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noahsark1126

Member

Registered: 2008-08-28

Posts: 119

[SOLVED] X won't start with ctl.!default set to pulse in asound.conf

I've just installed pulseaudio, and I then discovered that X won't start with it installed.  It looks like it's working -- I see normal output after running startx, it switches to X, the mouse shows up, and then it just hangs on a black screen.  I have to go to another VT and killall X.

So, I narrowed the problem down to the existence of a specific block in asound.conf, installed by pulseaudio-alsa.  It's this one:

ctl.!default {
  type pulse
}

If I comment that bit out, and leave it like this

# Use PulseAudio by default
pcm.!default {
  type pulse
}

#ctl.!default {
#  type pulse
#}

# Explicit PulseAudio device
pcm.pulse {
  type pulse
}

ctl.pulse {
  type pulse
}

# vim:set ft=alsaconf:

then everything is fine.  I also tried moving the file to ~/.asoundrc and changing the owner to me instead of root, but it didn't change anything.

Any ideas?

Last edited by noahsark1126 (2010-06-28 00:58:30)

ngoonee

Forum Fellow

From: Between Thailand and Singapore

Registered: 2009-03-17

Posts: 7,356

Re: [SOLVED] X won't start with ctl.!default set to pulse in asound.conf

I'd suggest using:-

ctl.!default {
    type hw
    card 0
}

You probably will do your volume control with pavucontrol anyway. Leaving unspecified probably defaults to this as well. This means that apps which think they're controlling a sound card will actually control the soundcard rather than a 'soft' volume.

---

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noahsark1126

Member

Registered: 2008-08-28

Posts: 119

Re: [SOLVED] X won't start with ctl.!default set to pulse in asound.conf

Thanks, that seems to do the trick!  Is there a way to control the volume on the command line with this setting?

ngoonee

Forum Fellow

From: Between Thailand and Singapore

Registered: 2009-03-17

Posts: 7,356

Re: [SOLVED] X won't start with ctl.!default set to pulse in asound.conf

Which volume? Assuming you're on the most common usecase (single hw audio device) then whatever command line you use (amixer for example) it'll work fine, it'll control the volume of the device rather than the pulseaudio plugin (so other playing apps get affected as well, which is probably what you want). The 'global' volume so to speak.

For multiple hw audio devices it gets tricky though.

---

Allan-Volunteer on the (topic being discussed) mailn lists. You never get the people who matters attention on the forums.
jasonwryan-Installing Arch is a measure of your literacy. Maintaining Arch is a measure of your diligence. Contributing to Arch is a measure of your competence.
Griemak-Bleeding edge, not bleeding flat. Edge denotes falls will occur from time to time. Bring your own parachute.

noahsark1126

Member

Registered: 2008-08-28

Posts: 119

Re: [SOLVED] X won't start with ctl.!default set to pulse in asound.conf

Yea I just have a single device.  amixer works.

Thanks very much for your help.  I'm marking as solved.