ALSA, sound, general problems with 2.6.10
 

I'm a happy user of Linux Debian using 2.4.26 kernel until recently, when i compiled a new 2.6.10 kernel. After some fighting Nvidia drivers (ver. 6111 doesn't work here, used previous patched for 2.6.10), system started working very well. BUT there's a problem with sound, and I'm not sure if it's somethng with kernel configuration, or just permissions :/

At first, i did compile kernel with ALSA support (choosing option for Nforce support - i have Gigabyte MB on Nforce2), and that was all for the sound. Xmms was working, other players such as mplayer were working, but there was no sound in games, such as DDR, or enemy territory, or Q3Arena Demo, and aplications like Skype...

Some friend of mine told me that it can be problem with ALSA, so i should recompile kernel without ALSA support and use the older system, the Open Sound System. I did it that way, choosing same option as in 2.4.26 config, and compiled the kernel. Exactly the same effect.

If any of you had similar situation, or have at least some idea what to do, i would be glad. I don't want to go back to 2.4.26 because of such a small bug (if it is a bug :/).
Anyway, i'm not sure what other information you need, so ask me if there is something you need to know.

Thanks.

Are you sure you have the sound module loaded? The integrated sound on the nforce2 boards uses i810_audio module. Hopefully, you have that module compiled for your kernel. Try: and see if sound is working. If it is, you can just add "i810_audio" to /etc/modules and you should be all set. The other option is to download the nforce2 platform drivers from nvidia.com. The sound module from nvidia is called "nvaudio". You can compile it, then "modprobe nvaudio" and see if sound works. You would then add "nvaudio" to /etc/modules.

Yes, it's compiled into the kernel (Option->Device Drivers->Sound->Open Sound System->Intel ICH (i8xx) audio support). And it couldn't be the lack of module loaded, because the sound works, but only in some applications, as written before...

OK, i cut ALSA at all, leaving only OSS and sound works well in DDR now (only et claims it's muted, but this is minor). Now, I want to use Skype, and it's another problem. There is completely no sound. At first after i ran it for the first time, there was sound, just dialing beeping, but more than nothing. Now it's silent. I've got working microphone, got speakers, and now i wonder how to. Skype uses /dev/dsp for sound, and it has permission to read/write it. I've read, than under KDE or Gnome, there is some kind of mixers, because apps can't use /dev/dsp directly. I'm using Wmaker and wonder how to do it here (it's true, that in this configuration I have, only one application at a time can use speakers...). Well, it might be a little chaotic, so ask freely. And please, help me :/

zoharPL,
I have had a few problems with ALSA, but since upgrading to 2.6.10, letting udev handle the devices, and completely getting rid of OSS, I have a very well functioning system that has 3 soundcards (one a VIA chipset on my i865 mb). Here's what I would advise - get rid of OSS and any remnants. In fact, I would recompile the kernel and say no to the OSS option(s). Say yes to all the appropriate ALSA options. After you have successfully compiled the kernel, install ALSA and all its dependencies. Then - the app that ties it all together for me is gstreamer. Make sure you install alsasink. Then open up gstreamer and set the sound sink to alsasink and test. At first you probably won't hear anything. So, open up a mixer (I use gmix) and unmute the master, wave, cd, and any other misc outputs, leaving the inputs (line in, etc) muted. Once you hear the monotone test frequency from gstreamer, run from root
#alsactl store
This will store your mixer settings.
So, in summary, have faith in ALSA. It is the new standard. ALSA + gstreamer + gmix has been a great help for me. One last bit - if you have only 1 soundcard (internal on your mb) you could just compile it into the kernel. However, for those of us that have more than one soundcard I strongly recommend building modules for each. udev should load them automagically, but you can customize by playing with /etc/modules. Important note - after changing /etc/modules or any of the other module configuration files, run
#update-modules
to have the changes take effect.

OK. I've thrown away OSS, compiled kernel with ALSA and configured it using Gentoo ALSA FAQ :D
It was kinda difficult (looking for libraries and config files that have different names and locations than in FAQ), but i managed to do it. Now sound works, Skype works. I use alsamixer for now. Not sure yet about gstreamer, will look at it later. Still, thanks a lot ;)