aserver, smix

aserver, smix

[Jozef Kosoru]

Hi!

A couple of questions:

I would like to ask what is the main purpose of the aserver. It can run
on the same machine as the client only (AFAIK) and it cannot mix multiple
client streams into the one device. So I've missed the point of that
application -- is there something for which it could be good for?

ALSA plugin documentation mentions the 'smix' plugin. But I cannot find
any further information nor the source code in the library for that. Is
it something which will be introduced it the future ALSA releases?
According the doc it is exactly something I've been looking for a long
time; pcm device sharing.

--
jozef kosoru [zyzstar] <zyzstar@uid0.sk>



-------------------------------------------------------
This SF.net email is sponsored by: Scholarships for Techies!
Can't afford IT training? All 2003 ictp students receive scholarships.
Get hands-on training in Microsoft, Cisco, Sun, Linux/UNIX, and more.
www.ictp.com/training/sourceforge.asp

Re: aserver, smix

[Patrick Shirkey]

Jozef Kosoru wrote:
> Hi!
> 
> A couple of questions:
> 
> I would like to ask what is the main purpose of the aserver. It can run
> on the same machine as the client only (AFAIK) and it cannot mix multiple
> client streams into the one device. So I've missed the point of that
> application -- is there something for which it could be good for?
> 
> ALSA plugin documentation mentions the 'smix' plugin. But I cannot find
> any further information nor the source code in the library for that. Is
> it something which will be introduced it the future ALSA releases?
> According the doc it is exactly something I've been looking for a long
> time; pcm device sharing.
> 

This has been discussed many times.

Currently the only ways to get pcm device sharing, I assume you mean 
using multiple devices as one virtual device are to write it up in your 
.asoundrc or use the patch which has been submitted but not applied to 
jack for this purpose.

The former is a little tricky to grok but it has been shown to work. The 
later requires a bit more of a deeper understanding of jack and coding.

There is info in the online docs. Just click on the link in the asoundrc 
  section for your device and the file is explained in depth.

If however you mean hardware mixing (multiple streams at the same time) 
then it is dependant on the device and the manufacturers supplied tech 
details.


-- 
Patrick Shirkey - Boost Hardware Ltd.
Http://www.boosthardware.com
Http://www.djcj.org - The Linux Audio Users guide
========================================

Being on stage with the band in front of crowds shouting, "Get off! No! 
We want normal music!", I think that was more like acting than anything 
I've ever done.

Goldie, 8 Nov, 2002
The Scotsman



-------------------------------------------------------
This SF.net email is sponsored by: Scholarships for Techies!
Can't afford IT training? All 2003 ictp students receive scholarships.
Get hands-on training in Microsoft, Cisco, Sun, Linux/UNIX, and more.
www.ictp.com/training/sourceforge.asp

Re: aserver, smix

[Paul Davis]

>> I would like to ask what is the main purpose of the aserver. It can run
>> on the same machine as the client only (AFAIK) and it cannot mix multiple
>> client streams into the one device. So I've missed the point of that
>> application -- is there something for which it could be good for?
>> 
>> ALSA plugin documentation mentions the 'smix' plugin. But I cannot find
>> any further information nor the source code in the library for that. Is
>> it something which will be introduced it the future ALSA releases?
>> According the doc it is exactly something I've been looking for a long
>> time; pcm device sharing.
>> 
>
>This has been discussed many times.
>
>Currently the only ways to get pcm device sharing, I assume you mean 
>using multiple devices as one virtual device are to write it up in your 
>.asoundrc or use the patch which has been submitted but not applied to 
>jack for this purpose.

we also have the dmix plugin now, right jaroslav?


-------------------------------------------------------
This SF.net email is sponsored by: Scholarships for Techies!
Can't afford IT training? All 2003 ictp students receive scholarships.
Get hands-on training in Microsoft, Cisco, Sun, Linux/UNIX, and more.
www.ictp.com/training/sourceforge.asp

Re: aserver, smix

[Jaroslav Kysela]

On Thu, 27 Feb 2003, Patrick Shirkey wrote:

> Jozef Kosoru wrote:
> > Hi!
> > 
> > A couple of questions:
> > 
> > I would like to ask what is the main purpose of the aserver. It can run
> > on the same machine as the client only (AFAIK) and it cannot mix multiple
> > client streams into the one device. So I've missed the point of that
> > application -- is there something for which it could be good for?
> > 
> > ALSA plugin documentation mentions the 'smix' plugin. But I cannot find
> > any further information nor the source code in the library for that. Is
> > it something which will be introduced it the future ALSA releases?
> > According the doc it is exactly something I've been looking for a long
> > time; pcm device sharing.
> > 
> 
> This has been discussed many times.
> 
> Currently the only ways to get pcm device sharing, I assume you mean 
> using multiple devices as one virtual device are to write it up in your 
> .asoundrc or use the patch which has been submitted but not applied to 
> jack for this purpose.
> 
> The former is a little tricky to grok but it has been shown to work. The 
> later requires a bit more of a deeper understanding of jack and coding.
> 
> There is info in the online docs. Just click on the link in the asoundrc 
>   section for your device and the file is explained in depth.
> 
> If however you mean hardware mixing (multiple streams at the same time) 
> then it is dependant on the device and the manufacturers supplied tech 
> details.

Note that we have actually the experimental dmix plugin (direct mixing) 
which works for i386 architecture in CVS. The usage is simple:

aplay -Dplug:dmix <filename>

You may pass 'plug:dmix' to any other application.

						Jaroslav

-----
Jaroslav Kysela <perex@suse.cz>
Linux Kernel Sound Maintainer
ALSA Project, SuSE Labs



-------------------------------------------------------
This SF.net email is sponsored by: Scholarships for Techies!
Can't afford IT training? All 2003 ictp students receive scholarships.
Get hands-on training in Microsoft, Cisco, Sun, Linux/UNIX, and more.
www.ictp.com/training/sourceforge.asp

Re: aserver, smix

[Patrick Shirkey]

Jaroslav Kysela wrote:

> Note that we have actually the experimental dmix plugin (direct mixing) 
> which works for i386 architecture in CVS. The usage is simple:
> 
> aplay -Dplug:dmix <filename>
> 
> You may pass 'plug:dmix' to any other application.
> 

When I try this I get this error:

~$ aplay -D plug:dmix -f cd track_8.wav
ALSA lib pcm_hw.c:371:(snd_pcm_hw_sw_params) SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_SW_PARAMS 
failed: Invalid argument
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1378:(snd_pcm_dmix_initialize_slave) unable to 
install sw params
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1534:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to initialize slave

aplay: main:479: audio open error: Invalid argument

Using the example for the .asoundrc file in the original dmix thread is 
the same.

~$ aplay -D dmix -f cd track_8.wav
ALSA lib pcm_hw.c:371:(snd_pcm_hw_sw_params) SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_SW_PARAMS 
failed: Invalid argument
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1378:(snd_pcm_dmix_initialize_slave) unable to 
install sw params
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1534:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to initialize slave

aplay: main:479: audio open error: Invalid argument


-- 
Patrick Shirkey - Boost Hardware Ltd.
Http://www.boosthardware.com
Http://www.djcj.org - The Linux Audio Users guide
========================================

Being on stage with the band in front of crowds shouting, "Get off! No! 
We want normal music!", I think that was more like acting than anything 
I've ever done.

Goldie, 8 Nov, 2002
The Scotsman



-------------------------------------------------------
This sf.net email is sponsored by:ThinkGeek
Welcome to geek heaven.
http://thinkgeek.com/sf

Re: aserver, smix

[Patrick Shirkey]

Jaroslav Kysela wrote:

> 
> Are you using latest CVS drivers? Previous drivers are not compatible.
> 
> 						Jaroslav
> 

Yes, I did a cvs update today.

-- 
Patrick Shirkey - Boost Hardware Ltd.
Http://www.boosthardware.com
Http://www.djcj.org - The Linux Audio Users guide
========================================

Being on stage with the band in front of crowds shouting, "Get off! No! 
We want normal music!", I think that was more like acting than anything 
I've ever done.

Goldie, 8 Nov, 2002
The Scotsman



-------------------------------------------------------
This sf.net email is sponsored by:ThinkGeek
Welcome to geek heaven.
http://thinkgeek.com/sf

Re: aserver, smix

[Jaroslav Kysela]

On Sat, 1 Mar 2003, Patrick Shirkey wrote:

> Jaroslav Kysela wrote:
> 
> > Note that we have actually the experimental dmix plugin (direct mixing) 
> > which works for i386 architecture in CVS. The usage is simple:
> > 
> > aplay -Dplug:dmix <filename>
> > 
> > You may pass 'plug:dmix' to any other application.
> > 
> 
> When I try this I get this error:
> 
> ~$ aplay -D plug:dmix -f cd track_8.wav
> ALSA lib pcm_hw.c:371:(snd_pcm_hw_sw_params) SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_SW_PARAMS 
> failed: Invalid argument
> ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1378:(snd_pcm_dmix_initialize_slave) unable to 
> install sw params
> ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1534:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to initialize slave
> 
> aplay: main:479: audio open error: Invalid argument
> 
> Using the example for the .asoundrc file in the original dmix thread is 
> the same.
> 
> ~$ aplay -D dmix -f cd track_8.wav
> ALSA lib pcm_hw.c:371:(snd_pcm_hw_sw_params) SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_SW_PARAMS 
> failed: Invalid argument
> ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1378:(snd_pcm_dmix_initialize_slave) unable to 
> install sw params
> ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1534:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to initialize slave
> 
> aplay: main:479: audio open error: Invalid argument

Are you using latest CVS drivers? Previous drivers are not compatible.

						Jaroslav

-----
Jaroslav Kysela <perex@suse.cz>
Linux Kernel Sound Maintainer
ALSA Project, SuSE Labs



-------------------------------------------------------
This sf.net email is sponsored by:ThinkGeek
Welcome to geek heaven.
http://thinkgeek.com/sf