via8233 sound very poor under alsa... any suggestions?

ShadyMilkman · n00b Joined: 20 Apr 2002 Posts: 57

OK, so I just finished emerging x and fluxbox... my first time w/ gentoo. I got alsa working, and I found the right driver for my chipset(VIA8233, or snd-via8233). The thing is, the sound quality is pretty bad when playing anything very comples at all(my mp3s for example) it sounds like a radio station with barely any reception. I was wondering if there was any way to get this any better. I know it can be because it sounded perfect under that other OS... and I seem to remember hearing rumours of alsa having poor quality. I'm a newbie, so I don't really know if there is a good answer. Thanks!

FINITE · Guru Joined: 10 May 2002 Posts: 449

I have the a revision of that chipset (via8233a) and sound is working great. I had to download the source for alsa-driver and replace the via8233.c file and compile it "manually" though. Anyways make sure yours is not the a revison (you shouldn't get any sound at all if it is though). Then if you have the correct chip listed try using the snd-ac97-codec module instead of via8233. Some people have to use this module, why I can't say but it won't hurt anything to try it. Prolly the first thing you should do is to make sure that you only have sound support enabled in the kernel (as module or proper), you should not have a yes for any of the cards listed there in the sound section, or an M for that matter. I mentioned as module or proper cause some have better luck doing it as a module versus compiled into the kernel in which case soundcore needs to be added to module.autoload. Personally I compiled it straight into the kernel. Last but not least check with the desktop guide to make sure you havn't forgotten anything.

PS- If you are playing your mp3's through XMMS make sure that the left most vertical bar is not set very high other wise atleast for me youget alot of destortion. Don't know if its XMMS or what causing that.

ShadyMilkman · n00b Joined: 20 Apr 2002 Posts: 57

Well, I turned the volume down in xmms and up in my speakers and it sounds perfect! Thanks for the advice.

FINITE · Guru Joined: 10 May 2002 Posts: 449

Cool, glad to have helped.