Sound in Kubuntu

[digitalhead]

Got a dumb question about Kubuntu Feisty. Whenever I play music or sound in another program like Amarok or embedded sound on web pages and don't close all programs before opening OA, there's no sound. That actually applies for other programs as well... if I listen to music in Amarok and stop it without closing, there's no sound in the browser, Kaffeine, Xine, VLC. Seems like once one program uses sound, any other program opened before the other is closed can't get access to the sound card. For the most part, it doesn't bother me, but sometimes, I'd like to listen to music from Amarok while playing OA, but then there's no sound from OA. Any ideas?

DH

[kit89]

It may depend but are you using alsa or oss?

If your using alsa you shouldn't have any problems.

[digitalhead]

I'm using alsa. Would it be possible that the fact that it's a USB sound adapter have anything to do with it? It's a C-Media adapter from AOC. This is it: http://www.aocusa.com/pview.php?g=Multimedia&c=Sound%20Cards&sc=Sound%20Cards&model=USB-AUDIO

Yes, I know I need to get a real sound card, but it was what I could afford when I found out the integrated adapter was DOA when I built the computer, plus I needed it for a laptop after the plug for the cable between the output and my stereo got hit and ruined the output jack. As you can tell, I haven't had the best luck with sound adapters... that's really bad when you try to DJ every once in a while too.

DH

[kit89]

I've never used such a device but it would seem to be the reason for your problem. I'd guess it's sheer limitation, it wasnt designed to handle multiple sound ouputs at once.

I'd recommend really anything but what you got, you can pick up a good sound card pretty cheap that will do the job nicely for only a couple of quid.

http://www.dabs.com/ProductView.aspx?Quicklinx=3W44&CategorySelectedId=11140&PageMode=1&NavigationKey=11140,11&InMerch=1

[digitalhead]

Sound work fine under Windows. I can run Winamp and still hear sound in OA, so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense that it would be different in Kubuntu unless it's just poor support for the adapter. Of course, Kubuntu 7.04 was the first version where this adapter worked at all, so it wouldn't surprise me.

Anyway, I try to stay away from Creative. However, I have had good luck with Diamond cards, or at least for video. Think this one would work for Kubuntu? http://www.diamondmm.com/XS71.php

DH

[hyp3rfocus]

while this particular model might not handle multiple sound outputs, i like the idea of external sound cards. it does make sense to move the audio stuff out of the pc case and away from all the electro-magnetic noise.

[dmn_clown]

I try to stay away from Creative.

The only Creative card that does not have a Linux kernel module (driver) is the X-Fi.  The rest should work with little to no tweaking necessary.

[digitalhead]

Anybody know what kinds of cards need absolutely no tweaking for Kubuntu other than Creative? I never did have a whole lot of luck with installing drivers in any distro of Linux. As a side question, could anybody tell me how to completely disable the integrated card? It was DOA and disabled in BIOS, but Kubuntu still picks it up and keeps trying to use it even after setting the default card in alsa to the USB adapter so I have to reset it every time I start my computer. It's a VIA 8237 chipset. I would blacklist it in hotplug, but I don't know what module to do so with or how to find out... of course I can't remember exactly how to blacklist it, but Google can answer that one for me.

DH

[kit89]

You'd have to go in as root and change it from their on the overall system.

By default the system will detect the first sound card it sees and try and use it (that being the on board) when you login to your account it will choose the card you have set.

[digitalhead]

here's what I did to set the default:

Code:

~$ asoundconf list
Names of available sound cards:
V8237
Audio
~$ sudo asoundconf set-default-card Audio
Password:
~$      

Still, every time I start up the computer, it resets to the onboard. Don't know why.

DH

[dmn_clown]

Still, every time I start up the computer, it resets to the onboard. Don't know why.

because you either haven't blacklisted the correct module which is snd_via82xx, you haven't aded the correct module to /etc/modules, or you haven't disabled onboard audio in the BIOS.

[digitalhead]

because you either haven't blacklisted the correct module which is snd_via82xx, you haven't aded the correct module to /etc/modules, or you haven't disabled onboard audio in the BIOS.

I definitely disabled the onboard in BIOS. I double check it every once in a while when it gets really annoying. I've heard about other people having the same thing happen to them. I didn't know which module it was that I needed to blacklist, so I just did so. Thanks for the info on that one. I will see if it works next time I reboot for whatever reason, which may be a while. However, I know I still need to get a different sound card all together because the USB adapter can't seem to handle multiple application output under Kubuntu, which it does just fine under Windows.

DH

[dmn_clown]

You have to remember that quite a few Linux kernel modules are reverse engineered because most hardware manufacturers only support one platform.  It is extremely difficult to fully support hardware with reverse-engineering, so the "but it works in Windows" line can be considered a slap in the face to kernel devs.

Do your research and buy from a company that fully supports the Linux kernel. As long as you stay away from the X-Fi, Creative is a decent choice.  They make awesome 5.1 speakers as well.

http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Main
http://manuals.opensound.com/devlists/Linux.html

[digitalhead]

Alright, I successfully got the onboard card blacklisted, and I found an extra internal modem with a sound card built in. Kubuntu recognizes the modem, but not the sound. It's an Intel 536EP. I got it because it's not a WinModem and I was on dial-up at the time, but now it seems to still have a purpose as a sound card if I can get it to work properly. Any ideas on that one? Also, I have yet to test the sound part under Windows, so I can't say whether it works there at all or not.

DH

[digitalhead]

Just thought I'd post that I got my sound fixed. I blacklisted the DOA onboard, pulled the plug on the USB adapter, and picked up a used Diamond Multimedia card with an Aureal Vortex AU8820 chipset for $5 at a local computer shop (which also lead to me getting a new job). It detected flawlessly and now I have multiple application sound output. It's kind of nice having Amarok playing Hellyeah and Brand New Sin while I'm shooting everything that moves (in the game that is). Now I just need to do a little bit of tweaking on the sound and I'm set.

Side note: Since I inadvertently gave the kernel devs a slap in the face, which I certainly did not mean it that way, I thought I'd mention that it took 3 tries just to get Windows to stop complaining about there being a sound card where there was a modem, and then the usual complex driver installation, which took another 2 attempts. Kudos to the kernel devs for that one.

DH