HOWTO: Surround sound in pulseaudio

[MeURi]

Ok, maybe I figured out what your problem is

When you specify the module-alsa-sink parameters, you miss the sink_name, so the error (I presume) while loading the module-x11-publish

Your default.pa should then have a line like this:

load-module module-alsa-sink device_id=0 sink_name=RealtekALC850 channels=6 channel_map=front-left,front-right,front-center,rear-left,rear-right,lfe

Change the sink name to whatever you prefer

That should do it

[togume]

You got me so excited; I totally though it was going to work !

Still the same, only stereo in the front two speakers.

Here is the output of pulseaudio -vv:

I: main.c: We're in the group 'pulse-rt', allowing real-time and high-priority scheduling.
I: core-util.c: Successfully gained nice level -11.
I: main.c: setrlimit(RLIMIT_NICE, (31, 31)) failed: Operation not permitted
I: main.c: setrlimit(RLIMIT_RTPRIO, (9, 9)) failed: Operation not permitted
I: main.c: This is PulseAudio 0.9.10
I: main.c: Page size is 4096 bytes
I: main.c: Fresh high-resolution timers available! Bon appetit!
D: alsa-util.c: Trying surround51:0...
W: alsa-util.c: Device surround51:0 doesn't support 44100 Hz, changed to 48000 Hz.
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Successfully opened device surround51:0.
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Successfully enabled mmap() mode.
ALSA lib control.c:909:(snd_ctl_open_noupdate) Invalid CTL surround51:0
I: alsa-util.c: Unable to attach to mixer surround51:0: No such file or directory
I: alsa-util.c: Successfully attached to mixer 'hw:0'
I: alsa-util.c: Using mixer control "Master".
I: sink.c: Created sink 0 "RealtekALC850" with sample spec "s16le 6ch 48000Hz"
I: source.c: Created source 0 "RealtekALC850.monitor" with sample spec "s16le 6ch 48000Hz"
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Using 4 fragments of size 13224 bytes.
I: alsa-util.c: ALSA device lacks separate volumes control for channel 'rear-left', falling back to software volume control.
D: module-alsa-sink.c: Thread starting up
D: rtpoll.c: Acquired POSIX realtime signal SIGRTMIN+29
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Starting playback.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-alsa-sink" (index: #0; argument: "device_id=0 sink_name=RealtekALC850 channels=6 channel_map=front-left,front-right,front-center,rear-left,rear-right,lfe").
D: cli-command.c: Checking for existance of '/usr/lib/pulse-0.9/modules/module-esound-protocol-unix.so': success
I: module.c: Loaded "module-esound-protocol-unix" (index: #1; argument: "").
I: protocol-native.c: loading cookie from disk.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-native-protocol-unix" (index: #2; argument: "").
I: module.c: Loaded "module-volume-restore" (index: #3; argument: "").
D: module-default-device-restore.c: Restored default sink 'RealtekALC850'.
D: core-subscribe.c: dropped redundant event.
D: module-default-device-restore.c: Restored default source 'RealtekALC850.monitor'.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-default-device-restore" (index: #4; argument: "").
I: module.c: Loaded "module-rescue-streams" (index: #5; argument: "").
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink RealtekALC850 becomes idle.
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Source RealtekALC850.monitor becomes idle.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-suspend-on-idle" (index: #6; argument: "").
D: cli-command.c: Checking for existance of '/usr/lib/pulse-0.9/modules/module-gconf.so': success
I: module.c: Loaded "module-gconf" (index: #7; argument: "").
D: cli-command.c: Checking for existance of '/usr/lib/pulse-0.9/modules/module-x11-publish.so': success
D: module-x11-publish.c: using already loaded auth cookie.
E: x11wrap.c: XOpenDisplay() failed
E: module.c: Failed to load  module "module-x11-publish" (argument: ""): initialization failed.
E: main.c: Module load failed.
I: main.c: Daemon startup complete.
I: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink RealtekALC850 idle for too long, suspending ...
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Device suspended...
I: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Source RealtekALC850.monitor idle for too long, suspending ...

Thanks again for helping me through this!

Tomás

[MeURi]

Hi Tomás

I'm finally on Ubuntu (and I remembered to check for new posts )

Here is my pulseaudio -vv output

[m3ur1@Daemia: ~]$ pulseaudio -vv 
I: main.c: We're in the group 'pulse-rt', allowing real-time and high-priority scheduling.
I: core-util.c: Successfully gained nice level -11.
I: main.c: setrlimit(RLIMIT_NICE, (31, 31)) failed: Operation not permitted
I: main.c: setrlimit(RLIMIT_RTPRIO, (9, 9)) failed: Operation not permitted
I: main.c: This is PulseAudio 0.9.10
I: main.c: Page size is 4096 bytes
I: main.c: Fresh high-resolution timers available! Bon appetit!
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Successfully opened device hw:0.
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Successfully enabled mmap() mode.
I: alsa-util.c: Successfully attached to mixer 'hw:0'
I: alsa-util.c: Using mixer control "Master".
I: sink.c: Created sink 0 "RealtekALC650.Playback" with sample spec "s16le 6ch 48000Hz"
I: source.c: Created source 0 "RealtekALC650.Playback.monitor" with sample spec "s16le 6ch 48000Hz"
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Using 4 fragments of size 14388 bytes.
I: alsa-util.c: ALSA device lacks separate volumes control for channel 'front-center', falling back to software volume control.
D: module-alsa-sink.c: Thread starting up
D: rtpoll.c: Acquired POSIX realtime signal SIGRTMIN+29
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Starting playback.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-alsa-sink" (index: #0; argument: "device=hw:0 sink_name=RealtekALC650.Playback channels=6 channel_map=front-left,front-right,front-center,lfe,rear-left,rear-right").
I: module-alsa-source.c: Successfully opened device hw:0.
I: module-alsa-source.c: Successfully enabled mmap() mode.
I: alsa-util.c: Successfully attached to mixer 'hw:0'
I: alsa-util.c: Using mixer control "Capture".
I: source.c: Created source 1 "RealtekALC650.Capture" with sample spec "s16le 2ch 48000Hz"
I: module-alsa-source.c: Using 4 fragments of size 4796 bytes.
I: alsa-util.c: All 2 channels can be mapped to mixer channels. Using hardware volume control.
D: module-alsa-source.c: Thread starting up
D: rtpoll.c: Acquired POSIX realtime signal SIGRTMIN+28
I: module.c: Loaded "module-alsa-source" (index: #1; argument: "device=hw:0 source_name=RealtekALC650.Capture channels=2").
D: cli-command.c: Checking for existance of '/usr/lib/pulse-0.9/modules/module-esound-protocol-unix.so': success
I: module.c: Loaded "module-esound-protocol-unix" (index: #2; argument: "").
I: protocol-native.c: loading cookie from disk.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-native-protocol-unix" (index: #3; argument: "").
I: module.c: Loaded "module-volume-restore" (index: #4; argument: "").
D: module-default-device-restore.c: Restored default sink 'RealtekALC650.Playback'.
D: core-subscribe.c: dropped redundant event.
D: module-default-device-restore.c: Restored default source 'RealtekALC650.Capture'.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-default-device-restore" (index: #5; argument: "").
I: module.c: Loaded "module-rescue-streams" (index: #6; argument: "").
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink RealtekALC650.Playback becomes idle.
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Source RealtekALC650.Playback.monitor becomes idle.
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Source RealtekALC650.Capture becomes idle.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-suspend-on-idle" (index: #7; argument: "").
D: cli-command.c: Checking for existance of '/usr/lib/pulse-0.9/modules/module-gconf.so': success
D: module-gconf.c: Loading module 'module-combine' with args '' due to GConf configuration.
I: sink.c: Created sink 1 "combined" with sample spec "s16le 6ch 48000Hz"
I: source.c: Created source 2 "combined.monitor" with sample spec "s16le 6ch 48000Hz"
D: memblockq.c: memblockq requested: maxlength=174080, tlength=174080, base=12, prebuf=1, minreq=0
D: memblockq.c: memblockq sanitized: maxlength=174084, tlength=174084, base=12, prebuf=12, minreq=12
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink RealtekALC650.Playback becomes busy.
D: resampler.c: Channel matrix:
D: resampler.c:        I00   I01   I02   I03   I04   I05 
D: resampler.c:     +------------------------------------
D: resampler.c: O00 | 1.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
D: resampler.c: O01 | 0.000 0.000 0.000 1.000 0.000 0.000
D: resampler.c: O02 | 0.000 0.000 1.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
D: resampler.c: O03 | 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000 1.000
D: resampler.c: O04 | 0.500 0.500 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
D: resampler.c: O05 | 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.500 0.500 0.000
I: resampler.c: Using resampler 'trivial'
I: resampler.c: Using s16le as working format.
I: sink-input.c: Created input 0 "Simultaneous output on ALSA PCM on hw:0 (Intel 82801DB-ICH4) via DMA" on RealtekALC650.Playback with sample spec s16le 6ch 48000Hz and channel map front-left,side-left,front-center,front-right,side-right,lfe
I: module-combine.c: Master sink is now 'RealtekALC650.Playback'
D: module-combine.c: Thread starting up
D: rtpoll.c: Acquired POSIX realtime signal SIGRTMIN+27
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Source combined.monitor becomes idle.
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink combined becomes idle.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-combine" (index: #8; argument: "").
I: module.c: Loaded "module-gconf" (index: #9; argument: "").
D: cli-command.c: Checking for existance of '/usr/lib/pulse-0.9/modules/module-x11-publish.so': success
D: module-x11-publish.c: using already loaded auth cookie.
I: module.c: Loaded "module-x11-publish" (index: #10; argument: "").
I: main.c: Daemon startup complete.
I: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Source RealtekALC650.Capture idle for too long, suspending ...
I: module-alsa-source.c: Device suspended...
I: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Source RealtekALC650.Playback.monitor idle for too long, suspending ...
I: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink combined idle for too long, suspending ...
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink RealtekALC650.Playback becomes idle.
D: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink RealtekALC650.Playback becomes idle.
I: sink-input.c: Freeing output 0 "Simultaneous output on ALSA PCM on hw:0 (Intel 82801DB-ICH4) via DMA"
I: module-combine.c: No master selected, lacking suitable outputs.
I: module-combine.c: Device suspended...
I: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Source combined.monitor idle for too long, suspending ...
I: module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink RealtekALC650.Playback idle for too long, suspending ...
I: module-alsa-sink.c: Device suspended...

So, I got no errors...

One thing I can think of is /etc/asound.conf; mine looks like this

[m3ur1@Daemia: ~]$ cat /etc/asound.conf 
pcm.pulse {
    type pulse
}
ctl.pulse {
    type pulse
}
pcm.!default {
    type pulse
}
ctl.!default {
    type pulse
}

I created this file following what is written here

And this could fix your problems related to surround51 not available

Then you get that evil "E: x11wrap.c: XOpenDisplay() failed", but I actually have no clue about that, since I don't have that error

I start PulseAudio with Gnome, using esdcompat, as specified here (mind that the correct path is /usr/bin/esdcompat); and you have to enable ESD in Gnome sound preferences, of course (in the Devices section I have every playback device set up to use PulseAudio, also)

You can install that by issuing a sudo apt-get install pulseaudio-esound-compat from the terminal

Hope it helps

[sammydee]

togume:

Before trying anything else, and possibly making the problem even worse, I would recommend asking on the IRC channel first for advice. It is #pulseaudio on irc.freenode.net.

sam

[MeURi]

I think I figured out what the problem is ^.^

This afternoon I decided to play with Ubuntu, and came up with a disaster... so I reformatted (way too windows-ish approach, I know...)

Well, I set up my system to use PulseAudio using my backed up files, and I got sound only from the front speakers!

Something familiar, some would say...

Then I started playing around, and I noticed that something was still getting between me and my perfect surround setup

So, in the end, this is how I solved it:

• open gnome-volume-control from the terminal, or from the applet in the panel
• under Preferences, I enabled everything; what I really needed were just Surround, Surround Jack Mode, Center, LFE, Channel Mode, Duplicate Front
• in the Playback tab, I unmuted and raised the volumes of the sections I needed
• in the Switches tab, I enabled the Duplicate Front thing
• finally, in the Options tab, I set the Surround Jack Mode to Shared (this is correct with my ICH4 integrated card, may change for others), and set the Channel Mode to 6ch

Then I was back with my beautiful surround sound, even for 2-channels streams

Could be the same issue togume is experiencing...

Hope it solves that

EDIT:

I forgot togume has also some errors launching PulseAudio... my procedure could be a good check, though

[togume]

lol. I think I've tied myself in a knot now. Fortunately I have backups of everything.

If this is what I have to go through to get my last home pc (HTPC) off Windows, so be it!

So, MeURi, I tried what you suggested, and enabled all the settings using gnome-volume-control. I played the test file, and I got sound from my two REAR speakers! Huge win. However, neither the center nor lfe worked...

Out of curiosity, I decided which of all the changes was the one that made it work, and I first started setting everything back to zeroes (default config before all this started). Upon rebooting PA, and to my surprise, I now had front left, front right, and center. Interestingly enough, with rear L&R, side L&R, and LFE, the front speakers would reproduce the sound very lightly.

I also tried manually mapping the channels, and that again gave me 4 channels. However, it seems the order is not important.

I'm now getting a much different output from pulseaudio -v without errors.

I'm currently waiting for the IRC people to be available. It seems I need to catch them at better times...

Thanks for all your help again,

Tomás

[MeURi]

Glad you got rid of your errors

Yet, I think that channel order IS important (otherwise I could not have remapped my channels); maybe your 7.1 channels are mapped by default in a different way (so maybe you got side speakers coming out from front)... but I'm just guessing

Anyway, I found out that duplicating front channel with gnome-volume-control is not mandatory, whereas it is mandatory to enable all the channels you plan to use

I'm still having issues with VLC and DVDs, though... only stereo upmixed

I'm gonna investigate

[sammydee]

MeUri:

I have never managed to get vlc to output surround sound in pulseaudio on linux. Try using mplayer or gstreamer (totem) instead.

Also, for anybody having problems with only a few channels playing, do check that they are unmuted in alsamixer. Alsa likes to mute channels by default . gnome-volume-control is actually just a frontend for alsamixer I think.

It is unnecessary to duplicate any channels at all in gnome-volume-control, pulseaudio handles it all automagically.

Sam

Togume: Restore all the backups and start again, reset all the settings in gnome-volume-control. Follow the guide from the beginning again, also following the newly added section about alsamixer, as I think that your problem is a lot simpler than you think.

[MeURi]

Sam:

I was just thinking about sticking to Totem
VLC 0.9 doesn't work either with PA, so I'm givin' up (for now)

About the gnome-volume-control thing, I used that because alsamixer doesn't work like it used to when I had only ALSA: it shows me only 4 master channels (yep, all of them) for playback, and one master for capture, so I could not change channel mode and other things

Apart from that, everything works great

Hope that togume fixes his problems, starting over (and besides, everyone who has issues)

[togume]

I will be starting over tonight and following the guide after work, and squash, and dinner .

Will report back...