VIA 8237 Sound cuts out randomly

sw67 · 06-14-2005, 02:28 AM

Hi,
I have Slackware 10.1 with a 2.6.11.11 Kernel (compiled a few days ago).
It boots up fine and loads X no problems (even has network / graphics).
However, sound is playing up.
I have a VIA 8237 integrated sound chip, so I compiled the via82xx module into the kernel (under ALSA -- all moduled).
alsaconf and alsamixer and other programs pick the device up, and it can even play sound for a few seconds.
However, if I use XMMS or MPlayer or something to play a music file, it will play for a few seconds and then the sound will just stop. XMMS will report it is still playing, but no sound is produced.
No sound will play after that (from any application) unless I shut the machine down and power off, then power back on. Then it does the same thing again.
I've tried compiling ALSA 1.0.9b, but it still refuses to work.
It does this whether I tell MPlayer to use aRts, ALSA, OSS or whatever.
It isn't the chip because Windows XP can use it perfectly.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

sw67 · 06-14-2005, 02:42 AM

As another note, if I boot up fluxbox and run tuxracer straight (without loading XMMS or MPlayer) the sound plays fine.
All the sounds are in Tuxracer, and continue to work after I close it.
However, as soon as I run XMMS or MPlayer, it dies.

Could it possibly be anything to do with the files I'm trying to play?
They're all MP3 at the moment.

sw67 · 06-14-2005, 02:46 AM

ogg does the same thing too

It only seems to be music files which is really confusing me.

oneandoneis2 · 06-14-2005, 05:13 AM

Replying to your own posts is a bad idea, as it removes it from the "zero posts" search and makes it look like you're already getting answers.

If you run mplayer and then start up XMMS when sound is broken, do you get any error messages?

Check the /dev directory when sound is gone to make sure you still have access to your sound devices.

Check that Mplayer and XMMS are both set to use ALSA

Try creating a .asoundrc file in your home directory with the following, in case the problem is one device hogging the sound and not letting the others use it:

Code:

pcm.dmixer {
    type dmix
        ipc_key 1024
    slave {
            pcm "hw:0,0"
            period_time 0
            period_size 1024
            buffer_size 8192
       rate 44100
           }

       bindings {
               0 0
               1 1
           }
   }

   pcm.dsp0 {
       type plug
           slave.pcm "dmixer"
   }

   pcm.!default {
           type plug
           slave.pcm "dmixer"
   }

   pcm.default {
      type plug
         slave.pcm "dmixer"
   }

 ctl.mixer0 {
     type hw
         card 0
   }

sw67 · 06-14-2005, 06:16 AM

There's no error message from XMMS if i run MPlayer first, no. It just reports itself to be playing, but with no sound.
The devices are still there and I can cat them even when sound has gone.
the .asoundrc file made no difference except to upset XMMS.
Without it there, XMMS reports the following devices -
Default PCM device (default)
VIA 8237: VIA 8237 (hw:0,0)
VIA 8237: VIA 8237 (hw:0,1)
But if I put it there, I only get Default PCM device, which refuses to work - XMMS says it can't access the card.
I run MPlayer with -ao alsa, and XMMS is set to hw:0,0
I noticed I can get sound back by running
alsasound stop
alsasound start
But then I get the same problem again...

oneandoneis2 · 06-14-2005, 06:46 AM

What's XMMS's output plugin in the Preferences? (Press Ctrl-P)

What does alsamixer show when sound stops working?

sw67 · 06-14-2005, 07:18 AM

XMMS output plugin is ALSA 1.2.10 output plugin [libALSA.so]
alsamixer is unchanged - everything unmuted.