Arch Linux

xdeusx

Member

Registered: 2007-10-15

Posts: 168

Alsa dmix problems

When I set up my system initially, alsa worked with dmix like a charm out of the box.
I tried PulseAudio last week, didn't like it and reverted the changes so I could use Alsa again.
And now dmix fails all the time, I cannot have more than one application play sound at the same time.
I tried configuring it with /etc/asound.conf but this didn't work either.

/etc/asound.conf

#/etc/asound.conf start:
pcm.!default {
    type plug
    slave.pcm "dmixer"
}


pcm.dsp0 {
    type plug
    slave.pcm "dmixer"
}
pcm.dmixer {
    type dmix
    ipc_key 1024
    slave {
        pcm "hw:0,0"
        period_time 0
        period_size 1024
        buffer_size 8192
        rate 44100   #many new cards are 48000 only
    }
    bindings {
        0 0
        1 1
    }

}

ctl.dmixer {
    type hw
    card 0
}

#end.

vlc messages

main debug: no aout present, spawning one
main debug: looking for audio output module: 4 candidates
alsa warning: audio device: hw:0,0 is already in use
alsa warning: audio device: hw:0,0 is already in use
alsa debug: failed to find a useable alsa configuration

mpd.error

Apr 23 17:01 : Error opening alsa device "plug:dmix": Device or resource busy
Apr 23 17:01 : problems opening audio device while playing "Digitalism/2007 - Idealism/03 - I Want I Want.mp3"
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:996:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave

It's annoying that some programs locks my soundcard, hope someone can help me.

brebs

Member

Registered: 2007-04-03

Posts: 3,742

Re: Alsa dmix problems

What's locking it? Probably OSS, e.g. Flash. dmix cannot mix oss - you need pulseaudio for that, or "avoid" OSS.

xdeusx

Member

Registered: 2007-10-15

Posts: 168

Re: Alsa dmix problems

Strange, I remember having Flash and MPD playing at the same time without trouble.
But I tried VLC and MPD which both support Alsa and one of the programs couldn't play audio.