[linux-audio-user] alsa dmix question(s)

[Frank Barknecht]

Hallo,
Dave Phillips hat gesagt: // Dave Phillips wrote:

> Greetings:
> 
>   I'd like to employ dmix on my laptop but I need to know a few things
> before doing so. The first thing concerns my assumptions: Am I correct
> in understanding that dmix will perform as a "virtual hardware mixer" a
> la the SBLive on my desktop machine ? My laptop is an HP Omnibook 4150,
> it's very nice but its sound chip is a CS4232 and is not capable of
> hardware mixing like the SBLive. It would be nice if dmix would let me
> play with more than one audio app at a time.
>   If my first assumption is correct, how do I invoke and use dmix ?

Yes, it should. You can find a more detailed instruction on 
http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-doc/doc-php/asoundrc.php3#softmix
but normally you don't need to follow it any more than to use
"plug:dmix" as sound device istead of the usual "default". dmix at
least in alsa 0.9.2 didn't work well if at all with higher end cards: it
doesn't mix at 24bit. But the laptop card should be fine.

> Should it be in a startup file somewhere or should it be launched from
> the command-line ? Given that my laptop's CPU is only a PII 366 what
> kind of performance can I expect? 

I'd be happy to hear about that ;)

> Finally, how do I control the volume for each app playing, i.e., is
> there a mixer that recognizes dmix ?

That, too.

>   I'm curious as to how people are using dmix and what are their
> opinions about it, so fire away...

And of course, this as well. ;)

ciao
-- 
 Frank Barknecht                               _ ______footils.org__