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Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/sound/Introduction')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/sound/Introduction | 161 |
1 files changed, 143 insertions, 18 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/sound/Introduction b/Documentation/sound/Introduction index 14fadf3fe..f33121e0c 100644 --- a/Documentation/sound/Introduction +++ b/Documentation/sound/Introduction @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ -Soundcore Notes on Modular Sound Drivers and Soundcore +Introduction Notes on Modular Sound Drivers and Soundcore Wade Hampton -11/20/1998 +6/30/1999 Purpose: ======== @@ -10,13 +10,21 @@ support modules sound.o, soundlow.o and soundcore.o. Note, some of this probably should be added to the Sound-HOWTO! + Copying: ======== none + History: ======== -0.1.0 11/20/1998 First version +0.1.0 11/20/1998 First version, draft +1.0.0 11/1998 Alan Cox changes, incorporation in 2.2.0 + as /usr/src/linux/Documentation/sound/Introduction +1.1.0 6/30/1999 Second version, added notes on making the drivers, + added info on multiple sound cards of similar types,] + added more diagnostics info, added info about esd. + added info on OSS and ALSA. Modular Sound Drivers: @@ -58,6 +66,53 @@ Warning, the options for different cards sometime use different names for the same or a similar feature (dma1= versus dma16=). As a last resort, inspect the code (search for MODULE_PARM). +Notes: + +1. There is a new OpenSource sound driver called ALSA which is + currently under development: http://www.alsa-project.org/ + I have not tried it nor am I aware of its status, but it is + currently under development. + +2. The commercial OSS driver may be obtained from the site: + http://www/opensound.com. This may be used for cards that + are unsupported by the kernel driver, or may be used + by other operating systems. + +3. The enlightenment sound daemon may be used for playing + multiple sounds at the same time via a single card, eliminating + some of the requirements for multiple sound card systems. For + more information, see: http://www.tux.org/~ricdude/EsounD.html + The "esd" program may be used with the real-player and mpeg + players like mpg123 and x11amp. + + +Building the Modules: +===================== + +This document does not provide full details on building the +kernel, etc. The notes below apply only to making the kernel +sound modules. If this conflicts with the kernel's README, +the README takes precedence. + +1. To make the kernel sound modules, cd to your /usr/src/linux + directory (typically) and type make config, make menuconfig, + or make xconfig (to start the command line, dialog, or x-based + configuration tool). + +2. Select the Sound option and a dialog will be displayed. + +3. Select M (module) for "Sound card support". + +4. Select your sound driver(s) as a module. For ProAudio, Sound + Blaster, etc., select M (module) for OSS sound modules. + [thanks to marvin stodolsky <stodolsk@erols.com>]A + +5. Make the kernel (e.g., make dep ; make bzImage), and install + the kernel. + +6. Make the modules and install them (make modules; make modules_install). + + INSMOD: ======= @@ -82,6 +137,9 @@ echo Starting sound blaster.... /sbin/insmod uart401 /sbin/insmod sb io=$SB_BASE irq=$SB_IRQ dma=$SB_DMA dma16=$SB_DMA2 mpu_io=$SB_MP +When using sound as a module, I typically put these commands +in a file such as /root/soundon.sh. + MODPROBE: ========= @@ -117,8 +175,8 @@ which other modules may be checked by: soundcore 1968 8 [sb sound] -Removing Sound: -=============== +Removing Sound: +=============== Sound may be removed by using /sbin/rmmod in the reverse order in which you load the modules. Note, if a program has a sound device @@ -134,6 +192,25 @@ in the reverse order in which I loaded the modules): /sbin/rmmod soundlow /sbin/rmmod soundcore +When using sound as a module, I typically put these commands +in a script such as /root/soundoff.sh. + + +Removing Sound for use with OSS: +================================ + +If you get really stuck or have a card that the kernel modules +will not support, you can get a commercial sound driver from +http://www.opensound.com. Before loading the commercial sound +driver, you should do the following: + +1. remove sound modules (detailed above) +2. remove the sound modules from /etc/conf.modules +3. move the sound modules from /lib/modules/<kernel>/misc + (for example, I make a /lib/modules/<kernel>/misc/tmp + directory and copy the sound module files to that + directory). + Multiple Sound Cards: ===================== @@ -154,11 +231,30 @@ All you have to do is to load the one you want as /dev/dsp first (in my case "sb") and then load the other one (in my case "cs4232"). +If you have two cards of the same type that are jumpered +cards or different PnP revisions, you may load the same +module twice. For example, I have a SoundBlaster vibra 16 +and an older SoundBlaster 16 (jumpers). To load the module +twice, you need to do the following: + +1. Copy the sound modules to a new name. For example + sb.o could be copied (or symlinked) to sb1.o for the + second SoundBlasster. + +2. Make a second entry in /etc/conf.modules, for example, + sound1 or sb1. This second entry should refer to the + new module names for example sb1, and should include + the I/O, etc. for the second sound card. + +3. Update your soundon.sh script, etc. + Warning: I have never been able to get two PnP sound cards of the same type to load at the same time. I have tried this several times with the Soundblaster Vibra 16 cards. OSS has indicated that this is a PnP problem.... If anyone has any luck doing this, please -send me an E-MAIL. PCI sound cards should not have this problem. +send me an E-MAIL. PCI sound cards should not have this problem.a +Since this was originally release, I have received a couple of +mails from people who have accomplished this! Sound Problems: @@ -175,6 +271,8 @@ in the Sound-HOWTO). write down what addresses, IRQ, and DMA channels those were using for the same hardware. You probably can use these addresses, IRQs, and DMA channels. + You should really do this BEFORE attempting to get + sound working! B) Check (cat) /proc/interrupts, /proc/ioports, and /proc/dma. Are you trying to use an address, @@ -184,22 +282,44 @@ in the Sound-HOWTO). may need a kernel patch to get this device). D) Inspect your /var/log/messages file. Often that will - indicate what IRQ or IO port could not be obtained + indicate what IRQ or IO port could not be obtained. E) Try another port or IRQ. Note this may involve using the PnP tools to move the sound card to - another location. + another location. Sometimes this is the only way + and it is more or less trial and error. -2) If you get motorboating (the same sound or part of a +2) If you get motor-boating (the same sound or part of a sound clip repeated), you probably have either an IRQ - or DMA conflict. Move the card to another address. This - has happened to me when playing long files when I had - an IRQ conflict. - -3) Ask for help on the sound list or send E-MAIL to the + or DMA conflict. Move the card to another IRQ or DMA + port. This has happened to me when playing long files + when I had an IRQ conflict. + +3. If you get dropouts or pauses when playing high sample + rate files such as using mpg123 or x11amp/xmms, you may + have too slow of a CPU and may have to use the options to + play the files at 1/2 speed. For example, you may use + the -2 or -4 option on mpg123. You may also get this + when trying to play mpeg files stored on a CD-ROM + (my Toshiba T8000 PII/366 sometimes has this problem). + +4. If you get "cannot access device" errors, your /dev/dsp + files, etc. may be set to owner root, mode 600. You + may have to use the command: + chmod 666 /dev/dsp /dev/mixer /dev/audio + +5. If you get "device busy" errors, another program has the + sound device open. For example, if using the Enlightenment + sound daemon "esd", the "esd" program has the sound device. + If using "esd", please RTFM the docs on ESD. For example, + esddsp <program> may be used to play files via a non-esd + aware program. + + +6) Ask for help on the sound list or send E-MAIL to the sound driver author/maintainer. -4) Turn on debug in drivers/sound/sound_config.h (DEB, DDB, MDB). +7) Turn on debug in drivers/sound/sound_config.h (DEB, DDB, MDB). Configuring Sound: @@ -210,7 +330,8 @@ There are several ways of configuring your sound: 1) Hardcoded in the kernel at compile time (not applicable when using sound modules). This was the OLD way! -2) On the command line when using insmod. +2) On the command line when using insmod or in a bash script + using command line calls to load sound. 3) In /etc/conf.modules when using modprobe. @@ -224,7 +345,6 @@ And I am sure, several other ways. Anyone want to write a linuxconf module for configuring sound? - For More Information (RTFM): ============================ 1) Information on kernel modules: linux/Documentation/modules.txt @@ -242,8 +362,12 @@ For More Information (RTFM): 7) The sndconfig and rhsound documentation from Red Hat. -8) The Linux-sound mailing list: sound-list@redhat.com +8) The Linux-sound mailing list: sound-list@redhat.com. +9) Enlightenment documentation (for info on esd) + http://www.tux.org/~ricdude/EsounD.html. + +10) ALSA home page: http://www.alsa-project.org/ Contact Information: @@ -251,3 +375,4 @@ Contact Information: Wade Hampton: (whampton@staffnet.com) + |