[alsa-devel] FIXME for Rear Channels of CMI8738, how do i write a softvol to fix this defect?

[Takashi Iwai]

At Mon, 7 May 2007 14:10:18 -0700,
John L. Utz III wrote:
> 
> Hello;
> 
> the CMI8738 allows for 4 channel output by providing a second DAC, but
> sadly the hardware has no volume control for said second DAC.
> 
> A review of /usr/share/alsa/cards/CMI8738-MC6.conf shows that the
> implementor of said file was aware of the need to fix the problem:
> 
> # 2nd DAC
> # FIXME: we need a volume attenuator for rear channel.
> CMI8738-MC6.pcm.rear.0 {
>         @args [ CARD ]
>         @args.CARD {
>                 type string
>         }
>         type hw
>         card $CARD
>         device 1
> }
> 
> 
> 
> I'd really like to fix this!
> 
> Is it fixable by creating a softvol plugin?
> 
> http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-doc/alsa-lib/pcm_plugins.html#pcm_plugins
> 
> so, if i have to invoke speaker test with -Dhw:0,1 to get 4 channel
> out, what does that tell me about how i need to configure a softvol for
> this item?
> 
> Or am i missing the point and it's actually the *driver* that needs to
> be doctored up to provide a softvol implementation. If so, how?

For using the rear PCM defined in the above, you must use "rear" PCM
as it's named, not hw:0,1, such as
	% aplay -Drear foo.wav

The softvol implementation is easy.  See CMI8738-MC8.conf as a
reference.  Note that you should use a different mixer name instead of
"PCM Playback Volume".  If an existing control name is specified,
softvol will be skipped automatically.  Use "Rear Playback Volume"
instead, for example.


Takashi