cannot use alsa on multiple applications[solved]

[Adel Ahmed]

I have finally configured sound on my gentoo laptop
I cannot however use sound in more than one application at the same time, I know I should be creating an asoundrc file, I'm already using an asound.conf file and I'm not sure exactly how to merge the wiki entry with my own:
pcm.!default {
type hw
card 1
}

ctl.!default {
type hw
card 1
}

this entry selects my pch card instsead of hdmi one so it's important I don't go back to square one, I would rather not use pulseaudio unless it's the last option

thanks

[Ant P.]

You're telling the applications to use the card directly, and your card (being a HDA design) does not have hardware mixing. You need dmix at a bare minimum.

[Adel Ahmed]

thanks alot ant p, that was the solution

here's my new asound.conf:
pcm.spacespdifdmix {
type dmix
ipc_key 83484784
slave {
pcm "hw:1,0"
format S32_LE
rate 44100
}
}

pcm.spacespdif {
type plug
slave {
pcm spacespdifdmix
}
}

pcm.!default {
type plug
# slave.pcm "dmix"
slave {
pcm spacespdifdmix
}
}

problem solved