Hello all,

I am a novice on linux but trying to setup Boxee with an old Gateway laptop. I installed the most recent version of Ubuntu and worked my way through all the updates and Boxee install. However, I can't get any audio. I searched the forums here and tried several things but I probably just don't know what I'm looking for exactly.

Thank you for any help.

Here are some outputs of obvious needed data:

lspci |grep audio
00:14.5 Multimedia audio controller: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 AC'97
Audio Controller (rev 02)

dmesg |grep -i ati
[ 0.000000] ACPI: FACP 3FEA3D9C, 0074 (r1 GATEWA W730-K8x 6040000 ATI
F4240)
[ 0.000000] (9 early reservations) ==> bootmem [0000000000 - 0038000000]
[ 0.000000] Using ACPI (MADT) for SMP configuration information
[ 0.000000] Allocating PCI resources starting at 50000000 (gap:
40000000:a0000000)
[ 0.000000] PERCPU: Allocating 41628 bytes of per cpu data
[ 0.000000] TSC: PIT calibration confirmed by PMTIMER.
[ 0.000000] TSC: using PMTIMER calibration value
[ 0.004011] Calibrating delay loop (skipped), value calculated using
timer frequency.. 5173.48 BogoMIPS (lpj=10346976)
[ 0.020354] SMP alternatives: switching to UP code
[ 0.024017] Freeing SMP alternatives: 11k freed
[ 0.332020] PCI: MCFG configuration 0: base e0000000 segment 0 buses 0 - 3
[ 0.332020] PCI: Using configuration type 1 for base access
[ 1.976504] input: Macintosh mouse button emulation as
/devices/virtual/input/input0
[ 1.980323] EDD information not available.
[ 2.908204] usb usb1: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 3.068223] usb usb2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 3.184199] usb usb3: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
[ 3.419518] scsi0 : pata_atiixp
[ 3.420057] scsi1 : pata_atiixp
[ 3.807239] Driver 'sd' needs updating - please use bus_type methods
[ 3.807440] sda:<4>Driver 'sr' needs updating - please use bus_type
methods
[ 4.226619] PM: Checking hibernation image.
[ 13.599385] fglrx: module license 'Proprietary. (C) 2002 - ATI
Technologies, Starnberg, GERMANY' taints kernel.
[ 14.133098] ATI IXP MC97 controller 0000:00:14.6: PCI INT B -> GSI 17
(level, low) -> IRQ 17
[ 14.381161] ATI IXP AC97 controller 0000:00:14.5: PCI INT B -> GSI 17
(level, low) -> IRQ 17
[ 18.794124] type=1505 audit(1236558423.841:2): operation="profile_load"
name="/usr/share/gdm/guest-session/Xsession" name2="default" pid=3914
[ 18.953366] type=1505 audit(1236558424.001:3): operation="profile_load"
name="/usr/lib/cups/backend/cups-pdf" name2="default" pid=3919
[ 18.953590] type=1505 audit(1236558424.001:4): operation="profile_load"
name="/usr/sbin/cupsd" name2="default" pid=3919
[ 22.938429] Bluetooth: BNEP (Ethernet Emulation) ver 1.3
[ 311.829010] ATI IXP MC97 controller 0000:00:14.6: PCI INT B disabled
[ 313.292883] ATI IXP AC97 controller 0000:00:14.5: PCI INT B disabled
[ 327.315977] snd_atiixp: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_pcm_close
[ 327.316146] snd_atiixp: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_resume
[ 327.316582] snd_atiixp: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_pcm_open
[ 327.316828] snd_atiixp: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_update_bits
[ 327.316906] snd_atiixp: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_mixer
[ 327.317014] snd_atiixp: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_bus
[ 327.317249] snd_atiixp: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_suspend
[ 327.317740] snd_atiixp: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_get_short_name
[ 327.317926] snd_atiixp: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_pcm_assign
[ 327.318364] snd_atiixp: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_tune_hardware
[ 327.371656] snd_atiixp_modem: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_resume
[ 327.374068] snd_atiixp_modem: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_mixer
[ 327.374182] snd_atiixp_modem: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_bus
[ 327.377611] snd_atiixp_modem: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_suspend
[ 327.378542] snd_atiixp_modem: Unknown symbol snd_ac97_write

lspci |grep -i audio
00:14.5 Multimedia audio controller: ATI Technologies Inc IXP SB400 AC'97
Audio Controller (rev 02)

less /proc/asound/cards
--- no soundcards ---


uname -a
Linux boxee 2.6.27-11-generic #1 SMP Thu Jan 29 19:24:39 UTC 2009 i686
GNU/Linux

click the pulse volume control and unmute the volume if that is not it then. In a termial type alsamixer make sure you have the pcm enabled and volume up. if that is not it not sure. because your post says it is loaded and working. if all else fales sudo alsaconfig or check it by typing aplay. and it will not be in the proc till it is captured by the pulse sound server and is being used default is after 60 second it goes inactive out of the proc. when it is active being used with a program then it is in the proc. aplay.this part of the hardware for windows only to emulate sound for a winmodem it will not work thats ok.

Drakeo,

I'm not sure where the pulse volume control is, but did find Ala mixer's Volume Control and ensured no muting, volume up. Also, checked and tested things under Menu -> System -> Preferences -> Sound. Aplay doesn't produce any audio. I also tried using the line out and I think I'm getting static (not just, nothing). /proc/asound/cards now has:
0 [IXP ]: ATIIXP - ATI IXP
ATI IXP rev 2 with unknown codec at 0xc0503400, irq 17
1 [Modem ]: ATIIXP-MODEM - ATI IXP Modem
ATI IXP Modem rev 2 at 0xc0503800, irq 17

Any other thoughts? Thanks again.

pulse is the litle icon and the sound server for ubuntu. and the volume can be up but was the pcm enabled this can be done from alsamixer or pulse. you need pcm for those plug in speakers. default settings on a new gnome install of ubuntu is sometimes pcm not enabled

Drakeo,

I don't see the icon you are talking about - where should it be? Ah! I *did* have an icon at the top right but it isn't there anymore.

I ran alsamixer and don't see "pcm". I see:
Card: PulseAudio
Chip: PulseAudio
View: [Playback] Capture All
Item: Master

All levels are UP

Thanks again.

make sure in user permission the user has pulse permission to use the sound server.
on the gnome the icon looks like a speaker top right corner pulse is just a name of the program that reads alsa pulse volume control. pulse is your sound server. try this if pulsaudio sucks read all of this.

Drakeo,

Thank you for your help - I got it.

You kept saying "pulse" so I used the Synaptic Package Manager and reinstalled pulseaudio and libasound2-plugins. I rebooted when done and it worked! Could have been other tweaks before, but it is working now! Thanks again. Take care.