Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Re: Alsamixer: Dangerous Design!!!!
From: Andre Pang (andrep-ml_AT_vjolnir.org)
Date: Thu May 04 2000 - 02:52:47 EEST
On Wed, May 03, 2000 at 07:11:11PM +0300, Juhana Sadeharju wrote:
> The maximum hardware master level lock should be in the Alsa driver because
> it cannot be assumed that your Alsamixer is the only which alters the master
> volume. This lock would be adjustable from software but the root could set
> it unadjustable.
okay, _if_ this feature is going to be added to alsa (which i genuinely
hope it won't be, for reasons discussed previously by others), at the very
least, make it incredibly optional. that means that you do not enable it by
default; perhaps an explicit --maximum-volume (0-100) parameter when doing a
modprobe for your soundcard.
> It is not about that. Alsa driver should support the feature which forbits
> any attempt to turn the master volume louder. Plain simple.
no, this is wrong. if you have set the overall output volume on your
soundcard set to maximum and you're hearing things at 666dBN through your
headphones, then you've obviously got it hooked up to some sort of amplified
line-out on your soundcard and it's your problem. alsa does not and should
not compensate for lack of knowledge on the user's part, and it most
definitely should not have code that (a) slows down the mixing process and
adds latency and (b) screws up the quality of the sound.
to fight fire with fire - can you imagine an unknowledgeable user
complaining about why "Linux sounds really bad with my soundcard" because
alsa is doing a hard volume limit of 50%, which effectively translates to
digital distortion? (undoubtedly one of the most painful noises known to
mankind, except perhaps for Jason Donovan songs.)
if you really want to do something like that, turn down your master gain
on your soundcard, use something with a headphones volume control, or don't
hook it up to your amplified line-out.
> A reasonable hardware volume is good enough for your 1812 Overture.
> If a song has entirely low volume, it can be corrected with software
> volume without distortion.
what you're asking for is to do something in a driver. it's general
driver architecture to not meddle with what it's meant to do - this not only
goes against entire unix philosophy, but it's just plain _wrong_. and you
cannot 'correct' volume without some sort of distortion being introduced,
> Nonsense. Are Alsa developers now any less morally responsible if somebody
> hits the "Home" button accidentally and gets 300 dB to ears?
no, since you're the guy hooking it up to your amplified out :).
basically, don't mess with the drivers. if you want to do it, fine, go
hack the driver to do it yourself and put up a publicly-available patch.
that's what open-source is all about.
-- : Andre Pang <andrep_AT_vjolnir.org> - #ozone - ph# 0411.882299 : : ...[ = trust in love to save = ]... :
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