macmini audio

[gosha]

Hello everybody,
I'm running openbsd 4.3 on a macmini ppc, and I'm getting better and better with unix and openbsd thanks to all of you.
One of the issues I still haven't resolved with this macmini is audio control.
I have audio, but cannot control its volume. Luckily my loudspeakers are powered, so I can do it from there.
But it would be nice to be able to control volume through the softwares I'm using.
Any idea?

[ocicat]

Originally Posted by gosha

But it would be nice to be able to control volume through the softwares I'm using.

You haven't stated what software you are using, so it is difficult to say what can/should be done at the application level, but fundamentally, volume control is defined by what is exposed by the driver. Section 13.1 of the FAQ will have more information of what can be done there:

http://openbsd.org/faq/faq13.html#confaudio

Note, however, that the developers writing drivers are at continuing odds with the seemingly nonstandard way in which various manufacturers do or do not expose controls which can be seen in recent misc@ discussion:

http://marc.info/?l=openbsd-misc&w=2&r=1&s=audio&q=b

In short, the answer depends upon what chip is used on your system. Poke about what features are exposed, but in the end, you may or may not have adequate control.

[gosha]

hello ocicat,
of course I'v tried what stated in the faq, but with no luck.
With any player I used it does not work (xmms, vlc, mplayer, xine, ogle, cdio, aucat...).
This is why I don't know what to do.

[BSDfan666]

This was committed recently, not a software approach.. but perhaps related.

http://marc.info/?l=openbsd-cvs&m=123161063532146&w=2

Also, have you tried controlling the volume via mixerctl(8)? that's the preferred method.. and you can set a sane default in /etc/mixerctl.conf.

Good luck.

[ocicat]

Originally Posted by gosha

of course I'v tried what stated in the faq, but with no luck.

What may not be clear from the Section 13.1 is that the output of mixerctl(1) can be saved as /etc/mixerctl.conf (mixerctl.conf(5)) such that the default settings of mixerctl can be modified & modified permanently. Locate what parameters are exposed, & alter them. If this gives the results you want, great. If not, as was noted earlier, sound can be problematic.

[gosha]

I remember I did try many different mixerctl settings but did not work.
Now, bsdfan666, here's my stupid question: how do I install the modified files stated in the link? That would be a good option if it works.
tks

[BSDfan666]

Originally Posted by gosha

I remember I did try many different mixerctl settings but did not work.

That is not very explanatory.. post the output of mixerctl here in [code][/code] blocks.

Originally Posted by gosha

Now, bsdfan666, here's my stupid question: how do I install the modified files stated in the link? That would be a good option if it works.
tks

Not stupid, just uninformed.. backporting those changes would not be supported, compiling -CURRENT or waiting for a snapshot that includes the changes would be the advisable point of action.

[gosha]

here's the mixerctl output, actually, if I try to modify it (for example: mixerctl outputs.master=200,200) it does not seem to accept changes, it goes back to 0:

# mixerctl outputs.master=200,200
outputs.master: 0,0 -> 0,0

$ mixerctl -a
outputs.select=headphones
outputs.master=0,0
record.source=
record.record=0,0

[ocicat]

Originally Posted by gosha

here's the mixerctl output...

$ mixerctl -a
outputs.select=headphones
outputs.master=0,0
record.source=
record.record=0,0

If this is the entirety of what mixerctl(1) reports, this it does not appear that you have any control over the volume.

if I try to modify it (for example: mixerctl outputs.master=200,200) it does not seem to accept changes, it goes back to 0:

Although it may be academic at this point, redirect the output of mixerctl(1) to /etc/mixerctl.conf, & modify the values in the .conf file followed by rebooting, but since nothing appears to be volume related, you may have to resign yourself to simply adjusting the volume at your speakers instead.

As stated before, many sound chips in use don't follow the standards recognized by OpenBSD's developers. Your system may have one of them.

[BSDfan666]

I didn't notice that you were running 4.3; but if it's sticking at 0.. perhaps it was a bug? try upgrading to 4.4 or running -CURRENT.

[gosha]

ok, thanks a lot

[gosha]

Ok guys, sorry about wasting your time, I tried find by myself the audio driver in dmesg, checked the man page and, as you see here, it has no volume control, I checked the 4.4 man pages, and it is the same. At least we now all now what it's all about.

AOA(4)               OpenBSD Programmer's Manual (MacPPC)               AOA(4)

NAME
     aoa - Apple aoa audio device

SYNOPSIS
     aoa* at macobio?
     audio* at aoa?

DESCRIPTION
     The aoa driver provides support for the audio hardware found in some
     macppc machines.

HARDWARE
     Machines supported by the aoa driver include:

           -   PowerMac7,3
           -   PowerMac10,1
           -   PowerMac10,2

SEE ALSO
     audio(4), intro(4)

HISTORY
     The aoa driver first appeared in OpenBSD 3.9.

AUTHORS
     The aoa driver was written by Tsubai Masanari and ported to OpenBSD by
     Joris Vink.

BUGS
     This driver needs more testing.

     This manual page needs more precision and detail.

     Right now this driver does not support volume control.

OpenBSD 4.3                      May 31, 2007

[BSDfan666]

Right, so.. your only option would be a software mixer, mplayer supports this via the -softvol argument.

Originally Posted by mplayer

-softvol Force the use of the software mixer, instead of using the sound card mixer.

-softvol-max <10.0-10000.0> Set the maximum amplification level in percent (default: 110). A value of 200 will allow you to adjust the volume up to a maximum of double the current level. With values below 100 the initial volume (which is 100%) will be above the maximum, which e.g. the OSD cannot display correctly.

Hope it helps.

[gosha]

it works, thank you!
What if I wanted to control sounds which are not mplayer related (e.g. beeps from pidgin etc)?

[BSDfan666]

I don't know.. as I said, a sound mixer would do the trick.. AFAIK, pidgin directly manipulates the audio device unfortunately.

In 4.4-CURRENT, aucat(1) has turned into something quite similar to ESD/aRts/Jack, but it doesn't currently support emulated volume control.

Sorry..

[gosha]

I can definitely live with this, thanks a lot