown is coming.
I already used this pc and messenger/webcam (win98) in the year 2004.. in Korea.. with fast ethernet (and the Koreans from KT said to me during the internet installation, my pc was already too old..7 years ago..;-). So, you understand why I am a bit resistent with this old machine and it becomes a question of honor for making it keeping running: nobody like my old machine since years but normally it runs.. till today.
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: tinypoodle on May 24, 2011, 11:49:28 AM
Monitor your CPU usage?
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: floppy on May 24, 2011, 11:55:28 AM
Monitor your CPU usage?
I dont monitor. If you want me to do it, which TCE is the best?
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: tinypoodle on May 24, 2011, 03:11:06 PM
Monitor your CPU usage?
I dont monitor. If you want me to do it, which TCE is the best?

http://forum.tinycorelinux.net/index.php?topic=9739.msg53021#msg53021
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: floppy on May 25, 2011, 03:01:36 AM
With wxcam started, conky is at CPU usage 100%. top indicate 70% CPU usage (difference; why?).
conky show 60MB RAM, Top show 287632 used.
In any case, the CPU has something to do..
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: Juanito on May 25, 2011, 03:06:48 AM
If you put something like this at the bottom of your conky config you will be able to see what is hogging the cpu:

Code: [Select]
${color yellow}$hr
${color grey}Running
${color grey}Name             PID    CPU%   MEM%
${color}${top name 1} ${top pid 1} ${top cpu 1} ${top mem 1}
${color}${top name 2} ${top pid 2} ${top cpu 2} ${top mem 2}
${color}${top name 3} ${top pid 3} ${top cpu 3} ${top mem 3}
${color}${top name 4} ${top pid 4} ${top cpu 4} ${top mem 4}
${color}${top name 5} ${top pid 5} ${top cpu 5} ${top mem 5}
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: floppy on May 25, 2011, 04:54:26 AM
conky setup change done.
wxcam + xorg are massiv..., see http://imagebin.org/155023
perhaps should I change the Xorg.conf for making the video card running quicker?
I run with 800x600x16. Perhaps lower would help?
Or perhaps should I use a buffer? Which one? (an existing one.. the matroxfb is not there for tcl..).
without the wxcam, xorg dont kill the CPU; see http://imagebin.org/155027
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: Rich on May 25, 2011, 09:13:56 AM
Hi floppy
If there is an option for face tracking, turn it off.
Lowering the resolution might help.
If there is a CPU priority option, try lowering it. If not, maybe someone else will chime in and tell you
how to change the  nice  setting to lower the priority.
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: floppy on May 26, 2011, 12:30:18 AM
Fce tracking: off.
Option "sharpen" in the menue "Effects" in the TCE "wxcam" reduce the xorg cpu activity. see http://imagebin.org/155184
Still working on the issue (loking for lowering the CPU priority option + change xorg resolution).
Any further help is welcome.
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: tinypoodle on May 26, 2011, 12:36:26 AM
To change CPU priority you could look into 'renice'   ;)
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: floppy on May 26, 2011, 01:10:36 AM
To change CPU priority you could look into 'renice'   ;)
"renice": I dont understand (no TCE found with that name..)
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: tinypoodle on May 26, 2011, 01:59:49 AM
Code: [Select]
renice --help
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: floppy on May 26, 2011, 02:41:12 AM
Code: [Select]
renice --help
with "nice -n 20 wxcam":
- the processor stay at 100%. I will see later if skype runs. - the process stay in the terminal; how to make it running in the background, so I can use my terminal for other activities?
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: tinypoodle on May 26, 2011, 02:51:46 AM
Code: [Select]
command &
Title: Re: Error indicating an "alsa" issue; @capturing screen within skype (Xorg7.4)
Post by: floppy on May 26, 2011, 08:51:13 AM
with "nice -n 15 wxcam &" (or 10), the "alsa" error messages dont come anymore before it breakdown.
It scratch now  with
"aborted"
or
"segmentation fault" (right after capturing the skype webcam window).
So, this is a type of progress. Thanks all.
I wait a bit more before I mark this thread as (closed).