OpenArena Message Boards

Has anyone got the a52 ALSA plugin to work (realtime AC3 encoding thats than passed through S/PDIF), then hooked OpenAL with it?

I'm using Debian Testing currently, the final post here  (http://openal.996291.n3.nabble.com/Openal-S-PDIF-and-surround-td2410.html#) looks promising, but with just the following ALSA configuration (everything else ALSA is default):

# Surround sound attempt for OpenAL/Open Arena
pcm.a52encode {
    rate 44100
    channels 6
    type a52
}


Any attempt to use the resulting a52encode device fails, e.g.

$ aplay --dev=a52encode '<music file>'

Playing raw data '<music file>' : Unsigned 8 bit, Rate 8000 Hz, Mono
aplay: set_params:1228: Access type not available


Similarly when OpenAL tries to use it with Open Arena:

AL lib: (EE) ALCplaybackAlsa_reset: snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access(self->pcmHandle, hp, SND_PCM_ACCESS_RW_INTERLEAVED) failed: Invalid argument


I think the ALSA configuration is currently too simple.

I've normally kept away from ALSA configuration as its seriously over-the-top (by default its able to cope with normal S/PDIF out and AC3 passthrough so I haven't needed to fight it much), I'm just hoping another GNU/Linux user is here with a working config that I could look at.

While I am not sure, I think the ioquake3 engine simply does not support multi-speaker setups like 5.1, 6.0, 6.1, etc....

See under features here (https://sourceforge.net/projects/oarena/).

I didn't know OA was on SourceForge, too. I do not know who thbrn is.

Let's hope they do not include crapware as SourceForge often does! Although the .zip nature of the download seems a good hint (they often add bloatware in installation programs).

Oh... so basically it might be an invalid fork... damn.

I don't know whether that is 1:1 identical to official OA 0.8.8 or has got some difference.

However, openal support is something added by ioquake3... so one may also search for ioquake3 infos about it.

I just gave a quick look to the sourceforge page, it mentions "openal surround sound". Surround sound maybe does not automatically mean 5.1, 7.1 etc...

I don't know a lot about 5.1 etc... however a few infos about OpenAL
(DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/OpenAL

Are you sure your OA is actually using OpenAL driver and not base SDL audio driver? Looking at console output should give some clue (while seeing OpenAL button/variable enabled isn't enough).

Yes, I already said it was - see what I posted originally. There isn't 'surround' without at least 5.1.  Even if Open Arena itself isn't capable, my ALSA config is probably wrong so it'll have to wait until an example one comes along.

OA should already have OpenAL support since the 0.7 versions at least.


Sourceforge/oarena is not official fyi.    I would never depend on any Sourceforge service, especially not in these days.

Those were mostly copied from the ioq3 description, I've never tried surround sound myself (only got a headset).

I uploaded those files ages ago, think I've posted them as a mirror as well.

All the files are untouched originals, you can check their SHA1/MD5 on the "view details" popup of each file at SourceForge. This is assuming they do no tamper with them after storage on their server or before/while downloading, so better recheck after download as well.

I can try to remove the project, if they still allow that. Anyways, as long as you verify hashes and do not click any of the ads, you should be fine for now.

You're right, SourceForge is also linked in OA "download mirrors" wiki page.
(DO NOT LINK) h t t p s : / / openarena . wikia . com/wiki/Manual/Download_mirrors

Unless SourceForge guys messed up with the files after you uploaded them, I can guess it may be okay...