Sonata refuses to play music

Varreon · 2008-07-22 00:50:24

Yesterday, I was finally able to install arch. I immediately went installing programs, which went well untill I got to mpd/sonata. Mpd seems to be working, and I can see my songs within sonata. However, when I click on a song to play, it appears to start but stops immediately. If i start sonata from a terminal, it doesn't display any errors.

Here's my /etc/mpd.conf

# An example configuration file for MPD
# See the mpd.conf man page for a more detailed description of each parameter.

######################## REQUIRED PATHS ########################
#music_directory                 "~/music"
#playlist_directory              "~/playlists"
#db_file                         "~/mpd.db"
#log_file                        "~/mpd.log"
#error_file                      "~/mpd.error"

music_directory                 "/media/data/mpd/music"
playlist_directory              "/media/data/mpd/music/pls"
db_file                         "/var/lib/mpd/mpd.db"
log_file                        "/var/log/mpd/mpd.log"
error_file                      "/var/log/mpd/mpd.error"

# Note: ~ is the home directory of user set in the "user" option
################################################################


######################## OPTIONAL PATHS ########################
#
# If you wish to use mpd --kill to stop MPD, then you must
# specify a file here in which to store MPD's process ID.
#
#pid_file                        "~/.mpd/mpd.pid"
pid_file                        "/var/run/mpd/mpd.pid"
#
# If specified, MPD will save its current state (playlist,
# current song, playing/paused, etc.) at exit.  This will be
# used to restore the session the next time it is run.
#
#state_file                      "~/.mpd/mpdstate"
state_file                      "/var/lib/mpd/mpdstate"
#
################################################################


######################## DAEMON OPTIONS ########################
#
# If started as root, MPD will drop root privileges and run as
# this user instead.  Otherwise, MPD will run as the user it was
# started by.  If left unspecified, MPD will not drop root
# privileges at all (not recommended).

user                            "varreon"

# The address and port to listen on.
#
#bind_to_address                 "localhost"
bind_to_address                 "any"
port                            "6600"
#
# Controls the amount of information that is logged.  Can be
# "default", "secure", or "verbose".
#
#log_level                       "default"
#
################################################################


########################## PERMISSIONS #########################
#
# MPD can require that users specify a password before using it.
# You may specify one ore more here, along with what users who
# log in with that password are allowed to do.
#
#password                        "password@read,add,control,admin"
#
# Specifies what permissions a user who has not logged in with a
# password has.  By default, all users have full access to MPD
# if no password is specified above, or no access if one or
# more passwords are specified.
#
#default_permissions             "read,add,control,admin"
#
################################################################


########################## AUDIO OUTPUT ########################
#
# MPD supports many audio output types, as well as playing
# through multiple audio outputs at the same time.  You can
# specify one or more here.  If you don't specify any, MPD will
# automatically scan for a usable audio output.
#
# See <http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Configuration#Audio_Outputs>
# for examples of other audio outputs.
#
# An example of an ALSA output:
#
audio_output {
        type                    "alsa"
        name                    "My ALSA Device"
    options            "dev=dmixer"
        device                  "plug:dmix"     # optional

}
#
# An example of an OSS output:
#
#audio_output {
#        type                    "oss"
#        name                    "My OSS Device"
#        device                  "/dev/dsp"   # optional
#        format                  "44100:16:2" # optional
#}
#
# An example of a shout output (for streaming to Icecast):
#
#audio_output {
#        type                    "shout"
#        name                    "My Shout Stream"
#        host                    "localhost"
#        port                    "8000"
#        mount                   "/mpd.ogg"
#        password                "hackme"
#        quality                 "5.0"
#        bitrate                 "128"
#        format                  "44100:16:1"
#        user                    "source"                # optional
#        description             "My Stream Description" # optional
#        genre                   "jazz"                  # optional
#        public                  "no"                    # optional
#}
#
# Force all decoded audio to be converted to this format before
# being passed to the audio outputs.
#
#audio_output_format             "44100:16:2"
#
################################################################


############################# MIXER ############################
#
# MPD needs to know what mixer settings to change when you
# adjust the volume.  If you don't specify one here, MPD will
# pick one based on which ones it was compiled with support for.
#
# An example for controlling an ALSA mixer:
#
#mixer_type                      "alsa"
#mixer_device                    "default"
#mixer_control                   "PCM"
#
# An example for controlling an OSS mixer:
#
#mixer_type                      "oss"
#mixer_device                    "/dev/mixer"
#mixer_control                   "PCM"
#
# If you want MPD to adjust the volume of audio sent to the
# audio outputs, you can tell it to use the software mixer:
#
#mixer_type                      "software"
#
################################################################


######################### NORMALIZATION ########################
#
# Specifies the type of ReplayGain to use.  Can be "album" or
# "track".  ReplayGain will not be used if not specified.  See
# <http://www.replaygain.org> for more details.
#
#replaygain                      "album"
#
# Sets the pre-amp used for files that have ReplayGain tags.
#
#replaygain_preamp               "0"
#
# Enable on the fly volume normalization.  This will cause the
# volume of all songs played to be adjusted so that they sound
# as though they are of equal loudness.
#
#volume_normalization            "no"
#
################################################################


########################### BUFFERING ##########################
#
# The size of the buffer containing decoded audio.  You probably
# shouldn't change this.
#
#audio_buffer_size               "2048"
#
# How much of the buffer to fill before beginning to play.
#
#buffer_before_play              "0%"
#
# Similar options for the HTTP stream buffer.  If you hear
# skipping while playing HTTP streams, you may wish to increase
# these.
#
#http_buffer_size                "128"
#http_prebuffer_size             "25%"
#
################################################################


########################### HTTP PROXY #########################
#
# Specifies the HTTP proxy to use for playing HTTP streams.
#
#http_proxy_host                 "proxy.isp.com"
#http_proxy_port                 "8080"
#http_proxy_user                 "user"
#http_proxy_password             "password"
#
################################################################


############################# LIMITS ###########################
#
# These are various limits to prevent MPD from using too many
# resources.  You should only change them if they start
# restricting your usage of MPD.
#
#connection_timeout              "60"
#max_connections                 "5"
#max_playlist_length             "16384"
#max_command_list_size           "2048"
#max_output_buffer_size          "8192"
#
################################################################


###################### CHARACTER ENCODINGS #####################
#
# If file or directory names do not display correctly, then you
# may need to change this.  In most cases it should be either
# "ISO-8859-1" or "UTF-8".  You must recreate your database
# after changing this (use mpd --create-db).
#
#filesystem_charset              "ISO-8859-1"
#
# The encoding that ID3v1 tags should be converted from.
#
#id3v1_encoding                  "ISO-8859-1"
#
################################################################


######################### OTHER OPTIONS ########################
#
# The metadata types MPD will recognize.
#
#metadata_to_use                  "artist,album,title,track,name,genre,date,composer,performer,disc"
#
# Enable this if you wish to use your MPD created playlists in
# other music players.
#
#save_absolute_paths_in_playlists "no"
#
################################################################

Edit: Forget about the xmms comment posted earlier. Xmms works, yet sonata still doesn't.

Last edited by Varreon (2008-07-22 01:41:32)

robmaloy · 2008-07-22 10:55:15

hmmm, sounds strange

1. try another client (mpc for example)

2. check out MPD's log files

3. run mpd with "mpd --verbose --no-daemon --stdout"

finferflu · 2008-07-22 10:57:52

As robmaloy points out, I would first check whether mpd is working correctly.

mfolnovic · 2008-07-22 12:01:58

hmm, this happens to me when I update mpd, restarting mpd doesn't help, but restarting computer helps, weird, but true ...

finferflu · 2008-07-22 12:57:11

Did you check that Sonata is connected to mpd when you restart the latter? At least on my machine, I need to reconnect Sonata manually every time I restart mpd.

Zeist · 2008-07-22 14:00:31

@Varreon:

Did you try running mpd --version to ensure that there is a Supported Output detected and that supported formats doesn't have anything wrong in it? I would also recommend you to try to run mpc as a test . Try to do a mpc update to see if it gives any errors and then try playing something from mpc.

Then I would recommend going through the rest of the steps that robmaloy describes.

Varreon · 2008-07-23 01:35:37

@Zeist: Yes, under "supported formats" I see mp3 and xm, which are the file types I am trying to play. I also see that it supports alsa(which I believe I am using) ao, oss and shout.

With mpc, I try what is shown in the screenshot here http://www.musicpd.org/images/mpc_20030723_1.jpg. However, when I do mpc play, it does not show a song name. However, it appears to be playing:

[varreon@zeus ~]$ mpc playlist
 1) blz feat. dubmood - sharpening the blade
 2) Dubmood - with zabutom - oh YM2149 sexy thing (z00m^TCG oh AY sexy thing edit)
 3) blz feat. dubmood - sharpening the blade
>4) Dubmood - with zabutom - oh YM2149 sexy thing (z00m^TCG oh AY sexy thing edit)
 5) blz feat. dubmood - sharpening the blade
 6) Dubmood - with zabutom - oh YM2149 sexy thing (z00m^TCG oh AY sexy thing edit)

Yet I don't hear it. Do I assume its an issue with alsa?

Varreon · 2008-07-23 03:16:27

Ugh.. the only thing worse than having a problem is having a solution you don't understand. After finding that sonata can play streams, I try that. I eventually return to my mpd files to find that they all play. So sonata works for me, but I have no idea what I did...

Inxsible · 2008-07-26 15:29:29

I have the exact same issue. Reboot is not helping.

Trouble is, I had it working properly in my other Arch install. I have tried ncmpc and Sonata and gmpc, they all start to play the song - I even see the CD covers (for the songs that I have CD covers for) -- but only for a split second and thenit stops.

I don't think alsa is an issue, because cplay plays all songs without a hitch.

I was hoping for a solution - but all I found was this thread and unfortunately Varreon doesn't know what he/she did to get it to work.

Could you maybe retrace your steps - if you remember them ?

EDIT : This is my mpd.error file. Having a look at it, it does seem that mpd is not recognizing mpdvol

ALSA lib control.c:909:(snd_ctl_open_noupdate) Invalid CTL mpdvol
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM mpdvol
Jul 26 10:02 : Error opening alsa device "mpdvol": No such file or directory

Last edited by Inxsible (2008-07-26 15:34:24)

Inxsible · 2008-07-26 15:44:46

Checking the mpd.error file, I realized I had missed a step in the configuration where I make a new mpdvol audio device so as to control ONLY the mpd volume and keep my system volume separate.

I needed a /etc/asound.conf file - which I had forgotten to create

Arch Linux

#1 2008-07-22 00:50:24

Sonata refuses to play music

#2 2008-07-22 10:55:15

Re: Sonata refuses to play music

#3 2008-07-22 10:57:52

Re: Sonata refuses to play music

#4 2008-07-22 12:01:58

Re: Sonata refuses to play music

#5 2008-07-22 12:57:11

Re: Sonata refuses to play music

#6 2008-07-22 14:00:31

Re: Sonata refuses to play music

#7 2008-07-23 01:35:37

Re: Sonata refuses to play music

#8 2008-07-23 03:16:27

Re: Sonata refuses to play music

#9 2008-07-26 15:29:29

Re: Sonata refuses to play music

#10 2008-07-26 15:44:46

Re: Sonata refuses to play music

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