tvtime sound problem

I'mGeorge · 2012-02-29 22:05:28

when I open tvtime I get this

mixer: Can't open device /dev/mixer, mixer volume and mute unavailable.

In dev directory I don't have mixer, so I thought it would be alright to run tvtime like

tvtime -x /dev/snd

Although there's no warning anymore, I still don't have sound. Any idea how can I fix this ?

JohnnyV · 2012-03-01 03:36:04

This is an issue that creeps up on the boards every now and again and catches people off gaurd

I'm having the same problem, but I believe the problem is because tvtime still relies on OSS (open sound system) support; which you don't have installed (i'm using alsa myself); the indicator being that stuff found in /dev/mixer and /dev/dsp are not there, and those are generally used by OSS

perhaps you could include some more information about your system, like what sound enviroment you have installed and a listing of your sound hardware/capture card and the apporaite log files to determine (for instance) what drivers/modules you currently have loaded and in what order

in the mean time:

try backing up the config file (located in /home/USER) ~/.tvtime/tvtime.xml and playing with the relavent options, a sample one is provided in /etc/tvtime/tvtime.xml taht explains each one

also, (assuming you are using alsa by itself) try installing the alsa-oss package; it is a wrapper for oss applications to work within alsa (I haven't quite figured out how to get it to work though other than running the app in question with "aoss APPNAMEHERE")

sorry I can't be of much more help, i'm been dealing with this same issue for several months, and am somewhat of a newb myself

Last edited by JohnnyV (2012-03-01 03:40:05)

Gusar · 2012-03-01 08:23:22

alsa-oss is a hack that does not provide /dev/dsp and /dev/mixer. The oss emulation kernel modules (snd-pcm-oss and snd-mixer-oss) do. But even with that, many of today's tv cards route audio internally. If Arch still uses the tvtime from tvtime.sourceforge.com, it has no support for that. There's a newer tvtime, but I don't think a release was made yet. The repository is here http://git.linuxtv.org/tvtime.git

Last edited by Gusar (2012-03-01 11:38:26)

I'mGeorge · 2012-03-01 09:17:45

Gusar wrote:

alsa-oss is a hack that does not provide /dev/snd and /dev/mixer. The oss emulation kernel modules (snd-pcm-oss and snd-mixer-oss) do. But even with that, many of today's tv cards route audio internally. If Arch still uses the tvtime from tvtime.sourceforge.com, it has no support for that. There's a newer tvtime, but I don't think a release was made yet. The repository is here http://git.linuxtv.org/tvtime.git

True I've tried already to emulate oss through the kernel modules and alsa-oss with no luck, I think I'll just have to wait for the new tvtime release. Untill than I'll just stick to other alternatives.

Gusar · 2012-03-01 11:37:55

You can still use tvtime. But, unless you compile the version I linked to, you'll have to manually route audio from the tv card to the sound card. Sox is a way to for this:

sox -r 32000 -c 2 -t ossdsp /dev/dsp1 -t alsa default

You might have to adjust the sampling rate, 32000 is for the saa7134 driver, for other drivers 48000 is possibly the correct value. Also, the tuner might not be at /dev/dsp1, so adjust that too.

I'mGeorge · 2012-03-01 13:23:32

Gusar wrote:

You can still use tvtime. But, unless you compile the version I linked to, you'll have to manually route audio from the tv card to the sound card. Sox is a way to for this:
sox -r 32000 -c 2 -t ossdsp /dev/dsp1 -t alsa default
You might have to adjust the sampling rate, 32000 is for the saa7134 driver, for other drivers 48000 is possibly the correct value. Also, the tuner might not be at /dev/dsp1, so adjust that too.

After I compile tvtime from the link you gave me I get this error when I run it

alsa: Cannot open capture device hw:1,0: No such file or directory

The sound works indeed if I use

sox -r 32000 -c 2 -t ossdsp /dev/dsp2 -t alsa default

before I start tvtime compiled from the source you gave me, even if I still get an error like

alsa: Cannot open playback device hw:0,0: Device or resource busy
alsa: stream stopped

But I'm thinking this is because sox uses it, therefore I get the message resource busy. Anyway maybe the right capture device is hw:0,0. I wonder how can I make tvtime use this and not hw:1,0 as it does from default so in the end I won't need the use of sox.

Anyway @Gusar, thx man as now I have sound in tvtime, even if I have to use sox somewhere between.

Last edited by I'mGeorge (2012-03-01 13:24:35)

Gusar · 2012-03-01 13:42:24

If you use the new tvtime, don't use sox. That's the point of the new version, it has built-in sound routing (if it's fully implemented, that is. I don't actually know . there's no analog tv here anymore, so I haven't personally used the new tvtime) . sox is for use with the old version.

However, it seems the new version uses hw:0,0 for playback which is wrong. It should use "default", like the sox command does. Maybe that can be configured. Same goes for the capture device - it seems by default tvtime opens hw:1,0 but maybe your tuner is at hw:2,0 or somewhere else.

I'mGeorge · 2012-03-01 13:54:51

Gusar wrote:

If you use the new tvtime, don't use sox. That's the point of the new version, it has built-in sound routing (if it's fully implemented, that is. I don't actually know . there's no analog tv here anymore, so I haven't personally used the new tvtime) . sox is for use with the old version.
However, it seems the new version uses hw:0,0 for playback which is wrong. It should use "default", like the sox command does. Maybe that can be configured. Same goes for the capture device - it seems by default tvtime opens hw:1,0 but maybe your tuner is at hw:2,0 or somewhere else.

Without sox it still doesn't works and I get that

alsa: Cannot open capture device hw:1,0: No such file or directory

so I have to figure a way to make tvtime use something else. Actually for me I think the right capture device should actually be hw:0,0

I've put this line in tvtime.xml

<option name="MixerDevice" value="hw:0,0"/>

and I also tried other combinations like hw:0,1 0,2 2,0 1,0 But still no luck.

Last edited by I'mGeorge (2012-03-01 14:00:59)

Gusar · 2012-03-01 14:17:11

hw0,0 is you sound card, I'm sure of it. But it shouldn't be used directly because doing so bypasses dmix and other plugins. That's why apps should use the "default" device for playback, that one is dmix-ed.

Considering your tuner is /dev/dsp2, I'm thinking that from alsa's perspective it's hw:2,0. You can test that with sox:

sox -r 32000 -c 2 -t alsa hw:2,0 -t alsa default

I'd need to play with this new tvtime myself, however it's possible that it simply lacks such config options. Or you just need to find what exactly has to be put into tvtime.xml.

I'mGeorge · 2012-03-01 14:57:51

Gusar wrote:

Considering your tuner is /dev/dsp2, I'm thinking that from alsa's perspective it's hw:2,0. You can test that with sox:
sox -r 32000 -c 2 -t alsa hw:2,0 -t alsa default

Yeap that worked too, a bit better I might add. Anyway thanks for your help, I'll see what I can do from tvtime's config files

Last edited by I'mGeorge (2012-03-01 14:59:25)

I'mGeorge · 2012-03-01 16:17:35

well I frankly I don't think the solution is in tvtime's config files as its tvtime itself

JohnDVD · 2012-07-31 12:59:34

I wrote a wrapper script for using tvtime with sox. It relies on aplay -l, that does NOT show your tv card's index.

#!/bin/bash
# add following line via visudo or put "snd_mixer_oss" in rc.conf MODULES array
# %wheel ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: /sbin/modprobe snd_mixer_oss
sudo modprobe snd_mixer_oss
# modify string for your language regarding aplay -l
SEARCHSTRING="Karte"
CARDS="$(aplay -l | grep -i "$SEARCHSTRING" | cut -d \: -f1 | cut -d \ -f2 | sort -u)"
LASTCARD=$(echo $CARDS | rev | cut -d " " -f1)
TVCARD=$((LASTCARD+1))
for i in $(seq 0 $LASTCARD) ; do
aplay -l | grep "$SEARCHSTRING ${i}:" >/dev/null
[ $? = 1 ] && TVCARD=$i
done
sox -t alsa hw:$TVCARD,0 -t alsa default --no-show-progress &
/usr/bin/tvtime "$@"
# close sox session
kill %%

Greetz JD

Arch Linux

#1 2012-02-29 22:05:28

tvtime sound problem

#2 2012-03-01 03:36:04

Re: tvtime sound problem

#3 2012-03-01 08:23:22

Re: tvtime sound problem

#4 2012-03-01 09:17:45

Re: tvtime sound problem

#5 2012-03-01 11:37:55

Re: tvtime sound problem

#6 2012-03-01 13:23:32

Re: tvtime sound problem

#7 2012-03-01 13:42:24

Re: tvtime sound problem

#8 2012-03-01 13:54:51

Re: tvtime sound problem

#9 2012-03-01 14:17:11

Re: tvtime sound problem

#10 2012-03-01 14:57:51

Re: tvtime sound problem

#11 2012-03-01 16:17:35

Re: tvtime sound problem

#12 2012-07-31 12:59:34

Re: tvtime sound problem

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