Hello world, it is I, Psycho_Punk. This time with you will be beautiful.

I'm not new to the penguin. The penguin and I go back more than a decade. That said, I also don't think I'm a greybeard by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm hoping to attact "bodacious penguins". Those that wouldn't mind addressing Linux issues, Linux-based surround system issues (uh huh- I'm willing to bet the firmware on a majority of A/V Receivers is Linux), and general computing issues.

It's a long one, but I want you to have too much information, than too little. I respect your time!

I am a musician. I make music. I use a Behringer USB DAC for my studio-side of things.

I am a music enthusiast. I listen to lots of music. I play my playlists through VLC and occassionally Clementine.

The Behringer DAC has a nice set of studio-quality headphones jacked in.

The PC we're talking about is cabled via HDMI to the TV. The HDMI port on the TV that the PC uses is HDMI1.

The signal chain for is as follows:
HDMI_cable_a goes from PC's GFX (Graphics) --> Panny A/V 5.1 Receiver on jack "BD/DVD Player IN".
HDMI_cable_b goes from Panny A/V 5.1 Receiver on jack "Out" --> TV (HDMI1 port on the back of the TV). So, we have 2x "good quality, but absolutely not the best quality" HDMI cables in this setup.

I have, indeed, a 5.1 surround sound system. It worked fine with Deb12 until a few weeks ago. Then, with all the issues and strange happenings with my Debian12 system (the one we're talking about), I decided it was time to wipe everything, and give btrfs subvolumes a try, in a multi-boot system. That was last Sunday. Welp... I can't even get things right with Debian12, so I haven't gone further with the multi-boot.

And now that we have this all established... I'd like to give you the punk quote of the day: "Punk's not dead, it just deserves to die when it becomes another stale cartoon." -Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys "Chickenshit Conformist" from their Bedtime for Democracy album.

Now we're jamming. Hotay, here we go. \m/


The issues with my Debian 12 PC + Surround System + DAC + Music Apps

I present to you Mone Risa. She's my cruel mistress. New PC build. Did it all myself, thank you very much. I know my way around computers. That's all I'll say.

Mone Risa details can be found here: https://flic.kr/p/2p4yj3G
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm not going to bore you on old issues. I'm going to bore you on the issues at present.

1. My Debian 12 behaves as if my LS (Left Surround) and RS (Right Surround) speakers, behind me, are just L and R speakers. The 5.1 setup is broken.
   So, for example, when you go to Debian Settings --> Sound --> Output section: HDMI GM206 High Def Audio Controller --> Configuration: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI) Output... and I click TEST...
   "Rear Right" plays thorugh front R speaker. "Rear Left" plays through front L speaker.
   
2. USB DAC (Behringer) is connected to a USB 3.x port on the PC. Then I have a pair of Beyerdynamic German-made studio headphones jacked into the Headphone doohickey of the DAC. VLC thinks I want to listen to music through the DAC. VLC assumed I wanna listen through my Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro headphones... and when you ASSuME something, VLC, you make an ASS out of U and Me. Firefox and other browsers do play audio through the broken 5.1 surround system. I'm not certain why this is, but here's a video of this issue with VLC and my DAC: https://flic.kr/p/2p4o1kc
   
3. I know that Debian uses both ALSA and PulseAudio for sound controllers (did I say that term right?). Which device uses which sound controller (PulseAudio/ALSA) I'm still trying to figure out. Here's the output of pactl list: https://flic.kr/p/2p4yYBb
   
4. Clementine doesn't play through anything. No ideer what's up on this fresh installation.
   
5. Ba ba ba ba ba- I wanna be sedated!

Other helpful resources, in addition to the ones above:
1) ALSA Mixer: https://flic.kr/p/2p4zkB8
2) aplay: https://flic.kr/p/2p4sf5s
3) VLC error: https://flic.kr/p/2p4gUCG
4) VLC_Audio_Devices_List_HDMI1: https://flic.kr/p/2p4mS2i

Now. If you'd be so kind as to reference what you'd like to help me out with so that I know which exact issue we're addressing... I'd be happily punk in drublic. THANKS IN ADVANCE, and I'm quite pleased with how my first post went! I'm humble in my knowledge of Linux and its quirks err... features! I am a Debian person. Love me .deb files, can't get enough of 'em.


Thank you for your time, and thank you for your pearls of wisdom. Some day, I want to grow up to be just like you, and help others out... because the Linux community is magnifique. Adieu! C'iao! Auf Wiedersehen! Tot zo! Oh... "Should I stay or should I go now?" - The Clash



******** UPDATE 2023-9-22 12:12 EUR/CEST *** 6:12 AM US/EDT *** 19:12 JST (UTC+9) ********
VLC is using something I'm not all too familiar with, but can certainly research further: PipeWire Media Server. ALSA.
So VLC is now happily playing through my broken 5.1 Panny surround system. One issue down!

Greets, Psycho Punk.

To clear a few things up, the language on this forum is International English. Please post in English that people who have English as their second language will understand. This might explain what is required.

You posted an awful lot about yourself. So much, in fact that I got fed up wondering what your problem was half way through. Have you a Problem you can explain clearly?

1 members found this post helpful.

lol wut?

If you got fed up, why waste your time further? My problem? I don't really have a problem, so much as obstacles I'd like to overcome, with my PC and the penguin. Also, I'm not sure why you're requesting I post in English. Maybe I wrote in Swahili?

Nothing is required in my world. So that "how to ask a question" that might explain what is required? Nah. Nah.

I'm a free spirit. Help me, ignore me, challenge me, fight me, hurt me, or get outta my way. If you're fed up- move on. It's the Internet, yeah? Net neutrality. Exchange of information. And it's a Linux forum- do better. That is all.

To those that would like to help this battered, sometimes wayward, sometimes conflicted penguin... one issue would be, again...
My Debian 12 behaves as if my LS (Left Surround) and RS (Right Surround) speakers, behind me, are just L and R speakers. The 5.1 setup is broken.
So, for example, when you go to Debian Settings --> Sound --> Output section: HDMI GM206 High Def Audio Controller --> Configuration: Digital Surround 5.1 (HDMI) Output... and I click TEST...
"Rear Right" plays thorugh front R speaker. "Rear Left" plays through front L speaker.

Yes, do better; as in, don't post in text-speak like 'lol wut'. As is outlined in the LQ Rules.
And if you don't feel like obeying forum rules and basic etiquette and being polite...in your words 'nah nah'. Why do you expect to talk to people like that, then want their help??? "Your world" is meaningless past yourself...if you want to deal with others, then act like you'd want to be treated.
...and this is exactly what was asked for, a simple question. Did you actually install the correct nVidia drivers that support surround sound? Lots of Debian/Mint/Ubuntu references to such things, for example:
https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=340717

1) text-speak... what even is that lol wut? I feel like I have a fairly good command of the English language, in its permutations. "text-speak"... a bit of an oxymoron, don't you think? Wait-wait... lemme try... how about, "type-talk". "written-speech". "scribbled-utter". lol wut? goml.

2) "Why do you expect to talk to people *". Are you trying to say something? Are you trying to say, "Why do you talk to people, and expect [help]"? I don't expect anything from anyone. I'd appreciate it if everyone else would do the same for me.

3) Now that we have that all outta the way lol wut? Yesh.

TB0ne. Bone up on your reading comprehension. Stat. Pronto, friend-o. I don't like it when my words are taken out of context. Again, I repeat, and I don't have the Crayolas to go much more than this breakdown here:

"Nothing is required in my world. So that "how to ask a question" that might explain what is required? Nah. Nah."
Nothing is required.

To your next statement: "Your world" is meaningless past yourself-
Are you in "my world"? If so, kindly exit.

To your next declaration: "If you want to deal with others, then act like you'd want to be treated."
You're not my parent, nor some overlord. I am a free spirit. I answer to no one. I am not looking for a conflict here, yet here we are. I am, as I am, take it, or leave it. Did you get offended by something I said? What did I say to offend you in my original post? Are you rallying with business_kid? Ya know... it seems like y'all are exhibiting bullying behaviour. Oh, I see you're a 'bama man. Behavior, for you. Honestly you guyz... if you read my post, I feel like I was nothing but cordial, cheery, and forthcoming with (what I feel) was excessive technical information from my side. You all are quite entertaining, and I dig that, yo. Preach.

Including any answers from anyone here.
Nope, none of us here are; you are in ours. Kindly exit.
You weren't 'cheery, cordial, or forthcoming'. Your initial question was plain confusing and you omitted the relevant pieces of information, such as the nVidia driver you loaded (and which you were asked about). We don't need to know about your stereo system, etc....just your computer. The only reason we know it's nVidia is the model # you posted. The rest of it is pointless.

Business_kid asked you something politely, and you responded with the kind of garbage you posted here. Since you're so smart you think you need crayons to explain things to others, you then certainly have the wherewithal to fix this yourself.

Act however you want; others respond in kind. And if more than one person agrees someone is behaving badly, that's not an indication of 'bullying behavior', but more an indication of how YOU are behaving. Reported. Good luck getting anyone, anywhere to help you.

1 members found this post helpful.

OP's twin post.

1 members found this post helpful.

/Added Psycho_Punk to Ignore list.

1 members found this post helpful.

Thanks for pointing that out! Because now everyone can see, how over there at forums.debian.net... with the same content that was posted here... they actually helped. They didn't attack me. I have only defended myself here at LQ. Look at your responses- they are void of anything of assistance, just incessant whining and shallow bitterness. Are y'all miserable or something? Misery loves company.

At forums.debian.net those penguins didn't treat me like I was treated here. This was my first ever post at LQ. I know that not everyone has their days... but seriously, I'm still at a loss as to how I copied/pasted something in an incredibly good mood, to two different Linux forums. And the outcomes were polar opposites. Do better.

Nobody here has the guts (or maybe the proof) to quote anything in my original, FIRST POST EVER at LQ, that was offensive or similar. Yet I got conflict here. Over there? I can see myself buying those gents a beer. Even the metalhead (and yeah, I've got a metal side, as well) Do better.

And before you retort with some more squabbling and hee-hawing... I don't want to believe everyone here at LQ is like you lot. Y'all hopefully are the exceptions, and not the majority. I've heard silly things in the offline world like, "if don't like it here- then leave". How about... if you don't want to engage with someone, just don't! Y'all are... _____________________. Do better.

Oh. One last thing on this: do better.

Consider post #3 of each thread. That is where the difference occurs.

Posts #2 are the essentially the same response:
What distinguishes those? One is using flowery round the houses language, the other is concise and direct.

...

1 members found this post helpful.

Yes, I respect that, and clearly I prefer directness (hence why I now live in Europe). But there's a difference in directness and just being a ackjass. Ever met the Dutch? Thin line there. Obligatory: I hold a Dutch passport, and others.

Thanks.

Yeah, you do need to "do better". It wasn't your first post, it was your second (to quote you, "I don't have the Crayolas to go much more").

• If you got fed up, why waste your time further? My problem?
• Also, I'm not sure why you're requesting I post in English. Maybe I wrote in Swahili?
• Nothing is required in my world. So that "how to ask a question" that might explain what is required? Nah. Nah.
• I'm a free spirit. Help me, ignore me, challenge me, fight me, hurt me, or get outta my way. If you're fed up- move on.
• Again, I repeat, and I don't have the Crayolas to go much more than this breakdown here:

Somehow you don't understand why junk like that is sarcastic and plain snotty? You were politely asked something, and that's what we got. You were politely asked to read the LQ Rules and guidelines, and we get "Nah. Nah". You somehow expect everyone to 'do better', want others to do/act/answer as YOU think they should, while you're somehow free from such things, right??? Doesn't work that way. Say that junk to someone in real life and see what kind of responses you get, and how much your "I'm a free spirit" answer will buy you.

Since you like the Debian forum so much, go there, and there's then no need for you to come back here. Take your own advice...if you don't want to engage with someone just don't, right???
You respect it so much you didn't answer the very direct, "which nVidia driver do you have loaded?" question. Seems direct, yet remains unanswered. Another direct point would be, "You claim to have had this working before on the exact same OS and hardware, yet somehow can't remember how to do it now?" Bother to check the AV receiver, to see if surround is enabled??

Okay, I've waded through a lotta Scheiße (that's German for bollocks...) to get to this tentative conclusion:

PipeWire stable release is: 0.3.80 as of this post.
I'm running Debian stable.
PipeWire stable again is 0.3.8 yet Debian is using------------ #@$%U$@Q#%$#A&%#@$$$$$^&&* seizure for _____. PW 0.3.65 .

So I actually should upgrade PipeWire. But Debian Stable is at 0.3.65 which is an unstable PW iteration. C'mon now. What is this lunacy? I find it absolutely hilarious.

So... without having to add more sources (i.e. Backports, non-free, etc)... what's the best (read: safest) way to up PipeWire to 0.3.8 ?

And then... I just had a moment. I ran and see PulseAudio (on PipeWire 0.3.65) is the culprit.
Default Sample Spec is: 2ch 48000Hz
Default Channel Map: front-left, front-right

Pop goes the wezel.

Want to change the Default Sample to 7ch 192kHz.
Want to change the Def Channel Map to:
front-left, front-right, [center], [rear-left], [rear-right], [thumper/woofer] or wutevuh. Uncharted territory for me.