More than one soundcard -- how?

archlyn · 04-25-2004, 08:07 AM

I have two soundcards in my computer right now, both of them seem top be showing up when I do a

Code:

$ cat /proc/pci | grep audio

Multimedia audio controller: nVidia Corporation nForce2 AC97 Audio Controler (MCP) (rev 161).
Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs SB Live! EMU10k1 (rev 7).

The two cards I have are a Soundblaster Live 5.1 and integgrated NForce2 softaudio supported by snd-intel8x0 kernel module.

Here is my modprobe.conf file (I'm on linux 2.6.5 using the kernel versions of the ALSA drivers for my two cards, compiled as kernel modules)

Code:

alias snd-card-0 snd-emu10k1
alias sound-slot-0 snd-emu10k1
alias snd-card-1 snd-intel8x0
alias snd-slot-1 snd-intel8x0
alias char-major-195* nvidia

When I boot up, I see no errors interms of module insertion/configuration and a manual install of the modules (ie removing them from the above config file and doing

Code:

insmod snd-intel8x0

or

Code:

insmod snd-emu10k1

produces no problems.

alsamixer detects both cards fine the SBLive being card 0 and the Nforce audio being card 1, yet anytime I try to play any audio at all on the NForce 2, I'm greeted with a low sort of buzz that never stops unless I turn off my computer.

nvn · 04-25-2004, 08:19 AM

You sure you don't need the OSS-emulation modules or other stuff like that also? Perhaps there are some other configuration (i.e., app-specific) you'll have to do in order to get it working. I'm currently using an M-Audio Delta44 along with an Audigy2 without any problems whatsoever, so it can work.

However I'm a bit curious on why you need both sound devices?

archlyn · 04-25-2004, 08:53 AM

>You sure you don't need the OSS-emulation modules or other stuff like that also?

Frankly I don't know. I've never done this before in Linux so I don't know WHAT I need

>Perhaps there are some other configuration (i.e., app-specific) you'll have to do in order to get it working.

It's possible, but I doubt it. The problem stars when X starts up and KDE plays the startup sound (the default). Nothing I do makes it stop, either. I think this is system-wide.

>I'm currently using an M-Audio Delta44 along with an Audigy2 without any problems whatsoever, so it can work.

How did you get it to work?

>However I'm a bit curious on why you need both sound devices?

Because I am considering using my onboard audio and pulling out my SBLive to put in my sister's comp because she has a crappy soundcard, and the onboard sound on my mobo is fine for my current setup, so long as it sounds as good as my SBLive

nvn · 04-25-2004, 10:02 AM

The way I configured my sound system is possibly not the best way, but hey - it works and I only had to do it once.

What I did was first to run alsaconf for the first card, and let the changes be written to /etc/modules.conf. Then I copied these entries and ran alsaconf for the second card and let it re-write /etc/modules.conf, after which I just pasted the previously copied entries (adjustment of card numbers may be necessary). In other words; I didn't really configure anything myself, I just let alsaconf do the dirty work and decide what it wanted.

I believe there are or has been some issues with ALSA and KDE (or ARTs, specifically). You might want to try experimenting with the settings for the sound system in KDE's control center; try, if you haven't already done so, setting 'Sound Device' to ALSA instead of ARTs or whatever the options are.

Have you eliminated the possibility of some weird sort of conflict between the devices? If you comment out the entries for the SBLive! from your modules.conf, can you get the onboard sound to work? If that buzzing starts, does it stop if you kill artsd (if it's running, that is)? How's the sound in GNOME (or any other window manager != KDE), still problematic?

shilo · 04-25-2004, 02:53 PM

I don't know if this helps, but if I were you, I would try removing the sound card you are thinking about removing anyway. That way, you have a lot less to muck around with when you are trying to get it to work.

archlyn · 04-25-2004, 04:16 PM

NVN:

Yes, I commented out my SBLive's entries in my modprobe.conf (this is same as modules.conf in 2.4.x kernels) and the onboard sound still doesn't work.

I'll try forcing KDE to output to ALSA instead (it's currently set to "Autodetect")

I'll also give a commandline music player a shot (workbone?) without going into X at all.

As far as hardware conflicts go, I'm not sure, but they work well togeather in Windows, however Linux isn't win32.

I know in WinXP you have a control panel applet that lets you choose which soundcard you want to use for output.

Is there a config file/applet that does ths in Linux/KDE?

Edit:
Still no dice. Commandline apps produce no sound but do not generate a low buz, just null sound

In KDE no change.