[mythtv-users] "Woodchuck" sound on TV playback

Michael T. Dean mtdean at thirdcontact.com
Sun Aug 17 21:23:04 UTC 2008


On 08/17/2008 04:17 PM, John Welch wrote:
> On Sun, Aug 17, 2008 at 3:50 PM, Michael T. Dean wrote:
>   
>> Oh, but wait, I must not know what I'm talking about because the wiki
>> says that you don't need an ALSA configuration file...
>>     
> Thanks for the explanation Mike.  BTW, I have had success using an
> ALSA configuration file in the past, so I'm certainly not calling you
> "wrong".  It just didn't seem to be working for me in this case; hence
> my calls for help.

Yeah, I wasn't trying to say you're calling me wrong, but that the wiki 
is calling me wrong.

People seem to assume that the ALSA configuration file on the wiki's 
Configuring Digital Sound page is meant to configure ALSA for 
passthrough, but there's nothing in there for passthrough (it's meant to 
configure ALSA to allow output of PCM audio via the digital output).  
Therefore, some people mess with stuff for a while, not understanding 
what the configuration file does (or, in many cases, what they're trying 
to do) and then give up and delete the configuration file and put the 
ALSA configuration in their programs, instead.  Then the wiki gets 
edited with blanket statements saying that "ALSA configuration files 
aren't required.  Ignoring the fact that there are a bunch of different 
audio CODEC chips connected to sound cards with a bunch of different 
approaches in systems with a bunch of different configurations, those 
statement completely discount the importance of having a single location 
to specify all audio configuration information and provide an easy, 
reusable means of accessing it (through a simple, user selected, logical 
name).  (It's kind of like saying, "An MPlayer configuration file is not 
necessary.  Only a luser would put MPlayer configuration in 
~/.mplayer/config.  Real men specify the configuration on the command 
line...")

I've given up on trying to keep the wiki page accurate (but it still 
bothers me when people say ALSA config files aren't required, so every 
once in a while I have to make a snide comment--even if it's in a 
response to a message that didn't make the statement).  Eventually, 
maybe ALSA will die and we'll all be using OSS, instead, so it won't 
matter, anymore.

Mike


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