Correction, hal only lists the timer and mixer, not any playback and capture devices:
hal-device | grep -i alsa 16: udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_alsa_timer' info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_alsa_timer' (string) alsa.device_file = '/dev/snd/timer' (string) info.product = 'ALSA Timer Device' (string) alsa.type = 'timer' (string) info.capabilities = { 'alsa' } (string list) info.category = 'alsa' (string) 17: udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_alsa_sequencer' info.udi = '/org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/computer_alsa_sequencer' (string) alsa.device_file = '/dev/snd/seq' (string) info.product = 'ALSA Sequencer Device' (string) alsa.type = 'sequencer' (string) info.capabilities = { 'alsa' } (string list) info.category = 'alsa' (string) Here are some info about my soundcards: 00:11.5 Multimedia audio controller [0401]: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller [1106:3059] (rev 60) Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device [147b:1406] Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 22 I/O ports at e000 [size=256] Capabilities: [c0] Power Management version 2 00:0c.0 Multimedia audio controller [0401]: Creative Labs SB Audigy [1102:0004] (rev 04) Subsystem: Creative Labs SB Audigy 2 ZS (SB0350) [1102:2002] Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 20 I/O ports at 9400 [size=64] Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 2 -- Hal doesn't detect my soundcard https://launchpad.net/bugs/77451 -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs