[TriLUG] automated Audio processing in Linux

[paul peeler]

On Tue, 2004-03-23 at 10:34, Mark Wilson wrote:
> --- John Mitchell <john280z at earthlink.net> wrote:
> > 
> > >William R. Gomeringer wrote:
> > >There is a sound utility for backing up and
> > restoring old vinyl recordings
> > >called gramofile.
> > 
> > 
> > http://panic.et.tudelft.nl/~costar/gramofile/
> > 
> > 
> 
> Funny you guys should mention gramofile.  I've been
> using it myself lately to digitize my LP's.  
> Only for some bizarre reason, I'm no longer allowed to
> access gmix or aumix or anything.  The other night I
> `apt-got' openoffice.org from Debian sarge, and a
> whole bunch of other stuff got installed as well.
> 
> I *can* still play wav's & mp3's, but when I tried to
> do some more recording this a.m., the level meter was
> flatlining.  Hmmmm...  So to check, I attempted to
> open gmix (both as root and as a user) but it thinks
> that I either no longer have permission to to access
> /dev/mixer, or sound isn't compiled in.  I *know* that
> can't be the case, unless I'm hallucinating Paul
> Winter's "Sun Singer"....
> Any ideas?
> (sorry, feel free to castigate me for posting a help
> message here, and so soon after joining the list,
> too!)
> 
> -Mark
> 


Well, it is routine to have to change audio/mixer settings in a new
Debian install, or at least it is for me. Audio is never quite right, so
let me start by saying that the first thing I do is "cheat", and install
sndconfig. It is ported over from RH in the Debian package tree. That
should give you the correct entries in modules.conf if you are using OSS
or ESD. I personally have grown to hate both and favor installing ALSA
which is as easy as the other to install/configure.
After the conf file is correct, I always have to change the permissions
on /dev/mixer and other such relevant audio devices so that your user
can access them. Make sure your devices are not linked to another device
before changing them. 

Either way, I'm not exactly sure why you are able to still play mp3s and
such without a little more info. I have had instances where I was able
to play mp3s from the cl with mpg123 but unable to use an app that
controls the mixer. PCM is a weird one.

So, sort of a generic answer, but what I have come up with thus far. I'm
no Linux audio expert by any stretch. Post more system details and I
will try to be more help. What sound card are you using? What app are
you using to play mp3s and such, and what is it configured to use (OSS,
ESD, etc...).

Paul