ALSA sblive argh
 

Hi, I've just installed Slackware 9.1 on my main desktop, after years of running it on my laptop. I seem to be having some problems with ALSA, which I have never used before. Yes I have search extensively for an answer, with no joy.

Basically, it loads. installs the correct kernel modules, but seems to be emiiting nothing but white noise. I have similar results in windows if I set my card to "Digital output only"

My card is a Soundblaster Live 5.1 Digital Entertainment.

It has 3 outputs, front stereo, rear stereo and centre/sub.

It works fine when I run it under Debian using the standard creative driver. And also in windows.

I have tried to disable digital output in Alsa with no luck :(

anyone got any ideas?

I have a soundblaster Live 5.1 and it is working perfectly with Slackware 9.1. Here is the output from lsmod on that system. The mixer volumes default to 0 at boot time which confused me when I first installed on that machine. I've not run into any other problems with it myself but maybe this will help:

/sbin/lsmod
Module Size Used by Not tainted
snd-pcm-oss 37252 0
snd-mixer-oss 11992 2 [snd-pcm-oss]
parport_pc 14724 0
parport 23264 0 [parport_pc]
uhci 24496 0 (unused)
usbcore 58400 1 [uhci]
tuner 10272 1 (autoclean)
tvaudio 13628 1 (autoclean)
bttv 94432 0
i2c-algo-bit 6984 1 [bttv]
i2c-core 12740 0 [tuner tvaudio bttv i2c-algo-bit]
videodev 5664 2 [bttv]
snd-emu10k1 60212 2
snd-pcm 55904 0 [snd-pcm-oss snd-emu10k1]
snd-timer 13252 0 [snd-pcm]
snd-hwdep 4672 0 [snd-emu10k1]
snd-util-mem 1136 0 [snd-emu10k1]
snd-page-alloc 6004 0 [snd-emu10k1 snd-pcm]
snd-rawmidi 12512 0 [snd-emu10k1]
snd-seq-device 3920 0 [snd-emu10k1 snd-rawmidi]
snd-ac97-codec 37240 0 [snd-emu10k1]
snd 27460 0 [snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-emu10k1 snd-pcm snd-timer snd-hwdep snd-util-mem snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device snd-ac97-codec]
soundcore 3332 6 [bttv snd]
emu10k1-gp 1352 0 (unused)
gameport 1452 0 [emu10k1-gp]
3c59x 26832 1
ide-scsi 9424 0
agpgart 39576 0 (unused)

bash-2.05b# lsmod
Module Size Used by Not tainted
snd-pcm-oss 37252 0 (unused)
snd-mixer-oss 11992 0 [snd-pcm-oss]
usb-storage 65536 0 (unused)
parport_pc 14724 0 (unused)
parport 23264 0 [parport_pc]
uhci 24496 0 (unused)
eepro100 19380 1
mii 2304 0 [eepro100]
snd-emu10k1 60212 0
snd-pcm 55904 0 [snd-pcm-oss snd-emu10k1]
snd-timer 13252 0 [snd-pcm]
snd-hwdep 4672 0 [snd-emu10k1]
snd-util-mem 1136 0 [snd-emu10k1]
snd-page-alloc 6004 0 [snd-emu10k1 snd-pcm]
snd-rawmidi 12512 0 [snd-emu10k1]
snd-seq-device 3920 0 [snd-emu10k1 snd-rawmidi]
snd-ac97-codec 37240 0 [snd-emu10k1]
snd 27460 0 [snd-pcm-oss snd-mixer-oss snd-emu10k1 snd-pcm snd-timer snd-hwdep snd-util-mem snd-rawmidi snd-seq-device snd-ac97-codec]
soundcore 3332 6 [snd]
emu10k1-gp 1352 0 (unused)
gameport 1452 0 [emu10k1-gp]
usb-ohci 18888 0 (unused)
ehci-hcd 16872 0 (unused)
usbcore 58400 1 [usb-storage uhci usb-ohci ehci-hcd]
ide-scsi 9424 0
agpgart 39576 0 (unused)

I don't think it's a missing module, it seems more like its trying to use digital output.

solved half the problem.

I no longer get the tone in my speakers, just snaps / crackles now. But I know how to solve that.

Why cant alsa-mixer have a simple line of text that says

"there are many options, keep moving right"

if my cat hadn't of stepped on my keyboard, I would never have found it.

The 3rd last option in alsamixer is to mute soundblaster digital out. :D