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I can't get any sound when trying to use the optical cable. Anyone knows how to configure it to get 5.1 sound out?

Reading on Pulse audio I found that Creative Labs Omni 5.1 is supported since version 9. I do have another usb sound card with optical output, and that one works but there is lots of "static" "cracking noises". I thought the Omni 5.1 will be better but... I can't get any digital sound out of it.

Posting this here so everything is one page. I'll start looking and reply soon.

rpetrusevski wrote: ⤴Thu Dec 06, 2018 2:33 pm I also have similar issue using CB Omni 5.1 USB, no sound when trying to use the optical output.

Code: Select all

$ pacmd list-sinks
1 sink(s) available.
  * index: 22
	name: <alsa_output.usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_Omni_Surround_5.1_000000JU-00.iec958-stereo>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	flags: HARDWARE DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
	state: RUNNING
	suspend cause: 
	priority: 9048
	volume: front-left: 39328 /  60% / -13.31 dB,   front-right: 39328 /  60% / -13.31 dB
	        balance 0.00
	base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
	volume steps: 65537
	muted: no
	current latency: 32.68 ms
	max request: 7 KiB
	max rewind: 375 KiB
	monitor source: 25
	sample spec: s16le 2ch 48000Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	used by: 1
	linked by: 3
	configured latency: 40.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 2000.00 ms
	card: 1 <alsa_card.usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_Omni_Surround_5.1_000000JU-00>
	module: 8
	properties:
		alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.name = "USB Audio"
		alsa.id = "USB Audio"
		alsa.subdevice = "0"
		alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
		alsa.device = "0"
		alsa.card = "1"
		alsa.card_name = "SB Omni Surround 5.1"
		alsa.long_card_name = "Creative Technology Ltd SB Omni Surround 5.1 at usb-0000:00:14.0-9, high speed"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_usb_audio"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:14.0-usb-0:9:1.0"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb3/3-9/3-9:1.0/sound/card1"
		udev.id = "usb-Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_Omni_Surround_5.1_000000JU-00"
		device.bus = "usb"
		device.vendor.id = "041e"
		device.vendor.name = "Creative Technology, Ltd"
		device.product.id = "322c"
		device.product.name = "SB Omni Surround 5.1"
		device.serial = "Creative_Technology_Ltd_SB_Omni_Surround_5.1_000000JU"
		device.string = "iec958:1"
		device.buffering.buffer_size = "384000"
		device.buffering.fragment_size = "192000"
		device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
		device.profile.name = "iec958-stereo"
		device.profile.description = "Digital Stereo (IEC958)"
		device.description = "SB Omni Surround 5.1 Digital Stereo (IEC958)"
		alsa.mixer_name = "USB Mixer"
		alsa.components = "USB041e:322c"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-usb"
	ports:
		iec958-stereo-output: Digital Output (S/PDIF) (priority 0, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				
	active port: <iec958-stereo-output>

Hi rpetrusevski, and welcome to the forum.

The first thing I spotted from your output is a mix between digital and analog: I am guessing you changed the Profile on the Configuration tab of pavucontrol before running pacmd list-sinks?

What happens if you revert to what you were showing on pavucontrol, then look at the Output Devices tab and see what options are available. You might have to play around with it to find something that works using both tabs.

Here is a link to a .conf file for your card on github. So far, I don't understand much of it, nor what to do with it. I'll give it a bit of a read in a little while and see if I can make sense of it. https://github.com/pulseaudio/pulseaudi ... d-5.1.conf

Good luck.

EDIT: I looked through the file on github, then realized we already have a version of that file in /usr/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/profile-sets/. Now on my system, that doesn't have that card, the very beginning of the file is different: My system above, the github version below: The github copy was updated back in June, which is probably newer than what you have installed. No idea whatsoever if that file will help or not, and also no idea what other changes there might be. There was really no point in my looking through it all without having the card installed, not to mention, I'm on 18.3 so a much older version of PulseAudio than you are using.

Hopefully what I posted earlier will lead to some success before we even think of trying to modify that file.

I forgot to mention, your other card with static might be easily fixable if you want to give that a shot at any time. It's just a small edit to a conf file.

Hey,

is there anything new about this issue?

Cheers

Hi confy.

The OP never returned after making that post. If you were looking to solve the same or similar issue, please start a new thread stating your issue, and include the outputs from running inxi -Fxz and aplay -l in the terminal. Also, while trying to get output on the card, have a song or video running and run pacmd list-sinks in the terminal and include that output as well.

If we can get you fixed, you wouldn't be able to mark this thread as Solved, which makes it easier for others to find solutions.