Only one user has sound?

[ughi]

Hello,

I am new to SUSE (version 11.1, KDE3), but have been using other linux systems (mainly Fedora) for quite a long time. I have a bit of a problem with sound.

Now that I remembered to add all users to audio group, sounds are ok, when only one user is logged in. Right after installation only logging in and out sounds were audible.

But, if there are multiple users logged in (ie. one or more in the background) only 1st user have sound. Is there a way to have sound available to all users?

I am guessing that this same situation might also come up with some other hardware devices, while 1st user might hog up them as well. But for now, I would be satisfied with that sound issue...

[ughi]

Little bit of more info.

Actually it seems that every user have the same audio as the 1st one.

Accidentally found out when I left VLC playing netradio that the same sound was on other users as well. And if/when they tried to play something of their own, no sound from that could be heard.

[oldcpu]

You try moving every media player (and kde) to use the alsa api and not pulse nor any other audio api.

[ughi]

Changed to ALSA...
...and the positive thing is that sounds still work.
And even more postive is that now every user can play their own track/file/stream etc.



On the negative side: Sounds from other users can be heard also.

In other words, original problem is now solved, but other has risen:

How do I mute sounds from users in the backgound?

[RCCrouch]

You should if I read the documentation correctly, be able to use the Pulse Audio server to solve this problem.

[oldcpu]

Originally Posted by ughi

On the negative side: Sounds from other users can be heard also.

Of course!

Is that not the way it should be?

If you have multiple users logged on and playing a multimedia application at the same time, with only one sound device, and they are all playing sound from that app at the same time, then they have to share the one sound device.

If you wish only sound coming from one user at a time, then you need to have some discipline and a sharing attitude amongst your users.

[RCCrouch]

Originally Posted by oldcpu

If you wish only sound coming from one user at a time, then you need to have some discipline and a sharing attitude amongst your users.

That's not entirely true oldcpu. In a multiple pc environment where they are all networked together, then sound can be piped from the computer running the application to the requesting computer (at least that's the way I read the Pulse Audio server docs).

In a multi-seat configuration (like you would find in an Internet Cafe) it's a bit different, but still all seats require a minimum of a motherboard, monitor, keyboard, mouse, video card, and audio card.

[RCCrouch]

Another option that could be looked at is NAS (Network Audio System) to solve this problem. According to their homepage the system is "audio device independant".

[oldcpu]

Originally Posted by RCCrouch

That's not entirely true oldcpu. In a multiple pc environment where they are all networked together, then sound can be piped from the computer running the application to the requesting computer.

Thats true. ....

ughi, is that what you are trying to do ?

[ughi]

Originally Posted by oldcpu

Of course!

Is that not the way it should be?

If you have multiple users logged on and playing a multimedia application at the same time, with only one sound device, and they are all playing sound from that app at the same time, then they have to share the one sound device.

Isn't there a way to config sound system in a way that only active user audio is heard?

Originally Posted by oldcpu

If you wish only sound coming from one user at a time, then you need to have some discipline and a sharing attitude amongst your users.

Yes. That is a way. I am looking for a technical sollution.

As I mentioned in the beginning of the thread, I have been using Fedora (and RedHat) for ages and in those systems only the active user has audio. And those in the background are muted.