Re: No audio devices appear in /dev

On Sun, Apr 28, 2024 at 4:36 AM Free BSD <freebsdlouisville@gmail.com> wrote:
> Before I invoked startx, I didn't have any dsp devices.  With X11 running, I see dsp0.0, dsp1.0, and dsp2.0, but no pcm devices.
> In system settings, KDE lists correctly all three (dsp2 is kaby lake HDMI/DP 8ch), but when I try the test button, I get Error trying to play a test sound.
> The system said: "No such driver".  This happens on all three playback devices.

You can take a look at FreeBSD Handbook (ultimate knowledge source) at
the Multimedia chapter:

https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/multimedia/

I do not use KDE but it seems to use Phonon.. do you have that
installed? I use PulseAudio you can try that one too :-)

https://userbase.kde.org/Phonon


> cat /dev/sndstat
> Installed devices:
> pcm0: <Realtek ALC671 (Rear Analog)> (play/rec)
> pcm1: <Realtek ALC671 (Analog)> (play/rec)
> pcm2: <Intel Kaby Lake (HDMI/DP 8ch)> (play) default
> No devices installed from userspace.

That means you have 3 audio cards available. Userspace devices are
virtual_oss devices (no need for that right now).

Try those commands as user and see if you can hear noise output on
those devices. If that works then KDE setup problem.

cat /dev/random /dev/dsp0
cat /dev/random /dev/dsp1
cat /dev/random /dev/dsp2

If that does not work try above as root. If works as root then
permission problem.

You may also verify mixer levels if sound is not muted when still no
problem and no error (N = [0,1,2]):

mixer -f /dev/mixerN

Then if vol is 0 you can set that with mixer -f /dev/mixerN vol 100.

Builtin realtek cards have pretty complex audio mux that may need
tuning with sysctl as root. "Rear Analog" is the onboard panel at the
back of the mainboard. "Analog" probably is on the connector that you
can use to connect front panel plugs. Back panel has probably 6 stereo
jacks and you should get sound on at least one of them (this is
controlled by the internal audio card mux that can be controlled by
systcl / nid).

--
CeDeROM, SQ7MHZ, http://www.tomek.cedro.info