[gentoo-user] Sound card drivers must be modules?

>> I'm trying to configure my laptop's internal sound card and external
>> USB sound card.  I have /etc/modprobe.d/alsa.conf:
>>
>> alias snd-card-0 snd-hda-intel
>> options snd-hda-intel index=0
>>
>> alias snd-card-1 snd-usb-audio
>> options snd-usb-audio index=1
>>
>> and restarting alsasound I get:
>>
>> WARNING: Module snd_hda_intel not found.
>> WARNING: Module snd_usb_audio not found.
>>
>> Do I have to compile both drivers as modules in order to use them both?
>
> For the built-in chip, no.

But I get the warning about "Module snd_hda_intel not found" which is
the built-in chip.

- Grant


> For the USB card, not if you have it plugged in at boot time.  But better
> build this one as a module since USB devices can be plugged in and out at
> random.

On 11/04/2009 09:30 AM, Grant wrote:
>>> But I get the warning about "Module snd_hda_intel not found" which is
>>> the built-in chip.
>>
>> That's because you don't have that module, it's built into the kernel.
>> This also means the the options lines in alsa.conf will not do anything.
>
> OK, so I need to build them as modules, or I need to change those
> lines in alsa.conf? If I can avoid building them as modules I'd like
> to. How can those lines be written when the drivers are built into
> the kernel?

This is from /etc/conf.d/alsasound:

# LOAD_ON_START:
# Do you want to load sound modules when alsasound starts?
# Note: The Gentoo ALSA developers encourage you to build your sound
# drivers into the kernel unless the device is hotpluggable or
# you need to supply specific options (such as model= to HD-Audio).
# no - Do not load modules
# yes - Load modules
LOAD_ON_START="yes"

I've never had a hot-pluggable sound card, so I can only guess whether
hald would somehow load that sound module for you.

So say LOAD_ON_START="no", compile the on-board sound driver into the
kernel and do the other one as a module -- and let us know if it works
when you plug it in )

>> But I get the warning about "Module snd_hda_intel not found" which is
>> the built-in chip.
>
> That's because you don't have that module, it's built into the kernel.
> This also means the the options lines in alsa.conf will not do anything.

OK, so I need to build them as modules, or I need to change those
lines in alsa.conf? If I can avoid building them as modules I'd like
to. How can those lines be written when the drivers are built into
the kernel?

- Grant

On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 11:30 AM, Grant <emailgrant DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:
>>> But I get the warning about "Module snd_hda_intel not found" which is
>>> the built-in chip.
>>
>> That's because you don't have that module, it's built into the kernel.
>> This also means the the options lines in alsa.conf will not do anything.
>
> OK, so I need to build them as modules, or I need to change those
> lines in alsa.conf?  If I can avoid building them as modules I'd like
> to.  How can those lines be written when the drivers are built into
> the kernel?

You pass the parameters in the kernel boot line. For examen, in my
grub.conf I have:

title Gentoo Linux (linux-2.6.31.5)
root (hd0,3)
kernel /boot/kernel-2.6.31.5 root=/dev/sda4 quiet udev
splash=silent,fadein,theme:natural_gentoo CONSOLE=/dev/tty1
iwlagn.swcrypto=1 snd-hda-intel.model=basic
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.31.5

I have two parameters for my built-in modules: for the iwlagn module,
the parameter swcrypto=1, and for the snd-hda-intel the parameter
model= basic. In general, for a built-in module called "module", you
pass the parameter "parm" with value "val" this way:

module.parm=val

As of now, in my laptop I have *all* my modules built-in. In other
machines, I have modules where there is no other option (like nvidia
drivers, LIRC, ndiswrapper, stuff like that).

Good luck.
--
Canek Peláez Valdés
Instituto de Matemáticas
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

On Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 9:53 AM, Valmor de Almeida <val.gentoo.TakeThisOut@gmail.com> wrote:
> Canek Peláez Valdés wrote:
>> On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 11:30 AM, Grant <emailgrant.TakeThisOut@gmail.com> wrote:
> ...[snip]...
>>
>> As of now, in my laptop I have *all* my modules built-in. In other
>> machines, I have modules where there is no other option (like nvidia
>> drivers, LIRC, ndiswrapper, stuff like that).
>>
>> Good luck.
>
> Just curious. Are you able to play an adobe flash video with audio using
>  a flash firefox plugin? (if you have it installed by any chance).

Indeed I am able. Not only that; I also have PulseAudio running (and
loving it) in all my machines. Flash, MPlayer and all the GStreamer
applications work without a hitch.

Also, in my laptop (amd64 with Intel Core2 Duo) I don't have any
emul-linux-* package; both Firefox and the Flash plugin (I use
www-plugins/adobe-flash) are the 64bit versions.

Regards.
--
Canek Peláez Valdés
Instituto de Matemáticas
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Canek Peláez Valdés wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 9:25 AM, Grant <emailgrant RemoveThis @gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>>>>> But I get the warning about "Module snd_hda_intel not found" which is
>>>>>> the built-in chip.
>>>>>>
>>>>> That's because you don't have that module, it's built into the kernel.
>>>>> This also means the the options lines in alsa.conf will not do anything.
>>>>>
>>>> OK, so I need to build them as modules, or I need to change those
>>>> lines in alsa.conf? If I can avoid building them as modules I'd like
>>>> to. How can those lines be written when the drivers are built into
>>>> the kernel?
>>>>
>>> This is from /etc/conf.d/alsasound:
>>>
>>> # LOAD_ON_START:
>>> # Do you want to load sound modules when alsasound starts?
>>> # Note: The Gentoo ALSA developers encourage you to build your sound
>>> # drivers into the kernel unless the device is hotpluggable or
>>> # you need to supply specific options (such as model= to HD-Audio).
>>> # no - Do not load modules
>>> # yes - Load modules
>>> LOAD_ON_START="yes"
>>>
>>> I've never had a hot-pluggable sound card, so I can only guess whether
>>> hald would somehow load that sound module for you.
>>>
>>> So say LOAD_ON_START="no", compile the on-board sound driver into the
>>> kernel and do the other one as a module -- and let us know if it works
>>> when you plug it in )
>>>
>> Thanks, I will try that right away. Is it necessary for me to keep
>> the USB sound driver as a module since it could be plugged in or not?
>> I can't build that one in too?
>>
>
> Of course you can. If the module is not being used (i.e., the USB card
> is not connected), it barely uses resources. In my desktop I have the
> gspca webcam module built-in, even if my webcam is not connected all
> the time. The same thing with things like USB gamepads.
>
> Regards.
>

I agree. I have USB stuff and I don't use any modules except the nvidia
driver. Modules are I think a handy when you need to switch things on
and off but I have never used a module except to test a driver to see
which driver I need. Even then I go back and compile it in.

Dale

On 5 Nov, Canek Peláez Valdés wrote:
....
> Also, in my laptop (amd64 with Intel Core2 Duo) I don't have any
> emul-linux-* package; both Firefox and the Flash plugin (I use
> www-plugins/adobe-flash) are the 64bit versions.

Then you have built firefox from source? Or is there a 64 bit version
of mozilla-firefox-bin around?

Thanks,
Helmut.

--
Helmut Jarausch

Lehrstuhl fuer Numerische Mathematik
RWTH - Aachen University
D 52056 Aachen, Germany

On Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 9:25 AM, Grant <emailgrant.RemoveThis@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> But I get the warning about "Module snd_hda_intel not found" which is
>>>>> the built-in chip.
>>>>
>>>> That's because you don't have that module, it's built into the kernel.
>>>> This also means the the options lines in alsa.conf will not do anything.
>>>
>>> OK, so I need to build them as modules, or I need to change those
>>> lines in alsa.conf?  If I can avoid building them as modules I'd like
>>> to.  How can those lines be written when the drivers are built into
>>> the kernel?
>>
>> This is from /etc/conf.d/alsasound:
>>
>> # LOAD_ON_START:
>> # Do you want to load sound modules when alsasound starts?
>> # Note: The Gentoo ALSA developers encourage you to build your sound
>> #       drivers into the kernel unless the device is hotpluggable or
>> #       you need to supply specific options (such as model= to HD-Audio).
>> # no - Do not load modules
>> # yes - Load modules
>> LOAD_ON_START="yes"
>>
>> I've never had a hot-pluggable sound card, so I can only guess whether
>> hald would somehow load that sound module for you.
>>
>> So say LOAD_ON_START="no", compile the on-board sound driver into the
>> kernel and do the other one as a module -- and let us know if it works
>> when you plug it in )
>
> Thanks, I will try that right away.  Is it necessary for me to keep
> the USB sound driver as a module since it could be plugged in or not?
> I can't build that one in too?

Of course you can. If the module is not being used (i.e., the USB card
is not connected), it barely uses resources. In my desktop I have the
gspca webcam module built-in, even if my webcam is not connected all
the time. The same thing with things like USB gamepads.

Regards.
--
Canek Peláez Valdés
Instituto de Matemáticas
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

>>>> But I get the warning about "Module snd_hda_intel not found" which is
>>>> the built-in chip.
>>>
>>> That's because you don't have that module, it's built into the kernel.
>>> This also means the the options lines in alsa.conf will not do anything..
>>
>> OK, so I need to build them as modules, or I need to change those
>> lines in alsa.conf?  If I can avoid building them as modules I'd like
>> to.  How can those lines be written when the drivers are built into
>> the kernel?
>
> This is from /etc/conf.d/alsasound:
>
> # LOAD_ON_START:
> # Do you want to load sound modules when alsasound starts?
> # Note: The Gentoo ALSA developers encourage you to build your sound
> #       drivers into the kernel unless the device is hotpluggable or
> #       you need to supply specific options (such as model= to HD-Audio).
> # no - Do not load modules
> # yes - Load modules
> LOAD_ON_START="yes"
>
> I've never had a hot-pluggable sound card, so I can only guess whether
> hald would somehow load that sound module for you.
>
> So say LOAD_ON_START="no", compile the on-board sound driver into the
> kernel and do the other one as a module -- and let us know if it works
> when you plug it in )

Thanks, I will try that right away. Is it necessary for me to keep
the USB sound driver as a module since it could be plugged in or not?
I can't build that one in too?

- Grant

Canek Peláez Valdés wrote:
> On Wed, Nov 4, 2009 at 11:30 AM, Grant <emailgrant.RemoveThis@gmail.com> wrote:
....[snip]...
>
> As of now, in my laptop I have *all* my modules built-in. In other
> machines, I have modules where there is no other option (like nvidia
> drivers, LIRC, ndiswrapper, stuff like that).
>
> Good luck.

Just curious. Are you able to play an adobe flash video with audio using
a flash firefox plugin? (if you have it installed by any chance).

Thanks,

--
Valmor

On Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 10:13 AM, Dale <rdalek1967 DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:
> Canek Peláez Valdés wrote:
>> On Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 9:25 AM, Grant <emailgrant DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>>>>> But I get the warning about "Module snd_hda_intel not found" which is
>>>>>>> the built-in chip.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> That's because you don't have that module, it's built into the kernel.
>>>>>> This also means the the options lines in alsa.conf will not do anything.
>>>>>>
>>>>> OK, so I need to build them as modules, or I need to change those
>>>>> lines in alsa.conf? If I can avoid building them as modules I'd like
>>>>> to. How can those lines be written when the drivers are built into
>>>>> the kernel?
>>>>>
>>>> This is from /etc/conf.d/alsasound:
>>>>
>>>> # LOAD_ON_START:
>>>> # Do you want to load sound modules when alsasound starts?
>>>> # Note: The Gentoo ALSA developers encourage you to build your sound
>>>> # drivers into the kernel unless the device is hotpluggable or
>>>> # you need to supply specific options (such as model= to HD-Audio).
>>>> # no - Do not load modules
>>>> # yes - Load modules
>>>> LOAD_ON_START="yes"
>>>>
>>>> I've never had a hot-pluggable sound card, so I can only guess whether
>>>> hald would somehow load that sound module for you.
>>>>
>>>> So say LOAD_ON_START="no", compile the on-board sound driver into the
>>>> kernel and do the other one as a module -- and let us know if it works
>>>> when you plug it in )
>>>>
>>> Thanks, I will try that right away. Is it necessary for me to keep
>>> the USB sound driver as a module since it could be plugged in or not?
>>> I can't build that one in too?
>>>
>>
>> Of course you can. If the module is not being used (i.e., the USB card
>> is not connected), it barely uses resources. In my desktop I have the
>> gspca webcam module built-in, even if my webcam is not connected all
>> the time. The same thing with things like USB gamepads.
>>
>> Regards.
>>
>
> I agree. I have USB stuff and I don't use any modules except the nvidia
> driver. Modules are I think a handy when you need to switch things on
> and off but I have never used a module except to test a driver to see
> which driver I need. Even then I go back and compile it in.

I'm the opposite, I prefer to do everything as a module when possible
(except for a few core drivers required to be built-in for booting).
Trying different models for alsa hda-intel module would have been no
fun if i had to reboot every time. rmmod and modprobe is so much
faster.

Paul Hartman wrote:
> On Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 10:13 AM, Dale <rdalek1967.TakeThisOut@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Canek Peláez Valdés wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 9:25 AM, Grant <emailgrant.TakeThisOut@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>>>>> But I get the warning about "Module snd_hda_intel not found" which is
>>>>>>>> the built-in chip.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That's because you don't have that module, it's built into the kernel.
>>>>>>> This also means the the options lines in alsa.conf will not do anything.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> OK, so I need to build them as modules, or I need to change those
>>>>>> lines in alsa.conf? If I can avoid building them as modules I'd like
>>>>>> to. How can those lines be written when the drivers are built into
>>>>>> the kernel?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> This is from /etc/conf.d/alsasound:
>>>>>
>>>>> # LOAD_ON_START:
>>>>> # Do you want to load sound modules when alsasound starts?
>>>>> # Note: The Gentoo ALSA developers encourage you to build your sound
>>>>> # drivers into the kernel unless the device is hotpluggable or
>>>>> # you need to supply specific options (such as model= to HD-Audio).
>>>>> # no - Do not load modules
>>>>> # yes - Load modules
>>>>> LOAD_ON_START="yes"
>>>>>
>>>>> I've never had a hot-pluggable sound card, so I can only guess whether
>>>>> hald would somehow load that sound module for you.
>>>>>
>>>>> So say LOAD_ON_START="no", compile the on-board sound driver into the
>>>>> kernel and do the other one as a module -- and let us know if it works
>>>>> when you plug it in )
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>> Thanks, I will try that right away. Is it necessary for me to keep
>>>> the USB sound driver as a module since it could be plugged in or not?
>>>> I can't build that one in too?
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Of course you can. If the module is not being used (i.e., the USB card
>>> is not connected), it barely uses resources. In my desktop I have the
>>> gspca webcam module built-in, even if my webcam is not connected all
>>> the time. The same thing with things like USB gamepads.
>>>
>>> Regards.
>>>
>>>
>> I agree. I have USB stuff and I don't use any modules except the nvidia
>> driver. Modules are I think a handy when you need to switch things on
>> and off but I have never used a module except to test a driver to see
>> which driver I need. Even then I go back and compile it in.
>>
>
> I'm the opposite, I prefer to do everything as a module when possible
> (except for a few core drivers required to be built-in for booting).
> Trying different models for alsa hda-intel module would have been no
> fun if i had to reboot every time. rmmod and modprobe is so much
> faster.
>
>

That is why I said I have used them to test a driver to see if it works
or not. It is easier to test them that way but once you find the right
one, you don't need it to be a module unless you have some reason to
change them from time to time and don't want to reboot.

Either way works tho.

Dale

On Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 10:06 AM, Helmut Jarausch
<jarausch RemoveThis @igpm.rwth-aachen.de> wrote:
> On  5 Nov, Canek Peláez Valdés wrote:
> ...
>> Also, in my laptop (amd64 with Intel Core2 Duo) I don't have any
>> emul-linux-* package; both Firefox and the Flash plugin (I use
>> www-plugins/adobe-flash) are the 64bit versions.
>
> Then you have built firefox from source?  Or is there a 64 bit version
> of mozilla-firefox-bin around?

I compile firefox. And OpenOffice

Regards.
--
Canek Peláez Valdés
Instituto de Matemáticas
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México