Using RCA jack for audio

Hi,

I am a complete noob. I installed xbian on my Pi and plugged it into my old TV, which doesnt take HDMI, I amanaged to play videos but I dont know how to get the sound to work. I tried plugging in the red and white jacks into the audio output of the Pi, but alas, it did not work - Is there anything I have to do toget the sound working as is (i.e. without having to buy more hardware?)

Thanks!!

You need to tell pi where to send sound:

sudo amixer cset numid=3 <output>

0=auto
1=headphones
2=hdmi

In your case, run this command:
sudo amixer cset numid=3 1

Hi,

Thanks for your advice. Unfortunately I exited the xbian and once I got to the commnd prompt I entered the commands you recommended but the command was not recognized...

Thanks

Try: apt-get install alsa-utils then run amixer again.

Richard S.

Thanks Richard,
I tried your suggestion after using xbian as the login and raspberry as the password. I got the following reply:
Could not open lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (13:permission denied) Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), are you root?

I have searched in vaious forums and they all seem to agree that xbian and raspberry are the root login... is there something I am missing?

Thanks!

Can you try sudo apt-get install alsa-utils

That should run the command as the "root" user.

Thanks everyone! I ran sudo apt-get update, then I ran sudo apt-get install alsa-utils, but when I try to run sudo amixer cset numid=3 1 it replies:

amixer: control default open error: no such file or directory

when I try to run just sudo amixer cset it replies:

Specify a full control identifier: [[iface=<iface>,][name='name',][index=<index>,][device=<device>,][subdevice=<subdevice>]]|[numid=<numid>]

Is there something I am missing?

Thanks

Try sudo modprobe snd-bcm2835 then the sudo amixer command again.

If that works, you should add "snd-bcm2835" (without the quotes) to the end of /etc/modules to make this work automatically at boot time.

You could try this:

sudo amixer cget numid=1
sudo amixer cget numid=2
sudo amixer cget numid=3
sudo amixer cget numid=4

I'm not sure what it will give you, but in my case numid=3 returns:
numid=3,iface=MIXER,name='PCM Playback Route'
; type=INTEGER,access=rw------,values=1,min=0,max=2,step=0
: values=1

and I guess that 'PCM Playback Route' is what we are looking for. Maybe it has another numid in your case, even though I can't imagine why.

Just remembered, you must first load the sound driver:
sudo modprobe snd_bcm2835

Last thing: To avoid having to start the sound driver after boot, make an entry in /etc/modules, like this;

sudo su
echo snd_bcm2835>>>>/etc/modules
exit

And to check the change:
cat /etc/modules

And I should learn to read before I post; rpdom has already said the same thing...

The audio output takes no white or red RCAjack, it needs a stereo 3.5 mm audio jack. You'll need a cable like the one here:
https://dx.com/p/3-5mm-audio-jack-male- ... -30cm-5143

Since there is not phono jacks on the Pi, I'm pretty sure astrodog meant the other end of the cable, when he said red and white jack

Hi guys, thanks for all your help, the pi community is awesome! I just tried Paulus' idea and it works like a charm!

Thanks again to all!

Sblar, I plugged in the yellow jack for video and I was trying to use the red or white jacks... I figured just one of the jacks should do it.... obviously I was very wrong and like you say,the pi just doesnt take it.

Thanks for all your help^!!

I've been trying to set up the DLNA streaming system as specified by Stephen Phillips which I've managed to get working apart from getting the sound out of the RCA jack. I get the sound out via the HDMI port and when I issue the amixer command I get the following.

pi@raspberrypi ~ $ sudo amixer cset numid=3 1
ALSA lib pulse.c:243:(pulse_connect) PulseAudio: Unable to connect: Access denied

amixer: Control default open error: Connection refused

Is there some connection with PulseAudio that is stopping the command working. I've had it working before without PulseAudio installed.

Cheers Dave

Hi dave,

have you tried the 3.5mm audio jack that Paulus suggested? It worked great for me

Of course I didn't mean the Composite RCA Phono - I meant the 3.5 mm jack. The amixer command should switch the sound output from HDMI to the 3.5 mm jack but the command fails. I think I'll try reinstalling and setting it to the correct output before installing PulseAudio - might make the difference.

Dave

Yes that worked fine. I redid the build after issuing the 'sudo amixer cset numid=3 1' command and kept checking that it worked by doing a 'sudo speaker-test' after each section of the install - and it all works.

yippee

Dave