[SofaKng]

I'm installing XMBCbuntu (Ubuntu 9.04) for use as a dedicated HTPC/XBMC machine.

I'm a little confused on the whole Pulse Audio thing though. Do I need it, or want it?

When I used Ubuntu 8.10, I think I compiled XBMC using: ./configure --prefix=/usr --disable-pulse

[alanwww1]

At my oppinion, pulse audio is a piece of shit.

It resamples everything to a certain bitrate eg 44.1 or 48khz to achieve software mixing.
This means that you don't have your music (or movie sound) untouched.

I can hear huge quality difference playing back 44.1khz CD material resampled to 48khz.

So i would say if you are picky for quality don't ever use it.

Native ALSA is the way.

[SofaKng]

Does Ubuntu 9.04 include both? (it looks like libs exist for both anyways)

If I don't compile XBMC with -disable-pulse, how does it determine which to use?

[spiff]

then it uses pulse as long as its avail

[SofaKng]

Thanks for the help guys.

One other question... is it bad to run the alsa upgrade script twice?

I ran it once, rebooted, and then ran it again. (I thought it didn't work the first time because I was checking devices as a regular user and not root. Doh!)

[alanwww1]

Thanks for the help guys.

One other question... is it bad to run the alsa upgrade script twice?

I ran it once, rebooted, and then ran it again. (I thought it didn't work the first time because I was checking devices as a regular user and not root. Doh!)

I think it is not problem. I did it several times, because i have a modifed nvidia hdmi mudule for multichannel lpcm. It works with no problem. I think with the latest (1-2 weeks old) Jaunty Kernel update (with 14 at the end of the version number) we have a pretty up to date Alsa. So just update to the latest Kernel and you won't need the script.

[SofaKng]

Well, I already ran the script (twice) and everything seems OK but I just wanted to make sure it didn't screw anything up.

I'm a little afraid of updating the kernel and doesn't really seem necessary in my case (unless it provides other advantages?)

Thanks so much for the help!

[alanwww1]

Well, I already ran the script (twice) and everything seems OK but I just wanted to make sure it didn't screw anything up.

I'm a little afraid of updating the kernel and doesn't really seem necessary in my case (unless it provides other advantages?)

Thanks so much for the help!

I did not see any other improvements.

The only trouble you can get by upgrading the Kernel is that you eighter need to recompile the nvidia driver or if you have enabled the nvidia ppa source it updates itself.

If you have any other custom compiled kernel module (eg. lirc) those you have to recompile.

[alanwww1]

One other thing i noticed using xbmc with alsa.

If you use spdif output i suggest changing default,iec958 at hardware settings to iec958,iec958. (or hw:0,1 , hw:0,1)

And delete .asoundrc from your home dir (if you have one)

This way you can be sure that no sotware mixing will be done with your sound (alsa also does some mixing in some case) to avoid quality loss. This way your 44.1 will be played back at 44.1 or for example your 96khz hd sound won't be downsampled.

Navigation sound will still work this way as they use the default pcm device.

[SofaKng]

Where do you make that change?

Also, isn't lirc a PPA that would get automatically upgraded? (sorry, I'm still learning Ubuntu/Linux!)

[alanwww1]

Where do you make that change?

Also, isn't lirc a PPA that would get automatically upgraded? (sorry, I'm still learning Ubuntu/Linux!)

I don't know about one, but if you installed with sudo apt-get install, than you don't have any problems. Only if you compiled some custom module (like i had to with imon remote).

For nvidia ppa check my posts in ine older threads how to make it:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showpost.php?p=378139&postcount=5