On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:38:17 -0500 "Harry Putnam reader@newsguy.com"
suggested this:

>I've purposely not used sound in my linux setups for yrs... never had
>much need of sound... and only really needed it for my video editing
>work which is done with Adobe tools and therefore all on windows.
>
>Anyway, cutting to the chase... like I said its been literally yrs
>since I even thought about sound on linux... now I'm kind of lost as
>to how to test, configure debug, etc.
>
>Trying to play a wav file with mplayer, it seems to play the file just
>fine except I hear nothing.
>
>My audio hardware is the hugely common, at least on older PCs, AC'97.
>And I seem to have a herd of modules running that appear sound
>related. (See the output of lspci and lsmod below).
>
>Maybe its just a question of turning something on or setting volume
>somewhere?
>------- --------- ---=--- --------- --------
>
>lspci |grep audio
>
> 00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation
> 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 02)
>
>------- --------- ---=--- --------- --------
>
>And I seem to have a whole herd of modules that are apparently sound
>related.
>
>lsmod |grep snd
>
> snd_intel8x0 22382 5
> snd_ac97_codec 84197 1 snd_intel8x0
> ac97_bus 12462 1 snd_ac97_codec
> snd_pcm 53315 3 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec
> snd_seq 39539 0
> snd_timer 22027 2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
> snd_seq_device 12985 1 snd_seq
> snd 38562 15
> snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm,snd_seq, soundcore
> 12992 1 snd snd_page_alloc 12899 2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm

Florian Kulzer helped me to debug this a couple of years ago. Very
comprehensive and excellent run through, but this might be all you need:

amixer set Master unmute

amixer set PCM unmute

Hope that helps
Charlie
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Charlie <ariestao@skymesh.com.au> writes:


[...]

> Florian Kulzer helped me to debug this a couple of years ago. Very
> comprehensive and excellent run through, but this might be all you need:
>
> amixer set Master unmute

That one seems to have went off without a hitch

> amixer set PCM unmute

amixer set PCM unmute
amixer: Unable to find simple control 'PCM',0

Then went to root and tried again:

sudo amixer set PCM unmute
No protocol specified
xcb_connection_has_error() returned true
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 31
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [on]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [on]

It appears the left and right are `on' but yet I cannot hear any
sounds. At least I am not able to make a sound with something like:


mplayer /anex2/music/W.P.A._CaseyBillWelden.wav

MPlayer SVN-r33713-4.6.1 (C) 2000-2011 MPlayer Team
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support. You will not be able to use your remote control.

Playing /anex2/music/W.P.A._CaseyBillWelden.wav.
Audio only file format detected.
Load subtitles in /anex2/music/
================================================== ========================
Opening audio decoder: [pcm] Uncompressed PCM audio decoder
AUDIO: 44100 Hz, 2 ch, s16le, 1411.2 kbit/100.00% (ratio: 176400->176400)
Selected audio codec: [pcm] afm: pcm (Uncompressed PCM)
================================================== ========================
AO: [pulse] 44100Hz 2ch s16le (2 bytes per sample)
Video: no video
Starting playback...
A: 4.1 (04.1) of 194.0 (03:14.0) 0.1%

And the numbers spin by but no sound. Yes, I do have speakers
connected... hehe.

And I hear noise at the speakers when I pull the plug in and out.


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Celejar <celejar@gmail.com> writes:


[...]

> Run a mixer (e.g., alsamixer) and check to make sure nothing's muted
> and that the volumes are set to reasonable levels.

Egad, that was it, alsamixer showed the volume being really low.

OK now I've got sound and happily listing to wbez

One thing I don't see is a way to increase/decrease sound in the
separate speakers.

Only seems possible to increase/decrease both at once.

in the attached screen grab, starting from the left. 1 and 3 are the
only columns that have any effect and either of those turns both
speakers up/down together.

Using F6 allows one to pick the sound card...`default' shows only one
column and `Intel ICH5' (as in the screen shot) shows several columns
but only the two mentioned above actually seem to do anything.

Fortunately my speakers each have there own amp and consequent volume
setting. But shouldn't I be able to adjust that kind of stuff in the
mixer?


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Harry Putnam wrote:
> One thing I don't see is a way to increase/decrease sound in the
> separate speakers.
> Only seems possible to increase/decrease both at once.

Depending upon your sound driver there should be separate left and
right controls. Check that they are not "locked together". Some
sound mixers do that so that you can zing the control up and down
together easily. Some require you to unlock them before they will
swing separately.

> in the attached screen grab, starting from the left. 1 and 3 are the
> only columns that have any effect and either of those turns both
> speakers up/down together.

Unless the image was going to be a very small one I am thankful that
it missed getting attached. :-) If you need to show a screenshot
then please consider using a pastebin site on the net and then posting
the url of it.

Bob

On 28/10/11 10:09, Harry Putnam wrote:
> Celejar <celejar@gmail.com> writes:
>
>
> [...]
>
>> Run a mixer (e.g., alsamixer) and check to make sure nothing's muted
>> and that the volumes are set to reasonable levels.
>
> Egad, that was it, alsamixer showed the volume being really low.
>
> OK now I've got sound and happily listing to wbez
>
> One thing I don't see is a way to increase/decrease sound in the
> separate speakers.

If you still have KDE installed...
use the Kmixer - it should be under the Multimedia section of Klauncher
(your menu) - or you can start it using:-
$ kmix

It'll appear in the systray - right-click on it, Show Mixer Window =>
Mixer => Settings => Configure Kmix - tick Dock in SystemTray (to make
show in systemtray the default setting).

>From Menu => Settings => SystemSettings => Multimedia
you can set up your default profiles for different sound usage.

Hint: Menu => Help is a good place to start.

>
> Only seems possible to increase/decrease both at once.
>
> in the attached screen grab, starting from the left. 1 and 3 are the
> only columns that have any effect and either of those turns both
> speakers up/down together.
>
> Using F6 allows one to pick the sound card...`default' shows only one
> column and `Intel ICH5' (as in the screen shot) shows several columns
> but only the two mentioned above actually seem to do anything.
>
> Fortunately my speakers each have there own amp and consequent volume
> setting. But shouldn't I be able to adjust that kind of stuff in the
> mixer?
>
>

Yes. See above.

Cheers


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On 28/10/2011 01:09, Harry Putnam wrote:

Celejar<celejar@gmail.com> writes:


[...]


Run a mixer (e.g., alsamixer) and check to make sure nothing's muted
and that the volumes are set to reasonable levels.


Egad, that was it, alsamixer showed the volume being really low.

OK now I've got sound and happily listing to wbez

One thing I don't see is a way to increase/decrease sound in the
separate speakers.

Only seems possible to increase/decrease both at once.

in the attached screen grab, starting from the left. 1 and 3 are the
only columns that have any effect and either of those turns both
speakers up/down together.

Using F6 allows one to pick the sound card...`default' shows only one
column and `Intel ICH5' (as in the screen shot) shows several columns
but only the two mentioned above actually seem to do anything.

Fortunately my speakers each have there own amp and consequent volume
setting. But shouldn't I be able to adjust that kind of stuff in the
mixer?


IMHO alsamixer your friend in many on-board-sound-cards weirdness issues.
From alsamixer help (press H in alsasmixer to get all other keyboard
shortcuts):


Q W E Increase left/both/right volumes
Z X C Decrease left/both/right volumes

You can only set left/right volume if the soundcard supports it for that
channel. This usually doesn't work e.g. for master, it usually does for
PCM. You can easily test out which channels support stereo with the
above keys.


Ciao,
Lorenzo.


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Lorenzo Sutton <lsutton@libero.it> writes:

> Q W E Increase left/both/right volumes
> Z X C Decrease left/both/right volumes
>
> You can only set left/right volume if the soundcard supports it for
> that channel. This usually doesn't work e.g. for master, it usually
> does for PCM. You can easily test out which channels support stereo
> with the above keys.

Ahh, yes I see.. works for PCM.

Sorry I hadn't investigated far enough before posting.


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Scott Ferguson <prettyfly.productions@gmail.com> writes:

[...]

> If you still have KDE installed...
> use the Kmixer - it should be under the Multimedia section of Klauncher
> (your menu) - or you can start it using:-
> $ kmix
>
> It'll appear in the systray - right-click on it, Show Mixer Window =>
> Mixer => Settings => Configure Kmix - tick Dock in SystemTray (to make
> show in systemtray the default setting).

None of that happens here.. Apparently, as seems sort of usual for
this install, there is some problem.

`kmix' from the command line appears to do nothing whatever. Nothing
appears in system area on bottom right of bottom panel.

>>From Menu => Settings => SystemSettings => Multimedia
> you can set up your default profiles for different sound usage.

Thanks, on mouse hover it says
Multimedia contains 3 items:
Audio CDs
CDDB Retrieval
Phonon

When opened and pressing phonon I see many settings for the sound
device.
Thanks for that.

> Hint: Menu => Help is a good place to start.

All the nifty stuff shown there does not happen for me.

aptitude shows it installed but broken.

iB kmix - volume control and mixer

Using the menus like: click the big K, then slide right one item in
the bottom horizontal list of main headings to
`applications'/then up to `Multimedia'/ scroll down to `soundmixer' (kmix)

Pressing that gives me a tiny bouncing happy face (or maybe it is
supposed to be a speaker) with sound waves emanating from it. It
bounces for something like 20/30 seconds, then disappears. Again,
nothing appears in system area, including in the `hidden icon'
section.

However, I am able to make all the adjustments with alsamixer,
including adjusting right/lift volume, once someone posted the key
combos. (That I should have found myself)


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On 29/10/11 01:01, Harry Putnam wrote:
> Scott Ferguson <prettyfly.productions@gmail.com> writes:
>
> [...]
>
>> If you still have KDE installed...
>> use the Kmixer - it should be under the Multimedia section of Klauncher
>> (your menu) - or you can start it using:-
>> $ kmix
>>
>> It'll appear in the systray - right-click on it, Show Mixer Window =>
>> Mixer => Settings => Configure Kmix - tick Dock in SystemTray (to make
>> show in systemtray the default setting).
>
> None of that happens here.. Apparently, as seems sort of usual for
> this install, there is some problem.
>
> `kmix' from the command line appears to do nothing whatever.

Possibly related to the aptitude broken packages??
Normally I'd expect *something* - even a "command not found"...

eg.:-
$ kmix
Connecting to deprecated signal
QDBusConnectionInterface::serviceOwnerChanged(QStr ing,QString,QString)
kmix(14569): _refcount already 0

> Nothing
> appears in system area on bottom right of bottom panel.

<snipped>

If:-
$ apt-get -s install kmix | grep kmix
gives you:-
gives you:-
kmix is already the newest version.
kmix set to manually installed.

Then try:-
(and look for error message, and appearance of icon)
$ kmix --keepvisibility


If kmix is not installed - how much is involved?:-
$ apt-get -s install kmix | grep -cE [CI]

>
> Using the menus like: click the big K, then slide right one item in
> the bottom horizontal list of main headings to
> `applications'/then up to `Multimedia'/ scroll down to `soundmixer' (kmix)
>
> Pressing that gives me a tiny bouncing happy face (or maybe it is
> supposed to be a speaker) with sound waves emanating from it. It
> bounces for something like 20/30 seconds, then disappears.

<snipped>

> Again,
> nothing appears in system area, including in the `hidden icon'
> section.

:-)
>
> However, I am able to make all the adjustments with alsamixer,
> including adjusting right/lift volume, once someone posted the key
> combos. (That I should have found myself)
>
>

The unmute, (M), alsamixer "should" have been enough to enable sound for
you.

Most multimedia apps (eg. VLC, Kaffeine, Dragon Player) have their own
volume control - but their levels are limited by Kmix/Alsamixer.

Cheers


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Scott Ferguson <prettyfly.productions@gmail.com> writes:

> If:-
> $ apt-get -s install kmix | grep kmix
> gives you:-
> gives you:-
> kmix is already the newest version.
> kmix set to manually installed.

sudo apt-get -s install kmix |grep kmix
kmix is already the newest version.

> Then try:-
> (and look for error message, and appearance of icon)
> $ kmix --keepvisibility

Still nothing on running that command. Where would error messages
appear?

Further though, since I can control all I need with
alsamixer... probably no further need to pursue this.

As you know many things have not worked as expected on my kde
install... no doubt due to serious pilot bungling early on and
throughout.

I'm not really attached to running kde for desktop but it seems
workable for now. Oddnesses I've seen have not been major enough to
warrant further investigation.

Thanks for your input... as always ... very helpful.


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