New audio scheme, and upgrades (Updated)

[l3mce]

I think we have finally worked out an audio scenario which works on nearly everything, in every program, ootb. The only things I would expect this to not work on, are a handful of new stuff which requires a kernel upgrade.  Here is the problem... if the new schemes come to be via upgrade instead of install... it never makes its initial guesses, which work pretty good... so you may have to do a couple of steps.

If you upgrade, and you have never seen this screen before:



You will need to run avwizard, so that you can choose the card you want, populating the database with this variable. I would move your /etc/X11/xine.conf to backup and just reboot.

Also please be aware of this wiki http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Audio_in_1004

There are circumstances where you will need to add AlternateSC = 1 or 2 to pluto.conf before audio will work.  Again... we take guesses, and they should be pretty darned accurate... but we only do them once, during install, when conditions can be evaluated, and not overwrite manual decisions. As the code did not exist when, for instance, your video card was installed, these guessing routines never run.

If while in AVWiz, you do not hear audio, you can back up a step with the esc key, add/change the AlternateSC variable and go forward again. If it will work... it will work.

There are a couple of scenarios on the fringe in which the above will not work. If while trying to start avwizard, you have such a broken /etc/asound.conf file that alsa has crashed... and cannot be used to get data. Just delete your /etc/asound.conf  it is rewritten every boot anyway... or if you have some odd in-between stuff written to the /etc/pluto/xine.conf that the scheme cannot replace. You would just delete the last 3 or 4 lines underneath

Code: [Select]

#vcd.title_format:%F - %I %N%L%S, disk %c of %C - %v %Aat the bottom of the file.

[l3mce]

Also if you have one of the video chipsets that do not work ootb remember this wiki for solutions.
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/1004_Video_Hardware_Compatibility_List

[l3mce]

I have changed everything again.

If you CURRENTLY have AlternateSC set to 2, you will want to change that to 1 when updating.

[l3mce]

Frankly almost everyone should be on AlternateSC = 0 or not have the line at all.

There are some last minute developments as well.

ACC Multi-Channel
Our current scheme works for just about everything, except ACC 5.1+ content...
tail -4 /etc/pluto/xine.conf   should reveal something to the effect of:

audio.device.alsa_front_device:plughw:1,7
audio.device.alsa_default_device:plughw:1,7
audio.device.alsa_passthrough_device:plughw:1,7
audio.output.speaker_arrangement:Pass Through

This shows us our example card number is 1 and the hdmi device is 7.
For 5.1 audio, we would want to add to the end of that file (/etc/pluto/xine.conf):

audio.device.alsa_surround51_device:plughw:1,7

For 7.1 audio:

audio.device.alsa_surround71_device:plughw:1,7

Analog MultiChannel
Firstly you will need to setup normal stereo analog audio with AlternateSC = 1 in /etc/pluto.conf. Then in the web admin/Media Directors, change the "Audio settings" from S to M (manual).

Lastly edit your /etc/asound.conf
Under "pcm.!default"
change "analog_playback" to analog_6 for 5.1 or analog_8 for 7.1

xine will need a change as well... but as I have no earthly idea what... someone will have to work with me to get it right. Will automagic all of this in 1204.

[RayBe]

L3mce,
I am happy to help, just let me know what you want me to do and I will see what I can do.
Br,
Raymond

[phenigma]

ACC Multi-Channel

Thanks L3!  (And is 'AAC' - Advanced Audio Codec, fyi).  Great work on all the AV setup!

J.

[l3mce]

Acronyms... Who needs em?

[pga57]

Humm... I'm not sure but I think that squeezeslave is broken with the new scheme.
Mine don't work anymore.

I've lost my core virtual card config and if I replace the new generated asound.conf with a backup I have, squeezeslave miss the -o parameter:

Code: [Select]

linuxmce  7953  0.0  0.0   3344   840 pts/11   S+   16:51   0:00 grep --color=auto squeezeslave
root     15039  9.0  0.2  60812  6844 ?        Ssl  16:27   2:10 /usr/bin/squeezeslave -m00:00:00:00:00:01 -r5 -M/var/log/squeezeslave.log localhost
root     16223  9.1  0.2  60944  6728 ?        Ssl  16:27   2:10 /usr/bin/squeezeslave -m00:00:00:00:00:02 -r5 -M/var/log/squeezeslave.log localhost
root     16781  0.6  0.2  59920  6816 ?        Ssl  16:27   0:08 /usr/bin/squeezeslave -m00:00:00:00:00:03 -r5 -M/var/log/squeezeslave.log localhost



[l3mce]

Can I see both in a pastebin please?

I guess I need to setup one of these squeezeslave things... cause I don't know it from a hole in the ground...

[pga57]

The asound.conf that worked before the new audio sheme:

http://pastebin.com/v1NAqujj

For information I have 2 sound cards and only use the M Audio for squeezeslave on the core.
I don't have a media director on the core.

The new asound.conf after the new audio sheme.

http://pastebin.com/SP48tBdt

[l3mce]

Please paste your old config (first pastebin) into /etc/pluto/alsa/virtual_cards.conf, and let LMCE create ITS audio profile (second pastebin). You will notice the first line of the new configs reference that file.

Tell me if that works, or there is more work to do. I believe some things were added to the database to try and handle that. I will try and get hold of the one who committed the changes, or look over them enough to understand them.

***Ok... talked to uplink. There is magic for this now.
http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Dianemo_S#Configuring_a_multi-channel_sound_card_as_multiple_Virtual_Stereo_cards
Describes how to setup virtual sound cards now. In short:
1 We have a "sound card"* template, and a "virtual stereo sound card" for its children
2 Create the first one, set the sound card, create children and map the channels to them
3 Run /usr/pluto/bin/SetupAudioVideo

******Ok looking at the templates, I do not see them, and may have to make them.
done

[pga57]

I have paste my old config (first pastebin) into /etc/pluto/alsa/virtual_cards.conf, and let the LMCE ITS audio profile.
It is a progress but the -o parameter (audio device) is always missing and if I reboot the core, I retrive a empty virtual_cards.conf :-(.

I know about Dianemo Device Template #1994 and have use it before.
But it is actually missing on linuxmce 10.04 so I have to manually recreate the virtual cards.

Thank's for your help.

[phenigma]

Hi pga,

The proper DeviceTemplates are being added to LinuxMCE.  You will be able to update your database to receive the new DeviceTemplates soon.

J.

[pga57]

Hi Phenigma,

Great !

[pga57]

Hi

I have add the Multichannel sound card #2241 on the Core but have a "No sound cards found" in the device data parameters.

My asound.conf is the ITS audio profile that LMCE give me (same as yesterday) and my /etc/pluto/alsa/vitual_cards.conf is empty.

Do I miss something ?