Can't get sounds except for clicking and hiss

  • filthyPierre
Posted: Mon, 11/05/2007 - 05:21
Hi, Just installed 64Studio on my Dell D600 laptop. After making a connection in QJackCtl between alsa-pcm output ports and alsa-pcm input ports, I can get a click every time I press a key or mouse button, but no other sounds. If I turn the volume up, there is a quite audible loud hiss, and echo almost like feedback... like the mic is on. I installed alsamixergui, and this works to some extent to control the sound - I can mute "Master" or "PCM", but some, like "Mic" won't mute. I accidentally un-muted "Mic Boost" to be greeted by howling feedback. The sound device in the laptop is (according to alsamixergui): Card: Intel 82801DB-ICH4 Chip: sigmatel STAC9750,51 The messages in /var/log/messages show: 64studio kernel: ALSA /usr/src/modules/alsa-driver/pci/ac97/ac97_codec.c: MC'97 1 converters and GPIO not ready (0xff00). The PC speaker is detected and works, but I can't switch it off in alsamixergui. I know the sound card works with Linux and ALSA - I've used a number of live CD distros like Musix, Knoppix, Dyne:bolic etc, which seem to switch sounds on as soon as they're booted (no need to muck around with Jack).... but they use KDE which I'm not fond of, because they never seem to be able to detect and properly use the laptop's native 1400x1050 resolution, whereas Gnome does fine. And I like 64Studio better than those others, it has a much nicer feel and has a more complete tools package. So, anyone have any idea where I can start looking? Any help much appreciated. I also have a Xitel Hi-FI Link USB sound device, which I would like to use for connection to my stereo system as it is much better quality than the AC97 chip, but harder to test while I'm at work :-) ..... Thanks! FP
‹ shared partition - fat 32 ?? xp & ubuntu dual boot ok, installed 64 studio now ubuntu wont load? ›

Update - I can switch off

  • filthyPierre
  • 11/05/07
  • Mon, 11/05/2007 - 06:03
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Update - I can switch off the mic/hiss noise by hitting the two radio-style buttons in alsamixergui above the "CD" or "Line" sliders.... this seems to shift focus from the mic... which still can't be muted. Anybody know what the two radio buttons are? And what red means (I'm assuming "active")? I had been, up to this point, testing sounds using the Foot -> Desktop -> Preferences -> Sound panel, enabling sounds and pressing the "Play" buttons against each of the sounds (I installed gnome-audio to get the sound files). I was getting nothing out of this. I read a little more on Jack, and started up the ZynAddSubFx synth, and have been able to get some sounds out of this - low/bass end of the keyboard produces nothing, progressing to clicks around middle C, and finally, the right-hand end of the keyboard I get the higher frequency sounds ok. Is this something to do with the settings in Jack? I will have a play. So, what about other apps that aren't Jack aware, like Banshee, which I want to use for my music player, and the system sounds in desktop prefs? Any suggestions? Cheers, FP