Re: snd_hda(4): getting line-in to work

On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 11:11 AM, Alexander Motin <mav_at_freebsd.org> wrote:
> Garrett Cooper wrote:
>>
>>    Ok, I got stuck again. Can you possibly push me in the right
>> direction (complete verbose dmesg attached)? The line-in and SPDIF
>> (not so much of a concern) are the only issues that I'm aware of. I'll
>> have to open up my case and wire up the front ports in order to test
>> them for you.
>
> Ok. Let's stop for a moment and start from the beginning, because now it is
> already like a puzzle for me too. Let me explain once more what I see you
> have and then you explain me where is your problem.
>
> You have 3 PCM devices configured:
> - pcm0: 7.1 playback via 4 rear jacks (Green, Black, Orange and Grey) +
> record from mic (front Pink), line (rear Blue), monitor (second mic, rear
> Pink), cd (internal Black) or mix (sum of all these).
> - pcm1: stereo playback via front Green jack.
> - pcm2: SPDIF output
>
> As for me, this configuration is correct and good enough. You can record
> from your line-in via pcm0 after selecting that source via `mixer =rec line`
> command. You can playback via SPDIF by using pcm2 device.
>
> So what's wrong? What are you doing and what is not working and how?

Ok, just checking my sanity, I started swapping around the plugs in
the back, checking my connections, etc. I tried my mic, worked (the
gain was a bit small, sound was _really_ distorted), then switched
back to my line-in and sure enough, it now works :D.

What changed since yesterday:
- I hadn't set mixer_enable="YES" in rc.conf. This brought up a LOT
more channels and options than I had originally.
- Rebooted the machine with fixed device.hints (unchanged from the default :P).
- I changed the volume for mix from 0:0 to 30:30.

My summary (experience) thus far:

So far the driver functions as expected, but the frequency response
seems a bit off for the output -- it's really focused around the vocal
range (the lower 3 frequencies on the audacity, iTunes, xmms equalizer
-- forget the frequencies).

It's not so bad with PCM sound, but It's really off with Line-in /
Mic. Any hints or hacking I can do to adjust the voltage levels sent
to the ADC's in the hardware?

>>    Also, the knobs that show up in xfce4-mixer are completely useless
>> for snd_hda(4) (every time I move the sliders it sets the volume back
>> to 0). Is this a known issue?
>
> You are the first.

oss was complaining about a `unable to open mixer recording device:
bad file descriptor' whenever I try and set the mixer levels by
opening it up directly from the GUI. Interestingly enough when I
opened up the mixer from an xterm, it worked 0-o.. However, I just
toasted ~/.config/xfce4/mixer/* and now it works, so apparently it was
bad cached preferences.

Thanks!
-Garrett