VortexBox player losing settings and sound cards moving

**minimivic** · 07-03-2012, 12:16 PM

New user of Vortexbox, but have done a lot or reading and still cant solve a problem, Also new to Linux so stick with me.
Built a vortexbox using an Old PC (Athlon based) and an AP24/96 sound card and got it working fine.
I have these settings in player
ALSA device list
0 [SB ]: HDA-Intel - HDA ATI SB
HDA ATI SB at 0xfe020000 irq 43
1 [M2496 ]: ICE1712 - M Audio Audiophile 24/96
M Audio Audiophile 24/96 at 0xcf00, irq 21
2 [NVidia ]: HDA-Intel - HDA NVidia
HDA NVidia at 0xfcffc000 irq 19

List of audio device ports
1: : sequencer
2: [ 0- 2]: digital audio capture
3: [ 0- 1]: digital audio playback
4: [ 0- 0]: digital audio playback
5: [ 0- 0]: digital audio capture
6: [ 0- 0]: hardware dependent
7: [ 0] : control
8: [ 1- 0]: raw midi
9: [ 1- 0]: digital audio playback
10: [ 1- 0]: digital audio capture
11: [ 1] : control
12: [ 2- 9]: digital audio playback
13: [ 2- 8]: digital audio playback
14: [ 2- 7]: digital audio playback
15: [ 2- 3]: digital audio playback
16: [ 2- 3]: hardware dependent
17: [ 2- 2]: hardware dependent
18: [ 2- 1]: hardware dependent
19: [ 2- 0]: hardware dependent
20: [ 2] : control
33: : timer

I leave Player 1 on default and sound comes from onboard sound, so good
Player 2 i have to use plughw:1,0 and then it works fine.

In alsamixer I have set the levels and stored it all with alsactl store, thats good.

Problem comes on reboot, the order of the soundcards keep changing, now Ive seen threads on sorting this but I cannot work out how to do this. and also the Vortexbox Players keep disappearing so I have to input the data again. Are the 2 issues related? and how do I solve them?

**minimivic** · 07-03-2012, 12:29 PM

Forgot to add the aplay -L bits.

Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
default:CARD=SB
HDA ATI SB, ALC883 Analog
Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=SB
HDA ATI SB, ALC883 Analog
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=SB,DEV=0
HDA ATI SB, ALC883 Analog
Front speakers
surround40:CARD=SB,DEV=0
HDA ATI SB, ALC883 Analog
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=SB,DEV=0
HDA ATI SB, ALC883 Analog
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=SB,DEV=0
HDA ATI SB, ALC883 Analog
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=SB,DEV=0
HDA ATI SB, ALC883 Analog
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=SB,DEV=0
HDA ATI SB, ALC883 Analog
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=SB,DEV=0
HDA ATI SB, ALC883 Digital
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
default:CARD=M2496
M Audio Audiophile 24/96, ICE1712 multi
Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=M2496
M Audio Audiophile 24/96, ICE1712 multi
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=M2496,DEV=0
M Audio Audiophile 24/96, ICE1712 multi
Front speakers
surround40:CARD=M2496,DEV=0
M Audio Audiophile 24/96, ICE1712 multi
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=M2496,DEV=0
M Audio Audiophile 24/96, ICE1712 multi
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=M2496,DEV=0
M Audio Audiophile 24/96, ICE1712 multi
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=M2496,DEV=0
M Audio Audiophile 24/96, ICE1712 multi
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
iec958:CARD=M2496,DEV=0
M Audio Audiophile 24/96, ICE1712 multi
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=0
HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=1
HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=2
HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=NVidia,DEV=3
HDA NVidia, HDMI 0
HDMI Audio Output

**wvanbakel** · 07-05-2012, 05:48 PM

Minimivic, this is quite normal behavior for the operating system that Vortexbox is using.
What happens is that drivers for your sound devices are not always loaded in the same order after reboot.
The good news is that you have control.

You need to create a file with the name /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf and with the following content:

Code:

options snd-usb-audio index=-2

This will ensure that your usb card is always loaded last

Could you post the output of the command 'cat /proc/asound/modules', please?

**bjohn06** · 07-06-2012, 09:53 PM

This is my first post. I am in the same boat. I built a pc and put 2 Asus Xonar DG sound cards in it. I am using the on-board audio as well. They are all working, and the audio volume is stable. The only problem is the cards initializing in whatever order they feel like after a reboot. I need some help writing the /etc/modprobe/alsa-base.conf file to init the 2 Asus cards after the on-board, or even vice versa, as long as it is consistent. The unit will be used in a multi-room distributed audio environment with macro scripts in an RTI remote system. I've read a couple of posts about this, but they used a USB dac so I'm not sure what belongs in my conf file. Any help would be greatly appreciated, all the guys here have already helped me a great deal. Thanks in advance.

Here are my relevant outputs:

cat /proc/asound/modules

[vortexbox.localdomain ~]# cat /proc/asound/modules
0 snd_oxygen
1 snd_hda_intel
2 snd_hda_intel
3 snd_oxygen

aplay -l

[vortexbox.localdomain ~]# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: DG [Xonar DG], device 0: Multichannel [Multichannel]
Subdevices: 0/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: DG [Xonar DG], device 1: Digital [Digital]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Generic_1 [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC892 Analog [ALC892 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Generic_1 [HD-Audio Generic], device 1: ALC892 Digital [ALC892 Digital]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: DG_1 [Xonar DG], device 0: Multichannel [Multichannel]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 3: DG_1 [Xonar DG], device 1: Digital [Digital]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

aplay -L

[vortexbox.localdomain ~]# aplay -L
null
Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
default:CARD=DG
Xonar DG, Multichannel
Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=DG
Xonar DG, Multichannel
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=DG,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
Front speakers
surround40:CARD=DG,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=DG,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=DG,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=DG,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=DG,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=DG,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=Generic,DEV=0
HD-Audio Generic, HDMI 0
HDMI Audio Output
default:CARD=Generic_1
HD-Audio Generic, ALC892 Analog
Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=Generic_1
HD-Audio Generic, ALC892 Analog
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
HD-Audio Generic, ALC892 Analog
Front speakers
surround40:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
HD-Audio Generic, ALC892 Analog
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
HD-Audio Generic, ALC892 Analog
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
HD-Audio Generic, ALC892 Analog
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
HD-Audio Generic, ALC892 Analog
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
HD-Audio Generic, ALC892 Analog
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=Generic_1,DEV=0
HD-Audio Generic, ALC892 Digital
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
default:CARD=DG_1
Xonar DG, Multichannel
Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=DG_1
Xonar DG, Multichannel
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=DG_1,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
Front speakers
surround40:CARD=DG_1,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=DG_1,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=DG_1,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=DG_1,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=DG_1,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=DG_1,DEV=0
Xonar DG, Multichannel
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output

And Finally
VBP Config Screen from the GUI

ALSA device list
0 [DG ]: CMI8786 - Xonar DG
C-Media Oxygen HD Audio at 0xe100, irq 20
1 [Generic ]: HDA-Intel - HD-Audio Generic
HD-Audio Generic at 0xfeb44000 irq 55
2 [Generic_1 ]: HDA-Intel - HD-Audio Generic
HD-Audio Generic at 0xfeb40000 irq 16
3 [DG_1 ]: CMI8786 - Xonar DG
C-Media Oxygen HD Audio at 0xe000, irq 21

List of audio device ports
1: : sequencer
2: [ 1- 3]: digital audio playback
3: [ 1- 0]: hardware dependent
4: [ 1] : control
5: [ 2- 2]: digital audio capture
6: [ 2- 1]: digital audio playback
7: [ 2- 0]: digital audio playback
8: [ 2- 0]: digital audio capture
9: [ 2- 0]: hardware dependent
10: [ 2] : control
11: [ 0- 1]: digital audio playback
12: [ 0- 1]: digital audio capture
13: [ 0- 0]: digital audio playback
14: [ 0- 0]: digital audio capture
15: [ 0] : control
16: [ 3- 1]: digital audio playback
17: [ 3- 1]: digital audio capture
18: [ 3- 0]: digital audio playback
19: [ 3- 0]: digital audio capture
20: [ 3] : control
33: : timer

**minimivic** · 07-07-2012, 03:27 AM

cat /proc/asound/modules results are:
0 snd_hda_intel
1 snd_ice1712
2 snd_hda_intel

**minimivic** · 07-07-2012, 03:47 AM

so I asume I need to input:

alias snd-card-0 snd_hda_intel
options snd-card-0 index=0
options snd_hda_intel index=0

alias snd-card-1 snd_ice1712
options snd-card-1 index=1
options snd_ice1712 index=1

into a file but I cant get it to save.

**minimivic** · 07-12-2012, 04:47 AM

Still not getting anywhere so I rebuilt by vortexbox with an additional Maudio 24/96 soundcard and a lesser graphics card.

I have tried and saved this file:

alias snd-card-0 snd_hda_intel
options snd-card-0 index=0
options snd_hda_intel index=0

alias snd-card-1 snd_ice1712
options snd-card-1 index=1
options snd_ice1712 index=1

alias snd-card-2 snd_ice1712
options snd-card-2 index=2
options snd_ice1712 index=1

alias snd-card-3 snd_hda_intel
options snd-card-3 index=3
options snd_hda_intel index=3

into:
/etc/modprobe.d/usbaudio1.conf doesnt solve it
also tried:
/etc/modprobe/alsa-base.conf but that wouldnt save so I added '.d' /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf and it saved but still wont stop the devices from altering order.

cat /proc/asound/modules results are:
0 snd_ice1712
1 snd_hda_intel
2 snd_ice1712
3 snd_hda_intel

Any ideas would be great as Im now lost to what to try next.

**Macross** · 07-12-2012, 09:34 AM

How many analog outputs do you need? You can split the output's of one of your soundcards to get 3 analog and one digital. I have the Asus Xonar DG in my vortexbox here at home, and I have it configured that way. Most onboard soundcards can be split as well to give 3 ananlog stereo pairs and one digital ouput. Andrew has provided a modified asound.conf to do this.