If a KDE app is using sound, no other applications can use the sound.
For example:
If I log in to KDE, and watch a video on youtube then start amarok, the youtube audio stops. No other applications can use the audio until amarok is closed. Any ideas?
Yes, this relates to there not being multi sound output in ALSA the default sound server in openSUSE 11.2 KDE.
I suggest you try to install pulseaudio and see if it works better, pulseaudio has caused issues for some people so thats why its not default in the KDE version.
But its kinda forced in Gnome nowadays
Yes PulseAudio by default is not available in kde4 or kde3
and it support software mixing of audio
for info on how to configure it check this out:
Hi, i’ve got the same problem and i spent one entire night trying to resolve it (installing and configuring alsa from source, recompiling kernel modules, hack phonon configuration files, etc…)*. I almost lost hope when i point to kde forums and found the cause sound works for some programs and not for others. • KDE Community Forums
I didn’t try yet myself, So i don’t know if it will be okay for me.
No. That is inaccurate and misleading.
TaraIkdea, your help is truly appreciated, BUT PLEASE you have to read this before you go making such global statements: Sound-concepts - openSUSE
I’m tired tonight, and I do not have the energy to type a big explanation on this. So please just read that URL above.
Linux in general has various sound daemons and servers that can be used to handle the sound. In general they all only support one sound device at a time. That Linux limitation was one reason why there was a push to have pulse audio implemented, as pulse audio is supposed to provide a solution to that problem. However (1) pulse audio has bugs and it was disabled by default in KDE4 in openSUSE-11.2 , and (2) alsa api WILL allow sharing of audio (contrary to what TaraIkdea incorrectly stated). I have pulse disabled on my PC, and I share audio between applications using alsa API with audio playing simultaneous on all.
As noted, besides pulse there is another approach with the ALSA API. **Note alsa (which is the sound driver and comes with all openSUSE versions) is more than just a sound driver, as it also supplies an alsa-API (application programming interface) in addition to the driver part of alsa. ** So if you go into your applications setup/preferences (such as smplayer, xine-ui, virtual box, vlc … etc … ) and select the output audio mode as “alsa” (or advanced linux sound architecture) that will likely select the alsa API for use, and then those applications should be able to share sound with each other.
Again, please note some basic openSUSE Linux sound concepts: Sound-concepts - openSUSE
Yes i saw that, but it gives no solutions to the issues, it just gives tech mumbo jumbo that the new user really doesnt need to deal with.
As noted, besides pulse there is another approach with the ALSA API. **Note alsa (which is the sound driver and comes with all openSUSE versions) is more than just a sound driver, as it also supplies an alsa-API (application programming interface) in addition to the driver part of alsa. ** So if you go into your applications setup/preferences (such as smplayer, xine-ui, virtual box, vlc … etc … ) and select the output audio mode as “alsa” (or advanced linux sound architecture) that will likely select the alsa API for use, and then those applications should be able to share sound with each other.
It just takes a while to set each app, why do you think I suggest Pusle as it makes the whole thing easier assuming it can work for the user.
Pulse isnt perfect but not knowing the OP’s sound card anything is worth a shot.
That was not directed at the new user.
That was directed at you.
If you are going to make statements about alsa, then at least get your facts correct.
Indeed it does take a while to set each app with the ALSA API.
However in MANY cases pulse simply breaks the users audio.
So what is worse? Completely broken audio (from pulse), or having to take some extra time to set the ALSA API in each app so that audio can be shared?
Many prefer NOT to have broken audio with pulse.
yes but pulse can be removed in those cases.
At least in KDE, not so much gnome as recent versions have pulse as a dependency.
Thanks for all the suggestions!
I set xine-ui to use alsa, but that did not solve the problem, so I installed gstreamer from packman. I got no sound from amarok using this. The xine I am using is also from packman, rather than the oS repo.
My motherboard has integrated sound and an ATI chipset. I have FGLRX installed (to get HDMI sound), but the problem was present with the opensource driver as well.
The dmix thing does not seem relevant for me - perhaps I misunderstood the page? Is mine not a problem with phonon?
Oh, and I’m not a new user 
Also, if I change the default sound settings in the KDE system settings, non KDE apps ignore this. Any way of changing this? (I switch between the analogue jack and hdmi a lot)