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harfin
August 3rd, 2009, 08:08 AM
I have just posted another new message regarding my Trust Webcam WB-1400T and Skype. This is the second issue that I have so not managed to resolve.

I have only just started using Ubuntu, (just converted from Windows XP Pro) and I have to say apart from the two unresolved issues, Ubuntu is a fantastic operating system.


I have a Dell Dimension E520 with 1.5G of RAM.
It has an in-built sound card
I have Dell speakers plugged into the speaker jack.
I have a Soyntec VOIP handset which I've used and continue to use (successfully) with Skype.
I play and hear audio CD's through the attached speakers.


Problem:
Whenever I activate a media file off of a website, e.g. BBC i-Player or a movie file received from friends and family, the sound comes through my VOIP handset and not through the speakers. Probably connected with this issue is that I have also noticed that when I switch the PC in the morning, I hear the first 'beep' through my speakers, and then when the successful sign-on to Ubuntu is aired the sound comes through the VOIP phone.

Any suggestions?

Alan

motrax
August 3rd, 2009, 08:46 AM
I have just posted another new message regarding my Trust Webcam WB-1400T and Skype. This is the second issue that I have so not managed to resolve.

I have only just started using Ubuntu, (just converted from Windows XP Pro) and I have to say apart from the two unresolved issues, Ubuntu is a fantastic operating system.


I have a Dell Dimension E520 with 1.5G of RAM.
It has an in-built sound card
I have Dell speakers plugged into the speaker jack.
I have a Soyntec VOIP handset which I've used and continue to use (successfully) with Skype.
I play and hear audio CD's through the attached speakers.


Problem:
Whenever I activate a media file off of a website, e.g. BBC i-Player or a movie file received from friends and family, the sound comes through my VOIP handset and not through the speakers. Probably connected with this issue is that I have also noticed that when I switch the PC in the morning, I hear the first 'beep' through my speakers, and then when the successful sign-on to Ubuntu is aired the sound comes through the VOIP phone.

Any suggestions?

Alan

Have you checked that nothing is muted on the Volume Control? I had a similar problem when my headphone was not playing sound. Try selecting all options under Preferences, set all of them to max volume and see if you get sound.

harfin
August 3rd, 2009, 10:34 AM
Have you checked that nothing is muted on the Volume Control? I had a similar problem when my headphone was not playing sound. Try selecting all options under Preferences, set all of them to max volume and see if you get sound.

Yes none of the listed items are muted

Alan
:mad:


Yes none of the listed items are muted

Alan
:mad:

So anyone else have any ideas?

Alan

CatKiller
August 3rd, 2009, 03:17 PM
Whenever I activate a media file off of a website, e.g. BBC i-Player or a movie file received from friends and family, the sound comes through my VOIP handset and not through the speakers. Probably connected with this issue is that I have also noticed that when I switch the PC in the morning, I hear the first 'beep' through my speakers, and then when the successful sign-on to Ubuntu is aired the sound comes through the VOIP phone.

It sounds like you've got the default sound device for your user configured to your VoIP phone rather than your speakers. The configuration is different depending on whether you're using ALSA or PulseAudio for your sound.

harfin
August 3rd, 2009, 03:38 PM
It sounds like you've got the default sound device for your user configured to your VoIP phone rather than your speakers. The configuration is different depending on whether you're using ALSA or PulseAudio for your sound.

The sound preferences window shows the following:
Sound Events Sound Playback HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (OSS)
Music & Movies Sound Playback HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (OSS)
Audio Conferencing Sound Playback HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (OSS); Sound Capture OSS - Open Sound System
Default Mixer Tracks HDA Intel (Alsa Mixer)

What do I need to change please?
Alan

CatKiller
August 3rd, 2009, 04:07 PM
OSS has some limitations over the others (only one sound at a time, fixed sound device location, that kind of thing). Change them to the equivalent ALSA or PulseAudio devices. (I use PulseAudio without any problems, but others prefer the older ALSA method). There may be a couple listed for each, since you've got two sound devices. Or it may be that you've got a couple of outputs for one device, with the speakers plugged into one and the VoIP phone plugged into the other. In which case, it's a case of identifying which output is which.

Hopefully that will sort you out.

harfin
August 3rd, 2009, 04:53 PM
OSS has some limitations over the others (only one sound at a time, fixed sound device location, that kind of thing). Change them to the equivalent ALSA or PulseAudio devices. (I use PulseAudio without any problems, but others prefer the older ALSA method). There may be a couple listed for each, since you've got two sound devices. Or it may be that you've got a couple of outputs for one device, with the speakers plugged into one and the VoIP phone plugged into the other. In which case, it's a case of identifying which output is which.
Hopefully that will sort you out.

I am even more confused !
I have as options (the text in blue is the result of using the Test button with that option selected)
Sound Events & Music & Movies


Auto Detect test button causes sound through VoIP phone
Generic USB Audio Device USB Audio (ALSA) Error - audiotestsrc wave=sine freq=512 ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink: Could not open audio device for playback.
HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (ALSA) Error audiotestsrc wave=sine freq=512 ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink: Could not open audio device for playback.
Generic USB Audio Device USB Audio (OSS) Error audiotestsrc wave=sine freq=512 ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink: Could not open audio device for playback. Device is being used by another application.
Generic USB Audio Device USB Audio (OSS) Error as for 4
HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (OSS) test button causes sound through speakers
HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (OSS) test button causes sound through speakers
ALSA - Advanced Linux Sound Architecture test button causes sound through VoIP phone
OSS - Open Sound System test button makes sound through speakers
Pulse Audio Sound Server test button causes sound through VoIP phone


Alan

:confused:

CatKiller
August 3rd, 2009, 05:19 PM
HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (ALSA) Error audiotestsrc wave=sine freq=512 ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink: Could not open audio device for playback.

I think this is probably because OSS has claimed the sound device.



ALSA - Advanced Linux Sound Architecture test button causes sound through VoIP phone

Pulse Audio Sound Server test button causes sound through VoIP phone

I don't know much about configuring ALSA, but with PulseAudio you can use either pavucontrol or padevchooser to pick which is the default device (called a "sink" in general in PulseAudio parlance). Otherwise, you should post some details on how you've got everything wired up to help someone that knows more about it than me to show you how to configure the devices how you want. For example, you've got a "Generic USB Audio Device." What is that?

harfin
August 3rd, 2009, 06:56 PM
I think this is probably because OSS has claimed the sound device.
I don't know much about configuring ALSA, but with PulseAudio you can use either pavucontrol or padevchooser to pick which is the default device (called a "sink" in general in PulseAudio parlance). Otherwise, you should post some details on how you've got everything wired up to help someone that knows more about it than me to show you how to configure the devices how you want. For example, you've got a "Generic USB Audio Device." What is that?

There are only three sound devices on my system.


A VoIP handset which is plugged into a USB socket on the PC
A microphone which is plugged into the Microphone jack on the front of my Dell Dimension E520 (I haven't ried using that yet)
A pair of Dell speakers that are plugged into the Sound Card jack on the rear of the PC.

I can only assume that the Generic USB Audio Device is the VoIP phone.

Following your suggestion I have installed padevchooser and I have selected the Pulse Audio Sound Server on the drop down list for Sound Events and Music and Movies

When I click the test button on each item the sound plays through the VoIP phone handset.

I am afraid I am now getting horribly lost!

Alan

CatKiller
August 3rd, 2009, 09:35 PM
Now that you aren't using OSS for anything, do the tests that use the HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog device produce sound?

PulseAudio ultimately uses the ALSA device to output sound. It seems like the default ALSA device is set for the USB device still. I believe that per-user ALSA configuration is done through the ~/.asoundrc file, although I don't know that much about it. There's a utility called asoundconf that does things with the ALSA configuration, but I don't know too much about that either. It does have the options to list the ALSA devices with
asoundconf list and to set the default device with
asoundconf set-default-card PARAMETER where PARAMETER is the name of the card displayed by the list option. Perhaps those will get you started.

harfin
August 3rd, 2009, 11:27 PM
]asoundconf list
This produces the result
Names of available sound cards:
Intel
Device

I then entered asoundconf set-default-card Intel, and got the following error message (in blue) as a result of using the Test button with HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (ALSA) - audiotestsrc wave=sine freq=512 ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink: Could not open audio device for playback.

The same error resulted for Sound Events and Music and Movies

As before as a result of using the Test button with the drop down list item of ALSA - Advanced Linux Sound Architecture the test button causes sound through VoIP phone

The only item from the drop down list when I use the test button that produces sound through the speakers is HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (OSS)

If I run asoundconf set-default-card Device and repeat in Sound Preferences -> Sound with the use of the Test button with HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (ALSA) the results are exactly the same as above.

I'm confused and lost!

Alan


This produces the result
Names of available sound cards:
Intel
Device
I then entered asoundconf set-default-card Intel, and got the following error message (in blue) as a result of using the Test button with HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (ALSA) - audiotestsrc wave=sine freq=512 ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink: Could not open audio device for playback.
The same error resulted for Sound Events and Music and Movies
As before as a result of using the Test button with the drop down list item of ALSA - Advanced Linux Sound Architecture the test button causes sound through VoIP phone
The only item from the drop down list when I use the test button that produces sound through the speakers is HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (OSS)
If I run asoundconf set-default-card Device and repeat in Sound Preferences -> Sound with the use of the Test button with HDA Intel STAC92xx Analog (ALSA) the results are exactly the same as above.
I'm confused and lost! Alan


Is there anyone who can offer any suggestions at to what I should do now?

The Linux terminology is so different from XP, and I am really floundering around in the dark here - and I don't have a torch!!

Alan

Fancycakes
August 4th, 2009, 09:20 AM
I have the same error: audiotestsrc wave=sine freq=512 ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink: Could not open audio device for playback. But for HDA ATI SB Analog (ALSA).

Only instead of going through an imaginary voip, there just isn't any sound. Period.

harfin
August 4th, 2009, 10:08 AM
I have the same error: audiotestsrc wave=sine freq=512 ! audioconvert ! audioresample ! gconfaudiosink: Could not open audio device for playback. But for HDA ATI SB Analog (ALSA).
Only instead of going through an imaginary voip, there just isn't any sound. Period.

Puzzling isn't it?

The only way I can get audio cd's to play through my speakers is to use one of the drop down list options I get for Preferences -> Sound is to select Open Sound System.

At the risk of repeating myself I'm in the dark and no-one has a torch!

Alan

braete
August 4th, 2009, 11:20 AM
do you have in mixerdevice dropdovn list an item "Playback: Intel xxxx Analog(PulseAudio Mixer)" or something similar?

if you do install asoundconf-gtk (sudo apt-get install asoundconf-gtk)
it's a neat gui for asoundconf (probably all it does can be done trough the console, but a gui is always good ;) )
start it and in the dropdown list chose pulse
then in sound set all to pulse, and mixer to Playback: Intel xxxx Analoag(PulseAudio Mixer).
reboot and you hopefully you should have your sound ok

harfin
August 4th, 2009, 01:43 PM
do you have in mixerdevice dropdovn list an item "Playback: Intel xxxx Analoag(PulseAudio Mixer)" or something similar? if you do install asoundconf-gtk (sudo apt-get install asoundconf-gtk) it's a neat gui for asoundconf (probably all it does can be done trough the console, but a gui is always good ;) ) start it and in the dropdown list chose pulse then in sound set all to pulse, and mixer to Playback: Intel xxxx Analoag(PulseAudio Mixer). reboot and you hopefully you should have your sound ok

For sound events, music and movies & audio conferencing the only item that actually mentions 'Pulse' is "PulseAudio Sound Server". Under 'Default Mixer Tracks' though I do have "Capture: HDA Intel - STAC92xx Analog (Pulse Audio Mixer).

I did as you suggested and installed the asoundconf-gtk and selected Pulse. I then reset the drop downs to PulseAudio Sound Server and I then re-booted.

Using the 'Test' button on Preferences -> sound, the test sound came through on my VOIP phone; and an audio CD plays through the phone handset too.

Any other ideas?

Alan

braete
August 4th, 2009, 03:45 PM
please run in terminal:
aplay -l
and paste output

and

paste .asoundrc and .asoundrc.asoundconf (both in ur home folder, hidden)
also please check if you have an asoundrc file in /etc and paste it(if any)

harfin
August 4th, 2009, 04:44 PM
aplay -l produced
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: STAC92xx Analog [STAC92xx Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Device [USB Audio Device], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
.asoundrc produced
bash: .asoundrc: command not found
alanhart@ubuntu:~$
.asoundrc.asoundconf
bash: .asoundrc.asoundconf: command not found
asoundrc file in /etc
No file found

Alan

braete
August 4th, 2009, 05:00 PM
.asoundrc and asoundrc.asoundconf are 2 files located in ur home folder (they are hidden, so you need to press ctrl+h to see them , unless you edited nautilus preferences to show hidden files by default))
paste the contents of those 2 files

harfin
August 4th, 2009, 05:13 PM
.asoundrc and asoundrc.asoundconf are 2 files located in ur home folder (they are hidden, so you need to press ctrl+h to see them , unless you edited nautilus preferences to show hidden files by default))
paste the contents of those 2 files

asoundrc

# ALSA library configuration file
# Include settings that are under the control of asoundconf(1).
# (To disable these settings, comment out this line.)
</home/alanhart/.asoundrc.asoundconf>
asoundrc.asoundconf

# ALSA library configuration file managed by asoundconf(1).
#
# MANUAL CHANGES TO THIS FILE WILL BE OVERWRITTEN!
#
# Manual changes to the ALSA library configuration should be implemented
# by editing the ~/.asoundrc file, not by editing this file.
!defaults.pcm.card Device
defaults.ctl.card Device
defaults.pcm.device 0
defaults.pcm.subdevice -1
defaults.pcm.nonblock 1
defaults.pcm.ipc_key 5678293
defaults.pcm.ipc_gid audio
defaults.pcm.ipc_perm 0660
defaults.pcm.dmix.max_periods 0
defaults.pcm.dmix.rate 48000
defaults.pcm.dmix.format "unchanged"
defaults.pcm.dmix.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.dmix.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.dsnoop.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.dsnoop.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.front.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.front.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.rear.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.rear.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.center_lfe.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.center_lfe.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.side.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.side.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.surround40.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.surround40.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.surround41.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.surround41.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.surround50.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.surround50.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.surround51.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.surround51.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.surround71.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.surround71.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.iec958.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.iec958.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.modem.card defaults.pcm.card
defaults.pcm.modem.device defaults.pcm.device
defaults.pcm.file_format "raw"
defaults.pcm.file_truncate true
defaults.rawmidi.card 0
defaults.rawmidi.device 0
defaults.rawmidi.subdevice -1
defaults.hwdep.card 0
defaults.hwdep.device 0
defaults.timer.class 2
defaults.timer.sclass 0
defaults.timer.card 0
defaults.timer.device 0
defaults.timer.subdevice 0
defaults.namehint.showall off
defaults.namehint.basic on
defaults.namehint.extended off
pcm.!default { type pulse }
ctl.!default { type pulse }

Does that help?

Alan

braete
August 4th, 2009, 05:35 PM
in asoundrc add:

pcm.!default {
type hw
card 0
device 0
}

save, reboot
if sound is ok, enjoy
if still goes trough voip device
also add (although i dont think it should make much of a difference)

ctl.!default {
type hw
card 0
device 0
}

edit: after this in sound at mixer it should also become available Playback: Intel STAC92xx Analog(Pulse audio)
so you should select it.

harfin
August 4th, 2009, 06:14 PM
Bloomin' marvelous!
All working properly now!
Thankyou so much!
As the saying goes
"In a world without walls and fences, who needs Windows and Gates?"

Thanks again
Alan

braete
August 4th, 2009, 06:48 PM
no problem
hope you never need help again!

but, did you test the voip? does it work as it should now that it isnt the default output device ?

harfin
August 4th, 2009, 07:06 PM
no problem. hope you never need help again! but, did you test the voip? does it work as it should now that it isnt the default output device ?

Yep. Only did a test call, but that should be sufficient proof. I tried on-line movies (BBC i-Player) - worked great through the speakers. I played an audio CD and that worked great through the speakers also.

I'll get used to the Linux terminology and the layout in the fullness of time, but even with the glitches changing to Ubuntu is one of the best moves I've ever made..

Thanks once again
Alan

harfin
August 5th, 2009, 08:00 AM
no problem hope you never need help again! but, did you test the voip? does it work as it should now that it isnt the default output device ?

One small point though, that came to light this morning, is that when I ran a slide show of a Presentation File I received via email (including a soundtrack), it played via the VoIP handset? Strange or what? Every other aspect regarding sound works like a charm

Alan