Soundblaster Live output and kernel 4.14 or recent KDE updates

[jaegermeister]

Hello,

I have this machine:

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System:    Host: CHOPPER Kernel: 4.14.10-towo.1-siduction-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 gcc: 7.2.0
           Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.10.5 (Qt 5.9.2) Distro: siduction 16.1.0 Patience - kde - (201612232347)
Machine:   Device: desktop Mobo: N/A model: 4CoreN73PV-HD720p serial: N/A BIOS: American Megatrends v: P1.50 date: 08/19/2008
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core2 Quad Q6700 (-MCP-) arch: Conroe rev.11 cache: 4096 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 21335
           clock speeds: max: 2670 MHz 1: 1603 MHz 2: 1603 MHz 3: 1603 MHz 4: 2136 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA GF106GL [Quadro 2000] bus-ID: 02:00.0
           Display Server: x11 (X.Org 1.19.5 ) drivers: nouveau (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1600x1200@85.00hz
           OpenGL: renderer: NVC3 version: 4.3 Mesa 17.3.1 Direct Render: Yes
Network:   Card: NVIDIA MCP73 Ethernet driver: forcedeth port: cb00 bus-ID: 00:0f.0
           IF: enp0s15 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: 00:19:66:84:d1:59
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 750.2GB (47.9% used)
           ID-1: model: WDC_WD2500JS
           ID-2: model: ST3500418AS
Info:      Processes: 226 Uptime: 6 min Memory: 1466.3/3952.9MB Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 7.2.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.121) inxi: 2.3.45

And lspci shows:

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00:00.0 Host bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 Host Bridge (rev a2)
00:00.1 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation nForce 610i/630i memory controller (rev a2)
00:01.0 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation nForce 610i/630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.1 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation nForce 610i/630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.2 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation nForce 610i/630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.3 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation nForce 610i/630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.4 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation nForce 610i/630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.5 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation nForce 610i/630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:01.6 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation nForce 610i/630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:02.0 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation nForce 610i/630i memory controller (rev a1)
00:03.0 ISA bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 LPC Bridge (rev a2)
00:03.1 SMBus: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 SMBus (rev a1)
00:03.2 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:03.3 Co-processor: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 Co-processor (rev a2)
00:03.4 RAM memory: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 Memory Controller (rev a1)
00:04.0 USB controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 OHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev a1)
00:04.1 USB controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 [nForce 630i] USB 2.0 Controller (EHCI) (rev a1)
00:08.0 IDE interface: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 IDE Controller (rev a1)
00:0a.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:0b.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:0c.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:0d.0 PCI bridge: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 PCI Express bridge (rev a1)
00:0e.0 SATA controller: NVIDIA Corporation GeForce 7100/nForce 630i SATA (rev a2)
00:0f.0 Ethernet controller: NVIDIA Corporation MCP73 Ethernet (rev a2)
01:07.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs EMU10k1 [Sound Blaster Live! Series] (rev 07)
01:07.1 Input device controller: Creative Labs SB Live! Game Port (rev 07)
02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF106GL [Quadro 2000] (rev a1)
02:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GF106 High Definition Audio Controller (rev a1)
03:00.0 USB controller: NEC Corporation uPD720200 USB 3.0 Host Controller (rev 03)

I used as standard output source IEC-958 from SBLive card, this way configured in phonon (device preferences under multimedia section of systemsettings). This is quite strange, but, since kernel 4.14, whenever I start playing something with whatever program (may it be firefox, vlc, etc.) no audio output arrives to the amplifier, and the EMU10K card (corresponding to SBLive) gets greyed out in phonon.

Also, under audio hardware config (always under multimedia section of systemsettings) SBLive completely disappears as a choice. Current backend is Phonon GStreamer.

What might this be? Under 4.13 I didn't see this behaviour, but it might also be likely that this had nothing to do with kernel and has to do with recent KDE updates. Any clues?

THX

[jaegermeister]

BUMP BUMP


Does anybody have any clue?
THX

[Geier0815]

Check first if the emu10k1 driver is present. "lsmod | grep emu" should show it.

[jaegermeister]

Hello,

today when I boot the problem already appears (emu10k1 appears already greyed out in systemsettings), but everything is ok with lsmod, looks more a KDE problem:

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snd_emu10k1           172032  1
snd_util_mem           16384  1 snd_emu10k1
snd_ac97_codec        139264  1 snd_emu10k1
snd_hwdep              16384  2 snd_emu10k1,snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm               110592  6 snd_hda_intel,snd_emu10k1,snd_hda_codec,snd_hda_core,snd_ac97_codec,snd_hda_codec_hdmi
snd_rawmidi            32768  2 snd_emu10k1,snd_mpu401_uart
snd_timer              36864  2 snd_emu10k1,snd_pcm
snd_seq_device         16384  2 snd_emu10k1,snd_rawmidi
snd                    90112  15 snd_hda_intel,snd_emu10k1,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_codec,snd_ac97_codec,snd_timer,snd_mpu401_uart,snd_rawmidi,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_seq_device,snd_pcm
emu10k1_gp             16384  0
gameport               16384  3 ns558,emu10k1_gp

Will try with du and see what happens.

[jaegermeister]

Just made DU with kernel 4.14.12 and most recent KDE stuff, also big purge ot to be autoremoved packages.

EMU10K1 driver always appears loaded.

At system startup (when KDE desktop appears) in systemsettings "EMU10K1 with digital out IEC938" appears green while "EMU10K1 with stereo out" already appears grayed out.

After I start to play something (like some stupid youtube video) also IEC938 grays out and stays like that. Couldn't get a single sound out of the card.

I already dpkg-reconfigured audio packages like gtreamer, alsa, pulse audio, etc. there is absolutely no change.

MORE: playing some mp3 with mpg123 from CLI does not result in any output.

Is there some way to completely reset audio system?
What might this be? I am getting crazy!

THX

[jaegermeister]

Just for the sake....

of excluding hardware problems, on the same PC I am right now watching a youtube video with partedmagic live distro and perfectly hearing it over IEC938 digital output. So all HW is OK on the machine.

Also it is not a problem of multiple audio cards co-existing (besides Sound Blaster, there is also GF106 Nvidia audio chipset integrated within Quadro 2000 video card).

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lspci | grep udio
01:07.0 Multimedia audio controller: Creative Labs EMU10k1 [Sound Blaster Live! Series] (rev 07)
02:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GF106 High Definition Audio Controller (rev a1)

Instead, under siduction, the fact that I see under lsmod emu10k1 modules loaded lets me think it's a KDE problem, while the fact that under CLI not even mpg123 works (also with basic stereo out) lets me think it's a kernel problem.

What should I test???

[Geier0815]

It's long time past that I have a Live!. Have a look as user AND as root to alsamixer. I remember that there was a digital/analog output tab (or was this only on a audigy?) Try to play with it (it's only a switch)

[jaegermeister]

Hello,

this is completely funny: after boot I open both alsamixer as root and kmix (as user).

They both show IEC938 on SBLive! card, as soon as I play something (this time some mp3 with kaffeine, just to change player) IEC938 immediately disappears from kmix, substituted by some "dummy" out. Closing and opening alsamixer also there IEC938 has disappeared.

Just to summarize:
1. SBLive! works perfectly - tested with partedmagic live
2. SBLive! is setup perfectly when OS is loaded
3. as soon as something starts to play, phonon substitutes SBLive! with "dummy" device

I am getting lost....
PLEASE HELP!

[hendrikL]

Which phonon audio-backend you are using vlc or gstreamer?

[jaegermeister]

Under systemsettings it says gstreamer

[jaegermeister]

BUMP

does anybody have any clue?

[jaegermeister]

On the PC there is also a 3rd soundcard (built in the motherboard) which I had disabled.
Reenabling it does not change the situation.
The damn dummy device always plays in when I start any playback, wiping SBLive! away in gray.

Is there some sort of "factory reset" I can perform over audio stack?
If I get no result my only option is reinstall with debian 9, as I need audio

[Geier0815]

Is there the point that I asked for? Did you try analog speakers?

Have a look here and here maybe  you find a hint

[hendrikL]

did you changed/tested the other backend, vlc?

did you tested it with a live-iso?

do you have a mixture of hell, sorry, gestreamer, alsa, pulseaudio and jack installed? in this case, you have to clean your system and start at point zero.

first try the other backend , if this doesn't work test a live-iso, if that works clean up your system.

that is what's going around in my head, while reading that thread.

sorry i do not have a soundblaster card.

[jaegermeister]

Hi, as I wrote in previous post I tried with a live distro (partedmagic) and everything works fantastic.

Not tried to change backend, but I had installed jack previously for an audacity recording session, using stereo line-in and not digital. Eventually I reverted all config to digital-out. At first didn't see any malfunction.

Nevertheless, you are maybe catching the right point: I think I have a horrible mixture of gstreamer, alsa, pulseaudio and jack.

So, besides "apt purge jack", or "dpkg --reconfigure [alsa|pulseaudio]" what else should I clean in your opinion?
THX