[MPlayer-users] Soundcard selection with alsa

[Jan Knutar]

On Wednesday 23 April 2008 23:22, rural wrote:

> "alsa5:device=hw=1.0", else say "alsa1x:device=hw=1.0" and, at last
> "alsa:device=hw=1.0".
> None of them work. I suppose taking a look at the source code could
> lead to the answer, but where...

-ao alsa=device

where device is, according to the man page:
---
device=<device>
Sets the device name.  Replace any ’,’ with ’.’ and any ’:’ with ’=’ in 
the ALSA device name.  For hwac3 output via S/PDIF, use an "iec958" or 
"spdif" device, unless you really know how to set it correctly.
---

So -ao alsa=hw=1.0 would be the right format...

Check if anything else is using that device, check /proc/asound/pcm if 
such a device actually exists... Though if it doesn't exist I think 
you'd get this kind of error:

[AO_ALSA] alsa-lib: pcm_hw.c:1351:(_snd_pcm_hw_open) Invalid value for 
card
[AO_ALSA] Playback open error: No such device
Could not open/initialize audio device -> no sound.

Trying to open a capture-only device:

[AO_ALSA] alsa-lib: pcm_hw.c:1242:(snd_pcm_hw_open) 
open /dev/snd/pcmC0D1p failed: No such file or directory
[AO_ALSA] Playback open error: No such file or directory
Could not open/initialize audio device -> no sound.

Trying to open a busy device:

[AO_ALSA] alsa-lib: pcm_hw.c:1242:(snd_pcm_hw_open) 
open /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p failed: Device or resource busy
[AO_ALSA] Playback open error: Device or resource busy
Could not open/initialize audio device -> no sound.