strange audio problem

vistastar · 2011-12-06 06:27:49

I am using cmus to play music on terminal.
But it requires root to play. If I use a non root user, it complains:
Error: Opening audio device: couldn't initialize required output plugin.

The strange thing is, I can play music with mplayer as non root user!

I notice that my system doesn't have a /dev/dsp device, so I installed oss.
But the problem is still there, althgouth /dev/dsp is present.

Last edited by vistastar (2011-12-06 06:35:05)

echo.unity · 2011-12-06 06:34:38

add user to audio?

/dev/zero · 2011-12-06 06:35:56

export WHOAMI=$(whoami) && sudo usermod -Ga audio $WHOAMI

vistastar · 2011-12-06 06:36:09

Yes, I added it using gpasswd. If I don't do this, mplayer will not play music without root.

[alien@Arch~]:)id
uid=1000(alien) gid=1000(alien) groups=1000(alien),92(audio)

Last edited by vistastar (2011-12-06 06:38:22)

/dev/zero · 2011-12-06 06:43:42

vistastar wrote:

Yes, I added it using gpasswd. If I don't do this, mplayer will not play music without root.
[alien@Arch~]:)id
uid=1000(alien) gid=1000(alien) groups=1000(alien),92(audio)

So your user is seriously only in two groups? Mine is in like a dozen. Maybe cmus is trying to reference a plugin that assumes access to disks, video, or whatever.

vistastar · 2011-12-06 06:48:32

That doesn't matter. I have another Archlinux installed on which the same user have the same groups. I cant play music on that system.
cmus is a terminal based player, no video.

Mavirick · 2011-12-06 06:49:46

Like the beginner guide says for a desktop system you usually want to be in these groups to be able to do many of the tasks as non root.

audio - for tasks involving sound card and related software
lp - for managing printing tasks
optical - for managing tasks pertaining to the optical drive(s)
storage - for managing storage devices
video - for video tasks and hardware acceleration
wheel - for using sudo
games - needed for write permission for games in the games group
power - used with power options (e.g. shutdown with power button)
scanner - for using a scanner

/dev/zero · 2011-12-06 06:54:19

vistastar wrote:

That doesn't matter. I have another Archlinux installed on which the same user have the same groups. I cant play music on that system.
cmus is a terminal based player, no video.

Video wasn't the only thing I mentioned; furthermore, I qualified it with a "whatever".

I have trouble seeing how you can expect a normal user to do anything whatsoever when they aren't allowed to do anything.

From my Arch machine:

$ groups | tr ' ' '\n' | grep -v $(whoami)
adm
disk
lp
wheel
ftp
mail
http
games
dbus
network
video
audio
optical
floppy
storage
scanner
power
users

Any one of those missing groups could be screwing you over. Also, just because you run an app from the command line, doesn't mean it doesn't rely on video. I run videos mainly with CLI mplayer.

Last edited by /dev/zero (2011-12-06 06:57:42)

vistastar · 2011-12-06 07:01:33

I do not need that much. I just need sound. By the way, I am already in sudoers.
since mplayer can play as a non root user, why cmus can't?

Archlinux is a simple light weightdistro which means the "Arch Zen".
I don't want add any thing that I do not need. I believe any one using Arch will agree with me.

My former Archlinux can play music well using cmus. So I am confused about this issue.

Last edited by vistastar (2011-12-06 07:09:24)

PReP · 2011-12-06 09:19:07

I am not entirerly certain, but comparing my own id's, you seem to not be in the group "users".

And, i would suppose that people using arch would agree on adding youself to standard groups,
following the arch install guide, is a good practice.

Anyways, look into your groups, and/or configuring cmus.

Good luck

Last edited by PReP (2011-12-06 09:19:26)

vistastar · 2011-12-06 10:20:52

I added all the groups:
$ groups | tr ' ' '\n' | grep -v $(whoami)
adm
disk
lp
wheel
ftp
mail
http
games
dbus
network
video
audio
optical
floppy
storage
scanner
power
users

But it still doesn't work

vistastar · 2011-12-06 10:36:13

Hi, every body. Finally, I get off the issue.
It is because the first fail of cmus leaves a socket file on my home directory.
When it starts later it cannot create this file again.
So, I just delete this file. every thing is ok.
Believe the Arch Zen, not even the officail tutorial.

/dev/zero · 2011-12-06 11:05:05

Awesome. Glad you got it working.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-12-06 06:27:49

strange audio problem

#2 2011-12-06 06:34:38

Re: strange audio problem

#3 2011-12-06 06:35:56

Re: strange audio problem

#4 2011-12-06 06:36:09

Re: strange audio problem

#5 2011-12-06 06:43:42

Re: strange audio problem

#6 2011-12-06 06:48:32

Re: strange audio problem

#7 2011-12-06 06:49:46

Re: strange audio problem

#8 2011-12-06 06:54:19

Re: strange audio problem

#9 2011-12-06 07:01:33

Re: strange audio problem

#10 2011-12-06 09:19:07

Re: strange audio problem

#11 2011-12-06 10:20:52

Re: strange audio problem

#12 2011-12-06 10:36:13

Re: strange audio problem

#13 2011-12-06 11:05:05

Re: strange audio problem

Board footer