This is a follow-up on an exchange that dates back to October of 2007:
I own a set of Altec Lansing FX5051 USB 5.1 speakers--they have a built-in sound card that allows for 5.1 surround sound from a system that lacks a 5.1 card. This system works out of the box in Windows XP with no need for extra drivers, and I can get sound to play through them in Linux (Currently using Ubuntu 8.04 Beta), however the sound is at an unchangeable (and generally unbearable) 100%. ALSA Mixer will simply not allow me to lower the volume.
The system includes a hub for controlling bass, treble, and volume manually (All digital--there are no analog controls), but it reflects the same information ALSA Mixer provides, and the volume is not adjustable via this interface either.
"lsusb -v" yields the following, though I apologize for any excess information I included here--I'm a bit new to this:
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 04d2:5051 Altec Lansing Technologies Device Descriptor: bLength 18 bDescriptorType 1 bcdUSB 1.00 bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level) bDeviceSubClass 0 bDeviceProtocol 0 bMaxPacketSize0 16 idVendor 0x04d2 Altec Lansing Technologies idProduct 0x5051 bcdDevice 1.12 iManufacturer 1 Altec Lansing Technologies, Inc. iProduct 2 Altec Lansing - FX5051 iSerial 0 bNumConfigurations 1 Configuration Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 2 wTotalLength 139 bNumInterfaces 3 bConfigurationValue 1 iConfiguration 0 bmAttributes 0x40 (Missing must-be-set bit!) Self Powered MaxPower 0mA Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 4 bInterfaceNumber 0 bAlternateSetting 0 bNumEndpoints 0 bInterfaceClass 1 Audio bInterfaceSubClass 1 Control Device bInterfaceProtocol 0 iInterface 0 AudioControl Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 36 bDescriptorSubtype 1 (HEADER) bcdADC 1.00 wTotalLength 44 bInCollection 1 baInterfaceNr( 0) 1 AudioControl Interface Descriptor: bLength 12 bDescriptorType 36 bDescriptorSubtype 2 (INPUT_TERMINAL) bTerminalID 1 wTerminalType 0x0101 USB Streaming bAssocTerminal 0 bNrChannels 6 wChannelConfig 0x003f Left Front (L) Right Front (R) Center Front (C) Low Freqency Enhancement (LFE) Left Surround (LS) Right Surround (RS) iChannelNames 0 iTerminal 0 AudioControl Interface Descriptor: bLength 14 bDescriptorType 36 bDescriptorSubtype 6 (FEATURE_UNIT) bUnitID 2 bSourceID 1 bControlSize 1 bmaControls( 0) 0x15 Mute Bass Treble bmaControls( 1) 0x02 Volume bmaControls( 2) 0x02 Volume bmaControls( 3) 0x00 bmaControls( 4) 0x00 bmaControls( 5) 0x00 bmaControls( 6) 0x00 iFeature 0 AudioControl Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 36 bDescriptorSubtype 3 (OUTPUT_TERMINAL) bTerminalID 3 wTerminalType 0x0301 Speaker bAssocTerminal 0 bSourceID 2 iTerminal 0 Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 4 bInterfaceNumber 1 bAlternateSetting 0 bNumEndpoints 0 bInterfaceClass 1 Audio bInterfaceSubClass 2 Streaming bInterfaceProtocol 0 iInterface 0 Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 4 bInterfaceNumber 1 bAlternateSetting 1 bNumEndpoints 1 bInterfaceClass 1 Audio bInterfaceSubClass 2 Streaming bInterfaceProtocol 0 iInterface 0 AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor: bLength 7 bDescriptorType 36 bDescriptorSubtype 1 (AS_GENERAL) bTerminalLink 1 bDelay 1 frames wFormatTag 1 PCM AudioStreaming Interface Descriptor: bLength 11 bDescriptorType 36 bDescriptorSubtype 2 (FORMAT_TYPE) bFormatType 1 (FORMAT_TYPE_I) bNrChannels 6 bSubframeSize 2 bBitResolution 16 bSamFreqType 1 Discrete tSamFreq[ 0] 48000 Endpoint Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 5 bEndpointAddress 0x01 EP 1 OUT bmAttributes 9 Transfer Type Isochronous Synch Type Adaptive Usage Type Data wMaxPacketSize 0x0240 1x 576 bytes bInterval 1 bRefresh 0 bSynchAddress 0 AudioControl Endpoint Descriptor: bLength 7 bDescriptorType 37 bDescriptorSubtype 1 (EP_GENERAL) bmAttributes 0x01 Sampling Frequency bLockDelayUnits 0 Undefined wLockDelay 0 Undefined Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 4 bInterfaceNumber 2 bAlternateSetting 0 bNumEndpoints 1 bInterfaceClass 3 Human Interface Device bInterfaceSubClass 0 No Subclass bInterfaceProtocol 0 None iInterface 0 HID Device Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 33 bcdHID 1.00 bCountryCode 0 Not supported bNumDescriptors 1 bDescriptorType 34 Report wDescriptorLength 172 Report Descriptor: (length is 172) Item(Global): Usage Page, data= [ 0x0c ] 12 Consumer Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Consumer Control Item(Main ): Collection, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Application Item(Global): Usage Page, data= [ 0x0c ] 12 Consumer Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xe2 ] 226 Mute Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xe9 ] 233 Volume Increment Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xea ] 234 Volume Decrement Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x52 0x01 ] 338 Bass Increment Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x53 0x01 ] 339 Bass Decrement Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x54 0x01 ] 340 Treble Increment Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x55 0x01 ] 341 Treble Decrement Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x00 ] 0 Unassigned Item(Global): Logical Minimum, data= [ 0x00 ] 0 Item(Global): Logical Maximum, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Global): Report Size, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Global): Report Count, data= [ 0x08 ] 8 Item(Main ): Input, data= [ 0x82 ] 130 Data Variable Absolute No_Wrap Linear Preferred_State No_Null_Position Volatile Bitfield Item(Global): Usage Page, data= [ 0x00 0xff ] 65280 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x3a ] 58 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x2e ] 46 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x09 ] 9 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x0a ] 10 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x3d ] 61 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x3e ] 62 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xff ] 255 (null) Item(Global): Logical Minimum, data= [ 0x00 ] 0 Item(Global): Logical Maximum, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Global): Report Size, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Global): Report Count, data= [ 0x08 ] 8 Item(Main ): Input, data= [ 0x82 ] 130 Data Variable Absolute No_Wrap Linear Preferred_State No_Null_Position Volatile Bitfield Item(Global): Usage Page, data= [ 0x0c ] 12 Consumer Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xe2 ] 226 Mute Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xe9 ] 233 Volume Increment Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xea ] 234 Volume Decrement Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x52 0x01 ] 338 Bass Increment Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x53 0x01 ] 339 Bass Decrement Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x54 0x01 ] 340 Treble Increment Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x55 0x01 ] 341 Treble Decrement Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x00 ] 0 Unassigned Item(Global): Logical Minimum, data= [ 0x00 ] 0 Item(Global): Logical Maximum, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Global): Report Size, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Global): Report Count, data= [ 0x08 ] 8 Item(Main ): Output, data= [ 0x82 ] 130 Data Variable Absolute No_Wrap Linear Preferred_State No_Null_Position Volatile Bitfield Item(Global): Usage Page, data= [ 0x00 0xff ] 65280 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x3a ] 58 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x09 ] 9 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x0a ] 10 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x3d ] 61 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x3e ] 62 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xfe ] 254 (null) Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0x00 ] 0 (null) Item(Global): Logical Minimum, data= [ 0x00 ] 0 Item(Global): Logical Maximum, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Global): Report Size, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Global): Report Count, data= [ 0x08 ] 8 Item(Main ): Output, data= [ 0x82 ] 130 Data Variable Absolute No_Wrap Linear Preferred_State No_Null_Position Volatile Bitfield Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xf0 ] 240 (null) Item(Global): Logical Minimum, data= [ 0x00 ] 0 Item(Global): Logical Maximum, data= [ 0xff 0xff ] 65535 Item(Global): Report Size, data= [ 0x10 ] 16 Item(Global): Report Count, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Main ): Output, data= [ 0x82 ] 130 Data Variable Absolute No_Wrap Linear Preferred_State No_Null_Position Volatile Bitfield Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xf1 ] 241 (null) Item(Global): Logical Minimum, data= [ 0x00 ] 0 Item(Global): Logical Maximum, data= [ 0xff 0xff 0xff 0xff ] -1 Item(Global): Report Size, data= [ 0x20 ] 32 Item(Global): Report Count, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Main ): Output, data= [ 0x82 ] 130 Data Variable Absolute No_Wrap Linear Preferred_State No_Null_Position Volatile Bitfield Item(Local ): Usage, data= [ 0xf2 ] 242 (null) Item(Global): Logical Minimum, data= [ 0x00 ] 0 Item(Global): Logical Maximum, data= [ 0xff 0xff 0xff 0xff ] -1 Item(Global): Report Size, data= [ 0x20 ] 32 Item(Global): Report Count, data= [ 0x01 ] 1 Item(Main ): Output, data= [ 0x82 ] 130 Data Variable Absolute No_Wrap Linear Preferred_State No_Null_Position Volatile Bitfield Item(Main ): End Collection, data=none Endpoint Descriptor: bLength 7 bDescriptorType 5 bEndpointAddress 0x83 EP 3 IN bmAttributes 3 Transfer Type Interrupt Synch Type None Usage Type Data wMaxPacketSize 0x0002 1x 2 bytes bInterval 1 Device Status: 0x0001 Self Powered
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Thanks so much in advance, Vince Blake