[Alsa-user] amixer and systemd issues?

[Ede W. <li...@ne...>]

Hello,

I've been scratching my head for the last couple of days due to 
crackling playback after boot.

I have a very simple unit file, that however does not seem to work. The 
service part:

------
...
[Service]
Type=oneshot
RemainAfterExit=yes

# Setting up the HAMMERFALL soundcard.
ExecStart=/usr/bin/amixer -D hw:HAMMERFALL sset 'IEC958 Input Connector' 
'Coaxial'
ExecStart=/usr/bin/amixer -D hw:HAMMERFALL sset 'Preferred Sync Source' 
'IEC958 In'
ExecStart=/usr/bin/amixer -D hw:HAMMERFALL sset 'ADAT1 Input Source' 'ADAT1'
ExecStart=/usr/bin/amixer -D hw:HAMMERFALL sset 'Sync Mode' 'Master'
...
------

That, according to journalctl, does actually work:

-------

Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe systemd[1]: Starting Set up the RME 
Hammerfall card...
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[601]: Simple mixer control 'IEC958 
Input Connector',0
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[601]:   Capabilities: enum
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[601]:   Items: 'ADAT1' 'Coaxial' 
'Internal'
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[601]:   Item0: 'Coaxial'
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[604]: Simple mixer control 
'Preferred Sync Source',0
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[604]:   Capabilities: enum
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[604]:   Items: 'IEC958 In' 'ADAT1 
In' 'ADAT2 In' 'ADAT3 In'
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[604]:   Item0: 'IEC958 In'
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[607]: Simple mixer control 'ADAT1 
Input Source',0
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[607]:   Capabilities: enum
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[607]:   Items: 'ADAT1' 'Internal'
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[607]:   Item0: 'ADAT1'
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[610]: Simple mixer control 'Sync Mode',0
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[610]:   Capabilities: enum
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[610]:   Items: 'AutoSync' 'Master' 
'Word Clock'
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe amixer[610]:   Item0: 'Master'
Mai 18 13:37:26 gewitterhexe systemd[1]: Started Set up the RME 
Hammerfall card.


-----


Nevertheless, sound is still bad. However, if I run:

# /usr/bin/amixer -D hw:HAMMERFALL sset 'Preferred Sync Source' 'IEC958 In'

on the command line, even directly after running above unit file 
manually, everything sounds as expected. I can run above unit file a 
dozend times, it won't fix the sound, though.

Now I am wondering, what is the difference bewteen using the command 
line and running amixer via ExecStart?

Any known issues here? Anything obvious that I've missed? I am running a 
recent arch and would kindly ask this not to be an excuse for another 
general systemd discussion, if somehow possible.

Thanks

Ede