Can only hear system sounds

[lostidentity]

Hi,

Since last week I have an issue with my audio on my openSUSE11.1 (KDE 3.5). Sometimes when I turn on the computer only the system sounds works (i.e. startup, logout, system notification sounds). Neither any of my players or online video sounds work. Then when I shutdown and restart the sounds might or might not work.

The other thing is even when the sound is working, when I go to YaST and try to test the sound there isn’t any sound.

BTW I’ve got an onboard sound card (set as primary card) and a USB headset.

[caf4926]

Have a look here
SDB:AudioTroubleshooting - openSUSE

[oldcpu]

@lostidentity

Since last week I have an issue with my audio on my openSUSE11.1 (KDE 3.5). Sometimes when I turn on the computer only the system sounds works (i.e. startup, logout, system notification sounds). Neither any of my players or online video sounds work. Then when I shutdown and restart the sounds might or might not work.

The system sounds are not a good measure of sound functionality. Just the contrary, they are highly misleading.

@lostidentity

The other thing is even when the sound is working, when I go to YaST and try to test the sound there isn’t any sound.

There is a known bug in YaST sound test. Ignore its indications.

@lostidentity

BTW I’ve got an onboard sound card (set as primary card) and a USB headset.

Reference your USB headset, it is possible this might help: USB headphones - openSUSE

Reference your PC’s sound in general for various multimedia applications, please read this: openSUSE Forums - View Single Post - setting up some multimedia My apologies for the excessive pontification in that post, but the method should work.

[lostidentity]

Thanks for the reply.

The sound seems to work now, I need to test it after a couple of reboots to confirm it.

The other issue is that every time I want to listen to my headphones instead of the speakers I need to set it as the primary card. Is it possible to make it such that alsa can detect when I plug in the headphones? Just a minor inconvenience.

Cheers.

[oldcpu]

@lostidentity

The other issue is that every time I want to listen to my headphones instead of the speakers I need to set it as the primary card. Is it possible to make it such that alsa can detect when I plug in the headphones? Just a minor inconvenience.

I believe it is possible, but since I have only ever had 1 sound device on a single PC, I’ve never learned the technique.

You could surf on this: MultipleCards - ALSA wiki but I do not know if that URL would help.

If it were me looking to solve that inconvenience, I would start up the IRC chat program xchat and on the internet go to “freenode” irc channel #alsa and ask the guru’s there. One may need to ask 1/2 dozen times at various times of the days, for a number of days before one gets the answer (as the real gurus are not always logged on).

Good luck.