[linrad] Mandrake 10.1

[<leif@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I think Mandrake is the most user-friendly of all the
different distributions:-) For the first time ever I
got ALSA running at 96 kHz - and I did absolutely nothing
to configure it - not even start any mixer program.

First I downloaded svgalib-1.9.21, nasm and Linrad-01-33
from the Internet. Since I do not want to run under X for
variuos reasons I wanted to switch to runmode 3. (Actually
I never found out the proper way of doing it)

It was difficult (for me) to make Mandrake boot in runmode 3.
I tried to edit /etc/inittab from the KDE screen but I was told
there was a /etc/inittab.swp file and/or that I could not
change this read only file. The way around the problem was
to install the good old joe editor and run it from a terminal
window in KDE. With joe (as root) I could change /etc/inittab
and now the computer boots into terminal mode:-)

The 'Make install' for svgalib failed because there was some
missing kernel file(s) that is needed for svgalib helper.
To solve this problem I edited the svgalib Makefile.config
file (line 79, uncomment 'NO_HELPER = y'). After that I had
to run 'Make clean' to remove the failed installation and
type 'Make install' again. This time with success.

The Linrad './configure' and 'make' ran without errors and
after changing /etc/vga/libvga.config to have the correct
information about my mouse and monitor, Linrad started with
all expected screen resolutions available.

The computer has a Delta44 and a 82801EB AC'97 on the motherboard.
The sound setup of Linrad shows two devices. The speed information
is incorrect, it specifies 1000-192000 for /dev/dsp and
5000 - 192000 for /dev/dsp1. Both devices show 4 channels 16 bits.
ALSA obvoiusly does not conform to the OSS specification in that
it does not return the soundcard capabilities correctly.

Trying to open /dev/dsp for 4 channels at 96 kHz causes Linrad to
hang (ctrlC works as an exit.) Not unexpected - the hardware is AC'97
but the operator has to know because Linrad can not find out.......

Opening /dev/dsp1 for 4 channels at 96 kHz works fine and all looks
perfectly normal.  Clicking on a signal sends sound into the
loudspeakers at a normal level:-)

Unfortunately ALSA does not support the 32 bit format so there
is a small dynamic range loss caused by truncation to 16 bits.

I do not know why I did not see the missing lvgagl message.
Maybe that is related to some older svgalib version?

73

Leif / SM5BSZ



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