getting ALSA to work with nvsound (Nforce 2)

whollychao · 10-28-2004, 11:17 AM

Glad to hear that solution worked out for you so well.

If you want mplayer to use sdl without having to type out mplayer -ao sdl file... or writing a bash script to do effectively the same thing, you can always modify the mplayer configuration file, should be in ~/.mplayer/, and add the line:

ao=sdl

buaku · 10-28-2004, 06:00 PM

ahh cool deal, I'll probably end up doin that.

thanks again

xushi · 10-28-2004, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by whollychao
xushi, I have been having a similar problem. To get mplayer/gmplayer to work properly with the nvsound module, I found that specifying the command line option "-ao sdl", worked properly. So, for isntance, with mplayer: "mplayer -ao sdl file_to_play.mpg"
I know this reply is about a month late, but maybe it will help?

Also, I'm finding a problem with the nForce2 chipset that really unsettles me, it appears that either the onboard sound does not have a hardware mixer, or both the alsa and nvidia binary drivers just don't support it. Also, it seems esound doesn't like the nvidia based drivers, but that could be how it was packaged for my distro (slackware 10.0) Anywho, I hope this helps you out.

... i hate you

months of kernel recompiling, driver reinstalling, endless reading and no sleep.. and in the end its all solved with a simple
-ao sdl
You made it really easy in the end =) ....... lol. thanks alot. sound works in mplayer, and i can skip through the movie too. I'll try out my games again when i get my new hard drives.

At last, i can now happely say that i don't rely on windows for anything whatsoever anymore =).

Its weird that i missed these replies though.. i only noticed coz an LQ user from another thread linked to this one.

********EDIT!!!!:::
Hmm, so how would i let a movie play automatically with these parameters on gmplayer, when i double click on the movie file?

whollychao · 10-28-2004, 10:09 PM

To set the default audio device for mplayer (probably gmplayer too), add the following line to ~/.mplayer/config:

ao=sdl

I just got home, so I looked into all of this further.

One final point, I was a gnome user until..last night. Heh. With Gnome running, I couldn't use xmms/bmp with Gnome environment sounds. I read up on dmix and decided to try software mixing at the driver level. I set it up, but Gnome didn't take advantage of the dmix settings, so I moved to KDE. And, I've had zero problems. I set up artsd to use ALSA instead of using the "Automatic" setting, and I've had no problems. I can play mp3s and listen to kde's great sound events at the same time!

hehe

If you want to look into setting up dmix, have a look at....Here!

Hope this all helps.

- Ian

xushi · 10-29-2004, 09:34 AM

hmm, my reply didn't get posted here...

anyway mplayer works now, but gmplayer still wont... i'd use mplayer but it doesn't have a control bar (volume control, play, stop buttons, etc...)

whollychao · 10-29-2004, 09:49 AM

Forgive me for being a total tool.
In GMPlayer you can set those options through the GUI... I can't remember where as I haven't used GMPlayer in some time. But there is a configuration panel and it does let you choose the default video output and audio output devices. Dig around for it, and good luck

xushi · 10-29-2004, 10:11 AM

Already tried that im afraid =) And i've tried every possible combination (took a while).. but with no luck.

If all else fails, i can just remove the nforce audio drivers, provided the default linux ones support surround sound.. Or i might just have to bite my tongue untill Nvidia upgrades from OSS to Alsa...

whollychao · 10-29-2004, 11:07 AM

I honestly have no idea if surround support is working or not, as I don't have a surround sound system.
I did notice that alsamixer wouldn't enable the "Mic as Center", "Line In as ..." channels, but kmix allowed those to be turned on and have the volumes adjusted. I'm by no means an alsa expert (I go as far as using alsaconf, praying it detects my card, then possibly editting /etc/asound.conf to set up dmix), so maybe there's a way to turn these channels on with ALSA's tools. Anywho, I guess I can summarize this entire post with "I was able to enable the channels to use the inputs/outputs as surround sound components, but I have no idea if it actually works."

Sorry to hear about the GMPlayer thing, I'll dig around a bit more on that and see if I can't find a suitable explaination for you.

Cheers

xushi · 10-30-2004, 07:05 AM

Fixed (finally....)

I'll be posting this on both threads since they're both related.

copy /etc/mplayer/codecs.conf to your
~/.mplayer/
directory.

if you open gmplayer from command prompt, you'll notice it says

Code:

SDL: Samplerate: 48000Hz Channels: Stereo Format Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian)
SDL: using oss audio driver
SDL: Unable to open audio: No available audio device
Could not open/initialize audio device -> no sound.
Audio: no sound
Starting playback...

so,
pico ~/.mplayer/mplayer.conf
add a line there: ao=sdl
pico /etc/mplayer/mplayer.conf
add a line there: ao=sdl
set framedrop = no
and finally remove the very last "i didnt read RTFM" line

open gmplayer, go to audio settings,
choose SDL, and click configure.
Make sure you do not select any codecs in there. just select the blank field.

Save, exit, and start gmplayer with a movie again. It should display the same output as what you get in mplayer

Code:

SDL: Samplerate: 48000Hz Channels: Stereo Format Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian)
AO: [plugin] 48000Hz 2ch Signed 16-bit (Little-Endian) (2 bps)
Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/16bit -> 48000Hz/2ch/16bit...
Starting playback...

And everything finally works =)

go to any movie file you have, and switch its default player from mplayer, back to gmplayer again.
right click --> open with --> other
use
/usr/bin/gmplayer

Thanks alot whollychao, Cedrik, gbonvehi buaku.. I've been a pain for 2 months =)

whollychao · 11-01-2004, 07:40 AM

Glad I could be of some help in this, thanks for the posting of your complete solution, will probably come in handy for me down the road

xushi · 11-01-2004, 12:07 PM

Im sure there will be more questions to come =)

Hmm, im thinking if i should change the first post to just step by step instructions, instead of spilling out my life story..

buaku · 11-01-2004, 01:23 PM

Hehe, mebbe you could write up like a Howto or something for gettin the module to work properly.

I dunno much about the whole wiki thing, but maybe the Wiki would be a good place for it.

I'm glad you got it all figured out. Everytime I'd see new drivers I'd always wonder how to get that nvsound module to work. It'd drive me crazy, lol.