Sound configuration

[jsfarinet]

By default HDMI on this laptop results always the first soundcard - which disables all soundoutput. I can change that in alsamixer, but i have to do it all the time by hand. Is there a way to configure the soundcards so that HD-Audio-Generic becomes choosen by default as the first? I looked into the /proc/asound files and directories but apparently it's not so simple to change something there. At least, may be simply suppress HDMI?

I know there is a way to do that with pulseaudio but i'd prefer to avoid that (piece of crap - imho) . . .

Thanks in advance for any pointer!

[gapan]

Have you tried the "ALSA sound card" tool in the System menu?

[jsfarinet]

Have you tried the "ALSA sound card" tool in the System menu?

I saw it now. But before i figured out using qastools. In any case: a nice utiity!

[jsfarinet]

Oh, seems that the hw:1 (HD-Audio Generic, Realtek ALC269VC) at the startup is by default mute. With your software i set Generic to the systemwide used alsa card. But it seems so far, that anyway hw:0 (HDMI) is considered as default. And, may therefore on boot-up hw:1 is mute?

A small footnote, i know it's not "scientific" but only "dumb" user experience but hopefully tells something to you linux knowledged people: I set in gdm sounds, but on boot-up i do not get them. When i - manually - turn on sound on the hw:1 i get the logout sound ... (?)

[gapan]

If it is muted by default, the unmute it, and use the ALSA sound cards tool to save your settings. On next boot, it won't be muted anymore.

[jsfarinet]

If it is muted by default, the unmute it, and use the ALSA sound cards tool to save your settings. On next boot, it won't be muted anymore.

That's it! Thanks so much for being so patient!

[jsfarinet]

Addendum: I was too early. Now the sound is played at login (and sound players like Exaile or VLC plays well), but going back to gdmsetup and trying to change a sound, i cannot play them. Starting gdmsetup in a terminal, i see this error:

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ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1022:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
/usr/bin/play FAIL formats: can't open output file `default': snd_pcm_open error: No such file or directory

When i start play by hand from the cl the same happens. I'm under the impression that's still an effect that hdmi comes up first (as part of the video card) physically. One idea might be to blacklist HDMI sound - not so elegant but . . .

Any ideas?

[jsfarinet]

Ok. I got a bit closer: Apparently it's a problem when using 'play' as root.

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<user>[stereo]$ play bell.ogg

bell.ogg:

 File Size: 66.6k     Bit Rate: 157k
  Encoding: Vorbis        
  Channels: 2 @ 16-bit   
Samplerate: 44100Hz      
Replaygain: off         
  Duration: 00:00:03.39  

In:100%  00:00:03.39 [00:00:00.00] Out:150k  [      |      ] Hd:5.7 Clip:0    
Done.

But:

Code: Select all

<user>[stereo]$ sudo play bell.ogg
Password:
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1022:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
play FAIL formats: can't open output file `default': snd_pcm_open error: No such file or directory

How would/should i work around this?

[gapan]

I'm not sure what you're trying to do because you haven't explained it clearly. What does gdmsetup and playing a sound with sudo has to do with the default soundcard which was your original question?

[jsfarinet]

I'm not sure what you're trying to do because you haven't explained it clearly. What does gdmsetup and playing a sound with sudo has to do with the default soundcard which was your original question?

gdmsetup has to be started as root, right? So i do 'sudo gdmsetup' (in a terminal, to see what happens) and go then thru the different options. When i'm there to configure the sounds, the option <play> results dead, i.e. no sound played. The error msg is those i see in the terminal from where i started gdmsetup.

Just to countercheck, i did the same command ("play ...." from a terminal, either as root, and it does not work, or as user and it works. Hope that's clearer to you (?)

TIA