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Old 11-28-2015, 08:29 AM   #1
tomjas
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My confusion about default alsa device


Hi guys!

I'm confused a little bit about my alsa soundcards. I have onboard sound ALC662 and

Code:
aplay -l
shows:

Code:
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC662 rev1 Analog [ALC662 rev1 Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
So I can pass the sound throug 4 devices: hw=0.3, hw=0.7, hw=0.8 and analog hw=1.0 and this is ok - my "default" device is HDMI 2 that is hw=0.8 (I have attached TV to computer by HDMI) and my .asoundrc is

Code:
defaults.pcm.card 0
defaults.pcm.device 8
defaults.ctl.card 0
Now, when I start mplayer with a command

Code:
mplayer file.mp4 -v -ao alsa
in log I have

Code:
alsa-init: using device default
and I can use PCM in my alsamixer/kmix to adjust volume, but if start mplayer like this

Code:
mplayer file.mp4 -v -ao alsa:device=hw=0.8
I have

Code:
alsa-init: using device hw:0,8
and I am not able to adjust the volume using mixer. I tried that using also audacity and changing sound devices, and the result is similar. So what is default device? Why can't I use sound mixer when I directly name sound device instead of leaving it as default?
 
Old 11-28-2015, 09:39 AM   #2
Emerson
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Once upon time digital pass-through was invented. The idea behind it was simple - untouched digital signal passes through all devices until it reaches the D/A converter. All manipulation to the sound is done in the last unit - analog unit. Adjusting the volume of digital sound while it is still digital would degrade the quality due to re-sampling.
 
Old 12-05-2015, 03:36 PM   #3
tomjas
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I agree but your answer is not the answer to my question - what is the "default" device?
 
Old 12-05-2015, 09:58 PM   #4
John VV
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most os's are using pulse audio

what OS are you using ?

and is " pavucontrol - PulseAudio Volume Control" installed


default should be
Quote:
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC662 rev1 Analog [ALC662 rev1 Analog]

Last edited by John VV; 12-05-2015 at 10:01 PM.
 
  


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