Very Computer

Once again, because someone made the former thread kind of useless...

Hello!

Using Suse 6.4, Kernel 2.2.14 with a VIA AC97 soundchip I have some
problem with sound under linux.

The kernel drivers don't support the chip, so I had to find out that
ALSA might be helpful (and OSS, which for various reasons proves to be
an even inferior solution for me).

With ALSA I can listen to wav, au, mp3, cd audio, but not to midi,
which, however, is not the real problem I am talking about (there is a
program called "timidity" which gives me midi sound by on-the-fly
converting midi to wav without touching the midi files, so that is
o.k.).

Here is - finally - my problem:
I can't get sound to work with the quake games series (especially quake
and quakeworld), and ALSA even mentions that quake has to segfault
because there is a problem with "mmap" (whatever that means). So without
sound I am unable and unwilling to play these games.

Is there any realistic alternative to get quake sound under linux with a
VIA AC97 (and without upgrading the kernel to 2.3.x or 2.4, where I
found some experimental stuff with www.google.com)?
Someone of you all with VIA AC97 got a good solution? Or is this
hopeless?

Thanks
Peter

I can't help you -- but I have a similar problem (RH 7.0, "compaq audio
device" ac'97) and will be interested to see any replies -- no matter
how many NGs you post to.

The folks at RH, fwiw, told me that they don't/won't support the ac'97,
since it's one of those windozey things that require serious software
support in order to function. They suggested that I buy a sound card ...

Fred

This can help, but NOT a definite solution.

I have the same problem, or similar: ALSA for onboard
    VIA VT82C686 AC97 southbridge, module 'snd-card-via686a',
on Slackware-7.1 Linux. Because ALSA most developed in this case, even
supposed to have sound recording (this I know looking at C sources of
modules in different cases: not very impressive doc, but I understand.
At least there IS some drivers!)

For now, applications I tried that have ALSA interface for output of
sound are Ok. My son bought Myth II game, and no sound for now, not
having ALSA interface.

But in THIS case: MythII can use ESD (Enlightenment Sound ...), and
ESD can POSSIBLY use ALSA interfaces, from a vague rememberance of
something read on Internet.

More generally (possibly you know it): in ALSA doc, there is way to
make ALSA drivers 'kernel sound (free OSS?)' compatible.

I did NOT try it up to now, I will in some days (or weeks?).

And all above is for sound Output, I did not yet try sound recording
with this AC 97 Sound Onboard chip with ALSA driver.

By the way, I am somewhat with you concerning 'lost bandwith on Usenet':
this is far from abuse.

Not very definitive answer, but I hope this help,

--
Jean-Pierre Moreau,

(substitute /notuser/jpmoreau/ ; substitute/notexist/jfactory/ )

Hi, thanks for answering!

On Fri, 09 Feb 2001 03:04:34 GMT, Frederick Bartlett

Well, as I said, sound is possible with this chip (wav, au, mp3, cd
audio, and with a workaround midi as well), so if you are not interested
in quake sound and such things the situation is not that bad...

Regards
Peter Petersen

Salut, Jean Pierre!

On Fri, 09 Feb 2001 16:02:21 GMT, Jean-Pierre Moreau

Hmm, but I wouldn't know how this has to be done...

Quote:>More generally (possibly you know it): in ALSA doc, there is way to
>make ALSA drivers 'kernel sound (free OSS?)' compatible.

Well, I think that this is so anyway in my case.

Quote:>By the way, I am somewhat with you concerning 'lost bandwith on Usenet':
>this is far from abuse.

Thanks, I always wonder how much frustration some people must be
suffering from that they have to post such sweet little attacks ;-)

Quote:>Not very definitive answer, but I hope this help,

If you find out something, perhaps even about quake sound, please, let
me know.

Regards
Peter Petersen