Missing /system/etc/asound.conf file producing "Unknown" log messages

[cfrockit]

In an attempt to better understand why some things just don't work on this device I've been reviewing the logs that can be viewed with Android System Info.

The following was repeated over and over again in all of the log files I captured and reviewed:

[FONT=Courier New]D/ALSAModule(1985)open called for devices 00000002 in mode 0...
E/ALSALib (1985)external/alsa-lib/src/pcm/pcm.c:2203:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM AndroidPlayback_Speaker_normal
E/ALSALib (1985)external/alsa-lib/src/pcm/pcm.c:2203:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM AndroidPlayback_Speaker
E/ALSALib (1985)external/alsa-lib/src/pcm/pcm.c:2203:(snd_pcm_open_noupdate) Unknown PCM AndroidPlayback
D/        (1985)[external/alsa-lib/src/pcm/pcm_hw.c]:snd_pcm_hw_prepare
I/ALSAModule(1985)Initialized ALSA PLAYBACK device default[/FONT]

While I haven't observed any issues with the sound, programming errors just drive me crazy. Researching these outputs led me to this Google groups discussion regarding "problems with ALSA". I determined the device didn't even have a "asound.conf" that should have been located in /system/etc and contain the missing hardware configuration details.

From reviewing the default config file and the posted code samples, I constructed the following "asound.conf" file for this device and placed it in /system/etc

##
## Mixer Devices
##

ctl.AndroidPlayback {

type hw

card 1

device 0

}

ctl.AndroidCapture {

type hw

card 1

device 0

}

##
## Playback Devices
##

pcm.AndroidPlayback {

type hw

card 1

device 0

}

pcm.AndroidPlayback_Speaker {

type hw

card 1

device 0

}

pcm.AndroidPlayback_Speaker_normal {

type hw

card 1

device 0

}

pcm.AndroidOut_Headset {
    type hw
}

pcm.AndroidOut_Earpiece {
    type hw
}

# No bluetooth available.  Send output to the bit bucket.
pcm.AndroidOut_Bluetooth {
    type null
}

pcm.AndroidOut_Bluetooth-A2DP {
    type null
}


##
## Recording device
##

pcm.AndroidIn {
    type hw
}

Here are the log results after adding /system/etc/asound.conf

D/ALSAModule(1985)open called for devices 00000002 in mode 0...
D/        (1985)[external/alsa-lib/src/pcm/pcm_hw.c]:snd_pcm_hw_prepare
I/ALSAModule(1985)Initialized ALSA PLAYBACK device default

What if anything this means I don't know but to me no more "Unknown" statements!

 

[cfrockit]

Neither /etc/asound.conf or .asoundrc is normally required. You should be able to play and record sound without either (assuming your mic and speakers are hooked up properly). However, the programmers left the calls thus causing the errors reported in the log that are harmless.

The other missing file called from /system/usr/share/alsa/asla.conf is .asoundrc which is described here.