Crash when trying to play an MP3

**omry** · October 23rd, 2008, 01:47 AM

Normally I get sound in Boxee and in played video files.
when I try to play an audio file, I boxee crashes with this message:

ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:996: (snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:996: (snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave
Segmentation fault

the log file contains:

08:44:15 T:3051702144 M: 53190656 INFO: MP3Codec: Loaded decoder at 0xae036948
08:44:16 T:3051702144 M: 57794560 INFO: PAP Player: Playing /storage/mp3/Deep dive corp/Support your local groover/deep-dive-corp. - support your local groover - 01 - deep dive.mp3
08:44:16 T:3051702144 M: 56123392 ERROR: CreateStream - pcm_open, alsa error: Device or resource busy
08:44:16 T:3051702144 M: 71774208 ERROR: PAPlayer::Unable to create audio stream
08:44:16 T:2743171984 M: 71774208 INFO: PAPlayer: End of playback reached
08:44:16 T:3051702144 M: 71344128 INFO: MP3Codec: Loaded decoder at 0xae036948
08:44:16 T:3051702144 M: 56307712 INFO: PAP Player: Playing /storage/mp3/Deep dive corp/Support your local groover/deep-dive-corp. - support your local groover - 02 - summertime.mp3
08:44:16 T:3051702144 M: 56135680 ERROR: CreateStream - pcm_open, alsa error: Device or resource busy
08:44:17 T:3051702144 M: 72126464 ERROR: PAPlayer::Unable to create audio stream
08:44:17 T:2743171984 M: 72126464 INFO: PAPlayer: End of playback reached

**marcel** · October 23rd, 2008, 11:12 AM

hi omry

we will check into this ..does it happen with all your media files

**element** · October 23rd, 2008, 01:20 PM

I saw this happen as well. It was because I had another media player (Exaile) going while I was playing with Boxee. I closed Exaile and then launched Boxee and all was well.

(Running Ubuntu Hardy)

**omry** · October 23rd, 2008, 05:35 PM

yup. with all mp3 files I tried.

I don't have anything else that is using the audio card as far as I can tell.

btw, may be unrelated:
I don't get sound in flash videos. (youtube and friends).

**yuvalt** · October 24th, 2008, 06:53 AM

It could be Pulse Audio related. Go to System -> Preferences -> Sound and try to switch the output from Pulse to ALSA. After the switch click "Test". If it fails it means that there's something wrong with ALSA/Pulse. What version of Ubuntu did you try? If it's 810, it's documented here: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...er/+bug/280534

**omry** · October 24th, 2008, 09:49 AM

Hi Yuval,
if you meant Settings->System->Audio hardware, I don't see anything about ALSA or Pulse there.

it's set to Analog and the current audio device is 'default'.

about my OS version, it's Debian Lenny.

**yuvalt** · October 24th, 2008, 02:36 PM

I meant the settings in Ubuntu....don't know too much about debian..

**omry** · October 24th, 2008, 02:46 PM

well, I don't know much about Ubuntu and I never heard of Pulse.
my system is using ALSA.

**kaisjam** · November 2nd, 2008, 02:06 PM

I had this problem until I made Passthru and Audio output devices both "default." Originally audio output was set to default, and passthru was set to iec958. That got me nothing. Setting both to iec958 got me sound in vids, and no mp3s. Both as default makes vids and mp3's work.

My setup is: SB Audigy LS sending digital out via coax into my receiver. Running Ubuntu Gutsy with no special alsa config (that is, no asoundrc files). Audio Output set to "Digital," AC3 and DTS boxes ticked (receiver recognizes both), audio and passthrough output devices both set to "default" (as above).

Hope this helps... I was scratching my head for a while trying to get this going. Similar thread: http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=294. Thanks tsella!

**tale** · November 6th, 2008, 06:04 PM

I'm having this problem. I had posted a new post here: http://forum.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=1622

Anyway, I tried removing my custom /etc/asound.conf and setting the audio hardware to digital, checking the ac3 and dts, and then setting the two fields to default. Boxee wouldn't crash and music appeared to play, but I didn't get any sound.

The only way I get sound is to configure my system like this: http://forums.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=1321

Then I get sound for almost all movies with ac3 or mp3 audio. I also get sound for navigating around boxee. When I try to play a music file boxee core dumps. I also don't get sound in hulu, cbs, or shoutcast (possibly others).

Is there any other suggestions that you guys have for this problem? I'm having the exact same error message in the log as the guy had with the first post. There was another guy in the IRC channel that had this exact issue also today.