USB Headsets vs PCI SoundCards
 

USB Headsets vs PCI SoundCards
Mandrake & ALSA

I current have a standard PCI soundcard, installed with up-to-date cirus drivers.
I would like to install my Plantronics Headset but i come against a bit of a problem, heh.

When the USB Headset is plugged in, Linux will not start, (it freezes during boot, sometimes during usb module dependancies loading, sometimes not).

I have tried playing around with ALSA a bit, with no success.

I have followed (linuxquestions.org/questions/archive/18/2003/10/1/98005) this thread too.

Im running out of ideas.

I have booted the system without any USB except the headset, with all of them etc.
I managed to get it to boot with it installed on one occasion, but i couldnt use it or see it with usbview.

Operating System: Mandrake Linux 9.2
USB Headset: Plantronics DSP-400
USB Mouse: Logitech MX700 Wireless

I have a USB2 5port PCI card installed too, i have tried removing all appliances from that too.

Please help :)

Nobody has any advice? :(

:/

Well, with ALSA installed correctly and my kernel updated, i can now see "USB AUDIO" uder ALSA in XMMS output preferrences, if i plug the headset in while the PC is running.

But when i select this device i hear nothing more than a squelch.

Once it said "unable to install hw parameters"

why not just get normal headfones and use the headfone jack?

that defeats the purpose tbfh lol.

I have a USB headset because the sound quality is far superior to using a sound card, as it has its only built in, cutting out the static.

it also allows me to use voice comms on the headset (gaming) and play mp3s through the speakers(sound card) :)

I cant stand cheap sound quality.
This headset cost $89, im not gunna go buy another pair.

Get Stereo Link. Its a USB sound device that WORKS in LINUX. For your headset, the computer controls everything how your headset works and I'm sorry that your headset is not supported in LINUX. Audiotrak has a few USB sound devices that is a lot better than Stereo Link but only Optoplay works in LINUX.

I disagree. Have a look at Lynx Two sound cards from Lynx Studio Technology. It has the best sound quality of all sound cards (even professional sound cards) and USB sound devices combined. I have an Audiotrak Prodigy 7.1 it sounds very, very good. Its as better as the Lynx Two sound cards.

Just got it working

I have a multimedia diploma, AudioVisual inculsive, i know what im talking about, and Plantronics DSP400 is has better quality than any soundcard-supporting headset for the same price range :)

How did you get it working? I have the same device and it loads under Mandrake 10.0 but I cannot get sound to come out.

You sent me 2 emails, and i replied with a PM on these boards.

The answer was: check www.so-pro.co.uk Tutorials page!

Thank you o_0

www.so-pro.co.uk seems to be down, or something. Could you please tell us how you got the headset working?
I'm using MDK 10 Official, 2.6.3-mdk, DSP-500.
Surprisingly enough, I tried Suse 9.1 personal last night, and my headset work flawlessly on installation. The reason I'm not using Suse right now is that I don't like KDE, and it's the only desktop available with 9.1 personal. I'm not shelling out $100 for 9.1 pro.
Please let us know.

You can use Google's cached pages or go to http://www.archive.org/.

Followed Directions - No Dice
 

I followed the instructions on your website and I cannot get it to work. Funny that I tried Knoppix and it worked great. Go figure. I am installing Debian today to see if that supports it. Seems that Mandrake has some kernel issues with USB audio devices. I will post back with my results.

It seems as though my DSP-500's are working. That is, if the app audio is set to use Alsa. Alsa is working fine with my USB headset. The problem is now, setting up the rest of my apps to use Alsa. XMMS, Xine, and default games are working fine. UT2004, other apps, and Gnome audio are not working. :confused:

Ummm...Site down
 

The site that had the instructions isn't there anymore. I was working on this for a while. It was a kernel issue. Mandrake 10.0 and Knoppix are using different kernels . The headset DOES work under Debian Sarge just fine. I have been playing with it for a few days now. Now I just need to find a good VoIP phone for Linux and my Windows days will be over. MWUHAHAHA

DIgiLord

He who says it cannot be done is interrupting the one doing it. - Chinese Proverb