Two sound cards, only sound out of one

Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Erik de Castro Lopo]

Hi all,

Using version 0.9.6 of alsa-*.

I have two ENS1371 based cards plugged into the one machine:

    root@sound:~# cat /proc/asound/cards
    0 [AudioPCI       ]: ENS1371 - Ensoniq AudioPCI
                         Ensoniq AudioPCI ENS1371 at 0xa400, irq 10
    1 [AudioPCI_1     ]: ENS1371 - Ensoniq AudioPCI
                         Ensoniq AudioPCI ENS1371 at 0x9400, irq 5

I have also set up a /etc/asound.conf file containing aliases for the
cards named "card0" and "card1".

I have also run alsamixergui with "-c 0" and "-c 1" parameters to set up
output volumes on the two cards (and the controls on the two alsamixergui
instances behave independantly).

However, when I playback a sound file using:

    aplay -D card0 a.wav
    aplay -D card1 a.wav

Only card0 produces sound. I have also tried physically swapping the cards
but only card0 produces sound. I have also tried the -v option to aplay to
confirm that the output is going to device 0 and device 1.

The relevant sections of /etc/modules.conf looks like this:

    alias char-major-116 snd
    alias snd-card-0 snd-ens1371
    alias snd-card-1 snd-ens1371
    alias char-major-14 soundcore
    alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0
    alias sound-slot-1 snd-card-1
    alias sound-service-0-0 snd-mixer-oss
    alias sound-service-0-1 snd-seq-oss
    alias sound-service-0-3 snd-pcm-oss
    alias sound-service-0-8 snd-seq-oss
    alias sound-service-0-12 snd-pcm-oss
    alias sound-service-1-0 snd-mixer-oss
    alias sound-service-1-1 snd-seq-oss
    alias sound-service-1-3 snd-pcm-oss
    alias sound-service-1-8 snd-seq-oss
    alias sound-service-1-12 snd-pcm-oss
    options snd major=116 cards_limit=2 device_gid=29 device_mode=0660
    options snd-ens1371 index=0,1

Anybody got any idea why this is not working?

Thanks,
Erik
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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Chris Rankin]

 --- Erik de Castro Lopo <erikd-alsa@mega-nerd.com>
wrote:
> Using version 0.9.6 of alsa-*.
> 
> I have two ENS1371 based cards plugged into the one
> machine:
> 
>     root@sound:~# cat /proc/asound/cards
>     0 [AudioPCI       ]: ENS1371 - Ensoniq AudioPCI
>                          Ensoniq AudioPCI ENS1371 at
> 0xa400, irq 10
>     1 [AudioPCI_1     ]: ENS1371 - Ensoniq AudioPCI
>                          Ensoniq AudioPCI ENS1371 at
> 0x9400, irq 5
 
> However, when I playback a sound file using:
> 
>     aplay -D card0 a.wav
>     aplay -D card1 a.wav
> 
> Only card0 produces sound.
> 
> Anybody got any idea why this is not working?

Just checking the obvious: have you plugged any
speakers into the second sound card?

Chris


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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Erik de Castro Lopo]

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 10:51:20 +0100 (BST)
Chris Rankin <rankincj@yahoo.com> wrote:

> Just checking the obvious: have you plugged any
> speakers into the second sound card?

Errr, headphones actually. Do you think speakers would be better? :-)

Jokes aside, card0 works just as I would expect it to and card1 is
completely silent.

Erik
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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Takashi Iwai]

At Sun, 24 Aug 2003 12:13:53 +1000,
Erik de Castro Lopo wrote:
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> Using version 0.9.6 of alsa-*.
> 
> I have two ENS1371 based cards plugged into the one machine:
> 
>     root@sound:~# cat /proc/asound/cards
>     0 [AudioPCI       ]: ENS1371 - Ensoniq AudioPCI
>                          Ensoniq AudioPCI ENS1371 at 0xa400, irq 10
>     1 [AudioPCI_1     ]: ENS1371 - Ensoniq AudioPCI
>                          Ensoniq AudioPCI ENS1371 at 0x9400, irq 5
> 
> I have also set up a /etc/asound.conf file containing aliases for the
> cards named "card0" and "card1".
> 
> I have also run alsamixergui with "-c 0" and "-c 1" parameters to set up
> output volumes on the two cards (and the controls on the two alsamixergui
> instances behave independantly).
> 
> However, when I playback a sound file using:
> 
>     aplay -D card0 a.wav
>     aplay -D card1 a.wav
> 
> Only card0 produces sound. I have also tried physically swapping the cards
> but only card0 produces sound. I have also tried the -v option to aplay to
> confirm that the output is going to device 0 and device 1.

if aplay -vv shows the correct configuration and VU meters, i'd
suspect it's a hardware issue.  i.e. mixer mutes or physical
connection.  to check the card's playback without physical connection,
you can record via loopback like the following procedure:

1. choose "Mix" as the capture source.
2. turn on "Capture" switch.
3. raise "Capture" volume.
4. adjust "PCM" and "Master" volumees and switches.
5. play a file and record at the same time.
6. check the recorded file

also, you can try to swap the card order,

	options snd-ens1371 index=1,0


Takashi


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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Clemens Ladisch]

Erik de Castro Lopo wrote:
> I have two ENS1371 based cards plugged into the one machine:
>
>     root@sound:~# cat /proc/asound/cards
>     0 [AudioPCI       ]: ENS1371 - Ensoniq AudioPCI
>                          Ensoniq AudioPCI ENS1371 at 0xa400, irq 10
>     1 [AudioPCI_1     ]: ENS1371 - Ensoniq AudioPCI
>                          Ensoniq AudioPCI ENS1371 at 0x9400, irq 5
>
> I have also set up a /etc/asound.conf file containing aliases for the
> cards named "card0" and "card1".
>
> I have also run alsamixergui with "-c 0" and "-c 1" parameters to set up
> output volumes on the two cards (and the controls on the two alsamixergui
> instances behave independantly).
>
> However, when I playback a sound file using:
>
>     aplay -D card0 a.wav
>     aplay -D card1 a.wav
>
> Only card0 produces sound. I have also tried physically swapping the cards
> but only card0 produces sound. I have also tried the -v option to aplay to
> confirm that the output is going to device 0 and device 1.

The same happens with "hw:1" instead of "card1"?

Is the output of "lspci -x" the same for both cards (except port and
irq settings)?

Are the mixer controls really exactly the same (run "alsactl store"
and look into /etc/asound.state)?


HTH
Clemens




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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Mark Knecht]

On Sun, 2003-08-24 at 03:37, Erik de Castro Lopo wrote:

> Errr, headphones actually. Do you think speakers would be better? :-)

:-) Yes. ;-)
> 
> Jokes aside, card0 works just as I would expect it to and card1 is
> completely silent.

Erik,
   As I've watched this thread I wonder how sure you are that amixer
settings for the second card are actually going to the second card? Are
you able to set different volume and mute settings for the two cards and
show that they are truly different values?

   Also, I've had real problems recently with aplay, and unfortunately
haven't gotten much response on the couple of reflectors that I've asked
questions on, so I wouldn't be surprised if some of this isn't more
aplay problems.

   My experience with aplay is:

1) It plays stereo files only to channels 1 and 2, which isn't so bad.

2) It plays mono files to ALL channels

Personally I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out part of the problem
hee was that aplay was sending no data to the second card.

   Have you tried a two card virtual setup yet? That and something like
qjackconnect would be good for making sure you were sending data to the
second card. I'd try this and not worry about the clocking issues, or
give the second card a clock based on the first card's outputs if you
have the right hardware. (spdif clocks, etc.)

Good luck,
Mark
> 
> Erik



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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Erik de Castro Lopo]

Hi Clemens,

Sorry for the delay in responding to this.

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003 13:13:37 +0200 (METDST)
Clemens Ladisch <clemens@ladisch.de> wrote:

> The same happens with "hw:1" instead of "card1"?

Hmm, I think this might be some interesting info:

These two commands work:
    root@sound:~# aplay -vv -D hw:1 a.wav 
    Playing WAVE 'a.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz, Mono
    Hardware PCM card 1 'Ensoniq AudioPCI' device 0 subdevice 0


    root@sound:~# aplay -vv -D card0 a.wav 
    Playing WAVE 'a.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz, Mono
    Hardware PCM card 1 'Ensoniq AudioPCI' device 0 subdevice 0

while these two don't:

    root@sound:~# aplay -vv -D hw:0 a.wav 
    Playing WAVE 'a.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz, Mono
    Hardware PCM card 0 'Ensoniq AudioPCI' device 0 subdevice 0

    root@sound:~# aplay -vv -D card1 a.wav 
    Playing WAVE 'a.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little Endian, Rate 44100 Hz, Mono
    Hardware PCM card 0 'Ensoniq AudioPCI' device 0 subdevice 0

So obviously I have my definitions in /etc/asound.conf a little mixed up
but I still have one card working and one not.

> Is the output of "lspci -x" the same for both cards (except port and
> irq settings)?

Slightly different:

    00:0a.0 Multimedia audio controller: Ensoniq 5880 AudioPCI (rev 02)
    00: 74 12 80 58 05 00 10 24 02 00 01 04 00 20 00 00
    10: 01 a4 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
    20: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 74 12 00 20
    30: 00 00 00 00 dc 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0a 01 0c 80
    
    00:0d.0 Multimedia audio controller: Ensoniq ES1371 [AudioPCI-97] (rev 08)
    00: 74 12 71 13 05 00 10 24 08 00 01 04 00 20 00 00
    10: 01 94 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
    20: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 74 12 71 13
    30: 00 00 00 00 dc 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 05 01 0c 80

> Are the mixer controls really exactly the same (run "alsactl store"
> and look into /etc/asound.state)?

Well I'm actually running two instances of alsamixergui using:

    alsamixergui -c 0 &
    alsamixergui -c 1 &

The devices shown by the two instances are slightly different and the controls
work independantly.

Erik
-- 
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
  Erik de Castro Lopo  nospam@mega-nerd.com (Yes it's valid)
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Erik de Castro Lopo]

On Tue, 26 Aug 2003 09:13:27 -0700
Mark Knecht <markknecht@comcast.net> wrote:

> Erik,
>    As I've watched this thread 

Thanks :-).

> I wonder how sure you are that amixer
> settings for the second card are actually going to the second card? Are
> you able to set different volume and mute settings for the two cards and
> show that they are truly different values?

I'm running two instances of alsamixergui using:

    alsamixergui -c 0 &
    alsamixergui -c 1 &

The resulting windows are slightly different (due I believe to the different
manufacturers supplying slightly different features) and the controls act
completely independantly. 

If the alsamixergui instances were talking to the same card I would expect
the windows to be the same, and movement of the controls on one window to
be reflcected in the other (I have tested this).

>    Also, I've had real problems recently with aplay, 

Well if this is a problem with aply, I hope that this might shake it out.
I really don't have very much free time at the moment and I would prefer
not to add more variables to the situation because that is only likely
to confuse the issue.

Erik
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+-----------------------------------------------------------+
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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Erik de Castro Lopo]

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003 12:59:37 +0200
Takashi Iwai <tiwai@suse.de> wrote:

> if aplay -vv shows the correct configuration and VU meters, 

It does.

> i'd
> suspect it's a hardware issue.  i.e. mixer mutes or physical
> connection.  to check the card's playback without physical connection,
> you can record via loopback like the following procedure:
> 
> 1. choose "Mix" as the capture source.
> 2. turn on "Capture" switch.
> 3. raise "Capture" volume.
> 4. adjust "PCM" and "Master" volumees and switches.
> 5. play a file and record at the same time.
> 6. check the recorded file

I'm not really sure how to do all this but it does seem like a good 
debugging method. Could you be a little bit more explicit about how 
the above steps are carried out?


> also, you can try to swap the card order,
> 
> 	options snd-ens1371 index=1,0

Tired this, ran "update-modules" and restarted alsa.

This changes the way that the two cards are listed in the /proc/asound/cards
output but otherwise not much else changes. The same physical card that works
before still works while the one that never worked still doesn't work.

Erik
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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Mark Knecht]

On Thu, 2003-08-28 at 19:54, Erik de Castro Lopo wrote:

> Well if this is a problem with aply, I hope that this might shake it out.
> I really don't have very much free time at the moment and I would prefer
> not to add more variables to the situation because that is only likely
> to confuse the issue.
> 
> Erik

Makes sense not to confuse things, but from my experience aplay really
does strange things based on how many channels the wave file is that
it's playing. Alsa, my experience with aplay is that you cannot control
what output channels it puts audio on. I wouldn't be the least bit
surprised, based on how few multicard setups have been tested, that it
doesn't really send audio to the second card at all, but I've said that
already I think.

As an alternative, what about using Jack, two instances of alsaplayer
and qjackconnect to control where Jack believes it's sending the audio? 

Or maybe something similar on the input side using meterbridge instances
and looking at what signals come in? When Thomas and I were debugging
the HDSP 9652 driver recently it turned out to be a better strategy, in
my case, to look at inputs before I looked at outputs.

Anyway, maybe some of this will give you some ideas. I hope you find the
solution. I'm interested in what you're trying as I'd like to do it
myself one of these days.

Best of luck,
Mark



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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Mark Knecht]

On Thu, 2003-08-28 at 20:21, Erik de Castro Lopo wrote:
> > also, you can try to swap the card order,
> > 
> > 	options snd-ens1371 index=1,0
> 
> Tired this, ran "update-modules" and restarted alsa.
> 
> This changes the way that the two cards are listed in the /proc/asound/cards
> output but otherwise not much else changes. The same physical card that works
> before still works while the one that never worked still doesn't work.
> 
> Erik

I'm sure you've tried this, but if the card that doesn't work in this
configuration is the only card in the system, does it work?



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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Erik de Castro Lopo]

On Thu, 28 Aug 2003 21:16:23 -0700
Mark Knecht <markknecht@comcast.net> wrote:

> I'm sure you've tried this, but if the card that doesn't work in this
> configuration is the only card in the system, does it work?

I'm sure I had tried this, but I thought i would try it again.

Got inside the box, unplugged the good card, tried the other one, no good, 
unplugged the bad card, plugged in the good card, still no good, plugged 
in both cards, still no good. Scrounged around for another Es1371 based 
card, plugged that in by itself and it worked.

Anyway to cut a long story short, after about 200 reboots and at least
twice that in plugging/unplugging cards, I have the original two cards
in the machine, in their two original slots and they both work.

I have no idea what the problem was. If it ever happens again, I won't
know how to fix it.

Erik
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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Takashi Iwai]

At Fri, 29 Aug 2003 13:21:14 +1000,
Erik de Castro Lopo wrote:
> 
> > i'd
> > suspect it's a hardware issue.  i.e. mixer mutes or physical
> > connection.  to check the card's playback without physical connection,
> > you can record via loopback like the following procedure:
> > 
> > 1. choose "Mix" as the capture source.
> > 2. turn on "Capture" switch.
> > 3. raise "Capture" volume.
> > 4. adjust "PCM" and "Master" volumees and switches.
> > 5. play a file and record at the same time.
> > 6. check the recorded file
> 
> I'm not really sure how to do all this but it does seem like a good 
> debugging method. Could you be a little bit more explicit about how 
> the above steps are carried out?

the method above will give you recording the signals you're playing
through the loopback from DAC.  thus, you can check whether signal
comes out without the physical cable connection (i.e. one less
artificial possible mistake).

this method is generally available on every ac97 codec.


Takashi


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Re: Two sound cards, only sound out of one

[Clemens Ladisch]

Erik de Castro Lopo wrote:
> > Is the output of "lspci -x" the same for both cards (except port and
> > irq settings)?
>
> Slightly different:
>     00:0a.0 Multimedia audio controller: Ensoniq 5880 AudioPCI (rev 02)
>     [... port 0xa400, irq 10 ...]
>     00:0d.0 Multimedia audio controller: Ensoniq ES1371 [AudioPCI-97] (rev 08)
>     [... port 0x9400, irq 5 ...]

These are different cards.

If these were in the same slots as in your previous mails, the ES1371
worked while the 5880 didn't.

> I have the original two cards in the machine, in their two
> original slots and they both work.
>
> I have no idea what the problem was.

What is the output of "lspci -x" now?


Regards,
Clemens




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