problem getting SB Live! soundcard to work with fedora2
 

I just installed fedora2 and cant seem to get my 'SB Live! Value emu10k1x' soundcard to
work.

Here is output from lspci:
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 82865G/PE/P DRAM Controller/Host-Hub Interface (rev 02)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 82865G/PE/P PCI to AGP Controller (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 82801BA/CA/DB/EB/ER Hub interface to PCI Bridge (rev c2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) LPC Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) Ultra ATA 100 Storage Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82801EB (ICH5) Serial ATA 150 Storage Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corp. 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5200] (rev a1)
02:01.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs [SB Live! Value] EMU10k1X
02:01.1 Input device controller: Creative Labs [SB Live! Value] Input device controller
02:08.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corp. 82562EZ 10/100 Ethernet Controller (rev 02)


Here is what /etc/modpobe.conf contains:
alias eth0 e100
alias scsi_hostadapter ata_piix
alias snd-card-0 snd-emu10k1
install snd-emu10k1 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-emu10k1 && /usr/sbin/alsactl restore >/dev/null 2>&1 || :
remove snd-emu10k1 { /usr/sbin/alsactl store >/dev/null 2>&1 || : ; }; /sbin/modprobe -r --ignore-remove snd-emu10k1
alias usb-controller ehci-hcd
alias usb-controller1 uhci-hcd
alias net-pf-10 off

I noted that the modprobe call is installing snd-emu10k1 and the output from lspci has
EMU10k1X (x appended). Dont know if this matters tho.

If i try to autodetect soundcard the card is detected fine, but the test sound is silent. When I try to adjust the volume in gnome's sound control it says something to the effect of "no device present" and wont let me adjust volume.

Thanks, any help would be appreciated.

I had a simular problem with SB 5.1 Digital Live and Kernel 2.6.5 : No sound but sound with Kernel 2.4.xx.


First questions: Are you using a Dell SB Live?
If yes, forget it, it only works with a comercial driver

2nd question: Which kernel are you using?
-> There's a bug in the recent alsa implementation. This is fixed in the latest kernels (>= 2.6.7). Otherwise try to connect the speakers to the other jack (I think instead front, rear will work) or patch the kernel source and recompile the kernel. Use the search in this forum and you'll find the steps what has to be patched.

3rd question: Which mixer are you using?
-> I had the best results with alsamixer and gamix. kamix has only a limited selection of mixers

Dirk

yes, i am using a dell SB live. Does mean that i have no chance of getting it to work?
btw my kernel is 2.6.5.

Yes it will not work with standard distributions and kernels.

Use search on Dell and SB and you'll find several persons who have the same problem like you. Dell changed the SB Life in such a way, that the standard Linux driver doesn't work. There's a commercial driver for 40 USD available but this is much more you pay for a new soundcard

Don't blame SB or the Linux comunity, blame Dell because they wanted to save some money.

Dirk

Actually there is support for the 'SB Live! Value', as of ALSA 1.0.6.

Check out this post: LQ Thread

I'm not sure that there are any distributions that currently carry that version of ALSA but you can build it on your own if you're so inclined.

Good luck.