Arch Linux

Zowlyfon

Member

From: England, Devon, Plymouth

Registered: 2012-12-27

Posts: 4

[SOLVED] Arcam rPAC Audio

Hello,

I have been using Arch Linux for a few weeks now, a couple of days ago I decided to take my main desktop from windows to Arch, and I love it on there so I would like it to stay.

For Christmas, a relative of mine very kindly gave me an Arcam rPAC, which has no official linux support, Arcam say that it is not compatible with the latest Linux kernel.

Arcam did not publish the Linux version they used, so I would assume that it would be something like Debian or Ubuntu which uses 2.6 branch.

I wondered if anyone had any Ideas on how to get it to work?

atm I am usin ALSA and MPD with GMPC for music, I'm pretty sure I am also using gstreamer as I have XFCE as my Desktop enviroment.

Any help would be appreciated.

Zowlyfon.

Last edited by Zowlyfon (2012-12-29 14:34:38)

Zowlyfon

Member

From: England, Devon, Plymouth

Registered: 2012-12-27

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Arcam rPAC Audio

I fixed it with trial and error, it works with audacious.

Last edited by Zowlyfon (2012-12-28 15:47:35)

tparvu

Member

Registered: 2013-01-31

Posts: 7

Re: [SOLVED] Arcam rPAC Audio

Hello,

I just purchased an Arcam rPAC and I was wondering how you got yours to work?  I have set it up in MPD and I have tried audacious, gmpc, Amarok, and I can't get mine to work. 

I am also using ALSA and I have a gstreamer back end.

I am truly bummed that I can't get this to work.  It will work in Win7 but I barely use windows and all my music is in my linux partitions.

This is what I get from mpd;

Jan 30 18:19 : output: Failed to open "Arcam rPAC" [alsa]: Error opening ALSA device "hw:2,0" (snd_pcm_hw_params): Input/output error

And Audacious reports this;

ALSA lib pcm_direct.c:980:(snd1_pcm_direct_initialize_slave) unable to install hw params
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1030:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to initialize slave

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

--Ted

Zowlyfon

Member

From: England, Devon, Plymouth

Registered: 2012-12-27

Posts: 4

Re: [SOLVED] Arcam rPAC Audio

Sorry about the delay, my email is locked out. Make sure you don't have pulse audio installed. only have alsa and audacious running. go into audacious and set up your prefered settings, make sure the arcam is selected. If it does not work, unplug and plug back in the arcam. If this does not work please tell me.

tparvu

Member

Registered: 2013-01-31

Posts: 7

Re: [SOLVED] Arcam rPAC Audio

OK, when I built my archlinux system I went with the gnome package install.  And it seems GDM and some other things require pulseaudio.

I removed pulseaudio and tried to get things working with MPD, Alsa, etc.  I went so far as to completely remove gnome and drop to a command line MPD client (Ncmpc).  I am pretty sure I tried some Alsa clients as well, but nothing worked.

After reading your last post, I decided to start with a clean install of archlinux without gnome.  I went with a basic X install.  It defaulted to the Arcam rPAC and is working fine.  i.e. I can listen to audio via Chromium. 

But strangely, audacious doesn't work and neither does alsamixer.

[tjp@lightning Eva Cassidy - Simply Eva  2011]$ alsamixer
cannot load mixer controls: Invalid argument

audacious pops up with this;

ALSA error: No suitable mixer element found.
ALSA error: snd_mixer_load failed: Invalid argument.
ALSA error: snd_pcm_open failed: Input/output error.

I'm not really sure what is going on here.  I'll keep digging, and if I figure it out I will post.  If you have any ideas, I am all ears.

thanks so much for your help,

--Ted

tparvu

Member

Registered: 2013-01-31

Posts: 7

Re: [SOLVED] Arcam rPAC Audio

I have had a chance to play around a little more and once I rebooted audacious starting working.  I did something and it stopped, I unplugged and plugged the rPAC back in and it starting working again. 

I now have Xfce installed.  I haven't used it in years, after converting to KDE.  I have to say I like it, so far.  Breathes some life back into my aging desktop.

The rPAC seems to be fine, other than the occasional glitch, which requires unplugging and plugging back in.

I wonder what the issue is, but pulseaudio seems to be a real show stopper. 

I might try bit perfect with MPD next.  But I think I will enjoy the sounds for a while before I break it again. 

--Ted

tparvu

Member

Registered: 2013-01-31

Posts: 7

Re: [SOLVED] Arcam rPAC Audio

Quick update;

I have bit perfect working with MPD.  Very happy with the sound.  So, I thought I would see if I could install KDE and get it working there.  It didn't look like pulse audio would be or was installed.  But when I startup KDE, it is a no go with the rPAC.  MPD nor Audacious will work.  Lucky for me that when I drop out of KDE and fire up Xfce everything is still working fine.  So, at least I didn't hose my whole system.  I have no idea what is breaking the rPAC in KDE but if I figure it out I will post here.

--Ted