ALSA sound problem with Beagleboard xM

[pdedross]

Hi all,

I have been fruitlessly battling for the last few days to get audio
(both in and out) to work on my Beagleboard xM (rev B) running Ubuntu
(I have tried with both Lucid and Maverick), and now don't know where
to go.

The situation is as follows:
1. I created my Ubuntu SD installation following the steps outlined at
http://elinux.org/BeagleBoardUbuntu#Demo_Image. This worked as
expected and the beagle boots correctly. Note: I do not run the final
command suggested by the guide:

sudo aptitude install xfce4 gdm xubuntu-gdm-theme xubuntu-artwork
xserver-xorg-video-omap3

as I do not want an xfce desktop (or X at all, just a console).

2. I then do: sudo apt-get install alsa. This works as expected and
alsa installs without complaint.

3. Now if I do either
aplay ~/sample.wav
or
arecord
I get presented with the following output (and no sound):

Playing WAVE '/home/ubuntu/about.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little
Endian, Rate 11025 Hz, Mono
aplay: set_params:1053: Unable to install hw params:
ACCESS: RW_INTERLEAVED
FORMAT: S16_LE
SUBFORMAT: STD
SAMPLE_BITS: 16
FRAME_BITS: 16
CHANNELS: 1
RATE: 11025
PERIOD_TIME: (124988 124989)
PERIOD_SIZE: 1378
PERIOD_BYTES: 2756
PERIODS: 4
BUFFER_TIME: (499954 499955)
BUFFER_SIZE: 5512
BUFFER_BYTES: 11024
TICK_TIME: 0

I have been googling for hours without achieving any enlightenment, is
anyone else experiencing this problem? or is the twl4030 sound card
just no supported by the kernal yet? The only person on the net who
seems to have seen the same thing is this guy:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fold.nabble.com%2FOvero-sound-problems-td29384190.html&rct=j&q=%22asoc%3A%20interface%20omap-mcbsp-dai-0%20hw%20params%20failed%22&ei=fk76TMbWGcm0hAfViMmPCw&usg=AFQjCNFU-xYVKLtF_e-k1d-oQ9qLEjXmnw&sig2=g1eAUkAtWd_IZyFJLHtvJQ&cad=rja

but it looks like no one ever replied to his e-mail.

Would be extremely grateful for any pointers (or any successful
reports of people getting sound to work in ubuntu on a beagle xM).

Many thanks, Paul

Here is some additional info that might help recognise the problem:

dmesg output when aplay sample.wav is run:
asoc: interface omap-mcbsp-dai-0 hw params failed

Output of aplay -l:
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: omap3beagle [omap3beagle], device 0: TWL4030 twl4030-0 []
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Output of arecord -l:
**** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
card 0: omap3beagle [omap3beagle], device 0: TWL4030 twl4030-0 []
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Output of amixer:
Simple mixer control 'AVADC Clock Priority',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Voice high priority' 'HiFi high priority'
Item0: 'HiFi high priority'
Simple mixer control 'Analog',0
Capabilities: cvolume penum
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 5
Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Left AUXL',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined penum
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Left Carkit Mic',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined penum
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Left Headset Mic',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined penum
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Left Main Mic',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined penum
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Right AUXR',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined penum
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'Analog Right Sub Mic',0
Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined penum
Capture channels: Mono
Mono: Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'Carkit',0
Capabilities: pvolume penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 3
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 3 [100%] [6.00dB]
Front Right: Playback 3 [100%] [6.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'CarkitL Mixer AudioL1',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'CarkitL Mixer AudioL2',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'CarkitL Mixer Voice',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'CarkitR Mixer AudioR1',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'CarkitR Mixer AudioR2',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'CarkitR Mixer Voice',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Codec Operation Mode',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Option 2 (voice/audio)' 'Option 1 (audio)'
Item0: 'Option 2 (voice/audio)'
Simple mixer control 'DAC Voice Analog Downlink',0
Capabilities: volume volume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Mono
Limits: 0 - 18
Mono: 18 [100%] [12.00dB] Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'DAC Voice Digital Downlink',0
Capabilities: volume volume-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Mono
Limits: 0 - 49
Mono: 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'DAC1 Analog',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 18
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 18 [100%] [12.00dB] [off]
Front Right: Playback 18 [100%] [12.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'DAC1 Digital Coarse',0
Capabilities: pvolume penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 2
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'DAC1 Digital Fine',0
Capabilities: pvolume penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 63
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-99999.99dB]
Simple mixer control 'DAC2 Analog',0
Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 18
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 18 [100%] [12.00dB] [on]
Front Right: Playback 18 [100%] [12.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'DAC2 Digital Coarse',0
Capabilities: pvolume penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 2
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 2 [100%] [12.00dB]
Front Right: Playback 2 [100%] [12.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'DAC2 Digital Fine',0
Capabilities: pvolume penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 63
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 53 [84%] [-10.00dB]
Front Right: Playback 53 [84%] [-10.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Digimic LR Swap',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Not swapped' 'Swapped'
Item0: 'Not swapped'
Simple mixer control 'Earpiece',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback 0 - 3
Mono: Playback 3 [100%] [12.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Earpiece Mixer AudioL1',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Earpiece Mixer AudioL2',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Earpiece Mixer AudioR1',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Earpiece Mixer Voice',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'HS ramp delay',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: '27/20/14 ms' '55/40/27 ms' '109/81/55 ms' '218/161/109 ms'
'437/323/218 ms' '874/645/437 ms' '1748/1291/874 ms' '3495/2581/1748
ms'
Item0: '27/20/14 ms'
Simple mixer control 'HandsfreeL',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'HandsfreeL Mux',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Voice' 'AudioL1' 'AudioL2' 'AudioR2'
Item0: 'Voice'
Simple mixer control 'HandsfreeR',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'HandsfreeR Mux',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Voice' 'AudioR1' 'AudioR2' 'AudioL2'
Item0: 'Voice'
Simple mixer control 'Headset',0
Capabilities: pvolume penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 3
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 3 [100%] [6.00dB]
Front Right: Playback 3 [100%] [6.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'HeadsetL Mixer AudioL1',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'HeadsetL Mixer AudioL2',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'HeadsetL Mixer Voice',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'HeadsetR Mixer AudioR1',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'HeadsetR Mixer AudioR2',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'HeadsetR Mixer Voice',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Left Digital Loopback',0
Capabilities: volume volume-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Mono
Limits: 0 - 7
Mono: 7 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Left1 Analog Loopback',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Left2 Analog Loopback',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PreDriv',0
Capabilities: pvolume penum
Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Playback 0 - 3
Mono:
Front Left: Playback 3 [100%] [6.00dB]
Front Right: Playback 3 [100%] [6.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PredriveL Mixer AudioL1',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PredriveL Mixer AudioL2',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PredriveL Mixer AudioR2',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PredriveL Mixer Voice',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PredriveR Mixer AudioL2',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PredriveR Mixer AudioR1',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PredriveR Mixer AudioR2',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'PredriveR Mixer Voice',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Right Digital Loopback',0
Capabilities: volume volume-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Mono
Limits: 0 - 7
Mono: 7 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Right1 Analog Loopback',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Right2 Analog Loopback',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'TX1',0
Capabilities: cenum
Items: 'Analog' 'Digimic0'
Item0: 'Analog'
Simple mixer control 'TX1 Digital',0
Capabilities: cvolume penum
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 31
Front Left: Capture 12 [39%] [12.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 12 [39%] [12.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'TX2',0
Capabilities: cenum
Items: 'Analog' 'Digimic1'
Item0: 'Analog'
Simple mixer control 'TX2 Digital',0
Capabilities: cvolume penum
Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
Limits: Capture 0 - 31
Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Vibra',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Local vibrator' 'Audio'
Item0: 'Local vibrator'
Simple mixer control 'Vibra H-bridge direction',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Positive polarity' 'Negative polarity'
Item0: 'Positive polarity'
Simple mixer control 'Vibra H-bridge mode',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'Vibra H-bridge direction' 'Audio data MSB'
Item0: 'Vibra H-bridge direction'
Simple mixer control 'Vibra Mux',0
Capabilities: enum
Items: 'AudioL1' 'AudioR1' 'AudioL2' 'AudioR2'
Item0: 'AudioL1'
Simple mixer control 'Voice Analog Loopback',0
Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Voice Digital Loopback',0
Capabilities: volume volume-joined penum
Playback channels: Mono
Capture channels: Mono
Limits: 0 - 41
Mono: 34 [83%] [-17.00dB]

[Andrew Burgess]

On 12/04/2010 06:27:27 AM, pdedross wrote:

> I have been fruitlessly battling for the last few days to get audio
> (both in and out) to work on my Beagleboard xM (rev B) running Ubuntu
> (I have tried with both Lucid and Maverick), and now don't know where
> to go.

have you run alsamixer and turned up the gains and unmuted everything?
this works particularly well if you set aplay to play repeatedly
so you can see immediately what changes things.

hth

[pdedross]

Yep, I have turned everything up in alsamixer, the problem is that I
can't get anything to play to the device, the device just moans about
not being able to install "hw params":

"aplay: set_params:1053: Unable to install hw params: "

Thanks, Paul

[Sid Boyce]

I couldn't get any sound playing a .wav file, so I played with some
controls and it played.
619 amixer scontrols
620 amixer scontrols |grep Analog
621 amixer set 'Analog Left Carkit Mic' 100
623 amixer sset 'Analog Left Carkit Mic' 100
624 amixer sset Analog Left Carkit Mic 100
625 amixer ssget Analog Left Carkit Mic 100
626 amixer sget Analog Left Carkit Mic 100
627 amixer scontrols |grep Analog
628 amixer sset DAC1 Analog 100
629 amixer sset DAC2 Analog 100
630 amixer sset Analog Left Headset Mic 100
631 amixer sset Analog 100

I built an electret Mic preamp with a couple of BC109C transistors and
it recorded though the played back sound is heavily distorted, confirmed
by copying the .wav file to a x86_64 box.
I shall have to play with the preamp output to see if I can get a clean
signal recorded.
Using alsamixer quite a number of controls read "00" and cannot be adjusted.
I'd like someone to capture a screen shot of what the mixer should look
like, also a suitable preamp circuit would also be of interest.

I tried "gnome-volume-control" which gives out
(gnome-volume-control:1491): UNIQUE-DBUS-WARNING **: Unable to connect
to the running instance, aborting.

Then repeated warnings
WARNING **: Connection failed, reconnecting...

# lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 10.10
Release: 10.10
Codename: maverick
Regards
Sid.
--
Sid Boyce ... Hamradio License G3VBV, Licensed Private Pilot
Emeritus IBM/Amdahl Mainframes and Sun/Fujitsu Servers Tech Support
Senior Staff Specialist, Cricket Coach
Microsoft Windows Free Zone - Linux used for all Computing Tasks

[Andrew Burgess]

On 12/04/2010 09:04:10 AM, Sid Boyce wrote:

did you have to quote ALL of that? :-)

> I built an electret Mic preamp with a couple of BC109C transistors
> and it recorded though the played back sound is heavily distorted

did you limit the input bandwidth to avoid aliasing?

[Sid Boyce]

I just built the circuit and tried it.

[Sid Boyce]

On 04/12/10 17:30, Sid Boyce wrote:
> On 04/12/10 17:17, Andrew Burgess wrote:
>> On 12/04/2010 09:04:10 AM, Sid Boyce wrote:
>>
>> did you have to quote ALL of that? :-)
>>
>>> I built an electret Mic preamp with a couple of BC109C transistors
>>> and it recorded though the played back sound is heavily distorted
>>
>> did you limit the input bandwidth to avoid aliasing?
>>
>
> I just built the circuit and tried it.
>
> Regards
> Sid.
>

Powered by a 9V battery.

[pdedross]

Erm? I don't think I should worry about building/attaching mics until
this software problem is sorted (I assume the problem is in the omap35
sound device driver?). Can anyone else out there who is running ubuntu
on a beaglebord xM (preferably rev B) confirm whether their sound does/
doesn't work or if they experience the same problem. If it does work
what version of ubuntu/kernel are you running?

Many thanks, Paul

>  ecm.gif
> 28KViewDownload

[Petri Laakso]

On Sat, 4 Dec 2010 11:05:28 -0800 (PST)
pdedross <pded...@googlemail.com> wrote:

> sound device driver?). Can anyone else out there who is running ubuntu
> on a beaglebord xM (preferably rev B) confirm whether their sound does/
> doesn't work or if they experience the same problem.

I've got fresh Maverick 10.10 installation with xM rev B board and
my sounds are not working.

I installed using these instructions for Demo Image:

http://elinux.org/BeagleBoardUbuntu#Maverick_10.10

I tried to unmute all devices and fiddle with volume bars
using alsamixer. All I heard (I was using headphones) some
faint static noice and ripples when I choose to change
some setting from the mixer.

--
Petri Laakso <petri....@gmail.com>

[Sid Boyce]

On 04/12/10 19:43, Sid Boyce wrote:
> On 04/12/10 17:30, Sid Boyce wrote:
>> On 04/12/10 17:17, Andrew Burgess wrote:
>>> On 12/04/2010 09:04:10 AM, Sid Boyce wrote:
>>>
>>> did you have to quote ALL of that? :-)
>>>
>>>> I built an electret Mic preamp with a couple of BC109C transistors
>>>> and it recorded though the played back sound is heavily distorted
>>>
>>> did you limit the input bandwidth to avoid aliasing?
>>>
>>
>> I just built the circuit and tried it.
>>
>> Regards
>> Sid.
>>
>
> Powered by a 9V battery.
> Regards
> Sid.
>

After playing with "amixer sset <CONTROLS>", I was able to play a 3 .wav
files that I copied from another PC, but the voice is so distorted, the
words couldn't be made out.
"aplay k3b_success1.wav" which is a recording of a bugle is clearer
possibly because it's high notes only, but it's not Hi-Fi quality.

[pdedross]

This is precisely the problem I am experiencing. So it seems that
sound is broken on the beagleboard-xm rev B under ubuntu. I double
checked there wasn't a hardware problem by installing Angstrom and
attempting to play a sound, and it worked. So there must be something
in the ubuntu kernel (or not in the ubuntu kernel as the case may be)
which has broken sound on xm rev B's. Does anyone know where we raise
bugs for the ubuntu kernel?

On Sat, 4 Dec 2010 11:05:28 -0800 (PST)

[Sid Boyce]

Not sure it's a kernel problem, but kernel problems go to - you may need
to subscribe.
linux...@vger.kernel.org

When I run "amixer" there are many controls that are at "00" that can't
be adjusted with alsamixer.
After playing with "amixer sset <full_control_name_with_the_spaces>
100" I was able to play .wav files, though heavily distorted which makes
me wonder if it's not the mixer application that is at fault.

As I reported earlier, gnome-volume-control fails with a connection error.
Regards
Sid.

[John]

Hi,

I believe that there is a problem with ALSA (or some related element)
in the newer versions of the kernel. After much futzing around, I
eventually got audio working on the xM with ubuntu. What didn't work
- Maverick 10.10 with the default version of the kernel and a newer
one
- Maverick 10.10 w/ one of the oldest kernels (well maybe audio was
okay, but some of the other peripherals weren't working)
- Lucid 10.04.1 with kernel 2.6.36.1-dl4
- Lucid 10.04.1 with kernel 2.6.35.8-l7

However, I found that by installing Lucid 10.041 for the Beagleboard
xM (http://rcn-ee.net/deb/rootfs/lucid/ubuntu-10.04.1-r3-minimal-
armel.tar.7z) and then downgrading the kernel to v2.6.34.4-l2 (http://
rcn-ee.net/deb/lucid/v2.6.34.1-l2/) makes it so ALSA can run on the
Beagleboard xM with ubuntu.

*But* even after all that I had to use the trick (https://
bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/651302) to unmute the
output volume and increase it.

Maybe the following patch was integrated into the newer versions of
the kernel unintentionally? On this page it says, "But after this
patch the beagle board and boards which has the McBSP as slave will
stop working."
http://www.spinics.net/lists/alsa-devel/msg29193.html

Best,
Edgar

PS. Proof that I have it running on the xM. Alsa starts, and so of
course so does jack using alsa:
ubuntu@omap:~$ sudo jackd -dalsa -dhw:0 -r44100 -p512 -n4 -s -S -i2 -
o2
jackd 0.118.0
Copyright 2001-2009 Paul Davis, Stephane Letz, Jack O'Quinn, Torben
Hohn and others.
jackd comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it
under certain conditions; see the file COPYING for details

JACK compiled with System V SHM support.
loading driver ..
apparent rate = 44100
creating alsa driver ... hw:0|hw:0|512|4|44100|2|2|nomon|swmeter|soft-
mode|16bit
control device hw:0
configuring for 44100Hz, period = 512 frames (11.6 ms), buffer = 4
periods
ALSA: final selected sample format for capture: 16bit little-endian
ALSA: use 4 periods for capture
ALSA: final selected sample format for playback: 16bit little-endian
ALSA: use 4 periods for playback

[Robert Nelson]

On Mon, Dec 6, 2010 at 9:21 PM, John <johnr...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I believe that there is a problem with ALSA (or some related element)
> in the newer versions of the kernel. After much futzing around, I
> eventually got audio working on the xM with ubuntu. What didn't work
>  - Maverick 10.10 with the default version of the kernel and a newer
> one
>  - Maverick 10.10 w/ one of the oldest kernels (well maybe audio was
> okay, but some of the other peripherals weren't working)
>  - Lucid 10.04.1 with kernel 2.6.36.1-dl4
>  - Lucid 10.04.1 with kernel 2.6.35.8-l7
>
> However, I found that by installing Lucid 10.041 for the Beagleboard
> xM (http://rcn-ee.net/deb/rootfs/lucid/ubuntu-10.04.1-r3-minimal-
> armel.tar.7z) and then downgrading the kernel to v2.6.34.4-l2 (http://
> rcn-ee.net/deb/lucid/v2.6.34.1-l2/) makes it so ALSA can run on the
> Beagleboard xM with ubuntu.
>
> *But* even after all that I had to use the trick (https://
> bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/651302) to unmute the
> output volume and increase it.
>
> Maybe the following patch was integrated into the newer versions of
> the kernel unintentionally? On this page it says, "But after this
> patch the beagle board and boards which has the McBSP as slave will
> stop working."
> http://www.spinics.net/lists/alsa-devel/msg29193.html

Interesting catch Edgar,

It was merged in:
http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git;a=commit;h=5f63ef9909c187581c7f2c28fbc93866a0d59f7f

Regards,

--
Robert Nelson
http://www.rcn-ee.com/

[Anastasios Germanidis]

Downgrading to the 2.6.34.1-l2 kernel does, indeed, the trick. Thanks, John! Works on Ubuntu 10.10 as well.

[Robert Nelson]

You guys with audio issues on the xM...

Better or worse?

http://rcn-ee.net/bugs/xm-audio/

remember, it's "/dev/ttyO2" vs "/dev/ttyS2" for serial console...

[Nils Pipenbrinck]

On 12/05/2010 01:03 AM, Sid Boyce wrote:
> After playing with "amixer sset <CONTROLS>", I was able to play a 3
> .wav files that I copied from another PC, but the voice is so
> distorted, the words couldn't be made out.
> "aplay k3b_success1.wav" which is a recording of a bugle is clearer
> possibly because it's high notes only, but it's not Hi-Fi quality.

Could you playback pure sine-wave 1Khz and record the distortion?

I'd like to have a look how the distortion looks like.

Background is, that I've written a DSP sound-driver for the rev.C4
beagleboard. During this work I came across an issue with the codec chip
that can cause very strange distortions. In my case it was a missing
step in the initialization of the headphone driver.

Maybe it is the same issue, I don't know.. If it is I may be able to
help fixing the problem.

Cheers,
Nils

[Sid Boyce]

OK, a task for tomorrow.
The distortion was on Ubuntu 10.10, Angstrom audio was clean, so it's
probably related to the kernel.
With Angstrom the sound was not very loud in headphones, so I used
alsamixer to make adjustments and lost sound.
I shall have to reinstall Angstrom unstable as part way through the last
upgrade opkg complained of an unresolved symbol.
On reboot
INIT: version 2.86 booting
[evas module] error loading the module
/usr/lib/evas/modules/engines/fb/linux-gnueabi-arm-ver-pre-svn-01/module.so.
It doesnt exists

Cannot find fifo at /mnt/.splash/exquisite.
[ ok ]
Starting Bluetooth subsystem:Cannot find fifo at /mnt/.splash/exquisite.
bluetoothd.
Running ntpdate to synchronize clockError : Name or service not known
.
Cannot find fifo at /mnt/.splash/exquisite.
Cannot find fifo at /mnt/.splash/exquisite.
[ 215.593322] stp: Unknown symbol llc_sap_close
[ 215.599334] stp: Unknown symbol llc_sap_open
[ 215.658721] bridge: Unknown symbol llc_mac_hdr_init
[ 215.668945] bridge: Unknown symbol stp_proto_register
[ 215.691040] bridge: Unknown symbol stp_proto_unregister
Loading [g_cdc]
FATAL: Error inserting g_cdc
(/lib/modules/2.6.29-omap1/kernel/drivers/usb/gadget/g_cdc.ko): No such
device
Starting GPE display manager: gpe-dm
Cannot find fifo at /mnt/.splash/exquisite.
Cannot find fifo at /mnt/.splash/exquisite.
Cannot find fifo at /mnt/.splash/exquisite.

INIT: Id "S" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes
INIT: Id "S" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes

[Ashok]

Hi,
I faced similar issue in 2.6.37-rc8 Linux-omap timland kernel.
After sneaking the cod, I figured out the problem.
Maybe my temporary fix would solve your problem too.

The fix is you have make the condition true for the
"cpu_is_omap343x()" in the function "omap_mcbsp_dai_hw_params" in the
file "sound/soc/omap/omap-mcbsp.c"

Thats it, rebuild the kernel and hope you should be able to play
audio :)

Thanks
Ashok

On Dec 31 2010, 7:48 am, Sid Boyce <sbo...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

[ianc]

Hi,

An easier way would be to run "make menuconfig" and enable "OMAP3430
support" in "System Type" / "TI OMAP2/3/4 Specific Features" .

I have not tested the audio playback but the error messages go away.
Will compile utilities and test.

Ian

[ianc]

Hi,

Tested it. It works. MP3 playing with "play". Little scratchy on the
DAC or is it my headphones?
Could not figure out amixer and alsamixer options on short notice so
just did a alsactl restore with a default state. Then audio plays.

So the above configuration option seems to make it work.

Ian

On Jan 30, 6:06 pm, ianc <carvalho...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> An easier way would be to run "make menuconfig" and enable "OMAP3430
> support" in "System Type" / "TI OMAP2/3/4 Specific Features" .
>

> I have not tested theaudioplayback but the error messages go away.

> > > The distortion was on Ubuntu 10.10, Angstromaudiowas clean, so it's

[shaneb]

I confirm similar problems. Its scratchy and not the audio I am
trying to play. Just noise.

> > > > > Background is, that I've written a DSPsound-driver for the rev.C4

> > > > > beagleboard. During this work I came across an issue with the codec chip
> > > > > that can cause very strange distortions. In my case it was a missing
> > > > > step in the initialization of the headphone driver.
>
> > > > > Maybe it is the same issue, I don't know.. If it is I may be able to
> > > > > help fixing the problem.
>
> > > > > Cheers,
> > > > >    Nils
>
> > > > OK, a task for tomorrow.
> > > > The distortion was on Ubuntu 10.10, Angstromaudiowas clean, so it's
> > > > probably related to the kernel.

> > > > With Angstrom thesoundwas not very loud in headphones, so I used

[Bob Liu]

I got a similar problem.
I am using 2.6.37-3 kernel version.

And ianc's suggestion:

enable "OMAP3430 support" in "System Type" / "TI OMAP2/3/4 Specific
Features"

can't work with this kernel version.

[Bob Liu]

Hi, folks

I got a alsa problem with Beagleboard xM.
It am using kernel-2.6.37-rc3.
======================================

Playing WAVE '/home/ubuntu/about.wav' : Signed 16 bit Little
Endian, Rate 11025 Hz, Mono
aplay: set_params:1053: Unable to install hw params:
ACCESS: RW_INTERLEAVED
FORMAT: S16_LE
SUBFORMAT: STD
SAMPLE_BITS: 16
FRAME_BITS: 16
CHANNELS: 1
RATE: 11025
PERIOD_TIME: (124988 124989)
PERIOD_SIZE: 1378
PERIOD_BYTES: 2756
PERIODS: 4
BUFFER_TIME: (499954 499955)
BUFFER_SIZE: 5512
BUFFER_BYTES: 11024
TICK_TIME: 0

================================================
It's really like the problem:
http://groups.google.com/group/beagleboard/browse_thread/thread/bc16deb59f14a7ba/647301e2632c2c15?#647301e2632c2c15

The problem is the condition for the

"cpu_is_omap343x()" in the function "omap_mcbsp_dai_hw_params" in the

file "sound/soc/omap/omap-mcbsp.c" always return false even though I
enabled "OMAP3430

support" in "System Type" / "TI OMAP2/3/4 Specific Features" .

If I changed cpu_is_omap343x to cpu_is_omap34xx(), the error message
during aplay/arecord disappeared, but I still can't hear/record any
sound.