Configuring audio out to use only one PWM port

[mkende]

Hi all,

I was wondering if it is possible to have the RPi audio output (when using the jack) use only one of the PWM channels (e.g. PWM1 which correspond to the left channel), and let the other be used by another application.

Currently, if I do

Code: Select all

gpio -g mode 18 pwm

to use the PWM0 port on GPIO 18, then any attempt to output a sound (e.g. with aplay) will first block for a few seconds and then output:

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aplay: pcm_write:1939: write error: Input/output error

.

I did not find any option for the bcm2835 driver but maybe I missed something, or maybe it's possible to patch the driver to achieve this?

(I'm mainly interested by a solution for the RPi Zero, where I'd like a mono audio output on GPIO 19, and be able to use GPIO 18 for something else, but I guess that a solution would work for any RPi).

Thanks!

[darkbibble]

here is a tutorial for setting up audio output on the pi zero; https://learn.adafruit.com/adding-basic ... -pwm-audio
it should be easy to adjust it for mono output

[mkende]

Thanks, that's indeed the first thing that I looked at. But even in mono output, the driver still uses both PWM channels (I guess that it just outputs the same thing on both).

[darkbibble]

on the setup I'm building I'm using both mono and stereo, mono for an internal speaker from the right channel (with mini mono amp) and stereo for headphone output

[mkende]

And can you use the other PWM0 output for another purpose when you are in mono output? If so I'm interested by the command that you're using to set the audio output to mono.

[darkbibble]

I haven't started on the code yet, still working on wiring and soldering

[shibus]

Has anyone succeeded this?
I want to use one PWM for LED control and the other PWM for monaural audio.

[mkende]

For my part, I never found a solution, but I haven't looked into this in the last two years. So maybe the audio driver has improved and there is now an option to control this behaviour. Be sure to report here if you find something.

[remistonge]

I am having the exact same problem! Trying to use a mono PWM for audio and the second PWM for an other purpose. Still no solution around...

[semih_sky]

Hi,

Is there a way to output only mono audio from RPi Zero W via using only one pin?

I'll use this mono output just for word reading audio files, not for music. There is no need to use stereo or high quality audio.

Is this a solution?

https://www.instructables.com/Breadboard-RetroPie/

GPIO 18 -> 33nf capacitor -> breadboard GND
GPIO 18 -> 10uf capicitor -> NPN transistor base pin
NPN transistor emmitter pin -> breadboard GND
NPN transistor collector -> speaker -> breadboard 5 V

[jdb]

The firmware analogue audio driver will always configure both PWM channels. This isn't going to change.

If you want "mono" output, then open the ALSA sink with 1 audio channel configured in your PCM format - this will cause it to do "dual mono" output on both PWM channels, and you can ignore the one you don't need.

[semih_sky]

I must use only one PWM pin for audio, I've ran out of pins mono is enough for me. If OS won't provide mono audio with only one pin, nothing left to do

Thanks.

[rpdom]

Unless you need the other PWM channel for something else, then you can just ignore it. You only need to configure the one gpio pin for PWM output.

[semih_sky]

Should I understand this that I can use only one PWM pin to get mono audio and use other PWM pin for something else like controlling a motor's speed at the same time?

[trejan]

Should I understand this that I can use only one PWM pin to get mono audio and use other PWM pin for something else like controlling a motor's speed at the same time?

No. You can't split it like that with the two PWM channels doing different things.