[alsa-devel] spdif/iec958 outputs at VT1708S not recognized

[Vedran Miletić]

On Wed, Apr 29, 2009 at 5:19 PM, David Douglas <one51s at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Peter Niemayer <niemayer <at> isg.de> writes:
>> I recently installed an Asus M4N78 mainboard, that uses a
>> nVidia GeForce 8300 chipset and a VT1708S soundchip.
>>
>> I had to short circuit the pin definition
>> in vt1708S_parse_auto_config() to get the digital outputs
>> to work:
>>
>>          spec->multiout.max_channels = spec->multiout.num_dacs * 2;
>>
>> -       if (spec->autocfg.dig_out_pin)
>> +       // test fails for Asus M4N78 if (spec->autocfg.dig_out_pin)
>>                  spec->multiout.dig_out_nid = VT1708S_DIGOUT_NID;
>>
>>          spec->extra_dig_out_nid = 0x15;
>
>
> Hi Peter,
>
> I'm a relative Linux newbie trying to get away from Windows.  But longtime
> computer geek.  I have an issue with my Asus M4A78 (same as yours but ATI
> graphics), that the LFE channel works in speaker-test but has no output from
> applications (even when they should output 5.1, like a DVD in VLC).
>
> I believe that some layer, maybe even the hw, is remixing to 5 (minus the .1)
> without being asked, as even CD sound plays over all five speakers.  And there
> is no gui configuration program I can find to specify such a remixing (which I
> am sure the soundcard is capable of).
>
> Currently I am trying an upgrade (via script from ubuntu forums) to the latest
> Alsa, from .18 to .19.  If that doesn't resolve (and I don't expect it to): I am
> curious if you got 5.1 working properly with your soundcard.  Also the SPDIF
> would be an option for me, can I ask the location of that code you mentioned?
> (If it's a config file and you wouldn't mind posting yours, would be fantastic).
>
> I have been under the impression that the 1708S is not explicitly supported by
> Alsa, because it's not yet listed in the Alsa-project homepage list  :-/
>
> Many thanks,
> Dave

Wiki is extremely outdated and incomplete since nobody is actively
maintaining it. VT1708S is supported, thanks to contributions from
VIA. However, quirky boards might not be fully working.

Maybe reporting BIOS bug to ASUS would help, but I wouldn't bet on that.

Vedran Miletić