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[Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

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    #1

    [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

    Hi all. I already tryed posting this question on ubuntuforums.org and forum.ubuntu-it.org, nobody answered me... you're my last hope
    this is my problem: i can't enable my onboard-subwoofer on my Fujitsu Siemens A1667G, which has VIA1618, so it sounds like a 2.0. There's a way to enable it? I'm using Kubuntu Karmic, and i had the same problem on Jaunty.
    On a side note, i noticed that the audio quality -for me- dropped drastically on the final release since the alpha releases of karmic and Jaunty too. I played a bit with the PCM volume, and now it's better... but still the quality is different. Anyone knows why?
    Thank you in advance.
    Live
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    #2
    Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

    Hi

    Let's see what we can do I wouls start by opening KMix (the mixer with the PCM you mentioned), going to the Settings menu, and enabling all channels that seem to make sense. Then, from the application itself, try to enable the subwoofer. Hopefully that will do.

    Otherwise, could you please take a look at System Settings -> Multimedia and report what you see? (A screenshot might be best)

    Cheers!
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      #3
      Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

      Sure, hope you don't mind the italian translation

      Kmix:
      [img width=400 height=156]http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/7012/schermata1i.png[/img]

      Multimedia:
      [img width=400 height=262]http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/5320/schermata2q.png[/img]
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        #4
        Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

        Update: i tryed #2 on multimedia: it works, but it's the same as #1. PulseAudio doesn't work at all. :|
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          #5
          Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

          All of them use alsa at a low level, which is controled from KMix. If you install the pulseaudio package you may get pulse to work, but I doubt it will make a difference.

          Have you tried unmuting (and raising the volume) to center/LFE, external amplifier, etc?

          Also, have you tried the speaker system with an mp3 player or something else to make sure the problem is not in the hardware?

          Ah, you can attach pictures here in the forum directly, see Additional Options when you post. Yesterday I didn't understand your post because Imageshack was blocked where I was ...

          Cheers!
          Leo
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            #6
            Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

            Originally posted by lmilano
            All of them use alsa at a low level, which is controled from KMix. If you install the pulseaudio package you may get pulse to work, but I doubt it will make a difference.

            Have you tried unmuting (and raising the volume) to center/LFE, external amplifier, etc?

            Also, have you tried the speaker system with an mp3 player or something else to make sure the problem is not in the hardware?

            Ah, you can attach pictures here in the forum directly, see Additional Options when you post. Yesterday I didn't understand your post because Imageshack was blocked where I was ...

            Cheers!
            Leo
            I've already tryed muting-unmuting them, but unfortunately nothing changes. I've also tryed again the hardware on windows and it's fine. (I still have windows installed on the primary partition)
            I'll attach the next pictures there
            What can I try next?
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              #7
              Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

              Too bad! I would:

              1. Google for any "quirk" for your card (sometimes you need to add some special initialization for a particular card, for the alsa driver, it is passed to the linux kernel at boot up)

              2. Try installing the "pulse" audio and see if pulse gets it right (I doubt it)

              3. If you upgraded from previous version, try the sound from the Karmic live CD/USB, see if it gets it right

              Sounds like a plan?

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                #8
                Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

                thank you.
                I tryed googling, but i haven't found anything about my sound card... however i found a guide to set up pulseaudio (that @default has 2 channels, so sounds the same as the default driver) but i can't still enable it. I'm going to try it again, but i don't have much hope.
                For Karmic i had a fresh install, the 2.1 didn't work either with Jaunty
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                  #9
                  Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

                  arrgh!

                  One more idea would be to search for alsa packages (the ones in Universe, not supported but hey), and try installing them if they look promising, to see if they help! (sorry not to have a solid recommendation, but it's mostly trial and error at this point, I also googled a bit with no luck)
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                    #10
                    Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

                    Update:

                    with the command speaker-test -Dplug:surround51 -c6 twav i get the test for the 5.1: actually the subwoofer works during this test, as LFE (correct) but the voice says "rear center" (wrong, subwoofers don't talk).
                    Of course i haven't a rear center volume bar, so i can't control it... because i've a 2.1 :|
                    btw, using alsactl init (to reconfigure alsa) i get:
                    Unknown Hardware: "VIA 8237" "Via Technologies VIA1618" "AC97a:56494182" "0x1734" "0x1093"
                    Hardware is initialized using a guess method

                    So, everything is to get alsa working.
                    I've found this on the alsa page:

                    VIA southbridge AC97 audio
                    VIA82C686
                    VIA8233
                    VIA8233A
                    VIA8235
                    VIA8237

                    that links to this page:
                    http://www.alsa-project.org/main/ind...Module-via82xx

                    Now i'll try to install the latest alsa packages...

                    Edit: i can't install the new drivers, it says that the access to a good number of files is denied, though i stopped the alsa service.
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                      #11
                      Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

                      I really doubt you need to install newer alsa drivers, Karmic has just been released, so they should be pretty current. It's just a matter of freakin' hitting the right combination of whatever it takes to get alsa going properly, as you noted. I think you are getting there!
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                        #12
                        Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

                        Originally posted by lmilano
                        I really doubt you need to install newer alsa drivers, Karmic has just been released, so they should be pretty current. It's just a matter of freakin' hit the right combination of whatever it takes to get alsa going properly, as you noted. I think you are getting there!
                        the alsa version included is the 1.0.20, the newest is the 1.0.21a... but with the difference that my alsa version is installed with a "guess what souncard i have" and that i should install a configured one, at least is what i understood from that page.
                        I'm going crazy
                        do you know a way to completely shut down the session (even kde) and remain just with the shell, like the ones that i get if i press ctrl+alt+1-2-3? i think that i should be able to edit all the files that way
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                          #13
                          Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

                          well, the problem is not really that your sound card is not found, but rather that the alsa driver is not using the card to its full capability.

                          Once you install alsa manually, if it goes wrong, it won't be easy to remove (unlike using a package manager like apt).

                          I am not sure what you mean, and really why you need to exit the session to configure any text file. You can do that in konsole. If you really need to kill the X Session you could do "sudo service kdm stop".

                          Have you tried the switched on the right hand side of KMix?
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                            #14
                            Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

                            How about this trick?
                            http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1242141

                            Now that you know it is a via 8237, you can google for that, hopefully that will help? That's how I found that thread. Oh my, is this annoying!
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                              #15
                              Re: [Audio] Enabling 2.1 on FS notebook, VIA1618

                              Originally posted by lmilano
                              How about this trick?
                              http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1242141

                              Now that you know it is a via 8237, you can google for that, hopefully that will help? That's how I found that thread. Oh my, is this annoying!
                              That's for Pulseaudio, i'm sticking with alsa :|
                              now i've managed to half kill it, the volume it's extremely low. Lol. Edit: Restored. I don't know how though. Random mode on, (after a good number of alsactl init)

                              Edit:

                              Q: You can hear stereo sound from the front speakers, but not from the other speakers
                              A: The default ALSA output virtual device is 2 channel only. In order to hear sound on more than two speakers you need to use the name of a virtual device that supports more than two channels.
                              These virtual device names begin with surround; the most commonly used are surround40 and surround51. To get a full list of those defined for your card run:
                              aplay -L 2>&1 | egrep surround

                              replyes

                              surround40:CARD=V8237,DEV=0
                              surround41:CARD=V8237,DEV=0
                              surround50:CARD=V8237,DEV=0
                              surround51:CARD=V8237,DEV=0

                              and... where is my 2.1?
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