OSS4: can't record from microphone

thoughtcrime · 2009-07-29 17:14:11

Since dmix (alsa) did not work properly and I've tried really hard to get it working, but still no success, I decided to move to OSS4. My microphone worked there, though.

Vmix does a great job, but I can't record anything.

thoughtcrime ~ $ ossinfo
Version info: OSS 4.1 (b 1052b/200905261644) (0x00040100) GPL
Platform: Linux/x86_64 2.6.30-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Mon Jul 20 07:46:03 CEST 2009 (w0t)
Number of audio devices: 7
Number of audio engines: 11
Number of mixer devices: 1

Device objects
0: osscore0 OSS core services
1: oss_hdaudio0 Intel HD Audio interrupts=2326681 (2329199)
HD Audio controller Intel HD Audio
Vendor ID 0x808627d8
Subvendor ID 0x10438345
Codec 0: Unknown (0x1106e721/0x10438345)
2: oss_usb0 USB audio core services

Mixer devices
0: High Definition Audio 0x1106e72 (Mixer 0 of device object 1)
Audio devices
HD Audio play pcm1 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0 (device index 0)
HD Audio play pcm2 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm1 (device index 1)
HD Audio play pcm3 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm2 (device index 2)
HD Audio play pcm4 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm3 (device index 3)
HD Audio play spdifout /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/spdout0 (device index 4)
HD Audio rec select1 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcmin0 (device index 5)
HD Audio rec pcm4 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcmin1 (device index 6)
/dev/dsp -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
/dev/dsp_in -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
/dev/dsp_out -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
/dev/dsp_ac3 -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/spdout0
/dev/dsp_mmap -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
/dev/dsp_multich -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0

thoughtcrime ~ $ ossmix
Selected mixer 0/High Definition Audio 0x1106e721
Known controls are:
jack.jack1c.mix [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 47.1:47.1 dB)
jack.jack1c.pcm1 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 1.6:1.6 dB)
jack.jack1c.int-cd [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 33.1:33.1 dB)
jack.jack1c.pcm3 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 34.9:34.9 dB)
jack.jack1c.pcm2 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 31.4:31.4 dB)
jack.jack1c.pcm41 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 19.1:19.1 dB)
jack.jack1c.pcm42 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 19.1:19.1 dB)
jack.jack1d.jack5 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 47.1:47.1 dB)
record.select1.select1 <mix|int-cd|pcm3|pcm2|pcm4> (currently pcm4)
record.select1 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 34.9:34.9 dB)
record.pcm4 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 34.9:34.9 dB)
misc.pcm2 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 0.0:0.0 dB)
misc.pcm3 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 0.0:0.0 dB)
misc.pcm4 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 47.1:47.1 dB)
vmix0-enable ON|OFF (currently ON)
vmix0-rate <decimal value> (currently 48000) (Read-only)
vmix0-channels <Stereo|Multich> (currently Multich)
vmix0-src <Fast|Low|Medium|High|High+|Production|OFF> (currently Fast)
vmix0-outvol <monovol> (currently 24.2 dB)
vmix0-invol <monovol> (currently 25.0 dB)
vmix0.pcm7 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 25.0:25.0 dB)
vmix0.pcm8 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 25.0:25.0 dB)
vmix0.pcm9 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 25.0:25.0 dB)
vmix0.pcm10 [<leftvol>:<rightvol>] (currently 25.0:25.0 dB)

I have read the wiki and tried all possible combinations (the microphone seems to be at pcm4), asked in #archlinux and #oss on freenode and still it does not work.

Any help would be great, thanks for reading.

R00KIE · 2009-07-29 18:03:27

You may need to change something to input from whatever it is now. Because you have an hdaudio codec any jack (as far as I know) can be an input or an output so check that.

thoughtcrime · 2009-07-29 18:10:12

from ossmix:
record.select1.select1 <mix|int-cd|pcm3|pcm2|pcm4> (currently pcm4)

That's the only way to select inputs. I've tried them all and the only one that is not silent is "mix", the sound-output.

sand_man · 2009-07-29 23:29:49

Try playing around with ossxmix.
When I first started using oss4 it took me forever to work out how to get my mic working.
Play around with the different input switches.

R00KIE · 2009-07-30 10:17:09

This is what I mean when I say change something to be an input (look at the int-mic setting).

By the way, anyone knows of a good free image hosting site that automatically generates the thumbnails and works fast?

Edit:
By the way, you may want to change your vmix-src setting to Production, the sound will be much better and it will not cost you too much cpu time.

Last edited by R00KIE (2009-07-30 10:19:00)

thoughtcrime · 2009-07-30 11:39:47

The thing is that my ossxmix looks like that:

So there's only that one drop down box. Omploader is a nice image uploader btw, also recommended here.

R00KIE · 2009-07-30 12:29:32

I see .... try raising all the controls in "misc" and give all your sources a new go, in my case the controls in "misc" also control the recording volume.

Which device are you using to record ( /dev/dsp or other /dev/dsp* ) and what's the output of 'ls -la /dev/dsp*' ?

thoughtcrime · 2009-07-30 13:00:46

I've rosen all the misc controls and now
* "vmix0-invu" (top right) there's that one green bar on the right side that keeps flickering (int-cd, pcm3, pcm2, pcm4)
* none of the things in select1 react on speech. the only thing that happens is when I select pcm4 and plug out and back in my microphone, it displays... something as captured on the screenshot - vmix0-outvu and mumble in ossxmix (mumble listens to the microphone and puts everything back to the output in that test mode). Everything else was silent (no music playing etc, so I assume the displayed (not hearable) sound came from plugging the microphone)

Which device are you using to record ( /dev/dsp or other /dev/dsp* )

I don't know which devices mumble and audacity use, because I can only select OSS, not the device. It must be some sort of default device?

ls -la /dev/dsp*
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp0 -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp1 -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp2 -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp3 -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 29 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp4 -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/spdout0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 28 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp5 -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcmin0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 28 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp6 -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcmin1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 29 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp_ac3 -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/spdout0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp_in -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp_mmap -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp_multich -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 26 30. Jul 13:27 /dev/dsp_out -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0

R00KIE · 2009-07-30 14:56:43

Ok then maybe the default device is not what you need to record from (just a guess) you have two input devices dsp5 and dsp6 and maybe the default is attached to the wrong one.

If you are using audacity 1.3.8-1 then I believe there is a bug that prevents you from selecting the output and input sources when using OSS.
To go around that bug install alsa-plugins and put the folowing inside /etc/asound.conf (this file is most probably not there if you never used it to configure something related to alsa):

pcm.oss {
type oss
device /dev/dsp
}

then restart audacity and in the devices section you can select alsa or oss, select oss and then you should be able to select the output device (in your case you can use /dev/dsp since it is working properly) and then try selecting /dev/dsp5 as a recording source and then /dev/dsp6 and see if one works for capturing sound with audacity.

thoughtcrime · 2009-07-30 15:13:10

I've written that into my asound.conf, but still it is not possible to select an output device in audacity nor in mumble (input can't be chosen either).

R00KIE · 2009-07-30 15:17:25

And did you also install alsa-plugins ?

Edit:
Mind you that this workaround works only for audacity and apparently I'm one of the few that seem to use audacity and have such a problem.

Last edited by R00KIE (2009-07-30 15:18:59)

thoughtcrime · 2009-07-30 15:20:26

OOOh I'm sorry. I assumed I had it installed, but I didn't. Thanks for pointing that out. Yes, now I can choose various input/output devices in Audacity (not in Mumble though). I'll try them

thoughtcrime · 2009-07-30 15:29:12

/dev/dsp6: reacts to plugging the microphone out and in, not to anything else
/dev/dsp5: nothing
/dev/dsp4: audacity crashes
/dev/dsp: "Error while opening sound device. Please check the input device settings and the project sample rate."

As dsp5 does not react at all, I think dsp6 is the source?

R00KIE · 2009-07-30 15:53:13

Then it really seems that /dev/dsp6 is the right input and it also seem to be already attached as the default input from what you said previously.
In this case I'm out of ideas, if anyone else can't help you here maybe you should ask in the OSS forum for help http://4front-tech.com/forum/ .

Just to confirm that I didn't miss something (which I might have) post the output of 'ossinfo -a -v2'

thoughtcrime · 2009-07-30 15:57:17

thoughtcrime ~ $ ossinfo -a -v2
Audio devices
HD Audio play pcm1 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0 (device index 0)
Legacy device /dev/dsp0
Caps: DUPLEX TRIGGER MMAP
Modes: IN/OUT
Out engine 1: 0/HD Audio play pcm1
Busy (OUT) label 'VMIX'
Engine 2: 7/HD Audio play pcm1 (vmix)
Busy (OUT) by PID 3421 / amarokapp label 'amarokapp'
Engine 3: 8/HD Audio play pcm1 (vmix)
Available for use
Engine 4: 9/HD Audio play pcm1 (vmix)
Busy (OUT) by PID 3421 / amarokapp label 'amarokapp'
Engine 5: 10/HD Audio play pcm1 (vmix)
Available for use
Engine 6: 11/HD Audio play pcm1 (vmix)
Available for use
Formats: 0x1010 in, 0x1010 out
Device handle: PCI83451043-ff-au0
Related mixer dev: 0
Sample rate source: 0
Preferred channel configuration: Not indicated
Supported number of channels (min - max): 2 - 8
Native sample rates (min - max): 44100 - 192000 (44100,48000,88200,96000,192000)
HW Type: Not indicated.
Minimum latency: Not indicated
HD Audio play pcm2 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm1 (device index 1)
Legacy device /dev/dsp1
Caps: TRIGGER MMAP
Modes: OUTPUT
Out engine 1: 1/HD Audio play pcm2
Available for use
Formats: 0x1010 in, 0x1010 out
Device handle: PCI83451043-ff-au0
Related mixer dev: 0
Sample rate source: 0
Preferred channel configuration: Not indicated
Supported number of channels (min - max): 2 - 2
Native sample rates (min - max): 44100 - 192000 (44100,48000,88200,96000,192000)
HW Type: Not indicated.
Minimum latency: Not indicated
HD Audio play pcm3 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm2 (device index 2)
Legacy device /dev/dsp2
Caps: TRIGGER MMAP
Modes: OUTPUT
Out engine 1: 2/HD Audio play pcm3
Available for use
Formats: 0x1010 in, 0x1010 out
Device handle: PCI83451043-ff-au0
Related mixer dev: 0
Sample rate source: 0
Preferred channel configuration: Not indicated
Supported number of channels (min - max): 2 - 2
Native sample rates (min - max): 44100 - 192000 (44100,48000,88200,96000,192000)
HW Type: Not indicated.
Minimum latency: Not indicated
HD Audio play pcm4 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm3 (device index 3)
Legacy device /dev/dsp3
Caps: TRIGGER MMAP
Modes: OUTPUT
Out engine 1: 3/HD Audio play pcm4
Available for use
Formats: 0x1010 in, 0x1010 out
Device handle: PCI83451043-ff-au0
Related mixer dev: 0
Sample rate source: 0
Preferred channel configuration: Not indicated
Supported number of channels (min - max): 2 - 2
Native sample rates (min - max): 44100 - 192000 (44100,48000,88200,96000,192000)
HW Type: Not indicated.
Minimum latency: Not indicated
HD Audio play spdifout /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/spdout0 (device index 4)
Legacy device /dev/dsp4
Caps: TRIGGER MMAP
Modes: OUTPUT
Out engine 1: 4/HD Audio play spdifout
Available for use
Formats: 0x1410 in, 0x1410 out
Device handle: PCI83451043-ff-au0
Related mixer dev: 0
Sample rate source: 0
Preferred channel configuration: Not indicated
Supported number of channels (min - max): 2 - 2
Native sample rates (min - max): 44100 - 96000 (44100,48000,88200,96000)
HW Type: Not indicated.
Minimum latency: Not indicated
HD Audio rec select1 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcmin0 (device index 5)
Legacy device /dev/dsp5
Caps: DUPLEX TRIGGER MMAP
Modes: IN/OUT
In engine 1: 5/HD Audio rec select1
Busy (IN) label 'VMIX_IN'
Engine 2: 7/HD Audio play pcm1 (vmix)
Busy (OUT) by PID 3421 / amarokapp label 'amarokapp'
Engine 3: 8/HD Audio play pcm1 (vmix)
Available for use
Engine 4: 9/HD Audio play pcm1 (vmix)
Busy (OUT) by PID 3421 / amarokapp label 'amarokapp'
Engine 5: 10/HD Audio play pcm1 (vmix)
Available for use
Engine 6: 11/HD Audio play pcm1 (vmix)
Available for use
Formats: 0x1010 in, 0x1010 out
Device handle: PCI83451043-ff-au0
Related mixer dev: 0
Sample rate source: 0
Preferred channel configuration: Not indicated
Supported number of channels (min - max): 2 - 2
Native sample rates (min - max): 44100 - 192000 (44100,48000,96000,192000)
HW Type: Not indicated.
Minimum latency: Not indicated
HD Audio rec pcm4 /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcmin1 (device index 6)
Legacy device /dev/dsp6
Caps: TRIGGER MMAP
Modes: INPUT
In engine 1: 6/HD Audio rec pcm4
Available for use
Formats: 0x1010 in, 0x1010 out
Device handle: PCI83451043-ff-au0
Related mixer dev: 0
Sample rate source: 0
Preferred channel configuration: Not indicated
Supported number of channels (min - max): 2 - 2
Native sample rates (min - max): 44100 - 192000 (44100,48000,96000,192000)
HW Type: Not indicated.
Minimum latency: Not indicated

/dev/dsp -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
/dev/dsp_in -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
/dev/dsp_out -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
/dev/dsp_ac3 -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/spdout0
/dev/dsp_mmap -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0
/dev/dsp_multich -> /dev/oss/oss_hdaudio0/pcm0

Even if you can't help me with this, thanks for trying

R00KIE · 2009-07-30 17:33:58

From what I can see, dsp5 is being used as the "default" source (when you record from /dev/dsp it is actually recording from /dev/dsp5) but from your tests using either dsp5 or dsp6 gives the same result. No more ideas here.

It seems you will need to wait for someone with any clues to why that happens or turn to the 4front forums.

thoughtcrime · 2009-07-30 19:31:13

I've opened a thread at 4Front Technologies: http://4front-tech.com/forum/viewtopic. … 3013#13013

But if anyone from here knows something, just post it.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-07-29 17:14:11

OSS4: can't record from microphone

#2 2009-07-29 18:03:27

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#3 2009-07-29 18:10:12

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#4 2009-07-29 23:29:49

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#5 2009-07-30 10:17:09

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#6 2009-07-30 11:39:47

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#7 2009-07-30 12:29:32

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#8 2009-07-30 13:00:46

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#9 2009-07-30 14:56:43

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#10 2009-07-30 15:13:10

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#11 2009-07-30 15:17:25

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#12 2009-07-30 15:20:26

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#13 2009-07-30 15:29:12

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#14 2009-07-30 15:53:13

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#15 2009-07-30 15:57:17

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#16 2009-07-30 17:33:58

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

#17 2009-07-30 19:31:13

Re: OSS4: can't record from microphone

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