Alsa, kernel 2.6.7, S/PDIF, Intel D865GLC and intel8x0

[AchilleTalon]

I didn't received any answer to a previous question on another thread, so, I will repeat here with all details in hope someone can help me making my sound system working.

Hardware:

Intel motherboard D865GLC

Logitech Z-5300 sound system

Software:

Gentoo with kernel 2.6.7

sys-fs/udev 025-r1

media-libs/alsa-lib 1.0.5

media-libs/alsa-oss 1.0.5

media-plugins/alsa-jack 1.0.5

media-sound/alsa-tools 1.0.5

media-sound/alsa-utils 1.0.5

Configuration:

lsmod:


Code:

Module                  Size  Used by md5                     3712  1 ipv6                  226528  24 rtc                    10424  0 ivtv_fb                23732  1 bttv                  143308  0 video_buf              17156  1 bttv btcx_risc               3976  1 bttv lirc_i2c                8068  1 lirc_dev               12552  2 lirc_i2c tveeprom               10016  0 ivtv                  790692  3 ivtv_fb tuner                  18064  0 saa7127                12040  0 saa7115                12164  0 msp3400                27812  0 i2c_algo_bit            8584  2 bttv,ivtv snd_intel8x0m          16072  0 snd_intel8x0           29448  0 snd_mpu401_uart         6144  1 snd_intel8x0 snd_rawmidi            20260  1 snd_mpu401_uart snd_seq_device          6792  1 snd_rawmidi snd_ac97_codec         64644  2 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0 snd_pcm_oss            48552  0 snd_pcm                83592  3 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm_oss snd_page_alloc          9096  3 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm snd_timer              21252  1 snd_pcm snd_mixer_oss          17792  1 snd_pcm_oss snd                    46948  10 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_seq_device,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer,snd_mixer_oss i810fb                 29440  0 cfbcopyarea             3584  1 i810fb vgastate                9600  1 i810fb cfbimgblt               2944  1 i810fb cfbfillrect             3584  1 i810fb font                   32768  0 e1000                  77060  0 ir_common               4228  0 dm_mod                 37792  11

/etc/module.d/alsa content


Code:

# Alsa 0.9.X kernel modules' configuration file. # $Header: /var/cvsroot/gentoo-x86/media-sound/alsa-utils/files/alsa-modules.conf-rc,v 1.1 2003/08/05 21:07:55 johnm Exp $ # ALSA portion alias char-major-116 snd # OSS/Free portion alias char-major-14 soundcore ## ## IMPORTANT: ## You need to customise this section for your specific sound card(s) ## and then run `update-modules' command. ## Read alsa-driver's INSTALL file in /usr/share/doc for more info. ## ##  ALSA portion alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0 options snd-intel8x0 mpu_port=0x330 ## alias snd-card-0 snd-interwave ## alias snd-card-1 snd-ens1371 ##  OSS/Free portion alias sound-slot-0 snd-card-0 alias sound-slot-1 snd-card-0 ## # OSS/Free portion - 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 ##  OSS/Free portion - card #2 ## alias sound-service-1-0 snd-mixer-oss ## alias sound-service-1-3 snd-pcm-oss ## alias sound-service-1-12 snd-pcm-oss #alias /dev/mixer snd-mixer-oss #alias /dev/dsp snd-pcm-oss #alias /dev/midi snd-seq-oss options snd-pcm-oss dsp_map=2 adsp_map=2 # Set this to the correct number of cards. options snd cards_limit=1

amixer result


Code:

Simple mixer control 'Master',0   Capabilities: pvolume pswitch   Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [on]   Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Simple mixer control 'Master Mono',0   Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Mono: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Simple mixer control 'Master Surround',0   Capabilities: pvolume pswitch   Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [on]   Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Simple mixer control 'PCM',0   Capabilities: pvolume pswitch   Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [on]   Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Simple mixer control 'Surround',0   Capabilities: pvolume pswitch   Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [on]   Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Simple mixer control 'Surround Jack as Input',0   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Mono: Playback [off] Simple mixer control 'Center',0   Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Mono: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Simple mixer control 'Center/LFE Jack as Input',0   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Mono: Playback [off] Simple mixer control 'Center/LFE Jack as Mic',0   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Mono: Playback [off] Simple mixer control 'LFE',0   Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Mono: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Simple mixer control 'Line',0   Capabilities: pvolume pswitch cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive   Capture exclusive group: 0   Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right   Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture [off]   Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture [off] Simple mixer control 'CD',0   Capabilities: pvolume pswitch cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive   Capture exclusive group: 0   Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right   Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Front Left: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture [off]   Front Right: Playback 31 [100%] [on] Capture [off] Simple mixer control 'Mic',0   Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive   Capture exclusive group: 0   Playback channels: Mono   Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [off]   Front Left: Capture [off]   Front Right: Capture [off] Simple mixer control 'Mic Boost (+20dB)',0   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Mono: Playback [off] Simple mixer control 'Mic Select',0   Capabilities:   Mono: Simple mixer control 'Video',0   Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive   Capture exclusive group: 0   Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right   Front Left: Capture [off]   Front Right: Capture [off] Simple mixer control 'Phone',0   Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive   Capture exclusive group: 0   Playback channels: Mono   Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Mono: Playback 31 [100%] [on]   Front Left: Capture [off]   Front Right: Capture [off] Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Mono: Playback [on] Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Playback AC97-SPSA',0   Capabilities: volume volume-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Limits: 0 - 3   Mono: 3 [100%] Simple mixer control 'IEC958 Playback Source',0   Capabilities:   Mono: Simple mixer control 'PC Speaker',0   Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Limits: Playback 0 - 15   Mono: Playback 15 [100%] [on] Simple mixer control 'Aux',0   Capabilities: pvolume pswitch cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive   Capture exclusive group: 0   Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right   Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right   Limits: Playback 0 - 31   Front Left: Playback 14 [45%] [off] Capture [on]   Front Right: Playback 14 [45%] [off] Capture [on] Simple mixer control 'Mono Output Select',0   Capabilities:   Mono: Simple mixer control 'Capture',0   Capabilities: cvolume cswitch   Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right   Limits: Capture 0 - 15   Front Left: Capture 15 [100%] [on]   Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [on] Simple mixer control 'Mix',0   Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive   Capture exclusive group: 0   Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right   Front Left: Capture [off]   Front Right: Capture [off] Simple mixer control 'Mix Mono',0   Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive   Capture exclusive group: 0   Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right   Front Left: Capture [off]   Front Right: Capture [off] Simple mixer control 'Downmix',0   Capabilities:   Mono: Simple mixer control 'Exchange Center/LFE',0   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Mono: Playback [off] Simple mixer control 'Exchange Front/Surround',0   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Mono: Playback [off] Simple mixer control 'External Amplifier',0   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Mono: Playback [off] Simple mixer control 'Spread Front to Surround and Center/LFE',0   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Mono: Playback [off] Simple mixer control 'Stereo Mic',0   Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined   Playback channels: Mono   Mono: Playback [off]

aplay -l result


Code:

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices **** card 0: ICH5 [Intel ICH5], device 0: Intel ICH [Intel ICH5]   Subdevices: 1/1   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0 card 0: ICH5 [Intel ICH5], device 4: Intel ICH - IEC958 [Intel ICH5 - IEC958]   Subdevices: 1/1   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

~/.asoundrc content


Code:

# Override the default output used by ALSA. # If you do not override the default, your default # device is identical to the (unmixed) analog device # shown below.  If you prefer mixed and/or digital # output, uncomment the appropriate four lines below # (only one slave.pcm line). #pcm.!default { #  type plug ## Uncomment the following to use mixed analog by default #  slave.pcm "dmix-analog" ## Uncomment the following to use unmixed digital by default #  slave.pcm "digital-hw" ## Uncomment the following to use mixed digital by default #  slave.pcm "dmix-digital" #} # Alias for analog output on the nForce2 (hw:0,0) # - This is identical to the device named "default"--which # always exists and refers to hw:0,0 (unless overridden) # - Therefore, we can specify "hw:0,0", "default", or "analog" # to access analog output on the nForce2 pcm.analog {   type plug   slave.pcm "analog-hw" } # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the nForce2 card ctl.analog {   type hw  card 0 } # Alias for (rate-converted) mixed analog output on the # nForce2 (hw:0,0) #  - This will accept audio input--regardless of rate--and # convert to the rate required for the dmix plugin # (in this case 48000Hz) pcm.mixed-analog {   type plug   slave.pcm "dmix-analog" } # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the nForce2 card ctl.mixed-analog {   type hw   card 0 } # Alias for (rate-converted) digital (S/PDIF) output on the # nForce2 (hw:0,2) #  - This will accept audio input--regardless of rate--and # convert to the rate required for the S/PDIF hardware # (in this case 48000Hz) pcm.digital {   type plug   slave.pcm "digital-hw" } # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the nForce2 card ctl.digital {   type hw   card 0 } # Alias for mixed (rate-converted) digital (S/PDIF) output on the # nForce2 (hw:0,2) #  - This will accept audio input--regardless of rate--and # convert to the rate required for the S/PDIF hardware # (in this case 48000Hz) pcm.mixed-digital {   type plug   slave.pcm "dmix-digital" } # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the nForce2 card ctl.mixed-digital {   type hw   card 0 } # The following devices are not useful by themselves.  They # require specific rates, channels, and formats.  Therefore, # you probably do not want to use them directly.  Instead use # of of the devices defined above. # Alias for analog output on the nForce2 (hw:0,0) # Do not use this directly--it requires specific rate, # channels, and format pcm.analog-hw {   type hw   card 0  # The default value for device is 0, so no need to specify } # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the nForce2 card ctl.analog-hw {   type hw   card 0 } # Alias for digital (S/PDIF) output on the nForce2 (hw:0,2) # Do not use this directly--it requires specific rate, # channels, and format pcm.digital-hw {   type hw   card 0   device 4 } # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the nForce2 card ctl.digital-hw {   type hw   card 0 } # Direct software mixing plugin for analog output on # the nForce2 (hw:0,0) # Do not use this directly--it requires specific rate, # channels, and format pcm.dmix-analog {   type dmix   ipc_key 1234   slave {     pcm "analog-hw"     period_time 0     period_size 1024     buffer_size 4096     rate 48000   } } # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the nForce2 card ctl.dmix-analog {   type hw   card 0 } # Direct software mixing plugin for digital (S/PDIF) output # on the nForce2 (hw:0,2) # Do not use this directly--it requires specific rate, # channels, and format pcm.dmix-digital {   type dmix   ipc_key 1235   slave {     pcm "digital-hw"     period_time 0     period_size 1024     buffer_size 4096     rate 48000   } } # Control device (mixer, etc.) for the nForce2 card ctl.dmix-digital {   type hw   card 0 }

The problem
I am able to play sound using the front panel jack for headphones, but I was not able to get decent sound from the backplane jacks using the Logitech Z-5300 5.1 capabilities and the motherboard 5.1 capabilities.

Since there is a lot of confusing informations on the web, some apply to 2.4 kernels, other to 0.9 alsa versions, etc. And other are taking for granted I am an audio-engineer (what I am not, of course!), I am just overwhelm by this problem.

I tried different configurations, switching alsamixer controls on/off, using the analog, mixed-analog, digital, mixed-digital and spdif device while trying to play some sound with mplayer.

So, anybody can help me understand what is going on? (Yes, I read the Gentoo Alsa Handbook, it didn't help much after I had the headphone front-panel jack working).
_________________
Achille Talon Hop!

[remne]

I have the same problem. Cannot get the SPDIF to work. XMMS, aplay etc kind of "freezes" when I point them to play to spdif playback (hw:0,4 @ my computer).. sucks....

Anyone got spdif to work with Intel ich5??!

Maybe intel8x0 alsa driver hasnt got 100% support for ich5 chipset?
_________________
jag har en datamaskin.

[AchilleTalon]

I succeeded in having some output from the back-plane jacks. I don't know if the software upgrades have something to do with it, however, here is my configuration:

HW: Same as above, look at my first post.

SW: Kernel 2.6.8.1
alsa-lib 1.0.5-r3
alsa-tools 1.0.5-r1
alsa-jack 1.0.5
alsa-oss 1.0.5
alsa-headers 1.0.5a
alsa-utils 1.0.5

With alsamixer, unmute "Exchange Front/Surround" and IEC958.

I am getting sound (not sure channels are properly played on the right output speakers) except with the front speakers which still produce a lot of statics.

I am testing with the following command:

aplay -Dspdif something.wav

You can also use -Diec958 or any other device properly defined in your .asoundrc.
_________________
Achille Talon Hop!

[rmoerlan]

Okay, so this thread hasn't been touched in a year and using parts of it was able to get S/PDIF working from the ICH5.

Most everything I've been trying to do has centered around Amarok, though some of this will probably translate over to xine or xmms. I've only tested it so far using GStreamer/alsasink and xine.

One lesson learned: if you pipe the output of a wav straight to iec958 using the Xine engine the sample rate is too high. The key to sampling it down is nicely provided in Achille Talon's asoundrc file through the dmix-digital device.

My mixer settings are pretty much what has been shown here. You should be able to mute 'Master', 'Master Mono' and 'PCM' as they don't seem to come into play with directly piping data out. In fact all I have turned on is 'iec958' and have 'iec958 Playback' turned up to 100%.

One other thing I found usefull came from http://www.flaterco.com/kb/audio.html where you can merge in sox and then add this line to /etc/profile