[Sheflug] Sound Aggro with Mandrake 9.0

[James Wallbank <james [at] xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello All,

First, an apology. I don know enough about Linux sound to configure a
sensible question here - but the job has fallen to me to "make it work,
Jim!" so here goes.

Sound gurus amongst you feel free to point out the generally pathetic
level of knowledge I have in this area.

I installed all sorts of sound programs on a Compaq laptop (Armada 7400
with Mandrake 9.0) and they work (after a fashion - I can play back
MP3's and .WAVs, but sound recording bombs out after a few seconds,
probably due to my ignorance...)

Installing the same programs under Mandrake 9.0 on a Compaq DeskPro and
I having LOADS of trouble. In particular, "Audacity" reports /dev/dsp
device busy - even when it's not in use.

I've tried numerous tests and hacks (listing running processes, loaded
modules, checking kernel config, killing artsd, running artsdsp as a
wrapper... but I don't really understand what I'm doing. In particular,
I don't get why there's a difference between the behavior of the two
machines, running the same distro.

On the 7400 I can run many sound programs effectively, but if I run GUI
ones linked closely with KDE (artsbuilder, xmms) then the other programs
(command-line ones like mpg321) become disabled. But by logging out and
in again, they're OK again. As long as I log in and don't use any of
these hogs, I can run Audacity and even record snatches of sound.

However, on the DeskPro I just can't get Audacity to play ball. It
starts, but with a window warning "Audio I/O Error". All the buttons are
greyed out. In fact, almost no sound progs will run unless I explicitly
kill artsd first. But even after I've done this Audacity doesn't want to
play.

Clearly SOMETHING is hogging the audio system - (/dev/dsp, /dev/audio...
I don really get where I am...) and on the DeskPro it doesn't want to
relinquish control.

Please, I don't know more to be able to narrow down the problem. Can you
help?

Thanks,

James
-- 
James Wallbank
Redundant Technology Initiative
Access Space - 1 Sidney Street - Sheffield - S1 4RG - UK
T: +44 (0)114 2495522
F: +44 (0)114 2495533
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