Multiple sound cards difficult to manage with asoundconf

[Rocco Stanzione]

With other distros I used to manage my multiple sound cards with alsaconf, and it was a breeze. Having gotten rid of alsaconf, I'd like asoundconf to at least show me a list of the names of available cards for use with "set defaults.pcm.card", since apparenly one has to find these in /proc/asound/cards and know which part of that file contains the card name.

[Rocco Stanzione (trappist)]

This patch adds a feature to asoundconf to list the names of available sound cards. The man page is also updated.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

asoundconf is not meant to be a tool for end users. The prefered way of setting the default sound device is the selector in System -> Settings -> Audio.

Thanks,

Martin

[Rocco Stanzione (trappist)]

I don't use gnome, kcontrol doesn't do this for me, and I'm not a fan of the philosophy that says we don't need things like this because a gui configurator exists. This bug report began life as a complaint about alsaconf missing from alsa-utils, because it was the tool I was accustomed to using for choosing my sound card. It was suggested that I file a separate bug for an issue that alsaconf could solve that couldn't easily be solved without it. The non-alsaconf solution suggested (since I don't use gnome) involved using asoundconf after getting the name of my sound card from /proc/asound/cards. When I pitched this hassle as a possible excuse to bring back alsaconf, it was suggested that I extend asoundconf to do what this patch makes it do. A lot of time, effort, frustration and talking to developers has culminated in this patch, and I'd appreciate at least a serious look at the problem it's meant to solve before rejecting it. Thanks.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

OK, will apply the patch then, after IRC discussion.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

Jonathan, is there any appropriate place in KDE to add a default sound card selector? Should be a simple drop down box that uses asoundconf as configuration backend.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

 alsa-utils (1.0.10-1ubuntu8) dapper; urgency=low
 .
   * debian/init:
     - Add new functions preinit_levels()/preinit_levels_on_card() which are
       executed everytime (sanify_levels() is only executed if there is no
       saved state)
     - preinit_levels_on_card(): If card is a PowerMac Snapper, do a 'mute
       "Auto Mute", mute "PC Speaker", unmute "Auto Mute" again' dance to set
       the default output to the internal speakers. This makes powerpc sound
       work out of the box again. (Malone #32151 and a dozen duplicates)
   * debian/asoundconf: Add 'list' command to list available sound card names
     for using with get/set. Thanks to Rocco Stanzione for the patch.
     (Malone #31893)

[franganghi (joered)]

trying to use the gui tool to select the default sound card it seems to work propely. but sometimes, where i bootup my pc, the two sound device are inverted (in order) and the wrong one is select by default to be used by the os.

[mattegeniet (mattegeniet)]

This seems to be a problem in alsa. By some reason the modules get loaded in the wrong order, and it can be random from start to start wich one becomes card0 and card1. In the ALSA-wiki they recommend that you name the devices manually: http://alsa.opensrc.org/MultipleCards

[franganghi (joered)]

I fixed it on by box by using this commands:

asoundconf list (to get a list of available devices)
asoundconf set-default-card devicename (to permanently set the def device)

I think we only need the second command to be executed by the OS using a control on the GUI.
Is it right?

[Pete_R (peter-roehlen)]

Thanks for the above franganghi - I found this thread via google. As a new Linux/Ubuntu user this problem was driving me batty. A way of doing this via the GUI would be great.

[Yuriy Kozlov (yuriy-kozlov)]

I think Phonon's settings (in KDE4.1, System Settings > Sound > Audio Output) as well as KDE4's KMix have all the functionality asked for here, so this is fixed in Intrepid. Can someone with multiple soundcards check that Kubuntu Intrepid has all the functionality they are looking for here?

[Jonathan Thomas (echidnaman)]

We are closing this bug report because it lacks the information we need to investigate the problem, as described in the previous comments. Please reopen it if you can give us the missing information, and don't hesitate to submit bug reports in the future. To reopen the bug report you can click on the current status, under the Status column, and change the Status back to "New". Thanks again!