I installed a new card, SB Audigy LS. Set card as default and selected matrix module CA0106. Ubuntu 7.04.

A few problems ...... the master volume control has no affect at all. Skype mic input is not detected. Xmms volume control has no effect.

Xmms works playing streaming audio. Cannot hear a local mp3 played in VNC. No system sounds.

How do I fix this?

Use only alsamixer. Do not use any GUI programs like kmix. To see more settings than the defaults, type alsamixer -V all.

Yes, I have been looking at the All option to show in output and capture options.

For reasons I do not understand some sounds work but much is not doing so well. The master volume control is still doing nothing and I can find no way at all to get the microphone to work. Very annoying.

I get the impression that perhaps this is not user error but it is Creative not supporting Linux.

Creative Labs supports OSS or 4Front Technologies but not ALSA. The ALSA team have to reverse engineer the software to make sound cards work under its own API. I suggest get a different sound card. I have an Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 that works well. Also I have a Turtle Beach Santa Cruz that works well. Both cards are easy to setup for both playback and recording. Creative Labs sound cards are harder to setup.

Post the output of amixer.

What version of ALSA are you using?

Sound seems to go from nothing doing to really nothing doing.

When you wrote that Creative supports OSS I went to the site and installed oss-linux after a few attempts. Running osstest showed a few errors. Rebooting the machine blasted out the startup sound so I thought there was progress but ... for the first time .... I have been able to totally hang Ubuntu .... I started xmms and everything totally hung such that I could open nothing let alone run a kill command. Skype also failed to load. The system sounds would not play from Preferences / Sound. The master volume reported that there would be nothing doing (no supported devices) ....

So I thought .... hmmm .. not such a good idea and then I uninstalled oss-linux.

Sadly there is now a fundamental problem which I have no idea how to fix ... asoundconf list does not identify any sound card at all (there is the Creative and also on-board), alsamixer will not run and I find errors about gstreamer not found but by looking in Synaptic I find that it is present .....

You suggest a different sound card. Yes. I went to the shops yesterday. This however is not a very established location for technology and most shops simply reported that they do not sell sound cards. Those that do, sell Creative. I found one shop that sold generic sound cards (cheap and nasty but they are a sound card) but they have no stock ....

So as you will note I am in quite deep now .....

If it helps this is the output of lspci. The on-board card is well mentioned but the Audigy LS only appears towards the end of the list.

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82865G/PE/P DRAM Controller/Host-Hub Interface (rev 02)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82865G/PE/P PCI to AGP Controller (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev c2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801EB (ICH5) SATA Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5500] (rev a1)
02:05.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
02:09.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Audigy LS
02:0a.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Agere Systems FW323 (rev 61)
02:0c.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet (rev 10)

Just downloaded and installed alsa-driver 1.0.14. Then ran alsamixer at root and this was returned ...

alsamixer: relocation error: alsamixer: symbol snd_mixer_selem_get_playback_dB, version ALSA_0.9 not defined in file libasound.so.2 with link time reference

asoundconf still does not identify any device.

This must be very obvious to someone but ... not to me

After you compile and install the driver, you will need the libraries, and the utilities too. After compiling and installing the libraries, type ldconfig to re-cache the libraries before moving on to compiling and installing utilities. Though it does help to remove the old versions of ALSA.

I guess you live in the UK. Try buying straight from the sound card manufacture. Look up the Audiotrak (UK), Turtle Beach, or TerraTec.

I am really not sure what to do about this.

I have just reinstalled Ubuntu. Changed sound cards to one that used to work. The same problem persists which is that at the end of everything the microphone does not work in Skype. It almost seems to work in Audacity (the sound meter moves when I record and speak) but it is rather a dead end. Even followed the guide on the Ubuntu site to compile my own driver....

I went back to the shops today to try and get another card. Found one with a Yamaha chip but it was not even detected when I installed it. The only other cards in the shops are Creative .... every single shop....

Since I need skype it is looking very likely that I will need to migrate back to Windows until either I can find another sound card (so the next time I travel) or some driver is released by Creative.

I suggest mail order the sound card. I usually mail order computer parts because it is a lot easier to find products and more costly in stores.

Nice idea but this is not like living in the West (my profile location is not shown for some reason but I am in provincial Thailand). If you mail order a card it has to be from say the States or Europe. Then your problems start. First your credit card is not accepted because you are living in a country where the credit card companies have discovered unacceptable levels of credit card fraud. Second ... assuming you get round the first .... you have to get the card past customs. Customs levy taxes and duties as they think fit. They charge and you pay. No point to challenge or try and negotiate. Pay quick or things disappear. But the level of payment is such that this is then quite an expensive exercise (product cost plus shipping plus tax plus duty plus the extra).

No ... I think my way out is to either get the Creative cards working (but who knows how and when) or to buy another motherboard and use the on-board sound (the cost will be cheaper). I guess the other solution is to use Windows ... it works.... why take this pain ...

I or others can help you if you provide more information such as the output of amixer. If you are using artsd, esound, polyaudio, stop using either of them. Also sign up at ALSA bug reports and search through the request to find out a fix and/or write up a bug report.

IMHO, Windows is a pain. Linux is not because there is always ways to get a device to work and the error messages are not always jargon.

BTW, there is paypal or paypal alternatives. Just need to ask the sales representatives if the alternative payment is ok.

Paypal .... yes, perhaps I should sign up and try .... the headache has been that Paypal has been known to freeze accounts which are accessed from here, they say it is a security risk. Fine, that is protection. What is not fine is that it is then more or less impossible to get your money back and clear the account. Remember, high technology here for most of the population is a calculator or a TV. Electronic payments are either unknown or an invitation to fraud.

I would be delighted to learn of any suggestions you can make. The situation right now is that I can put back a new Audigy card (matrix module CA0106). Earlier in the day I tested with the Creative card which failed (SB0220) but it really has failed so no go ...

The Mic is not working at all. I can hear system sounds, skype sounds and test sound, xmms works, and mp3 will launch a player and be heard.... all good. It is just the mic..

Alsamixer is version 1.0.13 and amixer gives the following output -

Simple mixer control 'Line in',0
Capabilities: cvolume
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 255
Front Left: Capture 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
Capabilities: cvolume
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 255
Front Left: Capture 245 [96%] [19.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 245 [96%] [19.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Phone',0
Capabilities: cvolume
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 255
Front Left: Capture 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Center/LFE',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Front',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Rear',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Unknown',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'Aux',0
Capabilities: cvolume
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 255
Front Left: Capture 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 207 [81%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Center/LFE',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Front',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 164 [64%] [-10.75dB]
Front Right: Playback 164 [64%] [-10.75dB]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Rear',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Side',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Source Capture Enum',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Phone' 'Mic' 'Line in' 'Aux'
Item0: 'Line in'
Simple mixer control 'CAPTURE feedback',0
Capabilities: pvolume
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 255
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'Digital Source Capture Enum',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'IEC958 out' 'i2s mixer out' 'IEC958 in' 'i2s in' 'AC97 in' 'SRC out'
Item0: 'i2s in'
Simple mixer control 'Shared Mic/Line in',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Line in' 'Mic in'
Item0: 'Line in'

If there is any value ... here is lspci

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 82865G/PE/P DRAM Controller/Host-Hub Interface (rev 02)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82865G/PE/P PCI to AGP Controller (rev 02)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev c2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) IDE Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801EB (ICH5) SATA Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) SMBus Controller (rev 02)
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation NV34 [GeForce FX 5500] (rev a1)
02:05.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
02:09.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Agere Systems FW323 (rev 61)
02:0a.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Audigy LS
02:0c.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8169 Gigabit Ethernet (rev 10)

You will note that there is on-board sound. It does not work properly due to a hardware defect. I can take this out in the BIOS if you think it would help.


Sign up and search / list on the Alsa bug reports. Do you suggest this one?
https://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/al...php%3Fid%3D625
or the Ubuntu one?

I have been quite happy with Ubuntu but I have some very fundamental issues. Where I live I do not know of another Linux user anywhere. You ask about Ubuntu Linux in the shops and they think it is a sandwich filling. So when it goes wrong there is only one person to fix anything and that is me. Whilst I know my way round Windows I would not exactly put it that way in Linux, so fundamentals like sound problems, scanner problems and other general headaches quickly become issues. People are often willing to contribute on the forums but I have found many questions are not answered (either too hard or too boring I guess). One thing about Windows is that it just works and you do not even need half a brain to make it work.

It would help to disable on-board sound unless you do not mind editing /etc/modules.conf or a similar file.

In alsamixer -V all, change "Analog Source Capture Enum" to mic. Also change "Digital Source Capture Enum" to either i2c or AC97, but it just my guess. I am not sure what "CAPTURE feedback", so you could adjust it.

I suggest using arecord | hexdump or a similar command until you see the pattern changes. I use a similar command while getting record to work. Lucky for me the sound cards that I am using is very, very easy to record or playback.

You should upgrade to ALSA version 1.0.14 because it may fix some issues.

Ok ... this is what I have done ....

alsamixer is now installed as 1.0.14rc4

alsamixer -V all .... changed Analog Source to Mic and Digital Source Capture to AC97, Shared Line in / Mic to Mic. Increased Capture Feedback to new top of slider.

Not sure exactly what I am to do with arecord | hexdump but this is what it reported .....

ALSA lib confmisc.c:1286snd_func_refer) Unable to find definition 'defaults.pcm.dmix.device'
ALSA lib conf.c:3510_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_refer returned error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib conf.c:3982snd_config_expand) Evaluate error: No such file or directory
ALSA lib pcm.c:2144snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM default
arecord: main:545: audio open error: No such file or directory

Just for information

output of cat /proc/asound/cards

/usr/src/alsa# cat /proc/asound/cards 0 [CA0106]: CA0106 - CA0106 Audigy SE [SB0570] at 0xdf80 irq 20

and

extract from cat /proc/modules/

snd_ca0106 36256 1 - Live 0xf8b53000
snd_ac97_codec 102052 1 snd_ca0106, Live 0xf8b39000
ac97_bus 3456 1 snd_ac97_codec, Live 0xf89c7000
snd_pcm_oss 53376 0 - Live 0xf8b20000
snd_pcm 88580 3 snd_ca0106,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss, Live 0xf8b09000
snd_page_alloc 11528 2 snd_ca0106,snd_pcm, Live 0xf8b05000
snd_mixer_oss 18304 1 snd_pcm_oss, Live 0xf8b33000
snd_seq_dummy 4868 0 - Live 0xf8afb000
snd_seq_oss 35584 0 - Live 0xf8af1000
snd_seq_midi 10752 0 - Live 0xf8aed000
snd_rawmidi 27136 2 snd_ca0106,snd_seq_midi, Live 0xf8ae5000
snd_seq_midi_event 8576 2 snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi, Live 0xf8b01000
snd_seq 58352 6 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,
snd_seq_midi_event, Live 0xf8ad5000
snd_timer 25732 3 snd_rtctimer,snd_pcm,snd_seq, Live 0xf8a74000
snd_seq_device 9612 5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq, Live 0xf8a28000
nvidia 7252756 44 - Live 0xf93e3000 (P)
snd 63756 17 snd_rtctimer,snd_ca0106,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_pcm,snd_page_alloc,snd_mixer_oss,snd_seq_dumm y,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_midi_event,snd_seq,snd_timer,snd_seq_device, Live 0xf8b91000