Problem enabling 5.1 analog soundouput on asrock ion330 / karmic
#1
Hi,

i hope someone can help me solve this issue, i just dont want to believe i am the first one to run into it Wink

so, whats my problem?
i set up my asrock ion330 with xbmc9.11(b1/2) and ubuntu9.10.
i followed the XBMCbuntu guide posted on the wiki, everything works like a charm except one thing:
i dont get analog 5.1 sound with the onboard-soundcard to work (= connecting the speakers to the 3 coloured jacks on the back).

i searched this forum and numerous other ubuntu/linux/alsa-forums but nowhere i found a solution to this problem.

what i did until now:
- installed xbmc following XBMCbuntu guide
- installed alsa with latest alsaupgrade-script found on ubuntuforums.org
- installed linux-backports-modules-alsa-karmic-generic (suggested in one forum)
- speaker-test -DplugConfusedurround51 -c6 -twav gives no error, just only output on FL and FR-speakers
- xbmc-settings:
1. audio-output: analog / default
=> gives error "cannot initialize audio device"
2. audio-output: analog / custom / plugConfusedurround51
=> gives no error, plays FL and FR correctly
setting the option "downmix multichannel-audio to stereo" works well with both audio-devices

outputs:

alsamixer:
Image
the "smart 5.1" stuff shown on the far right showed up after i installed "linux-backports-modules-alsa-karmic-generic", prior there were only the other mixers shown.
enabling smart5.1 disables mic!

aplay -l
Code:
**** Liste der Hardware-Geräte (PLAYBACK) ****
Karte 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], Gerät 0: VT1708S Analog [VT1708S Analog]
  Sub-Geräte: 2/2
  Sub-Gerät #0: subdevice #0
  Sub-Gerät #1: subdevice #1
Karte 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], Gerät 1: VT1708S Digital [VT1708S Digital]
  Sub-Geräte: 1/1
  Sub-Gerät #0: subdevice #0
Karte 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], Gerät 3: NVIDIA HDMI [NVIDIA HDMI]
  Sub-Geräte: 1/1
  Sub-Gerät #0: subdevice #0

aplay -L
Code:
default:CARD=NVidia
    HDA NVidia, VT1708S Analog
    Default Audio Device
front:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, VT1708S Analog
    Front speakers
surround40:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, VT1708S Analog
    4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, VT1708S Analog
    4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, VT1708S Analog
    5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, VT1708S Analog
    5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, VT1708S Analog
    7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, VT1708S Digital
    IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
    HDA NVidia, NVIDIA HDMI
    HDMI Audio Output
null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)

aadebug.sh
http://pastebin.org/64614

XBMC debug-log
http://pastebin.org/64615

last few lines of AlsaUpgrade-script logfile:
Code:
chmod: cannot access `/dev/dsp': No such file or directory
chmod: cannot access `/dev/mixer': No such file or directory
chmod: cannot access `/dev/sequencer': No such file or directory
chmod: cannot access `/dev/midi': No such file or directory
rm: cannot remove `asound.state': No such file or directory



i really hope someone is able to help me getting 5.1 sound to work as i really have no clue where to look for an answer or how to solve it. is it linux-related, xbmc-related, alsa-related, not even possible?

thx in advance
Reply
#2
Hi and welcome to the forum.

I think you need to add the line

Quote:options snd-hda-intel model=6stack-dig

to /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf

After a reboot alsamixer should show the center and rear channels.

cheers.
Reply
#3
thanks for the quick reply

unfortunately the options-line didnt change anything Sad
ps: tried some other model= options as well (3stack-dig / 3-stack-6ch-dig / 3stack-6ch / ...)
Reply
#4
*push*

further investigation on my side shows the following:

1. on windows (yup, looks nasty *sigh*) 5.1-sound works out of the box. so i can eliminate my suspection of some broken hardware
2. reading through the alsa source-code (even nastier than windows) reveils that this "smart 5.1"-thing seen in the alsamixer-screenshot is a special via-chipset feature, and seems to be supported by alsa1.0.21. enabling it switches line&mic pins to output.

this leads me to the conclusion that my problems are caused by the alsa snd_hda_intel module, not switching pins the way it should. and no solution at hand except updated alsa-drivers Sad

if someone else has hints/tricks/successfully used 5.1-analog sound on linux... you're welcome to answer +g+
Reply
#5
Did you ever figure out how to work this out? I'm dealing with the same issue.
Reply
#6
Hi,

I would like to solve this issue too

Anybody?

Ivan
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Problem enabling 5.1 analog soundouput on asrock ion330 / karmic0