Choosing from 86 possible drivers?

pieniaszek · 01-01-2004, 09:21 AM

I upgraded to Mandrake 9.2 from 9.1 on a dual boot Dell4100 with XP.
DrakX identified my sound card as a 'Cirrus Logic CS 4614/22/34 [Crystal Clear Sound Fusion Audio Accelerator] and identified the current driver as cs46xx.
Since my machine came with a Santa Cruz WDM Interface manufactured by Voyetra Turtle Beach, I thought maybe I there was a step somewhere I was missing.

Since I couldn't get XMMS to run on 9.2 like it did in 9.1 (I listened to Internet Radio from WCPE using XMMS 'ogg'), I decided to see if I had the right driver.
HardDrake generously provided me with 86 driver options.
Searching the new Mandrake 9.2 Definitive Guide, HowTo's, Manuals, the Santa Cruz site, Voyetra, Google, etc., I have concluded that I am at a loss in figuring out:
1. whether Drakx misidentified my sound card
2. what to do about it if is is mididentified
3. how to sort through 86 drivers
4. whether I shouold pursue another route to get Internet radio
5. where the 'repository of knowledge' explaining how 86 drivers are needed to operate
a sound card that isn't even installed, is

When I test for sound, it works.

Any advice on direction to take?

XavierP · 01-01-2004, 09:40 AM

From Linuxcare:

Quote:

Audio Controller: Cirrus Logic|CS 4614/22/24 [CrystalClear]

The Crystal 4614 is not supported by the 2.2.x Linux kernels, although it is supported by the ALSA-Project drivers which are freely available for download from http://www.alsa-project.org. You will need to install the latest versions of the drivers, libraries, and utilities found at this site. You can find the documentation/mini "howto" at http://www.alsa-project.org/~valenty...ini-HOWTO.htm.

After ALSA is installed you will need to run "modprobe snd-card-cs461x", and then unmute and turn up the volume of the sound devices by issuing the following commands:

amixer set Master 100 unmute
amixer set PCM 100 unmute

In order to be compatible with the standard OSS sound drivers, I also recommend running "modprobe snd-pcm-oss" to set your audio device to /dev/audio.

Do 'uname -r' to find out your kernel version.

For maore ideas, this was my search on Google.

pieniaszek · 01-03-2004, 07:18 PM

I appreciate the effort of Xavier P to help me, but I'm too inexperienced to
implement his suggestions.

I did find out that my kernel version is 2.4.22-10MDK.
I went to the Alsa Project and it indicated that the Alsa drivers required the 2.6 kernel version. I have no idea how to install and compile a new kernel even if I thought that 2.6 was compatible with Mandrake 9.2
I don't know where to find out. I am a member of Mandrake Club, but I really hesitate asking them after my experience with Expert.

I installed a music CD, opened it with KScd, and got a response at a low volume level. I opened aumix and set the level to 100%, but still could only hear output at a low level.

I still cannot understand why Drakx tells me I have a Cirrus Logic sound card with 86 potential drivers.

XavierP · 01-04-2004, 05:18 AM

I believe that there is a how-to for recompiling the kernel somewhere on this site. I think it was a 'sticky' at the top of one of the forums. I am told it's quite easy - although I have never tried it myself

Can you give examples of the 86 drivers it says it has identified? It may be that there are a small number of actual drivers, but a large number of dependencies.

pieniaszek · 01-04-2004, 07:47 AM

The distribution of 86 has 50 with a "snd-" prefix. I tried one: snd-cs46xx.
Could those with the "sen-" prefix be the " dependencies you refererred to?
Some others are:
ali5455, emu10k1, es1370 ,maestro, cs4232, gus, nm256_audio, pas2, snd-ad1816a,
sonicvibes, via82cxxx_audio, trident, etc.

I'm willing to try each one but if you suggest that some types won't work, that will reduce the effort somewhat.

I will check out the howto on recompiling the kernel. I will also investigate the forums on MandrakeClub to see if there is any psots on the subject.

Thanks for responding.

XavierP · 01-04-2004, 07:55 AM

If you have URPMI set up (if not go to Easy Urpmi to set it up), in a console, type in:
su (and hit enter)
root password (and hit enter)
urpmi alsa - it should then install alsa and any dependencies automatically.

pieniaszek · 01-04-2004, 04:18 PM

Some success!
Installed URPMI, ftp'd the Mandraked 9.2 RPM, installed urpmi alsa.
Had some problem with modprobe, finally used 'snd-cs46xx' and had no comments.
Used 'amixer' to set Master and PCM, and 'modprobe snd-pcm-oss'.
Opened 'www.xlnc1.org' with Alsa Player, and it worked.

Thanks

Found the Affero web site and will figure out how to Affero you.

XavierP · 01-05-2004, 02:57 AM

Cool Pieniaszek - glad it worked and happy to help.

Edited because I've not long got out of bed and can't spell "and"!

pieniaszek · 01-05-2004, 08:56 AM

I spoke too soon. Can't get any sound even though Alsa Player is buffering in signals.
Checked aumix to see if mute was on and it wasn't.
Seems like there is some alsa package I don't have. I tried opening alsamixer and got this message: 'function snd_ctl_open failed for default: no such file or directory.

I'll go to the Alsa site and see what packages I should have installed. I have to figure out how to locate whatever I have installed.

I'll just keep pluggin.