I have a mp3 problem.

Every time I install my Linux Mandrake 7.2 (and I did it 4-5 times trying to do something about this problem), I configure my sound card (IRQ, DMA settings) - and it all goes well... I can play mp3s, CD and everything.

The next time I start the computer - it all goes to hell... I can play Audis CDs, but can't play mp3s. When I play a mp3 in Xmms - it just freezes... I don't know why...
I've been searchig on the Internet, and on the most of the sites it says "kill artsd". I do it and Xmms starts playing mp3s - but not good. It's like in Windows when there are many programms running at the same time so it holds on the one note and repeats it several times, gets to the next one and plays that one several times... Anyway - I can't listen to anything like that (but Audio CDs are working fine all the time).
I've tried installing the artsd plugin for Xmms - it won't work. I've tried starting Xmms:
"artsdsp xmms" - again it won't play any sound.

HELP!
Thanks

well load xmms and set the output plugin properly, try just using dsp rather than a proper sound server for now.

and please promise me you'll never ever reinstall an entire computer just for a problem as petty as this... oh and of course, md72 is very old now, md90 is out now, get it.

Thanks for the reply

I really don't know what is dsp - I just read it on some forum or somewhere... Anyway, if I understud you right I should set up the Output Plugin in Xmms to Oss Driver and in Configure set: use alternate device: /dev/dsp/
Right? I did it - it still does the repeating thing...

"and please promise me you'll never ever reinstall an entire computer just for a problem as petty as this."
Ok.
But I just recently installed Linux - so I had no important files or something. The installation finishes after 15 minutes and that's it...

It's really wierd that everything works the first time... And I never change anything...

he he he, well like Chris said, I wouldn't mess around with 7.2 now, as that's around 2 or 3 years old!

I'd go get 9.0 off a mirror, and run through that install. It might take a little more than 15 minutes though

And then in you are still having the same problems, you might be able to find some better/newer help.

Cool

When it 'freezes', can you play anything else? Are you sure the volume isn't down? That seems to catch many people out... by default the volumes are either right down or set to mute until you change them and save the settings.

" Are you sure the volume isn't down? "
Yes. I don't see the mute button anywhere - but I'm sure that it's not on because when I kill artsd - there is a sound playing but like I wrote - it repeats the same note, goes to the next one...

Maybe this could help - I started xmms from terminal.

When I selected Oss plugin:
** WARNING **: oss_open(): Failed to open audio device (/dev/dsp): Device or resource busy
When I selected artsd plugin:
mcop warning: user defined signal handler found for SIG_PIPE, overriding

In both ways it freezes - It won't move, push buttons - it freezes, it's not the volume problem.

I donwloaded Alsa player.
It's the same. With artsd running - no sounds. When I kill artsd - it starts playing but with the repeating thing...

This is what happens when I start Alsa from Terminal:

error opening /dev/dsp
/usr/local/lib/alsaplayer/output/liboss_out.so failed to load
/usr/local/lib/alsaplayer/output/libesound_out.so failed to load
NOTE: THIS IS THE NULL PLUGIN. YOU WILL NOT HEAR SOUND!!
null plugin active...no sound output


This was all when I kept artsd running.
When I kill it, and start xmms or alsa from Terminal - both of them don't
report anything.... but they keep repeating those notes...

About going to the newer version... Well it's a little complicated situation. If I wanted to download it - it wouldn't be possible - the Internet connection in Yugoslavia is VERY bad... I have a 56k modem and the fastast possible speed is 3.8 kb/s... I don't want to download it...
About buying it - well I don't know if there is any legal copy here...

It's like 5 bucks US including shipping from www.linuxcentral.com and there are other places too, I am not sure who ships outside US though. Heck if you want, and shipping isn't bad (meaning less than 10 bucks) I'll burn a copy of the 3 cd's and ship em over to ya.

It's legal because these are the downloadable versions. As long as they are distributed in their intirety, and include the GPL licenses and things, it's all good.

Cool

You don't really need to worry about legal copies and such. If you know someone that has the newer version, you are completely free to copy it from them... if the case were different, they wouldn't put ISO versions on their FTP sites for downloading.

Wow! 5$ for Linux... I really don't know what do people think when they buy Windows...

Ok, I'll see about getting a newer version. But does anybody know what should I do with this problem?
I mean, I would like to listen to mp3 untill I get some newer version, and I would like to know how to solve this problem if it happens in the new version, too...

I'd give another program a try, check out mp3blaster at www.freshmeat.net

Then if it works, it would severely lower the possibilities. If not, still it helps.

Cool

It's the same. When artsd is on - no sound.
When I kill it - the notes are repeating....

this also seems to happen to me, wether in a command line or the X environment,

Thank you

Sorry, I "solved" this newer version. First Mandrake 9.0, now I have Mandrake 9.2...