M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-07 16:56:32

Hello. I am very new to Archlinux, well Linux in general. I have sound comming out of the front two speakers, but as for center and and the rear channels, I have nothing. I have looked around, such as archwiki and have found alsa's website and it shows me about the drivers needed, but I have no idea how to start. Could anyone push me in the right direction?

I greatly appreciate it!

Ryan

brebs · 2008-04-07 17:06:54

With mp3s? See my ~/.asoundrc - pay attention to the "pacman -S" line, because you'll need some ladspa-related apps.

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-07 17:13:30

Thank you very much for the response. Haha, and now this is going to be a real newbie question.... but, the asoundrc file, do I have to create it, or does it already exist?

brebs · 2008-04-07 17:24:17

Create it, if it does not exist.

Easiest test, to see if you can get my configuration file to work: Run as your normal (i.e. not-root) user:

speaker-test -D upmix_20to51 -c 2 -t wav

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-07 17:27:37

Thanks again, sadly when I try to test the sound it gives me this error:

Playback device is upmix_20to51
Stream parameters are 48000Hz, S16_LE, 2 channels
WAV file(s)
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:996:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
Playback open error: -16,Device or resource busy

Thanks again

brebs · 2008-04-07 17:31:29

Hah, welcome to the frustrating world of dmix. It can't do software mixing if an OSS (as opposed to ALSA) sound source is involved. Were you playing any music at the time? Got any sound daemons running (esound, whatever KDE's mixer is called, etc.)?

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-07 17:32:37

I should also say that I have tested the sound with music and the subwoover works now. So yes, the file does work (For the subwoover). Thank you very much! All that is left is rear and center channels.

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-07 17:34:13

I have heard of oss. Is there a way to stop oss from being involved and just run only alsa, is that the problem here? Again, sorry for these terrible questions.

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-07 17:43:51

.... acutally, I take that back, the asound rc file did not do anything. Hmm... Any thoughts?

brebs · 2008-04-07 17:47:47

Use this file as /etc/asound.state, then run:

alsactl restore

To load it (it will moan a bit because it assumes an Audigy as a second installed soundcard). Should fix your mixer settings, to use all of the 5.1 speakers.

upmix_20to51 is *not* set as the default, because that would mess up other apps. So your music player (e.g. audacious) must specify it. This is why my example "speaker-test" line specifies it.

Last edited by brebs (2008-04-07 17:51:14)

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-07 18:14:00

Again another big newbie questions. I cannot paste that code into a txt file, it just locks up. Any easier way? Again sorry.

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-07 18:34:49

Ok, I created the file, stored the code in it and ran alsactl restore, and if gives me this:

alsactl: set_control:1300: incompatible field type for control #1
No state is present for card U0x46d0x8d7

Any thought?

brebs · 2008-04-07 18:59:51

Run alsamixer and you should have:

┌──────────────────[AlsaMixer v1.0.16 (Press Escape to quit)]──────────────────┐
│ Card: M Audio Revolution-5.1                                                 │
│ Chip: ICE1724 - multitrack                                                   │
│ View: [Playback] Capture  All                                                │
│ Item: PCM [dB gain=-23.00, -23.00]                                           │
│                                                                              │
│    ┌──┐     ┌──┐      ┌──┐     ┌──┐     ┌──┐      ┌──┐     ┌──┐              │
│    │  │     │  │      │  │     │  │     │  │      │  │     │  │              │
│    │  │     │  │      │  │     │  │     │  │      │  │     │  │              │
│    │  │     │  │      │  │     │  │     │  │      │  │     │  │              >
│    │▒▒│     │  │      │  │     │▒▒│     │  │      │  │     │  │              >
│    │▒▒│     │  │      │  │     │▒▒│     │  │      │  │     │  │              >
│    │▒▒│     │▒▒│      │▒▒│     │▒▒│     │  │      │  │     │  │              >
│    │▒▒│     │▒▒│      │▒▒│     │▒▒│     │  │      │  │     │  │              >
│    │▒▒│     │▒▒│      │▒▒│     │▒▒│     │  │      │  │     │  │              >
│    │▒▒│     │▒▒│      │▒▒│     │▒▒│     │  │      │  │     │  │              │
│    │▒▒│     │▒▒│      │▒▒│     │▒▒│     │  │      │  │     │  │              │
│    │▒▒│     │▒▒│      │▒▒│     │▒▒│     │  │      │  │     │  │   PCM Out    │
│    └──┘     └──┘      └──┘     └──┘     └──┘      └──┘     └──┘              │
│                                                                              │
│                                                                              │
│   64<>64     50        54     71<>71    0<>0      0<>0     0<>0              │
│ <  PCM   >PCM Cent  PCM LFE  PCM Rear Line Loo  CD Loopb Mic Loop  IEC958    │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

"PCM Rear" is for your rear speakers.

colbert · 2008-04-07 19:00:16

Hmm, I have a Revolution 7.1. Here's my ~/.asoundrc, you may wish to give it a try:

Backup your current .asoundrc:

cp .asoundrc .asoundrc.backup

then open it with any editor, I prefer gedit:

gedit .asoundrc

And paste this over everything already in the file (or just delete all the contents and then paste this, either way works):

# 6 channel dmix:
pcm.dmix6 {
     type dmix
        ipc_key 1024
        ipc_key_add_uid false
        ipc_perm 0660
        slave {
                pcm "hw:0,0"
                rate 48000
                format "S32_LE"
                channels 6
                period_time 0
                period_size 1024
                buffer_time 0
                buffer_size 8192
        }
     }

# upmixing: 
pcm.ch51dup {
        type route
        slave.pcm dmix6
        slave.channels 6
        ttable.0.0 1
        ttable.1.1 1
        ttable.0.2 0.6
        ttable.1.3 0.6
        ttable.0.4 0.5
        ttable.1.4 0.5
        ttable.0.5 0.5
        ttable.1.5 0.5
   }

pcm.duplex {
     type asym
     playback.pcm "ch51dup" # upmix first
     capture.pcm "hw:0"
}

# change default device:
pcm.!default {
     type plug 
     slave {
        pcm "duplex"
        }
}

# for aoss
pcm.dsp "duplex"

pcm.dsp1 "duplex"

pcm.10to20 {
        type route
        slave.pcm default
        slave.channels 2
        ttable.0.0 1
        ttable.0.1 1
}

pcm.pulse {
    type pulse
}
ctl.pulse {
    type pulse
}


#------------------------end of working file
~ #

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-08 01:31:44

Thank you colbert for the extra assistance. Sadly, when I tried that, and when I ran alsamixer, it said the .asoundrc file was corrupted and would not load.

And brebs, when I run alsamixer it shows that.

Any thoughts anyone?

Rumor · 2008-04-08 02:14:52

I have a 5.1 Revolution card in my system too. My speaker config is 2.1, so I don't have rear or center speakers.

I am using the drivers from 4FrontTechnologies that are available here: http://www.opensound.com/

If you go to their download page and choose the open sound system, then select your flavor of kernel (x86 or 64 bit), you will be taken to a page with two links, one to download the package, the other for installation and removal.

The install should automatically detect your card and install the proper driver. Maybe it will work for you. Since it provides removal instructions, you probably don't have anything to lose.

NOTE: Every time I reboot, I have no sound in the left speaker. I have to mute and then unmute before it will play. This seems to be a documented bug in the driver.

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-08 02:21:05

I have no real experience with oss or alsa (as you already know) Is oss better? Is there more benifits with it. Thanks so much Rumor for you help on this!

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-08 02:23:05

Also, is this download available in pacman?

colbert · 2008-04-08 02:30:40

Puppy, did you clear the entire file first and then paste what I posted above?

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-08 02:38:18

Hello Colbert

I did what you said. I copied the file (added .backup to the end of the name) And only put what you showed. But I will try again.

PuppyWhirl · 2008-04-08 02:42:34

When I try your file of .asoundrc it gives me this error when I run alsamixer:

ALSA lib conf.c:1589:(snd_config_load1) _toplevel_:70:3:Unexpected end of file
ALSA lib conf.c:2850:(snd_config_hook_load) /home/puppywhirl/.asoundrc may be old or corrupted: consider to remove or fix it
ALSA lib conf.c:2714:(snd_config_hooks_call) function snd_config_hook_load returned error: Invalid argument
ALSA lib conf.c:3079:(snd_config_update_r) hooks failed, removing configuration

alsamixer: function snd_ctl_open failed for default: Invalid argument

Any thoughts? Thanks again

brebs · 2008-04-08 09:21:34

colbert wrote:

#------------------------end of working file
~ #

That's supposed to be 1 line

Rumor · 2008-04-08 11:37:50

PuppyWhirl wrote:

I have no real experience with oss or alsa (as you already know) Is oss better? Is there more benifits with it. Thanks so much Rumor for you help on this!

PuppyWhirl wrote:

Also, is this download available in pacman?

To answer your second question first, the package exists in the AUR, so you can grab the PKGBUILD and run makepkg and then install it with pacman. Or you can just follow the link from my original post and install it that way since I don't think there will be any updates to that package.

To answer your first question, the sound quality from OSS4 is (IMO) better than what you get from alsa alone. M-Audio makes sound cards for audiophiles and professionals who work in sound and 4Front's drivers take better advantage of the hardware. Granted, this is purely subjective on my part.

There is more info on the package in the Arch wiki here: http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/OSS including how to install it.

brebs · 2008-04-08 12:52:10

I tried OSS with the M-Audio Revolution 5.1 - wasn't impressed with the distorted surround sound in Doom3.

The M-Audio Revolution 5.1 is a gamer's sound card - that's why it has (limited) EAX compatibility, and 5.1 support. Good audio quality, but not as good as the Audigy 4, and it suffers from the problem that software mixing in Linux is still in a terrible state.

Last edited by brebs (2008-04-08 12:52:44)

colbert · 2008-04-08 15:51:14

brebs wrote:

colbert wrote:
#------------------------end of working file
~ #
That's supposed to be 1 line

Nope, that's my bad, the 2nd line is my bash prompt, I just used cat to paste it and forgot to get rid of the prompt

Arch Linux

#1 2008-04-07 16:56:32

M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#2 2008-04-07 17:06:54

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#3 2008-04-07 17:13:30

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#4 2008-04-07 17:24:17

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#5 2008-04-07 17:27:37

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#6 2008-04-07 17:31:29

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#7 2008-04-07 17:32:37

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#8 2008-04-07 17:34:13

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#9 2008-04-07 17:43:51

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#10 2008-04-07 17:47:47

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#11 2008-04-07 18:14:00

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#12 2008-04-07 18:34:49

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#13 2008-04-07 18:59:51

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#14 2008-04-07 19:00:16

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#15 2008-04-08 01:31:44

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#16 2008-04-08 02:14:52

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#17 2008-04-08 02:21:05

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#18 2008-04-08 02:23:05

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#19 2008-04-08 02:30:40

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#20 2008-04-08 02:38:18

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#21 2008-04-08 02:42:34

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#22 2008-04-08 09:21:34

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#23 2008-04-08 11:37:50

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#24 2008-04-08 12:52:10

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

#25 2008-04-08 15:51:14

Re: M Audio Revolution 5.1 Sound Card

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