[MPlayer-users] report bug: gmplayer keep poping up error message during playback for some audio output devices using alsa

[Zhang Weiwu]

Hello list.

The bug is actually very simple, by default gmplayer use 'pcm' for ALSA
mixer channel. This default value assume every audio output device have
a mixer channel called "PCM" which is an incorrect assumption.

When an audio output device that do not have PCM alsa mixer channel is
being used, gmplayer keep poping up this error message during playback

    "alsa-control: unable to find simple control PCM"

Result is interrupted playback and very high CPU usage.

An example of audio output device that do not have PCM alsa control:
"C-Media USB Headphone Set" (the only available mixer channel being
"Speaker").

Other players like gxine do not have similar behavior (they seems to be
able to use the correct mixer channel by default)

====Workaround for this bug====

user can run alsamixer to see what mixer channel is available, and set
gmplayer to use that mixer channel (in
gmplayer->preferences->audo->alsa->confilg->mixer channel) or add this
line to .mplayer/config

    ao_alsa_mixer_channel = "Speaker"

(replace "Speaker" with your audio device mixer channel name)