Re: [Alsa-user] FC8, no ALSA sound support

[Vladimir M. <mosgalin@VM10124.spb.edu>]

Hi Peteris Krisjanis!

 On 2007.12.31 at 15:27:54 +0200, Peteris Krisjanis wrote next:

> > If mplayer (not gmplayer) has a volume control I've yet to find it.   To
> > my mind, having all the volume controls in one place rather than in each
> > app makes much more sense.  But then I have a mixer :-)   There's now a
> > master fader (pulseaudio) and per-app faders which just seems to make
> > sense because it has a good hardware analogue with the mixer.
> 
> I admit if this is done right, with good GUI and understandable
> functionality, would be killer feature. For now, it is confusing, but
> let's hope it'll improve.

It's done pretty good. Applications don't know about per-application
volume levels, for each of them just "main" volume exists, but from PA
perspective, each has its own volume control.

And pavucontrol application to control each app's mixer is pretty good.
It has simple interface, too.

> First part is nice feature, but overestimated - I would definitely
> stop and relaunch movie when changing sound outputs - because then I
> have to change wires, etc. there is no fun of going on stuff while you

It's quite useful with usb audio devices
(soundcards/speakers/headphones).

Also, I use it to redirect sound from my notebook speakers to audio
system connected to desktop PC. Unfortunately, it works reliable only
with ethernet connection, but maybe my home wifi just sucks.

> > Have you used PA?  It doesn't block the sound card, or at least mine
> > doesn't.   And the whole point of PA, at least in Fedora 8, is that for
> > most people it does just work.
> 
> Ok, this thread started as people claiming that PA blocked their sound
> card. Obviously, I voiced in just because I have exactly the same
> experience - PA blocks everything, even mixer.

The thing is, usage of PA still allows direct access to alsa/oss
devices. No more "killall esd", "killall jack" and so on hacks, because
even when PA daemon is running, it closes all sound devices as soon as
its latests client exits. Of course it blocks sound cards when someone
is playing something though pulseaudio, but that's not the point (btw PA
allows you to forcefully "disconnect" clients, though a nice gui, of
course).

But the fact that having pulseaudio running doesn't automatically make
your sound devices blocked really makes a difference.

> Ok, sorry, I was using Debian meaning for "unstable", which means
> kinda big number of complains, doesn't work all the time, etc.

Use pulseaudio 0.9.8 and you'll (probably) be fine. Don't toy with
earlier versions, you don't want any more bad experience, right?

-- 

Vladimir