Issues With Slackware 10.2 and Creative SB Audigy SE sound card

CheeseMonger · 10-26-2006, 12:45 AM

Hello!

I'm having a few issues with my sound card that i just added to my linux computer.

The computer:

a Compaq deskpro ep series
pentium 3 prossessor
320mb ram
Pci networkcard
AGp Graphics card
no onboard sound

The Distro:
Slackware 10.2
updated kernal to 6.2.13
updated alsa drivers,utils,and libs when I updated the kernal

The Creative labs card:

Creative labs sound blaster Audigy SE

The ISSUE:
I used alsaconf and alsamixer under root and setup the sound card before i started x, I started x then went to KDE's sound control panel and tested the sound. the first part of the test plays but after 2secconds in it changes to a loud white noise (scared the crap out of me

) then it plays the very end of the last part of the sound test. I doubble checked the levels in alsamixer and used different KDE programs to check that the levels were ok, they were. My question is where is all the white noise coming from??

I checked some other posts and the ones i found either applyed to a different os or were unanswered, or the user switched distros (not gona happen, i like slack to much)

here's the output of /sbin/lspci

Code:

@Generic:~$ /sbin/lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 03)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 03)
00:0e.0 Ethernet controller: Standard Microsystems Corp [SMC] 83c170 EPIC/100 Fast Ethernet Adapter (rev 08)
00:0f.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Audigy LS
00:14.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02)
00:14.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01)
00:14.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev 01)
00:14.3 Bridge: Intel Corporation 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 02)
01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Matrox Graphics, Inc. MGA G200 AGP (rev 03)

I really would appreachate help with this,
thanks in advance.

CheeseMonger

J.W. · 10-26-2006, 11:43 PM

If alsaconf works (and plays the fanfare) then you've successfully set up your sound. If you get some horrible shrieking noise, my guess is that your PCM level is set too high. Start alsamixer and reduce the PCM level to be much lower than it is now. That's just a guess - good luck with it

CheeseMonger · 10-27-2006, 11:25 AM

All alsa lists is

name level discription

Analog (c) 0% center
Analog (f) 30% front
Analog (r) 0% rear
Analog (s) 0% side

Capture 0% capture feedback into playback

SPDIF (Ce) 0% center
SPDIF (Fr) 0% front
SPDIF (Ou)off out
SPDIF (Re) 0% rear
SPDIF (Un) 0% unknown

no matter which level i alter i only get sound from analog (f)
and the sound is allways staticiy.

my speakers work fine i tested them on a different computer
and what is PCM?

thanks in advance,

CheeseMonger

Old_Fogie · 10-27-2006, 02:34 PM

Just a few thoughts from the Fogie

If you get sound working then the card is working.

You may need to play with the buffer in KDE control center.

make sure that the volumes on 'input' are lower, maybe it's grabbing your mic too, doubt it tho.

Creative cards are well known for being temperamental with respect to what PCI slot you have them in.

Maybe try slapping that sound card into a different PCI slot.

Remember Creative cards really like IRQ 5.

Check your motherboard manual and make sure that you put the card into a slot that does NOT share the IRQ.

Usually a safe bet is the slot just under the video card if you dont have the manual handy.

I have one of these cards and it's on slack 10.2 and I ran the then "testing 2.6.13 kernel" for quite a while.

CheeseMonger · 10-28-2006, 09:59 PM

Thanks Old Fogie for the suggestions, I did what you said, however i still get the horrible white noise no matter what slot the card is in and no matter what the levels are (spent an hour doing that).

Is there something else I could try?

Thanks,

CheeseMonger

szandor · 10-30-2006, 05:28 AM

in alsamixer, try and mute the mic towards the end...

kophee · 12-24-2006, 08:15 AM

cheesemonger: dont know if this helps, but i tried alsaconf and alsamixer respectively and ive managed to have sound without static! maybe you can try this!

1. run alsaconf as usual
2. run alsamixer - now i dont know if you've got a 5.1 setup (coz ive got only 2 speaker -setup) but u might want to try adjusting the levels on the bars in increments (dont pull it up all the way up

). after you're done here, exit
3. head to settings>control center>sound system> hardware tab. make sure your sound card is selected (CA0106 MPU- blahblahblah..........thats my sound blaster audigy se as detected by alsaconf) and try ticking off the "full duplex" checkbox. chances are this might be the cause of the static.
4. test sound on the general tab.

good luck!!!!