Alsa 1.0.20 driver update

Problems and successes with specific brands/models of computer audio hardware
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Patriot
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Joined: Thu 15 Jan 2009, 19:04

Alsa 1.0.20 driver update

#1 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....

This alsa 1.0.20 driver binary update could be useful (presumably) for HDA hardwares. Please note that this is a once in a blue moon effort and probably will not be maintained.

I've provided a 3-in-1 binary set in .pet form for kernel 2.6.21.7 and kernel 2.6.25.16 ... Suitable for those who only wanted the actual binaries without any dev headers etc etc ... They contain only the binaries required from alsa-drivers, alsa-lib and alsa-utils packages. Except for alsaconf script which is modified for puppy use, the rest are as per original source upstream. For full alsa upgrade, the tarballs are provided. Please note that only the drivers are kernel version specific.

How to use ?

For frugal installs:
(Note: I recommend using a small (32MB/64MB) save file to try them out first.)

1. Install the appropriate alsa 3-in-1 pet as per your kernel version.

2. Run Alsa sound wizard.

3. Open a terminal and run 'amixer controls'

4. If there's no error, you're probably good to go ...

5. Restart X to get absvolume pick up new mixer config.


For hdd installs:
(Note: revised install notes)

1. Install the appropriate alsa 3-in-1 pet as per your kernel version.

2. A reboot is mandatory for hdd installs.

3. Run Alsa sound wizard.

4. Open a terminal and run 'amixer controls'

5. If there's no error, you're probably good to go ...

6. Restart X to get absvolume pick up new mixer config.


Software Binaries List

1. Alsa-3in1-k26217-1.0.20.pet (3MB)
[download]
Description:
Alsa drivers + libs + utils binaries for kernel 2.6.21.7
Suitable for direct alsa upgrade by casual users
Note: Only tested with puppy 4.1.2 and puppy 4.2.1

2. Alsa-3in1-k26217-pre-1.0.20.pet (3MB)
.....Puppy301 and Puppy400 specific.....
[download]
Description:
Alsa drivers + libs + utils binaries for kernel 2.6.21.7
Suitable for direct alsa upgrade by casual users
Note: Only tested with puppy 3.0.1 and puppy 4.0.0

3. Alsa-3in1-k262516-1.0.20.pet (3MB)
[download]
Description:
Alsa drivers + libs + utils binaries for kernel 2.6.25.16
Suitable for direct alsa upgrade by casual users
Note: Only tested with puppy 4.2.1

4. Alsa-driver-1.0.20.tar.gz (kernel 2.6.21.7) (1.9MB)
[download]
Description:
Alsa drivers full binary set for kernel 2.6.21.7
Suitable for developers / advanced users.

5. Alsa-driver-1.0.20.tar.gz (kernel 2.6.25.16) (1.9MB)
[download]
Description:
Alsa drivers full binary set for kernel 2.6.25.16
Suitable for developers / advanced users.

6. Alsa-lib-1.0.20.tar.gz
[download]
Description:
Alsa library full binary set
Suitable for developers / advanced users.

7. Alsa-oss-1.0.20.tar.gz
[download]
Description:
Alsa oss lib/compat/redir layer full binary set
Suitable for developers / advanced users.

8. Alsa-plugins-1.0.20.tar.gz
[download]
Description:
Alsa plugins full binary set
Suitable for developers / advanced users.

9. Alsa-utils-1.0.20.tar.gz
[download]
Description:
Alsa utils full binary set
Suitable for developers / advanced users.


Unfinished business

(note: If you test these modules with pfix=ram, you must
run alsaconf twice to remove the old module from memory)


alsa-hdavia-1020-k26305.tar.gz
[download]
Description:
Patched hda-via module for VT1708B for kernel 2.6.30.5.
Front Volume and Headphone widgets assignments are
skipped to prevent mixer errors on my hardware. This
is a lame attempt to make alsa usable on my hardware
until I can make sense of alsa and/or HDA internals.
Patched source can be provided upon request.

alsa_hdavia-1.0.20-i486.tar.gz
[download]
Description:
Patched hda-via module for VT1708B for retro k2.6.21.7
and k2.6.25.16 kernels. Front Volume and Headphone widgets
assignments are skipped to prevent mixer errors on my
hardware. This is a lame attempt to make alsa usable on my
hardware until I can make sense of alsa and/or HDA internals.
Patched source can be provided upon request.

absvolume-0.9-i486.tar.gz
[download]
Description:
This is a modified absvolume for HDA based hardware.
If "master" volume is unavailable, it selects pcm volume
as a valid control. This is a lame attempt to get absvolume
working for my hardware. This utility is will be the basis
(as time permits) of a new mixer that will (eventually)
support native alsa mixer and native oss mixer in
one package. Source code is available upon request
as it is in a state of flux.


Rgds


.-.
Attachments
alsa-hdavia-1020-k26305.tar.gz
Temporary VT1708B hda-via module fix for k2.6.30.5
(12.86 KiB) Downloaded 1702 times
clear-sound-modules.tar.gz
Script to remove alsa drivers subfolders. For full hdd installs only.
(214 Bytes) Downloaded 2108 times
alsa-oss-1.0.17-i486.tar.gz
alsa-oss-1.0.20-i486 full binaries, man, etc archive
(94.27 KiB) Downloaded 1686 times
alsa-plugins-1.0.20-i486.tar.gz
alsa-plugins-1.0.20-i486 full binaries, man, etc archive
(46.97 KiB) Downloaded 1683 times
alsa_hdavia-1.0.20-i486.tar.gz
Temporary VT1708B hda-via module fix for k2.6.21.7 / k2.6.25.16
(24.1 KiB) Downloaded 1670 times
absvolume-0.9-i486.tar.gz
Modified absvolume. Patched for vt1708b master/pcm control. Wait for valid mixer on startup. WIP ...
(5.68 KiB) Downloaded 1772 times
Last edited by Patriot on Wed 30 Sep 2009, 07:29, edited 4 times in total.

User avatar
Patriot
Posts: 733
Joined: Thu 15 Jan 2009, 19:04

#2 Post by Patriot »

Q & A


Q1. Help! My HDA-intel audio is not working!
A1. Calm down, take several deep breaths and be prepared ... as I have no simple answer to give (yet). My 2 cents ? Well then, the hda-intel codec patch modules still borks certain chipset/codec inits and I'm too lame (with C) to fix 'em ...

But there's hope if you're using one these codecs: ALC (Realtek), AD (Analog Devices), CMI9880, Conexant or STAC (Sigmatel). Models assignments may be able to get that hda audio working. Check the models list here.

The intel-hda codec chipsets employed by the various system integrators/manufacturers has too many quirks and the alsa devs will have to catch them and patch them as and when the cause is discovered ...


Q2. VIA HDA (vt1708b) codec gives audio but no mixer controls on puppy 4.x ?
A2. These are workarounds for VIA (vt1708) HDA codec with alsa 1.0.20 on puppy 4.x ... (I'm still far far away from making a proper fix in the alsa sources ...)

Update: A much improved workaround. This completely replaces the startup scripts. I do believe that I have found a reliable way to startup and shutdown alsa drivers. The scripts have been tested on p412, p421 and p430 with (my) vt1708b ... YMMV

Method 1: Patched hda-via module followed by method 2
1. Install vt1708b hdavia patched module for your kernel
( where to put ? ... /lib/modules/*/kernel/sound/pci/hda )
2. Open a terminal and do a depmod -a

Method 2: Alsa startup script
1. Install the alsa-1020-startup pet
2. Once installed, the post install will restart the alsa drivers
3. absvolume should now give you a working control

Note: Without the patched via-hda (vt1708b) module, alsa utils still borks but absvolume should work. With the patched via-hda module, alsa utils now works on my vt1708b ...


Q3. The alsa-1.0.20 driver borks with Puppy 4.0.0 ?
A3. Unfortunately, yes ..... It seems that Puppy 4.0.0 has a differently compiled kernel ..... and I thought it was the same kernel across all puppy 4 series. Actually, its the same kernel version but configured slightly differently and thus has different symvers crc that borks up the whole thing .....

It took one puppy user (jani, thank you for making me see this) having an issue with ffmpeg that made me aware of this and I had to find the proper symvers for these puppies. This is now rectified and we now have alsa-1.0.20 upgrade for (approximately) all official puppies with kernel 2.6.21.7 (p301 up-to p430) ..... (The above k26217-pre pet package is slightly bigger since it also includes the headers.)



more dragons to come?

._.
Attachments
alsa-1020-startup-0.1-i386.pet
workaround for VIA VT1708B on puppy 4.x with alsa 1.0.20
(3.88 KiB) Downloaded 2259 times
Last edited by Patriot on Wed 30 Sep 2009, 07:43, edited 5 times in total.

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mikeb
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#3 Post by mikeb »

Patriot....if these work than I will probably want your babies and even if not I would consider adoption...been waiting for these for months :) .

Be sure I will post feedback once tested.

By the way ttuuxxx has compiled a set for the 2.6.18.1 kernel so this means latest alsa for all the later mainstream puppies

regards

mike

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mikeb
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#4 Post by mikeb »

Ok tested the 3in1 for 2.6.25.16 kernel on a ram only session using puppy 4.12 on a HP2133 notebook (or is it netbook??)
Installed perfectly (wined about a python lib but I assumed this is for some unneeded functionality)
Ran alsaconf and card detected just fine and all the correct controls are in alsamixer...in other words 100% functional :)

This uses the intel hda driver so a good test...should be of benefit to many users of newer laptops and notebooks

cheers and I'm off to prepare the birth certificates

mike

pup2learn222
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed 23 Aug 2006, 02:20

no sound from speakers only head phones, fixed

#5 Post by pup2learn222 »

Patriot

S W E E T, worked like a charm. I rebooted for the good measure effect.

python lib was libpython2.5.so.1.0 but still works.

Thank you Patriot, now my daughter can take this comp to college with Puppy 1st boot Ubuntu 2nd, & in 3rd place windozzzzzz vista the sleeper.

Now to convert my motherinlaws computer to the way this is, she bought the same computer & hates vista use to xp. So now to let her demo this rig I know she will love the little pooch like I do....
Best Regards
Great work... :wink: :D

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Patriot
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#6 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....

@Mikeb
Thanks for posting your test results so quickly. Glad to know it works for the Hp2133. So, I guess, we can safely assume ADI1984 HDA works well with the alsa-1.0.20 ... You'll also noticed that the hda drivers are now split into separate modules for each HDA vendor. Uses less memory that way ...


@pup2learn222
I hope the acer5516 is now a happy system. Glad to be able to help a bit here. Time for me to get a short break with Nessun Dorma ...


Note to all: The missing python dependency (reported by pet manager for smixer-python.so) is not a hard dependency. Unless you have a python app (which would require installing the python package) that interfaces to alsa mixer, it is a non-issue. I have double checked with standard puppy 4.12 & 4.21 iso and found smixer-python lib to be a standard binary.


Rgds

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mikeb
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#7 Post by mikeb »

Ok I tested on a flash stick and all was ok but when I tried to install to the full hard drive install no go...basically snd-hda-intel refused to load.....after some gnashing of teeth the cause was found.

In the kernel modules section the core modules are now in acore rather than core so with the full install the old modules were being loaded rather than the new ones ....solution delete the sound folder before installing...almost
there does not appear to be soundcore.ko included ...not sure if this is intentional as sound will actually work using the original 1.0.16 version

regards

mike

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Flash
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#8 Post by Flash »

Anybody know if these include drivers for HDMI audio? I have two Gigabyte motherboards with HDMI ports. The sound works through the HDMI cable in Windows, but not in Puppy.

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Patriot
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#9 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....

@mikeb

Sorry mike, I don't have any puppy hdd installs ... All frugals now (as I keep getting crap with hdd installs). I'll give it a shot a little while later with it and revise the install procedures if/when necessary.

AFAIK, the sound_core module is part of the kernel tree compile. It does not compile out-of-tree. I've checked the source code and it seems that no major sound_core modifications was done. However, I also did an out-of-tree compile of sound_core and found it to remain almost the same (very likely due to compiler options). I believe it's pretty safe to say that existing sound_core module works just fine as it is.

@Flash

I wouldn't be much help there with hdmi. No h/w to play with ... but I do know alsa-1.0.20 have hdmi drivers for Ati, Intel and Nv ...

Rgds

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mikeb
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#10 Post by mikeb »

Sorry mike, I don't have any puppy hdd installs ... All frugals now (as I keep getting crap with hdd installs). I'll give it a shot a little while later with it and revise the install procedures if/when necessary.
Don't apologise..I think frugal works as the new modules being in the rw layer get grabbed first. There are a few other modules moved around too.
Makes sense about the soundcore module and seems to work just fine in practice....alsa mods complain loadly if versions don't match :) .

As for full installs ensuring clean shutdowns (some standard pups seem lacking this for full) and tidying up when not even when using ext3 seems to keep them healthy.

once again excellent stuff

regards

mike

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edoc
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#11 Post by edoc »

It worked nicely on the HP laptop here under Puppy 421.

Now if only I can get Audacity to play nicely with it!
[b]Thanks! David[/b]
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#12 Post by edoc »

The Export to mp3 feature did not work in this version so I tried lame-398-2.pet because it worked to enable that feature in prior versions.

This version only brings up file labeling and not an Export feature which includes selections like mp3.

Ideas, please?
[b]Thanks! David[/b]
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#13 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....
edoc wrote:The Export to mp3 feature did not work .....
I am at loss on how does the lame-398-2 export to mp3 feature has anything to do directly with alsa drivers ....


Rgds

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edoc
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#14 Post by edoc »

Audacity - Alsa - Lame are having trouble playing nicely together.

There may be undiscovered clues somewhere in that relationship which may lead to fixing the problems.

I had been told that loading the new Alsa drivers might solve the Audacity-Lame-MP3 problem -- so I tried it and reported the results.
[b]Thanks! David[/b]
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Patriot
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#15 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....

I don't recall seeing lame 3.98-2 having any hard dependencies on alsa. AFAIK, lame does all its work without having alsa in sight (or even around the bend) ... Audacity is not playing nice with lame and alsa's the party popper?

Highly unlikely.

I've just baked a quick Audacity 1.39 beta binary and everything flows smoothly when exporting my audio files to mp3 with lame 3.98-2 ... Zero problems doing the exports/conversions encountered ... Alsa is sitting idle looking pretty during the conversion (export) process ...

I deemed this to be not an Alsa driver issue. Kindly revert to the audacity thread ...


Rgds

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edoc
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#16 Post by edoc »

Well, that's one variable eliminated.

I will inform the Puppy person who sent me here of that news.

Thanks!
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sprangalang
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#17 Post by sprangalang »

Thank you for this post, a lot of information there.

My kernel in the Puppy 4.24 is 2.6.30.5. Can I use one of these libraries to get my sound working? Sound works with Puppy 4.12, I guess the ALSA is different. Or an older version of ALSA? Is it possible to just revert to older ALSA with this kernel?

I'm using an old Micron laptop, a Trek ii. WIth some ESS card that is not covered by ALSA 1.0.20.

Thanks for any comments.

timremy
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alsa driver

#18 Post by timremy »

hello
tried what you said, no effect.

timremy

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Patriot
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#19 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....
sprangalang wrote: ........ I'm using an old Micron laptop, a Trek ii. WIth some ESS card that is not covered by ALSA 1.0.20. .....
I believe you probably have one of those micron trek 2 agp using ess maestro2 ... It's generally not possible to use the alsa driver update here as they are kernel version specific. BTW, kernel 2.6.30.5 is using alsa-1.0.20 ...

There's essentially no major code changes between alsa-1.0.16 and alsa-1.0.20 for the ess maestro2 driver. I only see minor fixes and two added small subroutines for polling and jitter suppression. The init routines are still the same ...

To see if alsa-1.0.20 is indeed the cause of your audio borking up, I suggest trying the alsa-1.0.20 driver update on puppy 4.12 using a small save file ... please check your kernel version if you intend to try this ... If you do have audio after doing alsa-1.0.20 update on 4.12 then there could be something else borking p424 ... if you don't then kindly let me know and I'll see what I can do .....


Rgds

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Patriot
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Re: alsa driver

#20 Post by Patriot »

Hmmm .....
timremy wrote:..... tried what you said, no effect. .....
Ok, kindly open a terminal and do these:

# echo 'VOLUME "PCM" 0' > /proc/asound/card0/oss_mixer

# echo 'PCM "PCM" 0' > /proc/asound/card0/oss_mixer

# lspci > /tmp/vt1708.txt

# cat /proc/asound/card0/codec#0 >> /tmp/vt1708.txt

# cat /proc/asound/card0/oss_mixer >> /tmp/vt1708.txt

# amixer controls >> /tmp/vt1708.txt

then look in /tmp for vt1708.txt, zip it up and post it here for me to look at the configs.


Rgds

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