[mythtv-users] Configuring HDMI sound in Mythbuntu for ASUS GT430

[Jean-Yves Avenard]

On 4 April 2011 05:49, Ian Evans <dheianevans at gmail.com> wrote:
>> The audio device to use is:
>> hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=x
>> (where x is 0,1,2 or 3 or whatever the number that showed by aplay -L)
>
> So do I change:
>
> pcm.!default {
> type plug
> slave.pcm {
> type hw
> card 1
> device 9
> }
> }
>
> to:
>
> pcm.!default {
> hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=x
> }
>

Under ubuntu (and same under most distribution), there's no need to
change or manually edit an alsa config yourself. There's a "Sound"
entry in System -> Preferences; there you can select which audio card
you want to us; and from that audio card which output.

If you do what to go the hard way (I still don't understand that urge
people have to manually edit configuration file themselves) : aplay -l
will show you the equivalent hardware number.

You still need to find out which device works for you with
speaker-test as I indicated about:

So say it was hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1

aplay -l shows something like:
$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 9: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

so card CARD=NVidia,DEV=1 is :
card 0 , device 7 (as DEV=1 indicates the 2nd device)
in asoundrc you would use:
pcm.!default {
 type plug
 slave.pcm {
 type hw
 card 0
 device 7
 }
}

Mind you, this will not make magically make your audio working.
It will only create an alias "default" that point to the hdmi output ;
so later you can do:
speaker-test -c 6 -D default

You then, still have to configure your application to use that
"default" device. "default" doesn't always exist; it's a fallacy to
think that because you've created this named alias, this is what will
be used.

Use the sound GNOME/KDE/whatever to configure the audio.

In MythTV you use ALSA:hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1 ; or whatever you found
worked with speaker-test

This is a mythtv distribution list ; if you want to find out how to
configure audio for your particular distribution; you'll be better off
asking in their support forum

>
> Still trying to nail down a) how to get headphones up'n'working and b)
> how to have headphones mute the speakers.

not all analog output or motherboard have a sensor/switch so it would
know that something is plugged to start with. That's something you
will have to manage yourself, if you can detect that a headset is
plugged.

JY