Baslinux mailing list

["David Moberg" <davidjmoberg AT lycos.com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "sindi keesan" <keesan AT sdf.lonestar.org>
 
> >>>> Would the Nvidia server be faster than SVGA or Xvesa?
> Some day I will try it if I don't have to compile it first.  Xvesa 
> is adequate.

OK. If you're ever interested, here is a link to XFree86 4.4.0
binaries for glibc 2.1 (BL2):
ftp://ftp.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86/4.4.0/binaries/Linux-ix86-glibc21/

If you browse around, you'll also find sources and binaries for
different versions and platforms (earlier versions of X are
available for libc5, even)

4.4.0 is most likely to support the hardware acceleration of your
video chip. 4.4.0 also has the -configure option, which detects your
hardware and makes a /root/XF86Config.new file, which you can then edit
and move to /etc/XF86Config. There is no need for XF86Config. The main
downside: 4.4.0 is big. It is modular, though, so you can remove the
modules and binaries which you do not need.

> I thought dmesg only mirrored what goes by on the screen.

Actually, everything in dmesg is sent to /dev/console when it happens,
so you don't get the messages if you're using an xterm. Only with a
VT.

> Is there another way to tell if the modules are properly installed?

lsmod? Also, see if the modules work correctly.

> >> It is not powered
> >> - do the unpowered cards tend to sound as good as the older SB16's
> >> with power?
> >
> > If your speakers have good amplifiers the sound quality will be
> > better. I have found sound card amplifiers to be very noisy.
> 
> My speakers are cheapies.  We use a radio with line in (aux) for 
> better sound (and vol control).  Are SB16 cards, ESS, Trident, 
> Ensoniq or Crystal thought to produce better sound?

My personal experience would rank the cards I've used as follows:
(from best to worst)

1) cs4232
2) Vibra16
3) i810
4) OPL3-SAx

The OPL3 was very noisy until I turned off the built-in amplifier.
The i810 is OK until you crank the volume up. The Vibra16 is good.
It's noisy if I don't turn off the amplifier (via a jumper) before
using headphones, but certainly tolerable.
 
> > isapnptools didn't like it, either. The Vibra16 board is PnP, too,
> > but it works with the plain sb.o driver. (Thanks for posting fixes
> > for the DMA problem)
> Why does the problem only occur on newer computers?  Do they use 
> DMA for things that older computers do not?

I wonder if it does occur on older computers? I don't have anything
older to test it with...

> DMA 2 and 4 are always taken.  So far only the sound cards seem to use DMAs.

What about the DMA for IDE drives? I don't think DOS supports DMA, but
Linux likely allocates DMAs for them if you use DMA.

> > es1371 is apparently a good board for Linux, next to the sb in
> > compatibility, I believe.
> 
> Also made my Creative - did they buy Ensoniq or vice versa?

Probably Creative bought Ensoniq, since Creative is still in business.
I haven't seen any new Ensoniq boards in a while.

> Shift-8 does not change the volume.  mplayer --help says * or /
> I have a /dev/mixer and /dev/mixer1.  14 0 and 14 16.
> Do I need ALSA too?

You shouldn't. I assumed that Shift+8 equals * on your keyboard.
I have seen some which do not have that (you must use the numlock
pad instead) on laptops.

> I don't yet have /dev/midi(0) or /dev/sequencer - are those just 
> for playing midi files?

Yes. They're only needed for something like playmidi. If you use
Timidity or something similar, Timidity will render it to /dev/dsp
(since Timidity converts MIDI into PCM audio)

> oss and sdl sound the same to me - what differences should I listen for?

None.

> > -ao sdl is just a different way of sending audio
> > to OSS in MPlayer #3.
> 
> To fix bugs?

Yes. SDL is a little less demanding of the sound driver than MPlayer's
OSS output.

> If I have ALSA modules, do I still need the OSS modules for each different 
> card?

No. ALSA completely replaces OSS.

> >> 'that Steven with a little v did not include in BL3' scans better.
> >
> > Should we use last names?
> 
> Would that rhyme better?

No, but it might help avoid confusion.

> >> I used hdparm once to fix a HD reset problem.  Can I also use it
> >> with the DVD-ROM drive that is not working quite right and gives
> >> reset messages?
> >
> > Probably. I haven't experienced reset problems. I've found that
> > hdparm treats ATAPI CD drives and hard drives similarly. My CD burner
> > absolutely refuses to work with DMA, so I sometimes need to use
> > hdparm to turn it off. My DVD drive, on the other hand, works
> > much better for DVD playback with DMA enabled. hdparm lets me
> > choose the correct option.
> 
> hdparm /dev/hda (hard drive) lists parameters.
> hdparm /dev/hdc (DVD-ROM drive) tells me that three things failed and also
> using_dma = 1 (on)   - I will leave it that way.

> HDIO_GET_MULTCOUNT, _NOWERR and GEO all failed.  Does this mean 
> something to you?

Yes. HDIO_GET_MULTCOUNT and GEO indicate that it is a CD drive of some
kind. Very normal.

I have never seen _NOWERR. I don't know what it means. Perhaps it
also indicates a CD drive, but the version of hdparm I have doesn't
try to detect it.

> What shapes do they [CDs] come in besides circular?

There are smaller CD formats. One format looks like an ordinary CD,
except that it is about 5cm in diameter instead of the standard 8cm. 

DSL and LNX-BBC are both designed to fit on a "business card" CD.
It looks like the disc type mentioned above, except the top and
bottom are sawed off.

Slot-loading drives like my DVD player can't read these types.
However, if you look closely at the tray of an ordinary CD-ROM
drive, you'll see a 5cm diameter groove in the center. This is
designed for this size of CD.
There are places online where you can order CD-Rs shaped like
this. I've even seen a company which lets you design your own
weird CD shapes. As long as it's symmetrical and fairly close
to a circle, it will work.

> I don't notice any difference, they both work fine.  Would it help 
> you if I tried to test the speeds?

No. They're mainly useful for determining which -vo driver to use.

> > MPlayer is adept at .mpg files. You should have no trouble at all with
> > them. Earlier AVI codecs like Cinepak and Indeo 3.1/3.2 are also well-
> > supported. I have had success with .asf files, but I don't think all of
> > them will work with the standard codecs.
> 
> I will look for these.  #3 plays oggs too, just tested.

Stephen Clement has an MPG at his FTP site. I don't know what it's there
for (it's some kind of home video of various New York landmarks), but it
is an acceptable test.

David

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