2 part sound problem.

[dougmack]

I have two problems (maybe more, but principally 2). First, while trying to get sound to record in Kamoso, I installed Pulse Audio, as per a previous
post to this column.  It did not solve the problem. Futzing around with it, I finally got to the point where I had no sound at all, so I deleted P/A.
Still no sound--I don't know what happened to Alsa, but I reinstalled P/A, and now I had sound. On the screen I have Pulse Audio Volume Control, and AlsaMixer Gui. In the meantime, I had installed AlsMixer Gui, but that didn't bring back sound.  Now P/A is still there, and so is AlsaMixer. I have a bunch of sound things installed, but now I have no volume control. (Sound is full blast all the time, except if I use the volume slider on the Youtube screen.) If I try to use the master volume in AlsaMixer, as soon as I take it off max, it starts to stutter.  I am posting a list here of what is installed, not including libraries.  For hardware, see second problem, below.

List of installed sound-related files, excluding libraries present on Linux1. (Name of machine.)

alsa entries (5)
aoss
aubio
audacity 2.0.0-1 plclinux
audiokonverter
aumix-text
clementine
emagic-firmware
esound
faac
faad2
ffmpeg
flac
flash-player plugin
gstreamer (31)
lame
lame-mp3x
____________
libraries
____________
mpg123
pavucontrol
phonon-vlc
phonon-xine
pulseaudio (9; not bluetooth)
RealPlayer
RealPlayer-rpnp
sound-scripts
soundwrapper
vlc (30)
vorbis-tools
wavpack

The second problem:  I am trying to use Audacity to record from YouTube.  I have NEVER made Audacity work, on Windows or Linux, and my record
is 100%.  I have the latest version of the file, 2.0.0 from the repo.  I don't know if the problem is with built-in audio, but I have a similar but different
problem in Windows. In Linux,  I get an error: Error while opening sound device. Please check the inut device settings and the project sample rate.
I have it set for OSS (whatever that is) and dev/dsp both record and playback, and channels: 2 stereo.  In Windows, I get something like can't
find playback device, but it doesn't record there either.
Here's the setup on the Linux machine, running PCLOS, latest, updated to yesterday.

Sound information from Foxconn G41MXE Series Motherboard specification:

Audio Realtek 6-channel audio chip (G41MXE)
     Realtek 8-channel audio chip (G41MXE-K)
     High Definition Audio
     2/4/5.1/7.1-channel
     Support for S/PDIF out
     Support Jack-Sensing function

Sound information from lshw:

*-multimedia
                description: Audio device
                product: GF116 High Definition Audio Controller
                vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
                physical id: 0.1
                bus info: pci@0000:01:00.1
                version: a1
                width: 32 bits
                clock: 33MHz
                capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
                configuration: driver=HDA Intel latency=0
                resources: irq:17 memory:fe97c000-fe97ffff
        *-multimedia
             description: Audio device
             product: N10/ICH 7 Family High Definition Audio Controller
             vendor: Intel Corporation
             physical id: 1b
             bus info: pci@0000:00:1b.0
             version: 01
             width: 64 bits
             clock: 33MHz
             capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
             configuration: driver=HDA Intel latency=0
             resources: irq:44 memory:fbffc000-fbffffff

Finally, I really need to get a volume control working.  If I'm not going to get any help or use from P/A, (it did show me that the mic on the webcam works, even tho Kamoso would not record audio for me) then I'd like to get rid of it--it's too easy to get into a situation where there is no sound
at all, and no obvious way to get back.  Second, I'd really like to get Audacity to record from internal sound source--i.e., YouTube, and any other
video file I might find. Third, if that's hopeless, then just let me go back to the sound setup as it was when I installed PCLOS.  Apparently that
uses KMix to control Alsa.

I realize that this is a humongous mess, but I have done everything I know how to extricate myself, and at this point, I am well beyond my
capabilities.  All inputs gratefully accepted! 
(Please advise if this is too much data to post on the forum; I could have put the two data lists on Pastebin, I think.  I've never used it before, but I think it would work). 
--doug

[Just17]

While you have PulseAudio installed AND enabled in PCC - Hardware ......

launch PulseAudio Volume Control and use the sliders in that to set the volume/s

Also use its controls to ensure that any devices you require are not disabled on the Configuration tab.

Kmix should alter the volume, just as PA Vol Control does.
You may have to alter the Master Volume Control in Kmix .... right click & Select Master Channel.

Still with PA enabled, try setting Audacity to use PulseAudio ....  the alternative would be Alsa.

With those sorted, a recap of the situation would be in order.

BTW .....  I never use Audacity to record ...  my experience with it is nearly as good as yours! 

I install gnome-media and use the Gnome Recorder to do all the recordings.
I use PA to ensure I am recording from the correct source.

I hope that sorts out some of the difficulties.

[dougmack]

Did what you said: Now I have no sound at all. In P/A volume control, all the slider I can see are up at least half way.  Under Configuration I have
GF116 High Definition Audio Controller Profile: Digital Stereo (HDMI) output; Internal Audio Profile: Digital Stereo Duplex (IEC958).
This is what I meant by saying that it is easy to get P/A so no sound comes out.

As to Gnome Recorder--I installed Gnome Media but I do not find that file anywhere, nor do I find Gnome Recorder.  Using Kfind GUI "Find files and folders"

Thanx for the input--P/A was NOT enabled, but now is.  But the sound now ain't! Now what?

--doug
 

[Just17]

If you have no device connected to the HDMI port, then disable that connection in PA Config.

If your speakers are not digitally connected to the sound card then select Analogue Stereo and not Digital for the sound card setting, again under PA Config.

Play an audio file with something like VLC (play continuously - loop it), and check the volumes on the tabs for VLC, and also check that the sound is being sent to the correct device, on the Playback tab.

[dougmack]

I forget where that setup was.  I went to Configure Your Computer>Sound and was given the opportunity to choose Pulse or Alsa, so I chose
Alsa, and now the sound works again, and the volume control in the little speaker icon on the task bar works--I guess that's KMix-- and I will
never mess with Pulse Audio again!  This is the third time I've been burned by it!

I had not heard of vlc, that I remember, so looked it up with 'man'--looks like it might be useful.  Looks like it's command line only, but that's OK
by me, I'm not afraid of the command line.  (I wish there was a documented command line interface in Windows. W7 drives me crazy!)

Now where is the Gnome recorder?  If it will run on Alsa, I'd like to try it out.

Thanx for all the inputs, guys!  --doug

[djohnston]

Look in Synaptic for the vlc package. It can be run from the command line, but most people use the GUI.

[dougmack]

I didn't realize that I have vlc installed--all umpteen versions of it!  But I thought it was just for video.  Have to look further into it.  Thanx!

--doug

[Just17]

There is not much point enabling PulseAudio unless you are going to use the GUI tools provided to configure it for your set up.
Seems you are best to stick with plain Alsa.


gnome-sound-recorder  is the recording utility.

[dougmack]

Of course I realize that Gnome recorder, or Gnome Sound Recorder is a recording facility, but it does not appear in the repos.  So where is it?

--doug

[Just17]

Of course I realize that Gnome recorder, or Gnome Sound Recorder is a recording facility, but it does not appear in the repos.  So where is it?

--doug

install   gnome-media

[dougmack]

OK, thank you.  I had already installed gnome-media, based on one of the earlier answers, but I was looking for the wron file name.
I have found it, in the Menu under Sound>Sound Recorder.  I guess it should have been obvious, but maybe I had to reboot before it
showed up--I had to do that when I dumped PuleAudio, which I just did a little while ago.

I'm going to try it out a bit later and see if it does anything for me.  I'll keep this thread posted.

--doug

[dougmack]

Posted, as promised:  I am now using Alsa, as I said I would.  I have Gnome Sound recorder installed.  Tried to record from YouTube, all three
possibilities in that recorder (digital, Capture, Capture1) and nothing recorded. I may feed a tape recorder into LineIn and see if anything records. 
I don't know what that would tell me. . . .  I may have to go to Windows and buy something that promises to record off the Internet. At least if it
doesn't work, I can call the credit card company and tell them not to pay!   

So, NOT SOLVED.

Thanx anyway--doug