Ubuntu 13.10 64bit playback problem

Audacity Help Forum GNU/Linux
1

I have exactly the same problem as described after upgrading to Ubuntu 13.10 from 13.04 x64

On starting audacity from a terminal with problematic mp3 I get these errors:

ALSA lib pcm_dsnoop.c:618:(snd_pcm_dsnoop_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1022:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.rear
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.center_lfe
ALSA lib pcm.c:2239:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM cards.pcm.side
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
bt_audio_service_open: connect() failed: Connection refused (111)
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:961:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) The dmix plugin supports only playback stream
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:1022:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server request channel
jack server is not running or cannot be started
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541
Expression 'stream->playback.pcm' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 4541

On playing I get a lots of:

ALSA lib pcm.c:7843:(snd_pcm_recover) underrun occurred

If I stop playback, lockup or crash with:

audacity: pthread_mutex_lock.c:326: __pthread_mutex_lock_full: Assertion `robust || (oldval & 0x40000000) == 0' failed.
Aborted (core dumped)

In Devices Host = ALSA, Using PortAudio V19-devel (built Oct 8 2012)
Playback options are:
default - FAILS
pulse - FAILS
HD-Audio Generic: HDMI 0 (hw:2.3) - plays at the correct speed but no sound

2

Topic split as it is highly unlikely that you have exactly the same audio playback devices as the other user (even though you are getting similar symptoms).

Please post the output from Audacity: “Help > Audio device info…”
What settings do you have set in “Edit > Preferences > Recording” and “Edit > Preferences > Quality”?

3

Audio Device Info:

==============================
Default capture device number: 5
Default playback device number: 5
==============================
Device ID: 0
Device name: HDA Intel PCH: ALC269VB Analog (hw:0,0)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: -1.000000
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: -1.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 1
Device name: HD Pro Webcam C920: USB Audio (hw:1,0)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.016000
Low Output Latency: -1.000000
High Input Latency: 0.064000
High Output Latency: -1.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 2
Device name: HD-Audio Generic: HDMI 0 (hw:2,3)
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: -1.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: -1.000000
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    32000
    44100
    48000
==============================
Device ID: 3
Device name: sysdefault
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 128
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.042653
Low Output Latency: -1.000000
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: -1.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 4
Device name: pulse
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 32
Output channels: 32
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 5
Device name: default
Host name: ALSA
Input channels: 32
Output channels: 32
Low Input Latency: 0.011610
Low Output Latency: 0.011610
High Input Latency: 0.046440
High Output Latency: 0.046440
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Selected capture device: 5 - default
Selected playback device: 4 - pulse
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Available mixers:
==============================
Available capture sources:
==============================
Available playback volumes:
0 - Master:0
1 - Headphone:0
2 - PCM:0
3 - Front Mic:0
4 - Front Mic Boost:0
5 - Beep:0
6 - Rear Mic:0
7 - Rear Mic Boost:0
==============================
Capture volume is emulated
Playback volume is native

I’ve not changed any prefs but,

Prefs->Recording (unchecked unless stated)
Overdub checked
Latency:
Audio to Buffer =100
Latency Correction = -130

Prefs->Quality
Sample rate 44100
sample format 32 bit float
Real time Conv:
sample rate converter, Medium Quality
dither: none
HiQ Conv:
sample rate converter, Best
dither: shaped

4

If you play a sound file or video, where does the sound normally come out?

Do you have “PulseAudio Volume Control” installed? (pavucontrol)
If not, please install it. It is a very useful utility when working with audio, and it may help us to diagnose what is going on. You don’t need to do anything with it now but we will probably need it shortly.

5

I’m listening to audio on headphones plugged into the regular headphones jack. Pulseaudio volume control is installed.

As this issue was split from another post that I thought described similar issues I should add that the mp3 are playing back at about 60x the correct speed. ie an hour long recording is played back in a minute.

6

That is probably a different issue, so I’ll keep that in mind and we can come back to it later.

You said that playback fails when the Audacity playback device is set to “pulse”.
What actually happen? Any error messages? Any flashing lights? Any smoke?
Try logging out and back in again, then without opening any other programs, open Audacity, generate a tone (Generate menu), ensure that the recording and playback devices are set to “default” (same as “pulse”) and click the Play button.