The Linux Sound HOWTO

Jeff Tranter, `Jeff_Tranter@Mitel.COM`

v1.10, 3 December 1994

This document describes sound support for Linux. It lists the supported sound hardware, describes how to configure the kernel drivers, and answers frequently asked questions. The intent is to bring new users up to speed more quickly and reduce the amount of traffic in the usenet news groups.

1. Introduction

1.1 Acknowledgments

1.2 Revision History

1.3 New versions of this document

1.4 Feedback

1.5 Other Sources of Information

1.6 Version Information

2. Supported Sound Hardware

2.1 Sound Cards

2.2 PC Speaker

2.3 Parallel Port

3. Configuring Linux for Sound Support

3.1 Installing the Sound Card

3.2 Configuring the Kernel

3.3 Creating the Device Files

3.4 Testing the Installation

4. Applications Supporting Sound

5. Answers To Frequently Asked Questions

5.1 What are the various sound device files?

5.2 How can I play a sound sample?

5.3 How can I record a sample?

5.4 Can I have more than one sound card?

5.5 Error: `No such file or directory` for sound devices

5.6 Error: `No such device` for sound devices

5.7 Error: `No space left on device` for sound devices

5.8 Error: `device busy` for sound devices

5.9 I still get `device busy` errors!

5.10 Partial playback of digitized sound file

5.11 There are pauses when playing MOD files

5.12 Compile errors when compiling sound applications

5.13 SEGV when running sound binaries that worked previously

5.14 What known bugs or limitations are there in the sound driver?

5.15 What version of the sound driver I should use?

5.16 What do all the sound driver configuration options mean?

5.17 What future enhancements are planned for the sound driver?

5.18 Where are the sound driver ioctls() etc. documented?

5.19 What CPU resources are needed to play or record without pauses?

5.20 Problems with a PAS16 and an Adaptec 1542 SCSI host adaptor

5.21 Problems with the FM synthesizer on a SoundBlaster Pro 1

5.22 Is the GUS-MAX supported?

5.23 What if my sound card is not supported?

5.24 Is it possible to read and write samples simultaneously?

5.25 My SB16 is set to IRQ 2, but configure does not allow this value.

5.26 Are the SoundBlaster AWE32 or SoundBlaster16 ASP supported?

5.27 If I run Linux, then boot DOS, I get errors and/or sound applications do not work properly.

5.28 You say I need to configure and build a kernel - how do I do that?

5.29 Problems running DOOM under Linux

5.30 How can I reduce noise picked up by my soundcard?

5.31 I can play sounds, but not record.

5.32 My "compatible" sound card only works if I first initialize under MS-DOS.