PCI Express SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio

[dean]

Irving Leonard wrote:
> El Thursday 16 July 2009 10:47:35 pm Linda Hammans escribió:
>   
>> Does anyone know if PCI Express SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio is compatible with
>> Jaunty?  Also, does Jaunty support surround sound?
>> Linda
>>     
>
> check at
> http://mercurial.opensound.com/?file/6bf18b4a87d6/devlists/Linux
> if there is your card, then there are instructions in
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/OpenSound
>
> --
> regards
> irving
>
>
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> La Habana, Cuba 
> http://www.universidad2010.cu
>
>
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>   
Hi There Irving, It is possible if you upgrade to the latest ALSA that 
you can use your X-Fi and it does support surround sound.  Here is what 
you do.

*_Step One_*
/Upgrade ALSA to version 1.0.21/
Run these commands as root! To work as root, key in this along with your 
password...
Code:

sudo su

Then proceed...
Code:

apt-get -y install build-essential ncurses-dev gettext xmlto linux-headers-`uname -r`
mkdir -p /usr/src/alsa
cd /usr/src/alsa
wget ftp://ftp.alsa-project.org/pub/driver/alsa-driver-1.0.21.tar.bz2
wget ftp://ftp.alsa-project.org/pub/lib/alsa-lib-1.0.21.tar.bz2
wget ftp://ftp.alsa-project.org/pub/utils/alsa-utils-1.0.21.tar.bz2
tar xjf alsa-driver*
tar xjf alsa-lib*
tar xjf alsa-utils*
cd alsa-driver*
./configure
make
make install
cd ../alsa-lib*
./configure
make
make install
ln -s libpanelw.so.5 /usr/lib/libpanelw.so
ln -s libformw.so.5 /usr/lib/libformw.so
ln -s libmenuw.so.5 /usr/lib/libmenuw.so
ln -s libncursesw.so.5 /lib/libncursesw.so
cd ../alsa-utils*
./configure
make
make install

*_Step Two_*
/Reboot.../
No really, go reboot... you need to.
*_Step Three_*
/Check preferences.../

    * Go to your System | Preferences | Sound
    * Change the default mixer tracks device to 'Creative X-Fi (Alsa
      mixer)'.
    * Open Volume Control | Preferences
    * Tick 'Center/LFE', 'Surround' and 'Side', then unmute each of them.

*_Step Four_*
/Up mix anything stereo to 5.1.../
If you've got a program that's 5.1 aware then it'll work as it should, 
however by doing this step anything that plays stereo (like the 
irritating Ubuntu system sounds) will be up mixed to 5.1 instead of just 
coming out of the front left and right!

    * Hit Alt+F2 and run this...

Code:

gedit .asoundrc

    * Paste in this stuff below, then save and quit gedit...

Code:

pcm.!default {
type plug
slave.pcm "surround51"
slave.channels 6
route_policy duplicate
}

*_Step Five_*
/Not really a step, I just think 5 steps sound better than 4.../
Remember back in Windows there is that snooty little women who barks all 
around you in each speaker... she is back!

    * Hit Alt+F2 and run this...

Code:

speaker-test -Dplug:surround51 -c6 -l1 -twav

You should hear her come out of each of the 5 speakers, and probably a 
gagged version of her mumblings out of your sub woofer.

You'll also notice in your Hardware Drivers dialogue box, that it'll say 
the X-Fi Drivers 1.03 are activated... not sure why it does this - but 
it does happen as a result of doing this.

Please let me know how you get on... can't promise I'll know what to do 
when stuff goes wrong for you however!