[SLUG] SUSE installation sound problems

[Martin Webb]

Martin Webb wrote:
> Martin Webb wrote:
>> john at johnallsopp.co.uk wrote:
>>> Hi ppl
>>>
>>> OK, the reputation of Linux is on the line here (not to mention mine
>>> too). I went around to fix the final (?) problem on Lucy's machine
>>> last night .. sound.
>>>
>>> Previously, you may remember, SUSE 10 had failed to recognise the
>>> sound on the ASROCK 939NF4 motherboard so we thought we'd put in a
>>> Soundblaster card and that would sort it.
>>>
>>> Not so fast. I bought a Soundblaster Live 24 bit SB0410 from
>>> wossisface near TKMaxx, put that in, and got system sounds .. bootup,
>>> etc. However, when playing a CD I'm getting, most often, a half-second
>>> toggle between the song and silence. For those old enough to remember,
>>> it sounds like the Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club.
>>>
>>> I've disabled (and enabled, but currently disabled) the motherboard
>>> sound in the BIOS, and I've moved the analog audio cable from going
>>> from the DVD drive to the motherboard to going to the soundcard.
>>>
>>> The speakers I'm using are Logitec X-530s.
>>>
>>> Frankly, I'm a bit stumped so I'm looking for my best next move. I'm
>>> thinking I'll work on SUSE for a bit but if it's not playing, I'll go
>>> for another distro (Ubuntu, maybe even Mepis sounds like it aims to
>>> work  "out of the box").
>>>
>>> If any of you remember the early LPI stuff about isapnp, SUSE has it
>>> so I'm half tempted to see if that would help .. but the card seems to
>>> be recognised and installed fine .. mind-you, I did just go for the
>>> fast/automatic setup.
>>>
>>> Whaddyathink?
>>>
>>> BTW, Lucy is lurking on this list, so hello.
>> At least up until very recently, "SB Live! 24 bit" was a no go card 
>> for Linux, or very poorly supported.  There is not enough info about 
>> it released for an opensource driver to be constructed.  All the 
>> Asrocks I've used have had AC'97 chipsets for Sound, and should just 
>> work.
>>
>> On my FC3 rig, this one I'm using now, drivers go in:
>> /lib/modules/2.6.9-1.667/kernel/sound/pci/
>> and it is in fact the emu10k1 for the genuine SoundBlasterLive!, not 
>> one of its emulations.
>>
>> http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-doc/
>> is a good page, and you can get good info on many sound cards
>> put VIA into the search box, and hit Go
>>
>> On my Whitby box, I had to make changes to:
>> /etc/sysconfig/hwconf
>>
>> It ended up as:
>> class: AUDIO
>> bus: PCI
>> detached: 0
>> driver: snd-emu10k1
>> desc: "Creative Labs SB Live! EMU10k1"
>> vendorId: 1102
>> deviceId: 0002
>> subVendorId: 1102
>> subDeviceId: 8067
>> pciType: 1
>> pcidom:    0
>> pcibus:  0
>> pcidev:  a
>> pcifn:  0
>>
>>
>>
>> The details that I put in here manually, I copied from the Alsa site.
>>
>> Hope some of this helps.
>>
>> Dealing with dependencies, and getting sound cards to work would make 
>> a good evening, if we have someone with the expertise. 
> I've just had a quick shufty at the site mentioned above, putting 
> Creative Labs in as manufacturer, and looking through the different 
> cards for the 24 bit soundblaster.  To my surprise, this is no longer 
> in red as dodgy, but in plain green as an OK card.  Have a look.
> Martin 

BTW, the symptoms you described for the 24bit SB are exactly what I got, 
about a year ago.  Now there are proper drivers, I'll have another go, 
because it's a nice card.
Martin