[solved] Default sound device working in KDE but not XFCE
Posted: 16 Jul 2012, 04:27
Hi there,
I am trying the different porteus 64bit versions to see which is best for me and how to finally install.
So far I much prefer XFCE version but there is one thing that doesn't work for me as it does in KDE.
I have a latop/netbook with amd e450 apu which comes with two sound devices. Unfortunately the default is a useless hdmi audio-out and the second is the actual sound card. This is bad news for live distros becuase I have yet to be successful in manually changing the main audio device without rebooting. However, If I can specifiy the correct device in an application (such as mplayer) then sound works perfectly for that app. This is also the case with both KDE and XFCE versions of porteus.
My issue is regarding the volume buttons and system wide sounds in XFCE.
Firstly, In KDE, if i change the volume hardware device in the GUI options then suddenly, the keyboard volume button works and the sound card becomes the default for all applications. However, in XFCE if I change the retrovol hardware device it just begins to report the settings for my soundcard (with a bunch of new options such as master, mic, headphone, speaker) but apart from this, nothing system-wide is changed. This means that volume keys don't work in XFCE and if I don't specifiy the correct adapter in each program there is no sound available. Pressing mute/unmute continues to toggle the useless hdmi audio out. I have looked for a setting in the GUI options and have tried creating an asound.rc file in both /etc and /home/guest on my XFCE install but on each reboot I am plagued by the hdmi audio out. I also tried changing devices in alsamixer.
the only difference in my test was that the first trial with KDE was run live in ram on a fat partition with no persistence and the second XFCE trial was installed on ext2 partition and is with default persistence (first boot option).
thanks for any help/
PS. first impressions are good so far, the USP for me was threefold - Firstly, the Ootb support for my amd apu and broadcom 4313 wireless card and all sound/hardware buttons (in the KDE version at least, just this niggle with the sound in XFCE though). I also really like the porteus-specific settings - power options, porteus system info these were the most pleasant surprise as this is something I've found lacking in other distros(especially live and portable ones) - I think that this fills a gap and could be certainly flaunted a bit more. Finally the fact that its portable, runs in ram and can boot quickly so i can get a really fast responsive system and not infringe on my laptops default setup.
In retrospect its the specifically portable stuff that represents the best feature for me - the porteus settings and system info, the modular package manager with access to debian and other repos, the massive list of super useful bootcodes - and more ways of installing than I can currently make sense of
I am trying the different porteus 64bit versions to see which is best for me and how to finally install.
So far I much prefer XFCE version but there is one thing that doesn't work for me as it does in KDE.
I have a latop/netbook with amd e450 apu which comes with two sound devices. Unfortunately the default is a useless hdmi audio-out and the second is the actual sound card. This is bad news for live distros becuase I have yet to be successful in manually changing the main audio device without rebooting. However, If I can specifiy the correct device in an application (such as mplayer) then sound works perfectly for that app. This is also the case with both KDE and XFCE versions of porteus.
My issue is regarding the volume buttons and system wide sounds in XFCE.
Firstly, In KDE, if i change the volume hardware device in the GUI options then suddenly, the keyboard volume button works and the sound card becomes the default for all applications. However, in XFCE if I change the retrovol hardware device it just begins to report the settings for my soundcard (with a bunch of new options such as master, mic, headphone, speaker) but apart from this, nothing system-wide is changed. This means that volume keys don't work in XFCE and if I don't specifiy the correct adapter in each program there is no sound available. Pressing mute/unmute continues to toggle the useless hdmi audio out. I have looked for a setting in the GUI options and have tried creating an asound.rc file in both /etc and /home/guest on my XFCE install but on each reboot I am plagued by the hdmi audio out. I also tried changing devices in alsamixer.
the only difference in my test was that the first trial with KDE was run live in ram on a fat partition with no persistence and the second XFCE trial was installed on ext2 partition and is with default persistence (first boot option).
thanks for any help/
PS. first impressions are good so far, the USP for me was threefold - Firstly, the Ootb support for my amd apu and broadcom 4313 wireless card and all sound/hardware buttons (in the KDE version at least, just this niggle with the sound in XFCE though). I also really like the porteus-specific settings - power options, porteus system info these were the most pleasant surprise as this is something I've found lacking in other distros(especially live and portable ones) - I think that this fills a gap and could be certainly flaunted a bit more. Finally the fact that its portable, runs in ram and can boot quickly so i can get a really fast responsive system and not infringe on my laptops default setup.
In retrospect its the specifically portable stuff that represents the best feature for me - the porteus settings and system info, the modular package manager with access to debian and other repos, the massive list of super useful bootcodes - and more ways of installing than I can currently make sense of