My KDE sound problems

unplugged23 · 2011-02-19 07:34:22

Hello guys,

I've used arch linux in the past, and it has become my favorite linux distro. I today, decided to return to arch linux and went through the install process choosing to install KDE as my desktop enviornment. It is very difficult to get any kind of reliable sound. My computer has a sound blaster card, and on board audio. Amidst all of the audio troubles I gave up on trying to use the card, and have since been trying to configure everything for the on board audio. Whenever I log in to the KDE enviornment, I am greeted by a slew of notifications claiming that some audio cards were removed and/or are no longer there, so I then open Phonon, and test all of about 10 options I have until I find one that will play through the speakers. Then I move it to the top of the prefrence list and apply the changes. This will keep sound working for the one session I'm logged in. Once I log back in, I am greeted once again by all the error messages, and a new set of sound cards to go though to try and get sound working. I put up with this until I can no longer get sound to play through any of the options.

As I side note, when I try to simply launch an mp3, KDE will try to open mplayer but never succeeds. ( I don't think it's installed, but I couldn't find it in pacman) And, JuK is not playing anything, although, I belive I installed Xine.

Thanks so much for any help!

twilightning · 2011-02-19 20:13:48

KDE 4.6.0 is no longer dependent on HAL so you have to change some options for Phonon.

My recommendations are, Xine backend, install pulse audio, choose properly the devices in the configuration window and use amarok.

ssri · 2011-02-19 20:34:36

Traditionally I used xine as my backend. This caused nothing but problems for me when I updated to KDE 4.6.0 (and removed HAL). Switching to backends (xine -> vlc) in phonon stabilized my audio--I tried gstreamer, but it was lacking in performance. Then again, YMMV because I'm only using Intel's HDA chip for my laptop's sound.

Last edited by ssri (2011-02-19 22:18:44)

unplugged23 · 2011-02-19 21:17:06

Installing xine as my backend did not have any noticable effects. I installed pulseaudio, which removed all of my options for sound devices leaving them with a single 'PulseAudio sound server' option, which does not play any sound at all. I'm not really sure how to configure pulse, so some help there would be appreciated. I'm now installing vlc to try as a backend, but doubt it will make much difference with pulse audio only offering me one, non-working option.

Thanks again!

unplugged23 · 2011-02-19 21:40:33

Ok good news. I seem to have all of my sound working flawlessly with the exception of skype. In the skype options I have 10+ options to choose from for audio, but not of them work. Any suggestions here?

EDIT: cannot get any kind of microphone input working. All I know is that in Mangler, I can connect to a server and hear people, but I can't speak using any of the avalible input options.

After hours of tinkering I seem to have gotten things working. Thanks to those who got me going down the right path!

Last edited by unplugged23 (2011-02-19 23:42:18)

unplugged23 · 2011-02-21 01:05:00

Alright, rather than making a new thread, I figure I should just post this here...

The issue now seems to be that whenever I leave my computer for a while (this could be the issue, or maybe I'm just never at my computer long enough) Phonon will change the configuration of the "Speaker setup" tab to use a different sound card/output. If I just change it back to where it should be and push apply, it does not change anything. I still get no sound, and if I close and re open the window, the changes have already reverted back to the wrong sound card/output. So I'm stuck with no system or application sounds. However, when I go to log out, the log out system sound WILL actually play, and I will be returned to the log in screen. After I log in again, without any further configuration, all sound is as it should be and the log in noise will play.

I'm using KDE 4.6 with pulse audio, and the vlc backend for phonon.

Thanks again for the help guys!

Arch Linux

#1 2011-02-19 07:34:22

My KDE sound problems

#2 2011-02-19 20:13:48

Re: My KDE sound problems

#3 2011-02-19 20:34:36

Re: My KDE sound problems

#4 2011-02-19 21:17:06

Re: My KDE sound problems

#5 2011-02-19 21:40:33

Re: My KDE sound problems

#6 2011-02-21 01:05:00

Re: My KDE sound problems

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