getting echoaudio soundcard to work - now it won't record

[Jonathan Leonard]

On Oct 3, 2007, at 7:14 AM, Susan Cragin wrote:

> Jonathan --
> The following is the output from etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base, with the
> changes I made to get the indigo io to run.
> Just adding  options snd-indigoio index=0 near the bottom works but  
> did
> not survive re-booting.
> The indigoio now runs great in the output mode, but I can't get it to
> record, and think I may have another error below.
> Also, the little audio icon in the upper right is on "mute" no matter
> what I do.
> Susan

Hi Susan, the edit did not survive the reboot?  Make sure you edit / 
etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base  as root.  For example:

$sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base

Also, you don't need to comment out every line in the options  
section, I would leave them enabled.  For example if there is an  
integrated soundcard on your system, it might need to be 'demoted',  
if not entirely disabled in the bios.  But I am awfully fond of my X- 
session usb controller so for me, I compile Alsa with 'usb-audio' in  
addition to layla20 and in the options section layla gets 0 and usb- 
audio gets 1.  As you might notice, this would require changing its  
value from -2 to 1 in the file since someone decided this might cause  
initial complications.

After installing ALSA the default alsamixer is typically muted, but  
if you get sound thats fine.

Regarding the sound control in the 'studio desktop, try assigning  
your device as the default soundcard in the Sound preferences.  I  
ignored it for quite some time without any ill affect.  At some point  
I updated another sound library and it started working, so pretty  
messy on the maintainers part.  Anything related to the echo device I  
use echomixer for - alsa mixer can go play tennis for all I care.   
You might make a keyboard shortcut for the echomixer, or add it to  
your desktop panel bar.  I like using the function keys for terminal,  
echomixer, firefox etc.

For problems recording, take a peek at the echomixer VU meters to see  
input activity and levels.  I might ask what app you use to record as  
well.  If you have not done so, you might try starting qjackctl and  
creating a profile for your device.  Most options can be left  
disabled, but leave rt checked.  Try out 256 frames, 2 periods to see  
if that works.  My guess is that 128 frames, 2 periods with rt  
checked should work in general.  Once qjackctl is running, open up  
ardour which needs jack to be running first.

Ubuntu Studio Fiesty installs with the 'low latency' kernel.  If you  
feel ambitious and want sub 5 ms latency you can install the  
'realtime' kernel patches referenced in the Multimedia Production  
forum for Ubuntu.  This requires more tweaking, but you can  
significantly increase the performance of the echo device this way,  
though it might be fine for your uses now.

I have been using a windows application called Reaper which runs well  
in Ubuntu Studio with the wineasio driver and wine.  Its another  
project, but it lets me run and record windows vst instruments I have  
done sound design for.

So, some partial success!  Almost there...

-jonathan adams leonard




>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> ---
>   # autoloader aliases - I CHANGED THE FIRST TO MY CARD
>   install sound-slot-0 /sbin/modprobe snd-indigoio-0
>   install sound-slot-1 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-1
>   install sound-slot-2 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-2
>   install sound-slot-3 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-3
>   install sound-slot-4 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-4
>   install sound-slot-5 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-5
>   install sound-slot-6 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-6
>   install sound-slot-7 /sbin/modprobe snd-card-7
>
>   # Cause optional modules to be loaded above generic modules
>   install snd /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd && { /sbin/modprobe
> --quiet snd$
>   install snd-pcm /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-pcm && {
> /sbin/modprobe --q$
>   install snd-mixer /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-mixer && {
> /sbin/modprobe$
>   install snd-seq /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-seq && {
> /sbin/modprobe --q$
>   install snd-rawmidi /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-rawmidi && {
> /sbin/modp$
>   # Cause optional modules to be loaded above sound card driver  
> modules
>   install snd-emu10k1 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-emu10k1
> $CMDLINE_OPTS &$
>   install snd-via82xx /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-via82xx
> $CMDLINE_OPTS &$
>
>   # Load saa7134-alsa instead of saa7134 (which gets dragged in by it
> anyway)
>   install saa7134 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install saa7134  
> $CMDLINE_OPTS
> && { /sbi$
>
>   # Load snd-seq for devices that don't have hardware midi;
>   #   Ubuntu #26283, #43682, #56005; works around Ubuntu #34831 for
>   #   non-Creative Labs PCI hardware
>   install snd /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd && { /sbin/modprobe
> -Qb snd-seq$
>
>   # Prevent abnormal drivers from grabbing index 0
>   # I COMMENTED OUT ALL BUT THE FIRST LINE, WHICH I ADDED
>   options snd-indigoio index=0
>   # options snd-bt87x index=-2
>   # options snd-cx88_alsa index=-2
>   # options saa7134-alsa index=-2
>   # options snd-atiixp-modem index=-2
>   # options snd-intel8x0m index=-2
>   # options snd-via82xx-modem index=-2
>   # options snd-usb-audio index=-2
>   # options snd-usb-usx2y index=-2
>
> -- 
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