Fine tuning questions on xbmc

[Duffy]

Arkay

Contents of LinuxDrivers.zip is below. I have bolded the two files I think may be relevant. They both have "tar" as part of their extension, but not sure what to do now.

dad@myth-frontend:~/Documents/downloads/patches$ unzip LinuxDrivers.zip
Archive:  LinuxDrivers.zip
   creating: LinuxDrivers/
   creating: LinuxDrivers/Audio/
   creating: LinuxDrivers/Audio/Linux(Kernel version 2.2.14 or 2.4)/
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Audio/Linux(Kernel version 2.2.14 or 2.4)/realtek-linux-audiopack-3.5-6b.tar.bz2  
   creating: LinuxDrivers/Audio/Others/
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Audio/Others/realtek-linux-audiopack-4.06a.tar.bz2  
   creating: LinuxDrivers/Audio/Redhat Fedora core 5/
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Audio/Redhat Fedora core 5/realtek-linux-audiopack-FC5-4.05f.tar.bz2  
   creating: LinuxDrivers/Audio/RHEL4 update 4/
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Audio/RHEL4 update 4/realtek-linux-audiopack-RHEL4U4-4.05f.tar.bz2  
   creating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/
   creating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/
   creating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/atl1.7  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/atl1.spec  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/copying  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/ldistrib.txt  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/readme  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/release_note.txt  
   creating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/at.h  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/at_ethtool.c  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/at_hw.c  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/at_hw.h  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/at_main.c  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/at_osdep.h  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/at_param.c  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/kcompat.c  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/kcompat.h  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/kcompat_ethtool.c  
  inflating: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/Makefile  
 extracting: LinuxDrivers/Lan/Linux-v1.2.40.0/l1-linux-v1.2.40.0/src/Module.symvers

Duffy

[arkay]

Duffy,

The only file in that zip pack that is relevant is:

LinuxDrivers/Audio/Others/realtek-linux-audiopack-4.06a.tar.bz2

The other audio driver is for the older 2.4 series kernel.

To extract that file do the following:

co to where the above file is
bunzip2 -d realtek-linux-audiopack-4.06a.tar.bz2
tar -xvf realtek-linux-audiopack-4.06a.tar

It will probably unpack a source code directory named realtek-linux-audiopack.

cd realtek-linux-audiopack-4.06a.tar
./configure
make
make install

Should install it. If you want to just unpack it first and see what's in there and let me know otherwise just go ahead and install it.

With the shares you can try and map it on the command line from the frontend with:

mount -t cifs //mythserver/images /mnt -o username=dad,password=<your password>

That should mount it under /mnt on the frontend. Don't forget to insert your real password where I "your password" above.

If you can map it like that then the username and password that you give should be what you use in clonezilla to map /images from mythserver.

Cheers,

Arkay.

[Duffy]

Arkay

cd realtek-linux-audiopack-4.06a.tar
./configure
make
make install

Up to this point. Changed into the realtek-linux-audiopack-4.06a folder. Other commands didn't work. There was a Readme.txt file in the folder which gave instructions on how to install. Basically run the following command

./install

Ran this command - after lots and lots of code scrolling by, installation finished.

Rebooted.

Still no sound. No change in output from running aplay -l:

root@myth-frontend:~# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC883 Analog [ALC883 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC883 Digital [ALC883 Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 3: ATI HDMI [ATI HDMI]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
root@myth-frontend:~#

Hmmm?

FYI, contents of folder and Read.txt is below:

dad@myth-frontend:~/Documents/downloads/patches/LinuxDrivers/Audio/Others/realtek-linux-audiopack-4.06a$ ls
alsa-driver-1.0.14-4.06a.tar.bz2  install       version
alsa-lib-1.0.14.tar.bz2           Readme.txt
alsa-utils-1.0.14.tar.bz2         test.wav.bz2
dad@myth-frontend:~/Documents/downloads/patches/LinuxDrivers/Audio/Others/realtek-linux-audiopack-4.06a$ cat Readme.txt
The source code copy from www.alsa-project.org.      ver:3.3-4
Linux Source Code for ALC audio codec
Support Codec list:
====AC97 Codec=====
ALC100,100P
ALC200,200P
ALC650D
ALC650E
ALC650F
ALC650
ALC655
ALC653
ALC658
ALC658D
ALC850
ALC101
ALC202
ALC250
ALC203

====HD Audio codec ====
ALC260
ALC262
ALC660
ALC861
ALC880
ALC882
ALC883
ALC885
ALC888

Installation:
This Source Code is from www.alsa-project.org.
For driver installation, please follow below steps. 

Automatic install:
execute

  ./install

Manual install:
Step 1. unzip source code
        tar xfvj alsa-driver-1.0.xx.tar.bz2

Step 2. Turn on sound support (soundcore module, default turn on)

Step 3. Complied source code
	a. cd alsa-driver-1.0.xx
	b. ./configure
	c. make
	d. make install
	e. ./snddevices

Step 4. Edit your /etc/modules.conf or conf.modules depending on the distribution
 	(Please refer to the attached modules.conf)
	 
        snd-xxxx is the card ID.

	-- Azalia controller --ALC880 ALC882 ALC260 ALC262 ALC883 ALC885 ALC888
	   --- Intel ICH6 ICH7 ---------
               snd-hda-intel
           --- ATI chipset -----
	       snd-atiixp

        -- AC97 controller --ALC655 ALC650 ALC250 ALC255
           --- Intel ICH6 ICH7 , SiS 7012 and NVidia----------
               snd-intel8x0
           --- Via8233 Via686a  -------------------------------    
	       snd-via82xx
           --- ATI Chipset  -------------------------------
	       snd-atiixp

        Copy and paste this to the bottom of your /etc/modules.conf or /etc/modprobe.conf file.
	# ALSA portion
          alias char-major-116 snd
          alias snd-card-0 snd-xxxx     
        # OSS/Free portion
          alias char-major-14 soundcore
          alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
        # card #1
          alias sound-service-0-0 snd-mixer-oss
          alias sound-service-0-1 snd-seq-oss
          alias sound-service-0-3 snd-pcm-oss
          alias sound-service-0-8 snd-seq-oss
          alias sound-service-0-12 snd-pcm-oss

Step 5. reboot your machine

Step 6. Use the alsamixer the disable mute (All audio line default is mute)
        *Must to compile and to install the ALSA library and utility. (Use automatic install is already install)
        excute alsamixer

Note: 	1. The most detail information, can refer the alsa-kernel/Documenttation/ALSA-Configuration.txt in the azx-021705.tar.bz2.
	2. Kernel Version must be 2.2.14 or later.
	3. All mixer channels are muted by default. You must use a native
		or OSS mixer program to unmute appropriate channels.
	4. If can not compile the source code, try to rename the /usr/src/linux-2.x -> /usr/src/linux.
	5. The driver added to support the SPDIF functoin. 	
	6. a. You can download the alsa-lib-1.0.9 and alsa-utils-1.0.9a form the www.alsa-project.org, then unzip and install them. 
	   b. Suggest use "alsamixer" to control mixer function.
	   c. Used "alsaconf" can autodetect which drive you need to install (step 4). 	
        7. SUSE Distribution must install the ncurses package. 
dad@myth-frontend:~/Documents/downloads/patches/LinuxDrivers/Audio/Others/realtek-linux-audiopack-4.06a$

I think I may recover my backup image (prior to all the latest attempts to get digital sound working) and try to install again.

See if that works - unless you have other ideas.

As for the shares, could not mount to the backend from the frontend:

root@myth-frontend:~# mount -t cifs //mythserver/images /mnt -o username=dad,password=******
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on //mythserver/images,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       (for several filesystems (e.g. nfs, cifs) you might
       need a /sbin/mount.<type> helper program)
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

Duffy

[arkay]

Duffy,

When you say no sound did you go back through the alsamixer and unmute everything a re-try the commands above to play something with mplayer etc?

Your samba config is identical to mine as far as I can see.

The relevant bits of mine are:

# smb.conf is the main Samba configuration file. You find a full commented                           
# version at /usr/share/doc/packages/samba/examples/smb.conf.SUSE if the                             
# samba-doc package is installed.                                                                    
# Date: 2006-05-02                                                                                   
[global]                                                                                             
workgroup = Libertyave                                                                               
client ntlmv2 auth = yes                                                                             
#printcap name = cups                                                                                
#cups options = raw                                                                                  
map to guest = Bad User                                                                              
include = /etc/samba/dhcp.conf                                                                       
logon path = \\%L\profiles\.msprofile                                                                
logon home = \\%L\%U\.9xprofile                                                                      
logon drive = P:                                                                                     
restrict anonymous = no                                                                              
domain master = no                                                                                   
max protocol = NT                                                                                    
ldap ssl = No                                                                                        
server signing = Auto                                                                                
add machine script = /usr/sbin/useradd  -c Machine -d /var/lib/nobody -s /bin/false %m$              
create mask = 775                                                                                    
directory mask = 775                                                                                 
preferred master = no                                                                                
acl compatibility = winnt                                                                            
server string = Home Server

[images]
comment = Clonezilla images
inherit acls = Yes
path = /home/rick/Documents/images
read only = no
guest ok = Yes
force group = users

I noticed in your output above it looks like you don't have a return after the last line in your samba.conf as your output looked like:

force group = usersdad : /home/dad >

Maybe edit that file and add a blank line at the bottom and save it again and restart samba:

sudo su -
/etc/rc.d/samba restart

I just mounted my images share with:

mount -t cifs //beast/images -o username=rick,password=<my password> /mnt

and it worked. I don't know if cifs is installed out of the box with mythbuntu, try the same line with:

mount -t smbfs //mythserver/images -o username=dad,password=<your password> /mnt

Cheers,

Arkay.

[Duffy]

Arkay

When you say no sound did you go back through the alsamixer and unmute everything a re-try the commands above to play something with mplayer etc?

Yes, alsamixer was all unmute with volume turned up to 100 (except mic which had volume at 0, otherwise I get static)

Tried the commands with mplayer (cut and paste). Could see the program running, but no sound.

I just mounted my images share with:

mount -t cifs //beast/images -o username=rick,password=<my password> /mnt

and it worked. I don't know if cifs is installed out of the box with mythbuntu, try the same line with:

mount -t smbfs //mythserver/images -o username=dad,password=<your password> /mnt

If that doesn't work restart samba on the server and try again:

sudo su -
/etc/rc.d/samba restart

Tried all of the above with no success.

Duffy

[arkay]

Bugger...

Got this back from BLKMGK over at the XBMC forums:

I had the same issues on Mythbuntu when I was using it and in fact I think I had to install a GUI mixer so I could figure things out. Hope that is of some help!

You can install one on the frontend with:

sudo su -
sudo apt-get install alsamixergui

then log out of root and run it:

exit
alsamixergui

Have aplay and see what you can see. BLKMGK said he had two SPDIF devices on his hardware which probably makes sense if there is a coax one and HDMI.

Have a re-read of my last post about samba. I think you got a copy of it and I added something afterwards with regard to the missing end of line character in your samba config file.

Cheers,

Arkay.

[Duffy]

Arkay

I noticed in your output above it looks like you don't have a return after the last line in your samba.conf as your output looked like:

Code:

force group = usersdad : /home/dad >

Maybe edit that file and add a blank line at the bottom and save it again and restart samba:

sudo su -
/etc/rc.d/samba restart

Don't quite understand. Do I remove ":/home/dad >" from the line and add a blank line or just add a blank line? In the copy of your file, you did not have the ":/home/user >" at the end.

Digital Sound

I recovered the image from the backup so as to have a clean install. A few thoughts/issues:

Installed alsamixergui but I don't see how this is any different from alsamixer - it gives no additional functionality or info.

Is there another gui I could try?

By recovering the image I no longer have the updated Linux Drivers. Updated the drivers , but didn't see any difference.

Found the comment below on the ubuntu forums (post number 4: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=874436:

The only other item found that may cause issues is that ALSA apparently looks by default for devices to be at DEVICE 0 and this appears to be at DEVICE 3. The temporary workaround for this is to create a symbolic link from /dev/snd/pcmC<CARD>D<EVICE>p to /dev/snd/pcmC<CARD>D0p. This may not be necissary in your case. Also, I have not figured out why this the sym link was required. I am still investigating this.

aplay -l shows my two digital devices to be devices 1 and 3, with analog being device 0. Should I be assigning my digital device to device 0? If so, how?

Output form aplay -l:

dad@myth-frontend:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC883 Analog [ALC883 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC883 Digital [ALC883 Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 3: ATI HDMI [ATI HDMI]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
dad@myth-frontend:~$

Is it just easier to go a buy a sound card? If yes, which one?

Duffy

[arkay]

Hi Duffy,

Sorry it took so long to answer, been away for the weekend with no PC access.. Think the Mr's and kids thought I was going to die when I found my optus wireless didn't work where we were staying

I survive though!

Arkay
Don't quite understand. Do I remove ":/home/dad >" from the line and add a blank line or just add a blank line? In the copy of your file, you did not have the ":/home/user >" at the end.

Ah!!! There should be no :/home/dad on there at all. The line should just read:

force group = users

Digital Sound

I recovered the image from the backup so as to have a clean install. A few thoughts/issues:

Installed alsamixergui but I don't see how this is any different from alsamixer - it gives no additional functionality or info.

Is there another gui I could try?

By recovering the image I no longer have the updated Linux Drivers. Updated the drivers , but didn't see any difference.

Found the comment below on the ubuntu forums (post number 4: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=874436:

aplay -l shows my two digital devices to be devices 1 and 3, with analog being device 0. Should I be assigning my digital device to device 0? If so, how?

Output form aplay -l:

dad@myth-frontend:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC883 Analog [ALC883 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC883 Digital [ALC883 Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 3: ATI HDMI [ATI HDMI]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
dad@myth-frontend:~$

Is it just easier to go a buy a sound card? If yes, which one?

Duffy

Hmm. Without me being there I really can't tell what's going on. I can't even really think what to try next. That's the sort of thing where I'd just try a dozen different things until I got it to work. The annoying thing is that I know that board does work.

I would probably be inclined to just get a pci soundcard but as to which one I don't know. The soundblaster Audigy series are always well supported but I don't know if you can get one anymore.

This page confirms they are good for Linux. The Audigy 2 ZS is available new on ebay and appears to work fine.

I do have a couple of audigy 1/2 cares here though if you want to try one out and see?

Every board I've tried with onboard audio has worked so far. I think you're having issues because of this HDMI crap that the movie studios and MS have pushed into the PC market.

The other option you could try if you have the time and patience is to post on the myth/u/buntu forums and see if you can get some direct help with your board from someone who has one.

Cheers,

Arkay.

[arkay]

Duffy,

Had one other thought on the audio thing with that board.

Mythbuntu 8.10 is out. It's possible that it has a later version of Alsa that may be configured properly for the SPDIF on your board. You could take an image of the current system then apply the upgrade to 8.10 and see if it fixes anything. o hard in trying. If not just go back to the previous install.

I can't really think of anything else obvious to try. Particularly when I've been told by someone with the same board that it should work out of the box

Here's a link to the Arch wiki alsa page. Might be some things in there to try as well.

Cheers,

Arkay.

[arkay]

Duffy,

Been doing some more reading on that board. What a nightmare.

It would seem that the thing has more than one sound device. Apparently the HDMI audio output is an intel device and the SPDIF is a realtek one. I've read something on windows forums that says you must disable the intel side in order to get spdif to function at all.

It could be that your auto loaded modules for sound are loading the intel drivers and ignoring the realtek portion of the sound.

If that's the case we may need to blacklist the intel sound modules in order to get SPDIF to work.

Can you post up an:

lsmod
cat /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base

So I can see what audio Linux thinks it has. It may not help but it's worth a try

Also, what is in the bios on that thing? Is there anything that looks like you can disable audio over HDMI but not spdif for example?

Cheers,

Arkay.

P.S. I bloody hate being beaten by problems like this...

[Duffy]

Arkay

Firstly, noticed you were away for the weekend. Must admit, I felt lost, but hope you enjoyed your time away from all of this.

Secondly, thanks for persisting with this.

Thirdly, just noticed your signature. Is that new or am I just hopeless? (You don't have to answer that)

I do like it your signature though.

Before trying 8.10, I think you are right re SPDIF being Intel and digital being Realtex. aplay -l shows device 3 to be Intel and device 1 to be ALC883 Digital (ALC883 is a Realtex codec).

Output from aplay -l:

dad@myth-frontend:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC883 Analog [ALC883 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC883 Digital [ALC883 Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 3: ATI HDMI [ATI HDMI]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
dad@myth-frontend:~$

lsmod output:

dad@myth-frontend:~$ lsmod
Module                  Size  Used by
isofs                  36388  0 
udf                    88612  1 
acpi_cpufreq           10796  1 
cpufreq_ondemand        9740  1 
cpufreq_powersave       2688  0 
cpufreq_userspace       5284  0 
cpufreq_conservative     8712  0 
cpufreq_stats           7104  0 
freq_table              5536  3 acpi_cpufreq,cpufreq_ondemand,cpufreq_stats
container               5632  0 
video                  19856  0 
output                  4736  1 video
sbs                    15112  0 
sbshc                   7680  1 sbs
dock                   11280  0 
battery                14212  0 
iptable_filter          3840  0 
ip_tables              14820  1 iptable_filter
x_tables               16132  1 ip_tables
ac                      6916  0 
sbp2                   24072  0 
lp                     12324  0 
parport                37832  1 lp
ipv6                  267780  14 
snd_hda_intel         344728  1 
snd_pcm_oss            42144  0 
snd_mixer_oss          17920  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                78596  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss
lirc_mceusb2           14980  1 
snd_page_alloc         11400  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
snd_hwdep              10500  1 snd_hda_intel
lirc_dev               15732  1 lirc_mceusb2
joydev                 13120  0 
snd_seq_dummy           4868  0 
snd_seq_oss            35584  0 
snd_seq_midi            9376  0 
nvidia               7825536  24 
atl1                   36364  0 
snd_rawmidi            25760  1 snd_seq_midi
snd_seq_midi_event      8320  2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi
mii                     6400  1 atl1
psmouse                40336  0 
i2c_core               24832  1 nvidia
snd_seq                54224  6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_seq_midi_event
serio_raw               7940  0 
snd_timer              24836  2 snd_pcm,snd_seq
snd_seq_device          9612  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq
snd                    56996  13 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_hwdep,snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device
intel_agp              25492  0 
button                  9232  0 
soundcore               8800  1 snd
agpgart                34760  2 nvidia,intel_agp
shpchp                 34452  0 
pci_hotplug            30880  1 shpchp
iTCO_wdt               13092  0 
iTCO_vendor_support     4868  1 iTCO_wdt
evdev                  13056  5 
pcspkr                  4224  0 
ext3                  136712  2 
jbd                    48404  1 ext3
mbcache                 9600  1 ext3
sg                     36880  0 
sr_mod                 17956  1 
cdrom                  37408  1 sr_mod
sd_mod                 30720  3 
pata_jmicron            7040  0 
usbhid                 31872  0 
hid                    38784  1 usbhid
pata_acpi               8320  0 
ohci1394               33584  0 
ata_generic             8324  0 
ahci                   28420  3 
ieee1394               93752  2 sbp2,ohci1394
floppy                 59588  0 
libata                159344  4 pata_jmicron,pata_acpi,ata_generic,ahci
scsi_mod              151436  5 sbp2,sg,sr_mod,sd_mod,libata
ehci_hcd               37900  0 
uhci_hcd               27024  0 
usbcore               146028  5 lirc_mceusb2,usbhid,ehci_hcd,uhci_hcd
thermal                16796  0 
processor              36872  2 acpi_cpufreq,thermal
fan                     5636  0 
fbcon                  42912  0 
tileblit                3456  1 fbcon
font                    9472  1 fbcon
bitblit                 6784  1 fbcon
softcursor              3072  1 bitblit
fuse                   50580  1 
dad@myth-frontend:~$

Output from cat /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base:

dad@myth-frontend:~$ cat /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base
# autoloader aliases
install sound-slot-0 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-0
install sound-slot-1 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-1
install sound-slot-2 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-2
install sound-slot-3 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-3
install sound-slot-4 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-4
install sound-slot-5 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-5
install sound-slot-6 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-6
install sound-slot-7 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-7

# Cause optional modules to be loaded above generic modules
install snd /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-ioctl32 ; : ; }
install snd-pcm /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-pcm && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-pcm-oss ; : ; }
install snd-mixer /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-mixer && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-mixer-oss ; : ; }
install snd-seq /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-seq && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-seq-midi ; /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-seq-oss ; : ; }
install snd-rawmidi /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-rawmidi && { /sbin/modprobe --quiet snd-seq-midi ; : ; }
# Cause optional modules to be loaded above sound card driver modules
install snd-emu10k1 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-emu10k1 $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe -Qb snd-emu10k1-synth ; }
install snd-via82xx /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-via82xx $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe -Qb snd-seq ; }

# Load saa7134-alsa instead of saa7134 (which gets dragged in by it anyway)
install saa7134 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install saa7134 $CMDLINE_OPTS && { /sbin/modprobe -Qb saa7134-alsa ; : ; }

# Load snd-seq for devices that don't have hardware midi;
#   Ubuntu #26283, #43682, #56005; works around Ubuntu #34831 for
#   non-Creative Labs PCI hardware
install snd /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd && { /sbin/modprobe -Qb snd-seq ; }
# Prevent abnormal drivers from grabbing index 0
options bt87x index=-2
options cx88_alsa index=-2
options saa7134-alsa index=-2
options snd-atiixp-modem index=-2
options snd-intel8x0m index=-2
options snd-via82xx-modem index=-2
options snd-usb-audio index=-2
options snd-usb-usx2y index=-2
options snd-usb-caiaq index=-2
# Ubuntu #62691, enable MPU for snd-cmipci
options snd-cmipci mpu_port=0x330 fm_port=0x388
dad@myth-frontend:~$

My BIOS settings

High Definition Audio is Enabled
When enabled, I can select either AC97 or HD Audio. I've tried both. It is currently set to AC97.

I can't see anywhere to disable HDMI (mind you, I use HDMI for video to the projector, but that is HDMI from the video card, not the mobo HDMI)

Also on the mythtv wiki (http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/index.php..._AC3_and_SPDIF), one person said to add the following to the modprobe.conf file:

options snd-pcm-oss dsp_map=1

Where the 1 at the end is the device number of the digital device (it is also 1 in my case). I noticed that the alsa-base file has similar commands, but not this command.

Currently reading the Arch wiki alsa page.

Duffy

[arkay]

Arkay

Firstly, noticed you were away for the weekend. Must admit, I felt lost, but hope you enjoyed your time away from all of this.

Sure did Though it was a mini holiday, away just long enough to be completely dark on the fact that I didn't take the whole week off!

Secondly, thanks for persisting with this.

No worries. Just want people to enjoy what I do.. Perfect operation and functionality.

Thirdly, just noticed your signature. Is that new or am I just hopeless? (You don't have to answer that)

Well. I will answer it...... It's new thanks to Mike who saw it somewhere on the net and suggested it'd be a great sig for me.

I do like it your signature though.

Me too though I'm not doing much for advertising Linux with all these bloody Mythbuntu frontend problems. I really wish I'd done an Arch frontend as well now so I had a perfect do this, do that set of instructions. Mind you, that would probably make the front end build as long as the backend was

Before trying 8.10, I think you are right re SPDIF being Intel and digital being Realtex. aplay -l shows device 3 to be Intel and device 1 to be ALC883 Digital (ALC883 is a Realtex codec).

Output from aplay -l:

dad@myth-frontend:~$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC883 Analog [ALC883 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC883 Digital [ALC883 Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 3: ATI HDMI [ATI HDMI]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
dad@myth-frontend:~$

lsmod output:

Hmm, interesting. I f I can just find the post that mentioned disabling the Intel part to allow Alsa a load the ALC883 up.

Ok. According to a ubuntu thread you can identify your soundcard codec with:

cat /proc/asound/card0/codec#* | grep Codec

It should return ALC883 if the hardware spec of your board is right.

Because the output jacks vary from board to board and also in laptops that use the ALC883 chip sometimes you have to pass different arguments to the driver to tell it which way to configure your board.

According to the doco you need to edit /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base or /etc/modprobe.conf at the top of the file is fine. (Can you tell I haven't had to do this on my setup?) and add or change the line:

options snd-hda-intel model=<option>

where <option> is one of the following:

ALC883/888
3stack-dig 3-jack with SPDIF I/O
6stack-dig 6-jack digital with SPDIF I/O
3stack-6ch 3-jack 6-channel
3stack-6ch-dig 3-jack 6-channel with SPDIF I/O
6stack-dig-demo 6-jack digital for Intel demo board
acer Acer laptops (Travelmate 3012WTMi, Aspire 5600, etc)
acer-aspire Acer Aspire 9810
medion Medion Laptops
medion-md2 Medion MD2
targa-dig Targa/MSI
targa-2ch-dig Targs/MSI with 2-channel
laptop-eapd 3-jack with SPDIF I/O and EAPD (Clevo M540JE, M550JE)
lenovo-101e Lenovo 101E
lenovo-nb0763 Lenovo NB0763
lenovo-ms7195-dig Lenovo MS7195
haier-w66 Haier W66
6stack-hp HP machines with 6stack (Nettle boards)
3stack-hp HP machines with 3stack (Lucknow, Samba boards)
auto auto-config reading BIOS (default)

So you might first try:

options snd-hda-intel model=3stack-dig

then stop/start alsa (or reboot):

/etc/init.d/alsa restart

Haven't checked if the above is right for alsa restart in ubuntu as I'm not in fronthe of the frontend. It should be something "alsa" though. ls -l /etc/init.d/*alsa* will tell you.

See if anything has changed with aplay -l/-L and test playback with mplayer, check alsamixer etc. All the stuff we've done previously.

If there's no joy then try the next in the list:

options snd-hda-intel model=6stack-dig

Only use the first part of the line above, that's the config to try, the "6-jack digital with SPDIF I/O" part are just despcriptions in the file and should not go in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base

That's one thing to try. Still looking for the info on removing conflicting intel drivers though I think that might not be 100% accurate. Intel-HDA is the driver for the realtek as far as I know... Will see if I can find the post again and get back to you.

modprobe looks ok but I'l not 100% sure what I'm looking for just yet

Cheers,

Arkay.