[LAU] Problems with RME Hammerfall DSP + Multiface

Warning: Long message below...

After reaching a dead-end for the zillionth time during the last month,
I have decided to finally post my experiences here.. I apologize if
that's gonna end up feeling like a short novel, feel free to ignore it :)

To start up, my current ALSA information sits here -->
http://pastebin.ca/525842

I have an RME Hammerfall DSP + Multiface combo sound card on an Intel(R)
Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz machine with 2GB RAM, running Ubuntu Edgy
that currently seems closer to an Ubuntu Feisty after all the upgrades I
have done on it and a simiral machine that still has the default Ubuntu
Edgy Server Edition on it with no software upgrades..

I have tried various software & configuration combinations during this
time with the aim to make the server-side of a radio ripping service.
The HDSP Multiface has 8 analog mono inputs / 8 analog mono outputs let
alone the ADATs and SPDIFs.. What I want to do is record one radio
station via some radio tuners I have here on each input of the multiface
and record each one to a separate WAV file, splitting as necessary
before the 2GB WAV file limit. Everything should be done using
command-line tools and scripts since this is a server with no GUI on top.

I have tried ALSA 1.0.12, 1.0.13, up to 1.0.14rc4 with kernels from
2.6.17-11 up to 2.6.20-16 and in addition to that I have also tried
routing ALSA through the pulseaudio sound server (using the ALSA pulse
plugin)..

I have achieved recording one input at a time using arecord but failed
to record more than one at the same time, either by using the dsnoop
ALSA plugin or by using pulseaudio.. I have tried upgrading the firmware
of the soundcard as recommended on some forums by pluging it to a
Windowz XP box and getting firmware upgrades from the RME website..

On all occasions, I keep on getting an 'unable to install hw params'
error message.. E.g.

/root@email-addr-hidden-master:~# speaker-test -r44100 -Ddmix -c8

speaker-test 1.0.14rc4

Playback device is dmix
Stream parameters are 44100Hz, S16_LE, 8 channels
Using 16 octaves of pink noise
ALSA lib pcm_direct.c:971:(snd_pcm_direct_initialize_slave) unable to
install hw params
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:876:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to initialize slave
Playback open error: -16,Device or resource busy

/OR:

/root@email-addr-hidden-master:~# arecord -Ddsnoop
ALSA lib pcm_direct.c:971:(snd_pcm_direct_initialize_slave) unable to
install hw params
ALSA lib pcm_dsnoop.c:569:(snd_pcm_dsnoop_open) unable to initialize slave
arecord: main:545: audio open error: Device or resource busy
/

If any of you have simiral experiences, I would love to share them,
specially if someone is using the same sound card hardware and managed
to get it working properly

Thanks in advance for any information regarding this issues,
Nikos Sarakenidis
Athens, Greece

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Received on Thu May 31 20:15:02 2007