Thread: [Alsa-user] Status of support of (USB) 'Creative SB X-Fi Surround 5.1'?
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From: HoverHell <hov...@gm...> - 2009-04-13 12:18:36
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hello. The primary question is: how much this (subj.) device is supported in ALSA? I have some information that it should work, but I don't know what exactly will work, e.g. will it support 24bit/96khz, and will volume control handle work or not (I have seem some mention that it doesn't). Information at opensource.creative.com: "USB Audio: The ALSA project supports USB audio, and Creative devices such as the XMod and Audigy 2 NX should work.". At alsa-project in by-vendor matrix I don't see any appropriate entry for this device. Linux is not officially supported by creative, so their support center couldn't answer this question. (although directed me to their forums, where I will ask as well). Does anyone have some information regarding that? - -- --HoverHell (XMPP/GTalk here, GPG 30E202CB). -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iEYEARECAAYFAknjLY8ACgkQzTyLW6lmguUyYwCdGc7axO2p8zW4G6gf28ZqIg5x nckAoJwKeBM/b6qxpf/9Np6R9j2W5o9S =EOWq -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- |
From: Sergei S. <ste...@li...> - 2009-04-13 12:39:54
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On Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:18:28 +0500 HoverHell <hov...@gm...> wrote: > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > Hash: SHA1 > > Hello. > > The primary question is: how much this (subj.) device is supported in ALSA? > I have some information that it should work, but I don't know what > exactly will work, e.g. will it support 24bit/96khz, and will volume > control handle work or not (I have seem some mention that it doesn't). > > Information at opensource.creative.com: "USB Audio: The ALSA project > supports USB audio, and Creative devices such as the XMod and Audigy 2 > NX should work.". > > At alsa-project in by-vendor matrix I don't see any appropriate entry > for this device. > > Linux is not officially supported by creative, so their support center > couldn't answer this question. (although directed me to their forums, > where I will ask as well). > > Does anyone have some information regarding that? > > - -- > --HoverHell (XMPP/GTalk here, GPG 30E202CB). > If the cards work under Windows without special driver, i.e. if they need just the built-in into Windows driver, they should work aslo under Linux. Regards, Sergei. |
From: HoverHell <hov...@gm...> - 2009-04-16 09:10:59
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Sergei Steshenko wrote: > On Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:18:28 +0500 > HoverHell <hov...@gm...> wrote: > >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- >> Hash: SHA1 >> >> Hello. >> >> The primary question is: how much this (subj.) device is supported in ALSA? >> I have some information that it should work, but I don't know what >> exactly will work, e.g. will it support 24bit/96khz, and will volume >> control handle work or not (I have seem some mention that it doesn't). >> >> Information at opensource.creative.com: "USB Audio: The ALSA project >> supports USB audio, and Creative devices such as the XMod and Audigy 2 >> NX should work.". >> >> At alsa-project in by-vendor matrix I don't see any appropriate entry >> for this device. >> >> Linux is not officially supported by creative, so their support center >> couldn't answer this question. (although directed me to their forums, >> where I will ask as well). >> >> Does anyone have some information regarding that? >> > > If the cards work under Windows without special driver, i.e. if they > need just the built-in into Windows driver, they should work aslo > under Linux. Related question: how well does 24bit/96khz output work with snd-usb-audio specifically and with ALSA overall? (And how to change to it?) -- "haste only creates waste" / "haste only makes waste" "Haste maketh waste" (John Heywood, 1546) |
From: HoverHell <hov...@gm...> - 2009-05-03 20:36:35
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Well, I have the device now... HoverHell wrote: > At alsa-project in by-vendor matrix I don't see any appropriate entry > for this device. That's the question 1, still unanswered. E.g. is there something for this device or it should be added? In lsusb it is '041e:3042 Creative Technology, Ltd' Question 2: with module 'snd_usb_audio' it provides no mixer controls (I added softvol for now though). Does that mean it just doesn't have any volume control in hardware or it's module's problem? Question 3: This device additionallt has got volume handle and IR remote control. Is it possible to, at least, get the data from them in the system (into the userspace)? Subquestion of 3, linux-related: Should some specific USB device (not just soundcard, I have same question regarding my USB mouse) be supported by one common module (like snd-usb-audio), or support for its specific features should be in additional supplemental module? * I'm not sure I can do much myself regarding implementing kernel modules though... -- --HoverHell (XMPP/GTalk here, GPG 30E202CB). |
From: HoverHell <hov...@gm...> - 2009-05-17 11:22:57
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Yet another related question: does absence of mixer controls in this (snd-usb-audio) device means it has none at all or it might be the driver's problem? -- --HoverHell (jabber/GTalk here, PGP ... available). |
From: SZÉKELYI S. <cc...@ma...> - 2009-07-22 02:55:18
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Hi, HoverHell <hoverhell <at> gmail.com> writes: > > Well, I have the device now... > > HoverHell wrote: > > At alsa-project in by-vendor matrix I don't see any appropriate entry > > for this device. > > That's the question 1, still unanswered. > E.g. is there something for this device or it should be added? > In lsusb it is '041e:3042 Creative Technology, Ltd' > > Question 2: with module 'snd_usb_audio' it provides no mixer controls (I > added softvol for now though). Does that mean it just doesn't have any > volume control in hardware or it's module's problem? any news on this? I'm planning to buy one, but still don't know if it will work or not. It's a pity that the original poster provided no info either on the results of the test, I mean if he managed to get any sound out of it, stereo or surround. I guess yes since he mentions a softvol he added... What about the volume controls (although I personally don't need any)? Thanks, -- cc |
From: HoverHell <hov...@gm...> - 2009-07-23 05:35:58
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SZÉKELYI Szabolcs wrote: > any news on this? I'm planning to buy one, but still don't know if it will work > or not. It's a pity that the original poster provided no info either on the > results of the test, I mean if he managed to get any sound out of it, stereo or > surround. I guess yes since he mentions a softvol he added... What about the > volume controls (although I personally don't need any)? Well, I get sound of it, pretty nice stereo quality. But for everything else... I had to use alsa's softvol since alsa driver gets no mixers from it. No luck as of yet getting volume handle or IR remote working (see thread in lirc-users regarding the IR). I didn't try actually using surround sound, so don't know about that. Although 5-channel output does work. So, I wouldn't personally recommend getting this device since there probably are more linux-compatible and more cheap USB alternatives (non-Creative). -- --HoverHell (jabber/GTalk here, PGP ... available). |
From: SZÉKELYI S. <cc...@ma...> - 2009-07-25 00:08:24
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Thanks for following up on this. HoverHell <hoverhell <at> gmail.com> writes: > Well, I get sound of it, pretty nice stereo quality. But for > everything else... > I had to use alsa's softvol since alsa driver gets no mixers from it. > No luck as of yet getting volume handle or IR remote working (see > thread in lirc-users regarding the IR). I need a USB card for a home media system, and I don't care too much about volume controls or the remote. This is not an issue for me. > I didn't try actually using surround sound, so don't know about that. > Although 5-channel output does work. What's the difference between 5-channel and surround (apart from 5 vs. 6 channels)? Which kernel version do you run? > So, I wouldn't personally recommend getting this device since there > probably are more linux-compatible and more cheap USB alternatives > (non-Creative). According to the graphs on hardware.info, the X-Fi's perform fairly better than the ALSA-recommended TerraTec Aureon 5.1 USB MKII. So I'd buy the former if possible. Do you have any other card to recommend for this purpose? Price is not a matter as long as it's under $100. ;) Thanks, -- cc |
From: HoverHell <hov...@gm...> - 2009-07-25 03:22:39
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SZÉKELYI Szabolcs wrote: >> I didn't try actually using surround sound, so don't know about that. >> Although 5-channel output does work. > > What's the difference between 5-channel and surround (apart from 5 vs. 6 > channels)? Maybe there's none :) I just think there were some problems mentioned. Maybe it was regarding optical output... You should look into this if you going to need it. > Which kernel version do you run? 2.6.28, 2.6.29, 2.6.30. Something around that (I use this soundcard on multiple computers). > According to the graphs on hardware.info, the X-Fi's perform fairly > better than the ALSA-recommended TerraTec Aureon 5.1 USB MKII. So I'd > buy the former if possible. Do you have any other card to recommend for > this purpose? Price is not a matter as long as it's under $100. ;) Nope, I didn't have opportunities to test any more than this soundcard. -- --HoverHell (jabber/GTalk here, PGP ... available). |