problems with CD-player

[DE GEEST Kristoffel]

I have just configured my new PC (workstation XW4200) with linux, and everything works fine, except one thing:
when a play a CD, I hear no sound. I have try it with multiple tools (mplayer, gnome-cd, ...)

This is amazing because when I play a DVD the sound is OK.
The system recognizes all tracks on the CD. I can extract all tracks to OGG files on disk. I have sound (music) when I play these these OGG files with mplayer or other tools.
I can read and write to a data-CD without problems.

The CD/DVD drive is a '48X DVD-ROM/CDRW combo' .
The CD-writer recognizes the CD/DVD writer device as 'HL-DT-ST RW/DVD GCC-4481B'.

I run Fedora Core3, kernel version 2.6.9-1-667smp, and have a scsi-emulation installed (normally not needed for kernel 2.6).

[Bruce Copeland]

Lack of sound is ubiquitous on new installations of Red Hat 8 thru Fedora Core 4 when running Gnome. Most of the time, the problem is solved by using the Gnome volume control application to adjust the relevant Master and CD volume down and then back up. Also make sure the Master and CD output isn't muted in the volume control application.

Let us know if this doesn't solve the problem.

Bruce

[DE GEEST Kristoffel]

Thanks Bruce for your helps, but unfortunately without result.

Master and cd output isn't muted. The master and and CD volume are locked, but unlock them gives no sound for my CD (also after adjust the volume).
Each time I close the Gnome volume control and reopen it, the Master and CD volume are locked again. Adjust the volume give no result.

Also removing the mute on the master mono volume gives not the expected result. I can play sound files on disk on the master mono volume.

[Steven E. Protter]

There is a sound detect and configure utility in the gnome menu for most Redhat/fedora releases.

Since the DVD works with sound, you know the sound card is configured and volume controls are okay.

I'd look at the settings for the cd player, its probably got a mute box checked.

Or there could be a software bug and you need a later version.

SEP

[Stuart Browne]

Actually to me it sounds like something simpler..

When playing DVD audio or OGG/MP3 audio, it's simple software and PCM sound though the system bus.

When playing CD audio however, it usually just plays it directly from the CD drive, through the 'CD Audio' cable that goes between the drive to the audio card, completely bypassing the system bus.

This is why most mixer/audio-level programs have PCM and CD as separate channels.

I'd crack the system open and check the little grey cable going from the CD drive.. Make sure it's there. Each end will have 4 pins.

[kcpant]

Hi Geest,

In adition to the reply of Stuart, which is right that you should have an audio cable going on your sound card ( or motherboard if it's an integrated sound) from your CD+DVD combo. moreover, in windows, you can also play CD format audio without this cable by selecting " enable digital CD audio" in the settings of cd drive. I don't know how you can do the same task on Linux ( I haven't worked much on multimedia applications on linux).

[DE GEEST Kristoffel]

My problem is solved when I install xmms, I have tried with gnome-cd and mplayer.
When I change in xmms the option/preference/Audio Cd Player to digital audio extraction, it works fine with xxms.

There is no audio cable from my CD/DVD drive to my motherboard in my PC.
I hear on an other HP forum that most PC don't ship with that cable anymore since it's usually inferior audio quality (forum: Desktops and workstation/Workstation-EVO, Desktop, Thin Clients)

Many thanks.