[NTLUG:Discuss] Sound Problems

[lonny.dahl@verizon.com]

On Mon, 2005-07-11 at 11:41 -0500, Peter A. Koren wrote:
> > On Sun, 2005-07-10 at 21:58 -0500, Stuart Johnston wrote:
> > > Peter A. Koren wrote:
> > > > On Sun, 2005-07-10 at 17:51 -0500, Stuart Johnston wrote:
> > > >
> > > >>Peter A. Koren wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >>>I got my DVD/CD player/burner working for DVD's (video and sound),
but
> > > >>>playing audio CD's produces no sound running KsCD. KsCD shows that
the
> > > >>>Music is playing and even gets the correct information from
servers on
> > > >>>the net to add to the cddb data base. Double clicking on a
> wav file on a
> > > >>>data CD works, but regular audio CDs do not work. I'm running a
RHEL
> > > >>>(Fedora 3) derived distribution on an AMD 64 based system. Sound
seems
> > > >>>to work for everything but normal CD playing.
> > > >>>
> > > >>>Any hints?
> > > >>
> > > >>Make sure that you have an audio cable connected from your cd drive
to
> > > >>your sound card (or motherboard).  Also go into your audio mixer
and
> > > >>check the volume of the CD audio inputs.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I assume that since I was able to play wave files from a data CD
that my
> > > > cable is properly installed. Am I wrong?
> > >
> > > Yes.
> > >
> > > > Is .wav data sent digitally As
> > > > a file over the EIDE ribbon cable or does the drive firmware decode
it
> > > > and send it along over the analog 4-pin sound cable? I just donot
know.
> > >
> > > It will be sent digitally over the IDE cable.  The Audio cable (can
be
> > > digital or analog) is only used when playing CD-Audio discs.
> > >
> > > > And since DVDs work (video and sound), I have to ask, "does analog
sound
> > > > go over the analog cable or digitally over the EIDE cable?" If the
> > > > former, the cable must be OK.
> > >
> > > I believe that DVD does not use the Audio cable.
> > >
> > > If you have XMMS installed, go to Options -> Preferences (Ctrl-P).
> > > Select "CD Audio Player" and click Configure.  Now select "Digital
audio
> > > extraction" under Play mode.  This should allow you to play audio CDs

> > > without the Audio cable.
> >
> >
> > Yes!!!! It worked. It took a while downloading (56k modem) the xmms
> > files, but it was worth it. I will still make a stab at replacing the
> > analog cable (I have an old working one with the right plugs), but it
is
> > no longer important. BTW, I've had previous distributions that had xmms
> > installed, but they all used the fancy skins that hid the functionality
> > of the product. I guess it is like real life. Glitz too often wins over
> > grit -- in this case eye candy destroys an effective user interface.
> >
> > Thanks for the winning hint.
> >
> > -- Pete
>
> The replacement cable also failed, so the the problem may be in the
> DVD/CD burner/player. Oh, I also found the KsCD switch for digital (over
> the EIDE interface) playback. So I do not really care if analog CD audio
> works or not. BTW, the hardware is the 16X Emprex unit Fry's has been
> hawking at $50.
>
> -- Pete

I just built a 64 bit box using a Pioneer DVD/CD burner/player that wasn't
listed on any of the compatibility web sites (I need to add it).  So far,
everything works, although I have yet to burn a DVD.  The analog sound
works fine with music CD's, I've burned music CD's with it using K3B and it
hasn't had any trouble reading data DVD's.  I don't have mplayer (or an
equivalent) set up on this machine yet so I haven't tried watching a movie
on it, but have every confidence it'll work just fine.  I can't remember
what I paid for it though.

Wayne Dahl