Re: [Alsa-user] Tinycore and Haswell produce only chopped noise

2014-08-30 Thread Robert M. Riches Jr.
(Oops.  Forgot to copy the list.)

Chris and list,

Thank you for the advice to check /proc/asound/Intel.  There's
undoubtedly good stuff in there--if my magic decoder ring wasn't
in the shop.  :-)

To be more clear, the scratchy, chopped white noise sound is all
I had ever heard from aplay.  It's not that it plays some modes
but not others; it doesn't play properly with any mode.  I reran
some tests, based on your advice.  Info interspersed below.

Thanks,

Robert


> Date: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 22:46:27 -0700
> From: chris hermansen 
> To: "Robert M. Riches Jr." 
> Cc: Alsa-user@lists.sourceforge.net
>
>
> Robert and list,
>
> On Aug 29, 2014 10:08 PM, "Robert M. Riches Jr." 
> wrote:
> >
> > Trying to get sound working on TinyCore 5, 64-bit kernel, 32-bit
> > userspace with a Haswell i5-4690 CPU and an Asus H97M-Plus
> > motherboard.  My primary need is at least one channel of audio
> > output from VLC.
> >
> > Kernel modules appear loaded.  "aplay -l" and "aplay -L" show one
> > card, ALC887-VD.  Alsamixer appears to show an HDMI device with
> > no controls and another device (ALC-887, I think) with controls.
> > I unmuted and turned up the gain on master on that second device
> > in order to get any sound output.  Oh, and with aplay and a WAV
> > file, I have to use "plughw:1", because "hw:1" refused to do
> > single channel.
>
> What kind of WAV file is it? What happens if you try a stereo 16 bit 44.1
> kHz WAV file?

File A, the file I had originally tried, is Signed 16 bit Little
Endian, Rate 48000 Hz, Mono.

The first time I play a file with CD rates and such (file B), I
hear silence, and toward the end of the file, I see this:

aplay: pcm_write:1939: write error: Input/output error

If I then play file A, I hear chopped pieces of file B.  Then, if
I play file B again, I hear chopped pieces of file A.  It seems
something in aplay or the driver is seriously confused.

> What happens if you use the default output device?

That results in a segmentation fault, every time.

> Why can't you use a newer kernel?

Kernel 3.8.13 is the latest available in the TinyCore
repositories.  To compile my own kernel for TinyCore would
require setting up a build environment, configuring the newer
kernel, etc.  That would take much too much time--probably at
least a few evenings.  A Sept. 14 hard deadline looms to have a
full VLC plus monitoring appliance.  A newer kernel would
guarantee a missed deadline.  A couple of soundcards are cheaper.
After sending this, I'm heading to Frys.

> If it works with stereo and you need a mono signal out, can you fabricate a
> different cable?
>
> >
> > With aplay on a WAV file, I get scratchy sounds (similar to
> > pulsed white noise or someone scratching fingernails on a
> > microphone screen) out of the headphone jack.
>
> It would be interesting to look at /proc/asound/Intel files while playing
> something that sounds scratchy. I have had scratchy sounds in the past when
> the driver didn't properly deal with the bit rate and depth.

/proc/asound/Intel is a symlink to /proc/asound/card1.  I'll snip
the original details and append the output of something similar
to this:

head -9 `find /proc/asound/card1 -type f`

> Also any related messages in the /var/log/syslog file?

Starting syslogd created /var/log/messages but not
/var/log/syslog.  Nothing showed up in /var/log/messages for
attempts with 'aplay -D plughw:1 ...'.  The only things that ever
showed up there were segmentation faults from trying to use the
default device.

This is the tail of dmesg output.  The line at 16.931012 is
probably irrelevant.  Nothing earlier in dmesg output appeared to
be relevant to ALSA.

[8.675200] input: HDA Intel Line as
/devices/pci:00/:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input6
[8.675334] input: HDA Intel Rear Mic as
/devices/pci:00/:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input7
[8.675450] input: HDA Intel Front Mic as
/devices/pci:00/:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input8
[8.675557] input: HDA Intel Front Headphone as
/devices/pci:00/:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input9
[8.675667] input: HDA Intel Line Out Side as
/devices/pci:00/:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input10
[8.675803] input: HDA Intel Line Out CLFE as
/devices/pci:00/:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input11
[8.675901] input: HDA Intel Line Out Surround as
/devices/pci:00/:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input12
[8.676067] input: HDA Intel Line Out Front as
/devices/pci:00/:00:1b.0/sound/card1/input13
[   16.931012] mtrr: no MTRR for e000,3ff found
[  248.663732] aplay[1073]: segfault at 8 ip f777302d sp
ffe8f914 error 4 in libasound.so.2.0.0[f7704000+a1000]
[  361.240347] aplay[1258]: segfault at 8 ip f76d002d sp
fff91f54 error 4 in libasound.so.2.0.0[f7661000+a1000]
[  363.685898] aplay[1262]: segfault at 8 ip f778d02d sp
ffd27364 error 4 in libasound.so.2.0.0[f771e000+a1000]

> > Googling didn't find anything that appeared relevant.
> >
> > Where could I find 

Re: [Alsa-user] Tinycore and Haswell produce only chopped noise

2014-08-29 Thread chris hermansen
Robert and list,

On Aug 29, 2014 10:08 PM, "Robert M. Riches Jr." 
wrote:
>
> Trying to get sound working on TinyCore 5, 64-bit kernel, 32-bit
> userspace with a Haswell i5-4690 CPU and an Asus H97M-Plus
> motherboard.  My primary need is at least one channel of audio
> output from VLC.
>
> Kernel modules appear loaded.  "aplay -l" and "aplay -L" show one
> card, ALC887-VD.  Alsamixer appears to show an HDMI device with
> no controls and another device (ALC-887, I think) with controls.
> I unmuted and turned up the gain on master on that second device
> in order to get any sound output.  Oh, and with aplay and a WAV
> file, I have to use "plughw:1", because "hw:1" refused to do
> single channel.

What kind of WAV file is it? What happens if you try a stereo 16 bit 44.1
kHz WAV file?

What happens if you use the default output device?

Why can't you use a newer kernel?

If it works with stereo and you need a mono signal out, can you fabricate a
different cable?

>
> With aplay on a WAV file, I get scratchy sounds (similar to
> pulsed white noise or someone scratching fingernails on a
> microphone screen) out of the headphone jack.

It would be interesting to look at /proc/asound/Intel files while playing
something that sounds scratchy. I have had scratchy sounds in the past when
the driver didn't properly deal with the bit rate and depth.

Also any related messages in the /var/log/syslog file?
>
> Googling didn't find anything that appeared relevant.
>
> Where could I find whether that kernel (3.8.13) supports Haswell
> HDMI audio and/or the H97M's audio?

What about just trying a newer kernel?

>
> Any pointers to tricks to maybe get the existing sound devices
> working?
>
> Buying another sound card is acceptable if necessary.  Any
> suggestions for something < US$50 that is old enough that is sure
> to work with the 3.8.13 kernel?  It will be feeding a church PA
> system but studio-quality sound is not necessary.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Robert
>
> 
> Details:
> 
>
> Output of "uname -a":
>
> Linux box 3.8.13-tinycore64 #777 SMP Fri Oct 18 15:13:45 UTC 2013
x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
>
> Output of "aplay -l":
>
>  List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices 
> card 1: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC887-VD Analog [ALC887-VD
Analog]
>   Subdevices: 1/1
>   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
> card 1: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC887-VD Digital [ALC887-VD
Digital]
>   Subdevices: 1/1
>   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
>
> Output of "aplay -L":
>
> null
> Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
> pulse
> PulseAudio Sound Server
> default:CARD=Intel
> HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
> Default Audio Device
> sysdefault:CARD=Intel
> HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
> Default Audio Device
> front:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
> HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
> Front speakers
> surround40:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
> HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
> 4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
> surround41:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
> HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
> 4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
> surround50:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
> HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
> 5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
> surround51:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
> HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
> 5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
> surround71:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
> HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
> 7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer
speakers
> iec958:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
> HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Digital
> IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
>
> Output of "lsmod":
>
> Module  Size  Used byNot tainted
> snd_seq_dummy  12288  0
> snd_seq_oss24576  0
> snd_seq_midi_event 12288  1 snd_seq_oss
> snd_seq36864  5
snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
> snd_seq_device 12288  3 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
> snd_pcm_oss36864  0
> snd_mixer_oss  16384  1 snd_pcm_oss
> snd_hda_codec_realtek49152  1
> snd_hda_codec_hdmi 28672  1
> snd_hda_intel  28672  0
> snd_hda_codec  65536  3
snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel
> snd_hwdep  12288  1 snd_hda_codec
> snd_pcm57344  4
snd_pcm_oss,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
> snd_timer  20480  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
> snd45056 12
snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_timer
> soundcore  12288  1 snd
> snd_page_alloc 12288  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
> cpufreq_conservative12288  0
> cpufreq_userspace  12288  0
> cpufreq_stats  12288  0
> cpufreq_powersave  12288  0

[Alsa-user] Tinycore and Haswell produce only chopped noise

2014-08-29 Thread Robert M. Riches Jr.
Trying to get sound working on TinyCore 5, 64-bit kernel, 32-bit
userspace with a Haswell i5-4690 CPU and an Asus H97M-Plus
motherboard.  My primary need is at least one channel of audio
output from VLC.

Kernel modules appear loaded.  "aplay -l" and "aplay -L" show one
card, ALC887-VD.  Alsamixer appears to show an HDMI device with
no controls and another device (ALC-887, I think) with controls.
I unmuted and turned up the gain on master on that second device
in order to get any sound output.  Oh, and with aplay and a WAV
file, I have to use "plughw:1", because "hw:1" refused to do
single channel.

With aplay on a WAV file, I get scratchy sounds (similar to
pulsed white noise or someone scratching fingernails on a
microphone screen) out of the headphone jack.

Googling didn't find anything that appeared relevant.

Where could I find whether that kernel (3.8.13) supports Haswell
HDMI audio and/or the H97M's audio?

Any pointers to tricks to maybe get the existing sound devices
working?

Buying another sound card is acceptable if necessary.  Any
suggestions for something < US$50 that is old enough that is sure
to work with the 3.8.13 kernel?  It will be feeding a church PA
system but studio-quality sound is not necessary.

Thanks in advance,

Robert


Details:


Output of "uname -a":

Linux box 3.8.13-tinycore64 #777 SMP Fri Oct 18 15:13:45 UTC 2013 x86_64 
x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Output of "aplay -l":

 List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices 
card 1: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC887-VD Analog [ALC887-VD Analog]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC887-VD Digital [ALC887-VD Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Output of "aplay -L":

null
Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
pulse
PulseAudio Sound Server
default:CARD=Intel
HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=Intel
HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
Front speakers
surround40:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Analog
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=Intel,DEV=0
HDA Intel, ALC887-VD Digital
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output

Output of "lsmod":

Module  Size  Used byNot tainted
snd_seq_dummy  12288  0 
snd_seq_oss24576  0 
snd_seq_midi_event 12288  1 snd_seq_oss
snd_seq36864  5 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq_midi_event
snd_seq_device 12288  3 snd_seq_dummy,snd_seq_oss,snd_seq
snd_pcm_oss36864  0 
snd_mixer_oss  16384  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_hda_codec_realtek49152  1 
snd_hda_codec_hdmi 28672  1 
snd_hda_intel  28672  0 
snd_hda_codec  65536  3 
snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep  12288  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm57344  4 
snd_pcm_oss,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_timer  20480  2 snd_seq,snd_pcm
snd45056 12 
snd_seq_oss,snd_seq,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_hda_codec_realtek,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore  12288  1 snd
snd_page_alloc 12288  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
cpufreq_conservative12288  0 
cpufreq_userspace  12288  0 
cpufreq_stats  12288  0 
cpufreq_powersave  12288  0 
squashfs   28672  0 
loop   20480  0 
ppdev  12288  0 
parport_pc 24576  0 
parport28672  2 ppdev,parport_pc
eeepc_wmi  12288  0 
asus_wmi   16384  1 eeepc_wmi
sparse_keymap  12288  1 asus_wmi
video  16384  1 asus_wmi
backlight  12288  2 asus_wmi,video
mxm_wmi12288  0 
serio_raw  12288  0 
acpi_cpufreq   12288  0 
wmi12288  2 asus_wmi,mxm_wmi
microcode  16384  0 
pcspkr 12288  0 
xhci_hcd   69632  0 
mperf  12288  1 acpi_cpufreq

(The End)

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