Shopping List (Part II)

[Cuddles]

O M G -=- My SanDisk works

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you... (Cuddles is doing the Happy Dance now...

So far this is the completion of the "Shopping List", what is resolved, and what still remains...

(1) After -=-finally-=- getting ALSA to work on my system, whew, now I am having sound quality issues. No hardware was changed, wires, setups as far as how the hardware is set up, just ALSA vs the "default" installed sound from Knoppix.

(1) I can play an audio cd through XMMS and hear a low clicking noise that runs about every five seconds. Both Audacity and ReZound have this problem: I can play a external (line) input device audio, it sounds fine, I hit record, it appears to have recorded fine, until I play the recorded sound back, or save the sound to disk and play it back through any player, I get noise -=- like a static sound -=- that accompanies any sound. When the sound is silent, so is the noise, but as the sound gets louder, so too does the noise. I have tried different volume levels, and same result. What is the big deal with ALSA, I didn't have any of these problems with the "default" sound in Knoppix.

Not resolved.

(2) After doing the apt-get upgrade from hell, I now show a 235.8 MEG device, named tmpfs, with a mount point of /dev/shm - where did this come from, and why? It currently shows no space usage, but what is it?

Not resolved.

(3) How do you auto-start a program in a user login? Now that I have ALSA, I like to have the mixer up and viewable, but leaving AlsaMixerGUI just running when I log out, does not bring it back up when I re-login. So, how would I get it so that this "program" runs when my user logs in?

RESOLVED -=- Works perfectly -=- Thank you Fingers99

(4) ReZound - since I have been having so many problems with Audacity, a nice "feature" of getting ALSA running on my system is that ReZound NOW will let me record, as it wouldn't before. Problem is that it appears that ReZound likes to write to memory while you are recording, considering limited memory, and abundant hard disk free space, and the fact I am recording up to 50 minutes of continuous sound, memory could/will run out. Does anyone know a way to "point" ReZound to working on the hard drive, or a temp folder, instead of memory?

RESOLVED -=- Kind of -=- Let it blow memory (physical), and let it go to swap -=- Thank you, again, Fingers99

(5) Anyone ever work with a SanDisk Flash Reader (ImageMate II CompactFlash USB), connected to the USB, in Debian/Knoppix? What file system does it use? (ain't vfat thats for sure!)

RESOLVED -=- Works perfectly -=- Thank you to both Fingers99 and Windos_NoThanks

So far we are 3 of 5, can we get 100%
Cuddles

[Cuddles]

(1) After -=-finally-=- getting ALSA to work on my system, whew, now I am having sound quality issues. No hardware was changed, wires, setups as far as how the hardware is set up, just ALSA vs the "default" installed sound from Knoppix.

I can play an audio cd through XMMS and hear a low clicking noise that runs about every five seconds. Both Audacity and ReZound have this problem: I can play a external (line) input device audio, it sounds fine, I hit record, it appears to have recorded fine, until I play the recorded sound back, or save the sound to disk and play it back through any player, I get noise -=- like a static sound -=- that accompanies any sound. When the sound is silent, so is the noise, but as the sound gets louder, so too does the noise. I have tried different volume levels, and same result. What is the big deal with ALSA, I didn't have any of these problems with the "default" sound in Knoppix.

To further assist the "debugging" of this issue, I have done the following tests:

While listening to Line, or Capture, through ALSA - which the audio sounds fine...
I have recorded with the following programs:
ReZound, Audacity, Sound-Recorder, and KRecorder.

When playing back this same "recorded" sound, which, while I was recording, sounded fine, now plays in the following programs, with an associated noise:
APlay, XMMS, ReZound, and Audacity.

Considering that I have the SAME problem with a multituide of recording programs, and using different players for the WAV files - and STILL have noise, when a recording is being made, is not their, I think this goes deeper than a "program" issue, or hardware, I think it has something to do with ALSA, because I "never" had this problem with the default sound system, and KMix, through Arts inside Linux.

Can someone please get my recording noiseless, I seriously need to do some business, and noise is one thing my customers (probably) will not tollerate.

Thanks for any, and all, assistance in resolution,
Cuddles

[fingers99]

You've got me.

If the Alsa folk can't suggest anything, my guess (seek wiser counsel!) is that you could go back to OSS.

In the meantime, you might want to look at this device:

http://www.neurosaudio.com/store/prod_neuros.asp

think of it as an ugly Ipod with a shedload more functionality.

I can't try it as I've no access to amplified line out from a tape deck, but one of these should be able to record straight to mp3 from a suitable analogue source or (don't tell your customers!) to mp3 from the microphone. You could then just snag the mp3s and burn (or edit and burn).

I got mine from the US for $190 or so (before Customs and Excise here slapped an extra 17.5% on).

[Cuddles]

Hmmmmmm,

Let's say I'm seriously pist-off at ALSA - to the point that I, one, am willing to scrub ALSA completely from my system, and return to OSS. Two, short of re-installing Knoppix from scratch - not an option - but, am willing to throw away almost two weeks of work trying to finally get ALSA working in the first place, to go back to OSS. Three, ALSA appears to be a form of "dreamware" as for quality recording without associated noise and static. Lastly, four, I appear to not be getting any "bites" from anyone in the ALSA Group, on finding a reesolve for this issue.

Now, lets take a summary count of the above: Out of a total of 4 qualifiers, I am currently looking at 3 3/4 of them being met - the 3/4 is from qualifier #4 - ALSA Group has only been brought into the picture of this problem for a little under a week now. Kind of a long time to be waiting for a reply, so I reposted my issue through channels a second time now.

Now, lets say, for arguement sake, I was at exactly "4" -=- How would one rip ALSA, and its introduction of non-existant "noise-free" recording rump, out of Knoppix, and get everything back to the way it was before all of this was done???

How about a compromise? Can ALSA "co-exist" with OSS, or arTs, at the same time? That would be a good compromise! I could use the arTs part for my recording, and ALSA for the playback, or something. ANYTHING to get a nice quiet recording, and get me on my way.

Thanks for any resolve one my List Entry #1 here. I think entry #2 I am just going to have to live with, since no one has any clues why I have to have shared memory "locked" as a device,
Cuddles

[fingers99]

I think this is the easy way to do it. Just pop open the Sys V init editor. (Kmenu > System > Sys V init editor) You'll be able to stop Alsa from starting. Reboot and see if one of the other sound servers takes over. If not, you may have to set it to start.

Doing it this way is, at least, non destructive. If all else fails, couldn't you do the capturing via the live CD and the editing and burning through the CD install?

[OErjan]

just one small thing. add the line noatime to your cf, flash... cards,
apparently they will otherwise be subjected to "unesesary" wear (yes they DO wear).
The noatime prevents acces timestamps on the files, not necesary for these devices.
my fstab entry looks like this
/dev/sda1 /mnt/pen vfat users,noatime,gid=users,umask=0002,iocharset=iso88 59-1 1 0
just something usefull i have found in a manual for a noname pendrive.

[Markus]

Got curious by the tmpfs thingy and googled around a bit.

Seems like tmpfs is needed for POSIX compliancy in linux.
The fact that it's not used by any programs at this time can only mean IMHO that they put it there to make porting programs between OS's easier, and that it might be used by future programs???
Ok, so I read that the shm_open function in glibc needs it, but what uses it? Anyone?
You could also try moving over your /tmp to a mount under tmpfs and see if things speed up.

You can do a "locate tmpfs.txt" to have a look, I have it under:
/usr/src/kernel-source-2.6.2/Documentation/filesystems/tmpfs.txt
/usr/share/doc/kernel-doc-2.4.24-xfs-fe-dm1/Documentation/filesystems/tmpfs.txt.gz

Some explanation:
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerwork...ary/l-fs3.html

Ergo, it doesn't seem to do much harm (bit larger kernel & a little wasted RAM) but will probably be needed sometimes soon.