Control vmix with the Gnome Volume Applet

[seawright]

Ok, if you read the Release notes:
http://www.4front-tech.com/developer/sources/testing/oss-v4.1test0-071126-src-gpl.txt
they will explain how to unpack, build and install the package.

Just let me know if you have any problems and I will try to talk you through them.

[KartWol]

Ok, Thank you very much

[seawright]

Just updated the library & patch file.
If the original works there is no need to upgrade as the new library does not offer any extra features. However if you have tried it and it did not work the following changes should fix it.

It now:

Chooses v4 API mixer in preference to v3 where both are present.

Skips legacy controls present in v4 mixers as these could be fake controls
presented by envy24ht driver.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/clive_wright/download/gstreamer-ossv4.tar.gz

[Temüjin]

An AMD64(x86-64) version using Clive's updated patch is attached to this Ubuntu forum post: http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p= ... stcount=60
I built it with Ubuntu 7.10(amd64) using gstreamer-0.10-14, gstreamer-plugins-base-0.10-14, and gstreamer-plugins-good-0.10-6.

I've also verified that it works on my other distro (Arch Linux x64), which uses gstreamer-0.10-15

[Tomservo]

Wait... Now this makes sense. I've always wondered why I had volume control via the applet for a short time (in between installs of newer builds of SXCE). Before I've dismissed gstreamer for MPlayer, I've compiled the oss plugin once for fun and that allowed me to select the OSS device for mixing.

[Nick C]

ive got your patch working here (many thanks btw!) and sound works ok but in the sound preferences menu theres no selection available for Default Mixer Tracks, is this normal or am i missing another symlink in /dev? (already had to create a missing /dev/dsp to get sound working)

[seawright]

You should have a default mixer in sound preferences devices.
The patch causes gstreamer to look for a flag which is present in vmix.
Run ossxmix and check that there are vmix controls present in the mixer window.

If not run:
/sbin/lsmod |grep vmix
to check that the vmix module has been loaded into the kernel

If vmix is present, the problem may be that you are using a sound card where vmix is not attached by default.

Edit /usr/lib/oss/conf/vmix.conf
change #vmix1_masterdev=-1
to vmix1_masterdev=0
Don't forget to delete the hash (#)
Save changes and close any audio applications.
Then as root run:
soundoff
soundon
Check in ossxmix again to see if you have any vmix controls.

If controls are now present re-open sound preferences devices and check if a default mixer is present.

[Nick C]

seems the vmix module wasnt loaded, should the oss init scripts load this by default or do i need to load it manually from now on?

[seawright]

Provided that it is present in /usr/lib/oss/etc/installed_drivers it should load automatically from now on.

[Nick C]

thanks again seawright, hopefully all will be ok now

[SpookyET]

I have 2 problems with this patch.
It's dirty. You are removing kernel includes in favour of including the header with a path to OSS on the disk.

It doesn't work with softoss. Unfortunately, gstreamer doesn't play well with vmix.

In addition to the info on the wiki, with vmix, the progressbar in gstreamer based apps does not work.

There seems to be only one developer working on gstreamer oss.

On point 2 I think you have miss-quoted Arch Linux's wiki

NOTES: This requires the use of the old softoss module (the predecessor of vmix) which may not be as good as vmix, wine and gstreamer do not play nice with softoss, and the effects will not work with sample rates higher than 48khz.

Gstreamer does not play nice with softoss not vmix as you stated. The only advantage softoss offers is the built-in equalizer.

My patch does what it says on the packet viz.
Control vmix with the Gnome Volume Applet

As for your first point I agree it is dirty but until oss4 is accepted into the kernel and with it <sys> I see no alternative but to refer to oss4's soundcard.h by name as the soundcard.h included within the original oss is not oss4 aware so would not be suitable for compiling libgstossaudio.
If you have a better solution I would be pleased to read it.

Not only have I misquoted the Arch Linux Wiki, I have also posted the volume problem in the wrong thread. But, the progress bar issue with gstreamer comment is valid. It works in softoss. It does not work in vmix, or if it does work, the length of a music file fluctuates a few seconds up and down.