USB headset problem (Lifechat)

English Hardware
#1

I would appreciate all advice. The problem is: not hearing any sound from USB headset, but only from onboard speakers, when sound is being played. Except in Audacity.

Laptop: Acer Aspire 3614WLCi.
USB headset: Microsoft Lifechat LX-3000 headphones.
Distro: OpenSUSE 11
Onboard sound: works fine.
Headset sound: only works in Audacity so far.

What I’ve done so far:

  • Added generic sound card ‘USB Audio’ to YaST. Made it the primary sound card. Test sound works.
  • Added ‘audio’ to the group permissions in YaST.
  • KMix master channel is PCM, I have ‘Main’ and ‘PCM’ on.
  • I can hear sound and record using the headset in Audacity.
  • Configured Amarok, Kaffeine, etc. to ‘Headphones’ but no luck.

Interestingly, there was a very brief patch when I could hear sound through the headset using Amarok, but I think it was a bug. Amarok was crashing a bit at the time.

Thanks in advance for any assistance,

Kelly

#2

Is there anything in the following thread that might help?
No USB Sound SUSE 11.0 - openSUSE Forums
… I note there is a user with same USB headset.

I don’t have USB headset. If I did, and if I encountered this problem, I would ensure alsa-firmware is installed (reboot after installing it) and then try:

  • boot with USB headset plugged in and check if they work with other applications. … if not, try restarting alsa with: su -c ‘rcalsasound restart’ - enter root password when prompted for a password and test again, and also
  • boot with USB headset NOT plugged in. After boot complete, plug in USB headset and check if it works with other multimedia applications … if not, try restarting alsa with: su -c ‘rcalsasound restart’ - enter root password when prompted for a password and test again.

I would also check my mixer very carefully. I’ve read of pulse audio causing problems here (see above thread that I referenced).

If it were me, I would also install the tsalsa diagnostic script from Packman:
PackMan :: Package details for tsalsa

and then with my PC connected to the internet, run that script by typing: su -c tsalsaYou could try that. It may provide you more information that “might” help you. As I noted, I do not have such a device, so I have no hands on experience.

#3

kellyjones00, I just noticed that was your first post on our forum.

Before I forget, WELCOME to openSUSE Linux, and WELCOME to our forum.

#4

Thanks for your assistance, Oldcpu. No permanent success yet, things are unstable. Here is the update as to what I did, in order:

I went through the advice in the order it appeared in the thread, with these results.

  • Changed output device in Amarok’s Xine engine parameters from autodetect to OSS, and playback device to dev/dsp (no dsp1). Result: Amarok couldn’t find audio drivers. Opened YaST and upgraded Amarok to repair drivers. (I realise this wasn’t coming from you specifically, but thought I’d try it…)

  • Ran the alsa info script:
    http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=a11b10c2a42670e9d0d79103406737993bbfbee9

  • Ran alsaconf as root (but onboard sound was already configured and working, so this effectively only removed my YaST usb-snd-audio card configuration).

  • Ran sound test as described in the suggested thread, which played using onboard sound card (as expected). Checked Kmix and saw that the option to choose Microsoft Lifechat LX3000 had disappeared.

  • cat /etc/modprobe.d/sound showed no usb-audio anymore, also confirmed by YaST Sound configuration page:

alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0
alias sound-slot-0 snd-intel8x0
  • rpm -qa | grep alsa
alsa-utils-1.0.16-35.1
alsa-1.0.16-39.1
alsa-plugins-1.0.16-57.1
alsa-firmware-1.0.16-24.1
alsa-oss-1.0.15-48.1

-rpm -qa | grep pulse

libpulse0-0.9.10-26.5

-rpm -q libasound2

libasound2-1.0.16-39.1

  • Downloaded new alsa packages from multimedia repositories, as suggested by you using zypper. This included a kernel update (to 2.6.25.18.0.2.i586) and two kmp drivers.

  • Rebooted. Temporary success: in Amarok, sound played in the headset by default. Kaffeine, no. Audacity, yes, and also indicated automatically that the playback and mike devices were both OSS: /dev/dsp1. MPlayer, no: it froze, desktop blacked out. Reboot.

  • At this point, I noticed there were now five OS options on booting, instead of three. The two new options end with “pae”. I rebooted to a non-pae failsafe option. Checked Kaffeine: still onboard sound. Amarok the same. Audacity had an error opening sound device.

  • Rebooted to non-failsafe pae. Amarok still using onboard sound.

  • Back to instructions: updated Amarok using Packman repository (1.4.10-100.pm.1), as well as libxine1. Nothing under ‘mad’, so I checked ‘libmad0’ as the closest option. These upgrades automatically included the two alsa-driver-kmp-pae packages (stable and unstable).

  • Checked Amarok - still onboard sound. However, in Audacity, the sound devices were working. Headset could be selected there.

  • Tried to uninstall libpulse as suggested, but a dependency conflict arose with MPlayer, which uses libpulse.so.0

  • Installed the tsalsa package manager as suggested.

  • Ran the tsalsa info script:
    tsalsa.txt - nopaste.com (beta)

  • Regarding your suggestion from this thread: Knowing that alsa-firmware was already installed (this was before using zypper to install packages from multimedia and audio repositories), I restarted rcalsasound with headphones plugged in, then booted without the headset plugged in. Then replugged, and checked multimedia apps… without success.

I have the inkling that the repository updating of alsa packages may have been the key to getting the headphones to work.

However, I haven’t checked the mixer settings carefully, so this might be the next step if you cannot see any obvious issues with my problem-solving steps so far.

Thanks again for the patient scrutinising,

Kelly

#5

Ok, you have had some success, but not yet to your satisfaction. Again, note I do not have any USB headphone devices, so I can only review your comments and critique, so please accept my apologies if my comments don’t appear as helpful as you need and would like. I’m doing my best :slight_smile:

This is what an /etc/modprobe.d/sound file looks like when you ran “alsaconf” to configure. If one runs YaST > Hardware > Sound, one gets a different file content.

Ok, I note this is an OLD rpm information on your alsa installation.

Two kmp drivers? Suggested by me ?? I don’t ever recall asking anyone, on any thread, to install two alsa-kmp drivers. Nor do I recall asking you on this thread that you update your alsa (still, I do not think updating alsa will hurt, if done correctly - but installing two alsa-kmp drivers can lead to all sorts of problems ).

I need to see what you installed. So please provide the output of:
rpm -qa | grep alsa
rpm -q libasound2
uname -a

I have a problem with your reboot descriptions. Unless I know if your headphone was plugged in during the reboot, or not plugged in (but rather plugged in AFTER the reboot), your descriptions don’t really help me at all in even guessing at your headphone problem. I need to know that piece of information. With my having no experience in this, that piece of information is vital. I don’t know enough to deduce what you did.

This means you updated your kernel in the middle of installing. Possibly because you installed the wrong alsa-kmp module (ie installed 2, where I NEVER recommend installing two) and you ended up with two different kernels installed. Consider yourself lucky you can even boot :slight_smile: …

I think you should post here the contents of your /boot/grub/menu.lst file. You will need root permissions to open that file. Do NOT change anything in that file, unless you really know what you are doing.

I’m lost here as to where your problem lay. I do note from the script you do NOT have the proper alsa driver installed per your kernel, but I can not tell exactly what you have done, without knowing:
a. what kernel you booted to, and
b. what your /boot/grub/menu.lst file looks like
c. what alsa rpms you have installed.
d. what your audio behaviour is when you boot and also restart alsa, and I must know (when booting and restarting alsa) if your USB device is plugged in or not plugged in.

Best wishes, and my apologies that I can not help much here.

#6

Success. Thanks to oldcpu and my oldcpu (my old brain)…

When I wrote yesterday “Rebooted to non-failsafe pae. Amarok still using onboard sound”, the truth was that I rebooted to the non-failsafe non-pae kernel. That is, after installing new repositories with new alsa packages, I ignored them (by choosing the old default kernel) - this is my theory as to why I still had onboard sound playing yesterday. This morning, without my interference, the laptop went by default to the new non-failsafe pae kernel, and everything works to my satisfaction.

Note, headset is always plugged in. It was unplugged only once, early in the proceedings yesterday as recorded in my post.

Here is the information to help test my theory:

The repositories listed in YaST are:

Main (NON-OSS),
Main (OSS),
openSUSE-11.0-Updates,
Packman (pacific mirror site). Also skynet.be is listed (might delete it)
Multimedia (openSUSE’s audio KMP)

uname -a

Linux linex-0fba 2.6.25.18-0.2-pae #1 SMP 2008-10-21 16:30:26 +0200 i686 i586 i386 GNU/Linux

rpm -qa | grep alsa

tsalsa-20080914-0.pm.1
alsa-plugins-1.0.16-57.1
alsa-firmware-1.0.17.git20080617-2.1
alsa-tools-1.0.18.git20081030-1.1
alsa-utils-1.0.18.git20081031-2.1
alsa-driver-kmp-pae-1.0.18.20081111_2.6.25.5_1.1-1.1
alsa-driver-kmp-default-1.0.1.8.20081111_2.6.25.5_1.1-1.1
alsa-driver-unstable-kmp-pae-1.0.18.20081110_2.6.25.5_1.1-3.1
alsa-driver-unstable-kmp-default-1.0.18.20081111_2.6.25.5_1.1-1.1
alsa-oss-1.0.15-48.1
alsa-1.0.18.git20081030-1.1

That was typed but I triple-checked for accuracy. What do you think about having two kmp drivers (one default, one pae), then two unstable versions of both?

rpm -q libasound2

libasound2-1.0.18.git20081030-1.1

Other information:

Amarok, Kaffeine, MPlayer: headset plays sound by default.
Audacity: onboard speakers play sound by default.

Audacity lists sound devices by default in this way:

OSS: /dev/dsp1 (speaker)
OSS: /dev/dsp (microphone)

Using the dropdown menu, select “ALSA default”, and sound comes through the headset instead. (Sound levels very good, unlike yesterday).

KMix shows Auto Gain Control is off.

Kelly: - Downloaded new alsa packages from multimedia repositories, as suggested by you using zypper. This included a kernel update (to 2.6.25.18.0.2.i586) and two kmp drivers.

oldcpu: Two kmp drivers? Suggested by me ?? I don’t ever recall asking anyone, on any thread, to install two alsa-kmp drivers. Nor do I recall asking you on this thread that you update your alsa (still, I do not think updating alsa will hurt, if done correctly - but installing two alsa-kmp drivers can lead to all sorts of problems ).

Right, you did not suggest this at all. You suggested seeing if there was anything helpful in the thread you linked me to, with plenty of warnings that it “might” be helpful. Apologies for my sloppiness, but I am glad you did link me to that thread!

Here is the /boot/grub/menu.lst where it shows the non-pae kernels as the default (which I thought was not the case):

# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Tue Nov 11 22:41:12 EST 2008
default 2
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd0,1)/boot/message
##YaST - activate

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 11.0 - 2.5.25.18-0.2 (default)
   root (hd0,1)
   kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.18-0.2-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_WDC_WD400UE-22H_WD-WXE306391252-part2 resume=/dev/sda1 splash=silent showopts vga=0x361
   initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.18-0.2-default

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.18-0.2 (default)
   root (hd0,1)
   kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.18-0.2-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_WDC_WD400UE-22H_WD-WXE306391252-part2 showopts ide-nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 edd=off x11failsafe vga=0x361
   initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.18-0.2-default

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.18-0.2 (pae)
   root (hd0,1)
   kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.18-0.2-pae root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_WDC_WD400UE-22H_WD-WXE306391252-part2 resume=/dev/sda1 splash=silent showopts vga=0x361
   initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.18-0.2-pae

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.18-0.2 (pae)
   root (hd0,1)
   kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.25.18-0.2-pae root=/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-SATA_WDC_WD400UE-22H_WD-WXE306391252-part2 showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 edd=off x11failsafe vga=0x361
   initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.25.18-0.2-pae

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
   rootnoverify (hd0,1)
   chainloader (hd1,0)+1

Kelly

#7

I forgot to add, MPlayer works, but an error message flashes repeatedly rapidly while playing:

[AO-ALSA] Unable to find simpmle control ‘PCM’,0.

Also, I have yet to test the headset in Skype.

#8

Great! Congratulations.

One of these days I have to get a USB headset, so I can give good advice, instead of my random ramblings. … Glad to read you were able to put things together and sort this out.

Wow! I am stunned this works at all. … But hey, if it works, then it works.

You have learned something very neat here (that took me over 6 years, before I learned this) which is you can have multiple kernels, and can boot to either one. This means with careful planning, one can often test a different kernel for compatibility, and then go back to the old kernel if one wishes.

Of course, if a driver is built for a specific kernel, then the driver may not work for the “other” kernel.

Now IF you find yourself ALWAYS having to boot to a specific kernel (say the pae kernel) then what you could do is make a backup copy of your “menu.lst” file, and then VERY CAREFULLY edit the exiting one, removing the section for the kernel that you do not use. Or alternatively, you can go into the appropriate section in YaST and have YaST make that edit (being certain to backup the menu.lst BEFORE going into YaST and being certain to check the contents of the menu.lst AFTER YaST makes its edits). … But I confess when it comes to the menu.lst, at my level of knowledge, I am more afraid of what YaST might do than I am afraid of my own edits.

#9

Things are sufficiently weird to justify another post.

There is definitely some connection between the alsa packages and which kernel is booted to, but I haven’t worked that out exactly yet. It would explain why four different alsa drivers can be installed and sound still works.

This is the issue:

non-pae kernel is listed as ‘default’ in menu.lst
pae kernel is automatically highlighted in grub menu

One intuitively thinks that the highlighted option is automatically loaded, not the one that says ‘default’. What do you think?

When selecting kernel options:

  • Selecting non-pae > uses onboard speakers.
  • Selecting pae > also uses onboard speakers.
  • Not selecting anything > uses headset.

Do you know how to change the kernel option that is highlighted in the grub menu? If I knew that, then perhaps I would have a clue about which kernel is being booted.

In turn, that would show whether it is a pae alsa driver that is being used for the headset.

Thanks again for the problem-solving help,

(Aside: Skype is running and no probs with headset there. MPlayer is still showing the error message, but I shall postpone that, it’s not important).

Kelly

#10

In your case the 3rd boot in the list will be the default. Note because you have installed multiple kernels by a non-standard method, you have two labelled as default, when in fact only the 3rd is the default. You can tell that, as the default is specified in the 1st non-commented line (the second actual line) of the menu.lst file, where the counting starts from 0. For example, on my PC, I have “default 0” in that first line.

This means your default kernel is openSUSE 11.0 - 2.6.25.18-0.2 (pae).

Note you have a choice for two pae. There is the nominal pae, but there is also failsafe pae. Since you have multiple drivers installed, the behavior is unpredictable.

Yes, just push on your up and down arrow. It shows what is being selected. It should start with the default selection, … ie in your case the 3rd.

If you wish to change the order of presentation you can either edit the file (not recommended for newbies) or as a newbie go into YaST > System > Boot Loader and study the GUI there. Since one is refering to one’s boot, do NOT mess around too much , as you could destroy your ability to boot.

Speaking of booting, ensure you keep your original installation CD/DVD as that is your rescue CD/DVD. In addition to keeping an openSUSE liveCD, I also keep a Knoppix, sidux and kannotix live CD lying around, for use as a rescue CD, in case I borque my boot loader (its been over a year since that last happened to me).

Glad Skype is working for you, as I never use it and could not provide any hints there. We have some MPlayer experts on this forum (I’m not one) who can help with MPlayer.

Kelly[/QUOTE]

#11

Confirmation:

The Lifechat headset uses BOTH of these alsa drivers:

alsa-driver-kmp-pae-1.0.18.20081111_2.6.25.5_1.1-1.1
alsa-driver-unstable-kmp-pae-1.0.18.20081110_2.6.25.5_1.1-3.1

And obviously, it uses the PAE kernel (Physical Addressing Extensions).

I’ve deleted the other two alsa-drivers. Also, removed kernel-default from menu.lst but didn’t delete the actual software as it may become handy sometime.

Everything working as desired.

It’s suggested to remove the multimedia repositories (KMP, audio) after getting the necessary updates, as they might be updated again, even though they work fine!

Thanks to whoever wrote those files.

Kelly