Re: [Alsa-user] How do I boost my mic level?

[Bill W. <bil...@gr...>]

Lee Revell wrote:
> If they refuse to let the user select the sound device, at least use
> "default" vs. hw:0.
This may be what they are doing.  I don't know enough about Alsa to
use the right terminology reliably.

Is there a book or a web site which has an explanation of Alsa for
non-experts?  I'm a programmer, and I write compilers and debuggers
for a living, but I don't know much about sound or sound hardware.
I do find myself spending more time than I'd like on Alsa
configuration and trying to understand sound configuration problems
in general.

Like, for example, is there a program which probes the Alsa device
space, in some abstract sense of "space", and reports the entire set
of devices and their capabilities?  Is that what the mixers do?
When I run alsamixer on my SBLive! card I get about 40 switches and
sliders, but I have no idea what they all do, or even how to find
out.

Thanks.  I hope this doesn't sound too whiney.