[CentOS] Firfox plugins but no sound

Thu Nov 15 11:04:30 UTC 2007
James Pearson <james-p at moving-picture.com>

Robert Spangler wrote:
> On Mon November 12 2007 15:54, James Pearson wrote:
> 
> 
>> On 12/11/2007, Robert Spangler <lazydog at zoominternet.net> wrote:
>> > On Mon November 12 2007 13:30, Ross S. W. Walker wrote:
>> > >  Robert Spangler wrote:
>> > >  > Hello everyone,
>> > >  >
>> > >  > I run a 64bit system here and install flash plugins for
>> > >  > firefox using
>> > >  > nspluginwrapper.  I get the movies but there is no sound.
>> > >
>> > >  Make sure the 32-bit alsa-lib is installed.
>> >
>> > alsa-lib.i386                            1.0.6-5.RHEL4         
>> > installed
>>
>> Can you playback sound using other 32 bit apps? e.g. using the 32 bit
>> version of aplay?
> 
> 
> I have aplay but don't know if it's 32bit or not.

If you have a 64 bit distro installed, then aplay will be 64 bit - running:

file `which aplay`

should confirm this. To run the 32 bit version you will need to download 
the 32 bit (i386) alsa-utils RPM - but don't install it. Extract the 32 
bit aplay binary by doing something like:

cd /tmp
rpm2cpio alsa-utils-1.0.6-6.i386.rpm  | cpio -idmv ./usr/bin/aplay

However, as you are running CentOS4, you will need to make sure the 
snd_ioctl32 kernel module is loaded - it isn't by default i.e.

modprobe snd_ioctl32

Then test with the 32 bit aplay:

alsaunmute 0
/tmp/usr/bin/aplay /usr/share/system-config-soundcard/sound-sample.wav

>> What type of sound card do you have?
> 
> 
> class: AUDIO
> bus: PCI
> detached: 0
> driver: snd-via82xx
> desc: "VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller"
> vendorId: 1106
> deviceId: 3059
> subVendorId: 1043
> subDeviceId: 812a
> pciType: 1
> pcidom:    0
> pcibus:  0
> pcidev: 11
> pcifn:  5

Same as mine ... however, I had lots of issues with 32 bit apps and 
sound on 64 bit CentOS4 (not necessarily this sound card) - in the end I 
'upgraded' to the ALSA 1.0.15 kernel drivers, libs and utils - which 
works much better

James Pearson