Re: [gentoo-user] SPDIF with dmix [Was: Phonon concurrent access on device]

[Florian Philipp]

Miroslav Flídr schrieb:
> Florian Philipp napsal(a):
>> I recently updated one of my systems to KDE4. Now I have the problem
>> that only one application can access the audio output at a time. If I
>> start a second app (for example playing a video with Kaffeine while
>> Amarok runs but is idle) the second application reports that the device
>> "does not work".
>>
>> Is this normal behavior? How can I fix it?
>>
>> Maybe it's an issue with ALSA but before I investigate this option, I'd
>> like to hear a "works for me" from other users.
>
>
> I had the same problem. I found the right solution here
>
> http://noneus.de/?p=50
>
>
> Miroslav
>
>

Good to know!

Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be my problem. Apparently I cannot
create a dmix setup for the "spdif" device (digital output). The error
message when trying to access it is "dmix plugin can be only connected
to hw plugin".

Here is my /etc/asound.conf:
pcm.!default {
    type dmix
    ipc_key 1025
    slave {
       pcm spdif
       period_time 0
       period_size 1024
       buffer_size 4096
       rate 44100
   }

   bindings {
       0 0 1 1
   }
}

The device is a VIA VT8237 AC97 Audio Controller.

I have no clue what spdif (or iec958 for that matter) should be if not
"hw". Of course, they are some kind of alias but my dmix setup works
fine with other aliases like "front" or "surround51".

Could using another level of abstraction (jack, pulse audio) be a
solution? Do they support stuff like software mixing without relying on
ALSA?

Apparently the whole problem is unrelated to phonon. Therefore I'm
changing the thread topic.