I quit.

I've been trying to get my SoundBlaster Live (24 bit) card to work and I can't do it.

Nothing but silence. Maybe I have a bad card...maybe the ALSA drivers don't actually do what they say they do. (Has anyone actually got this card to work?)

I need help. Should I get a different sound card (from ebay)? If so, does anyone have any good suggestions?

My kernel is 2.6.16. My objective is to play music files of all types through my stereo connected to my computer (via the soundcard). Fairly simple project (or so I thought).

did you try:and did you configure settings with alsamixer?

Yeah, I've issued that command. Here is the result of a modinfo command:


debian:~# modprobe snd-ca0106
debian:~# modinfo snd_ca0106
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.16/kernel/sound/pci/ca0106/snd-ca0106.ko
author: James Courtier-Dutton <James@superbug.demon.co.uk>
description: CA0106
license: GPL
vermagic: 2.6.16 686 gcc-3.3
depends: snd,snd-pcm,snd-page-alloc,snd-rawmidi,snd,snd-ac97-codec
alias: pci:v00001102d00000007sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
parm: enable:Enable the CA0106 soundcard. (array of bool)
parm: id:ID string for the CA0106 soundcard. (array of charp)
parm: index:Index value for the CA0106 soundcard. (array of int)


I've used alsamixer to turn up the volume to the maximum on all the controls.

Here is the result of mu amixer -c0


debian:~# amixer -c0
Simple mixer control 'Line in',0
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 255
Front Left: Capture 225 [88%] [off]
Front Right: Capture 225 [88%] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 255
Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [off]
Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Phone',0
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 255
Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [on]
Front Right: Capture 207 [81%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Center/LFE',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Front',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Rear',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Unknown',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%]
Simple mixer control 'Aux',0
Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
Capture exclusive group: 0
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 255
Front Left: Capture 207 [81%] [off]
Front Right: Capture 207 [81%] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Center/LFE',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Front',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Rear',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Side',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%]
Simple mixer control 'CAPTURE feedback',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:Simple mixer control 'Digital Capture Source',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'IEC958 out' 'i2s mixer out' 'IEC958 in' 'i2s in' 'AC97 in' 'SRC out'
Item0: 'SRC out'
Simple mixer control 'Shared Mic/Line in',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Line in' 'Mic in'
Item0: 'Line in'
Front Left: Playback 255 [100%]
Front Right: Playback 255 [100%]

some things have happened since my last post.

1. when I click on an mp3 file I can hear faint sound, but it's "covered" with noise. (static, pops, etc) It basically sounds terrible coming through the speakers.

2. When I play a CD, there is total silence.

(this was how I was testing my sound set up in my previous post)

3. there are three "sound out" ports on my card. only one of them seems to produce anything. And that one produces the nasty sound I talked about above.

Hi, I have a SB16 and when I got Kernal 2.6.8 it worked. I wouldn't get rid of the Card. Have you rebooted? I think this is important and of course using alsaconf on the command line of the terminal.
Good luck, Steve, Melbourne Oz

Hi Steve,

Yeah, I've rebooted.

I won't get rid of this card, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm not going to be able to use it.

I guess the next thing to try is to use the sound abilities built into my motherboard.

I know that Debian (and ALSA) says they work with SB Live, but I don't think they work with the 24 bit card.

I can't seem to actually find anyone who has this card working.
I've followed a few threads on other community boards and they all end up unanswered.

if you have the proper module loaded, and have configured sound settings (volume + unmute), i dont know why else you wouldnt be able to hear sound.
i read on the lq.org HCL about this card and someone said that it works but the quality is bad, ie, lots of static, as you mentioned.

A few years ago, Bill Clinton got elected President by keeping his election focused on the US economy. His campaign came up with a catchy slogan to keep his staff focused: "It's the economy, stupid."


Well, here "it's the CARD, stupid."

I have removed the SB Live 24 bit card from my PC. I reached into my trash and pulled out an old card that would have (tomorow) become land fill.

I installed the Ensonic ES1370 and got the necessary drivers for that card.

It's worked on the first time.

I've said it before, and I'm saying it again...If you have a Debian system DO NOT GET GET SOUNDBLASTER LIVE 24 BIT CARD.

It doesn't work. I don't care what you read on the ALSA site or the Creative site or any other site.


I'm still getting my system in shape to use this card. I'm not finished with that so there may be issues that come up later. But my first impressions are pretty good with it.

If anyone actually has the SB card wotking, let me know. I'd like to know they did it.

i think you should post what you think about the card in the HCL section. people wanting to buy this card will (or at least should) check there first, and theyll see what you read and maybe be able to save the money. chances are theyll read that before they find this thread.. so please make a post for this hardware on the HCL.

Good idea.

I just finished posting my view at the HCL.

-jeff

Just to let you know;
I have a soundblaster live 5.1 running under PCLinuxOS XP (with no drivers needed to be installed by me). The only problem I have with it is my volume is too loud. I can turn the speakers down as low as they go but the sound is still clearly audible. I had this same problem under WINDOWS 98SE and found no reason or solutions. THen all of the sudden today when I booted up my PC the card and sound worked fine. Maybe luck I guess.

whats the exact name of the one you have, ie whats it say in 'lspci'?

I don't know, I can't find "ispci" sorry

at a terminal window, run 'su -' to become root to run some commands. youll be prompted for root's password. after that run 'lspci' note the first letter is a lowercase L.
copy and paste the output into a reply here.
thanks

nadroj,
Here is the output of "lspci"

00:00.0 Host bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 755 Host (rev 01)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SG86C202
00:02.0 ISA bridge: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS964 [MuTIOL Media IO] (r
ev 36)
00:02.5 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] 5513 [IDE] (rev 01)
00:02.7 Multimedia audio controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] Sound Cont
roller (rev a0)
00:03.0 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev
0f)
00:03.1 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 0f)
00:03.2 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 1.0 Controller (rev 0f)
00:03.3 USB Controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] USB 2.0 Controller
00:04.0 Ethernet controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS900 PCI Fast Et hernet (rev 91)
00:05.0 IDE interface: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] RAID bus controller 180 SATA/PATA [SiS] (rev 01)
00:0a.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Live! EMU10k1 (rev 07)
00:0a.1 Input device controller: Creative Labs SB Live! MIDI/Game Port (rev 07)
00:0c.0 Communication controller: Ambient Technologies Inc HaM controllerless mo dem (rev 02)
00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTra nsport Technology Configuration
00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Con troller
00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscella neous Control
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon RV100 QY [Radeon 7000/VE]

I did use the "alsamixer" to get my intense volume under some control,
but the sound tends to fluctuate. I was playing a dvd in kaffine player and the music was loud but the voices in some scenes would be too quiet to hear even with the volume turned up all the way.