[linux-audio-user] alsa setup debug (was: jackd -d alsa -d hw:0 -p512 / problem to start)

[Tim Orford]

On Mon, Oct 27, 2003 at 11:47:39AM -0300, felix.news at qodiga.com wrote:
> Debian [unstable]
> Package: alsa [alsa-base 0.9.6-5 ]
> Package: jackd
> Versions:
> 0.75.0-2(/var/lib/apt/lists/http.us.debian.org_debian_dists_unstable_main_binary-i386_Packages)(/var/lib/dpkg/status)
> 
> 
> 
> > lspci -v
> 
> 00:0e.0 Multimedia audio controller: Ensoniq ES1370 [AudioPCI] (rev 01)
> Subsystem: Unknown device 4942:4c4c
> Flags: bus master, slow devsel, latency 96, IRQ 5
> I/O ports at 1480 [size=64]
> 
> [this Montego soundcard doesn't work under my Debian box]
> 00:10.0 Multimedia audio controller: Aureal Semiconductor Vortex 1 (rev 02)
> Subsystem: Voyetra Technologies Montego
> Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 9
> Memory at f4000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable)
> [size=128K]
> I/O ports at 14f8 [size=8]
> I/O ports at 14f0 [size=8]
> Capabilities: [dc] Power
> Management version 1

As you trimmed the output we dont know what other hardware could be causing
problems, but still, it looks ok. 

so which card are you trying to use? the ensoniq i guess.


> 
> 
> > lsmod
> Module                  Size  Used by    Not tainted
> 3c59x                  27600   1
> lp                      6432   0  (autoclean)
> snd-seq-midi            4064   0  (autoclean) (unused)
> snd-seq-oss            29632   0  (unused)
> snd-seq-midi-event      3296   0  [snd-seq-midi snd-seq-oss]
> snd-seq                36816   2  [snd-seq-midi snd-seq-oss
> snd-seq-midi-event]
> snd-pcm-oss            39556   0
> snd-mixer-oss          13592   0  [snd-pcm-oss]
> snd-ens1370             8580   0
> snd-pcm                60804   0  [snd-pcm-oss snd-ens1370]
> snd-timer              14468   0  [snd-seq snd-pcm]
> snd-page-alloc          6292   0  [snd-ens1370 snd-pcm]
> snd-rawmidi            13408   0  [snd-seq-midi snd-ens1370]
> snd-seq-device          4288   0  [snd-seq-midi snd-seq-oss snd-seq
> snd-rawmidi]
> snd-ak4531-codec        4888   0  [snd-ens1370]
> snd                    28964   0  [snd-seq-midi snd-seq-oss
> snd-seq-midi-event snd-seq snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-ens1370
> snd-pcm snd-timer snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device snd-ak4531-codec]
> soundcore               3844   8  [snd]

looks ok.
to use jack you only need "snd", "snd-pcm" and "snd-ens1370"


> > service alsa status
> > 	(or whatever it is on your distro)
> [I don't know how to do that, my init script say that. In fact is the
> first time I'm trying to use alsa]
> Usage: /etc/init.d/alsa
> {start|stop|restart|reload|force-stop|force-restart|force-reload}

ok, no problem. Module info is more useful anyway.


> # cat /var/log/syslog |grep -i alsa
> #
> [nothing, except grep -i alsa /var/log/boot]
> /var/log/boot:Tue Oct 21 10:03:21 2003: Starting ALSA (version 0.9.6): ens1370.
> /var/log/boot:Tue Oct 21 10:03:24 2003: Restoring ALSA mixer settings... failed

looks probably ok.
probably you havnt saved your mixer settings?
they live in /etc/asound.state (or your home dir)
you might want to create one using the alsactl program as root.
(i dont know why disributions dont do this as part of the alsa installation)


> /var/log/boot.0:Thu Oct 16 14:24:13 2003: Starting ALSA (version 0.9.6):
> warning, no drivers defined in /etc/modules.conf failed

er, isnt this from last week? :-)


> 
> But I have this lines in /etc/modules.conf
> ### update-modules: start processing /etc/modutils/alsa
> # ALSA portion
> alias char-major-116 snd
> alias snd-card-0 snd-ens1370
> # module options should go here
> 
> # OSS/Free portion
> alias char-major-14 soundcore
> alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
> 

ok.

all looks ok.

one further check: look in /proc/asound/cards
there should be just one card "card0"

># arecord -f cd > file.test
>Recording WAVE 'stdout' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz,
>Stereo
>Aborted by signal Interrupt...

i originally thought this was an error but i guess it is just
you hitting Ctl-C.

it looks like alsa is not the problem, but before moving onto jack
maybe it would be wise to check recording from the soundcard input
rather than stdin.

jack:

how often are the xruns? or are they too fast to count?

pls post the first few lines of jack output.

you are running everything as root arnt you?
is the kernel compiled with low-latency and preemtible options?

maybe dont start with ardour as its undergoing rapid development
atm. Better to imo use eg 'alsaplayer -o jack'. Also use one of
the jack control guis such as qjackconnect or qjackctl to check
jackd has 2 input ports and 2 output ports.


cheers!
-- 
Tim Orford