# a8n-sli sp/dif optical out?

## dan2003

Heya,

Has anybody used the optical out on the a8n-sli? It shows up as an iec958 card in alsamixer but i am unable to get any signal from it, (the little red light isn't lit!).

Thanks

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## Cintra

Hei, 

I have an Asus P4PE but for s/pdif to work IEC958 needs to be unmuted and IEC958 P needs to be at zero level

Hope it helps..

Mvh

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## dan2003

I've just tried setting IEC958 P to 0 but my IEC958 doesn't have mute or unmute, it just has an option PCM which cant be changed  :Rolling Eyes: 

0000:00:04.0 Multimedia audio controller: nVidia Corporation CK804 AC'97 Audio Controller (rev a2)

```
┌───────────────────[AlsaMixer v1.0.8 (Press Escape to quit)]──────────────────┐

│ Card: NVidia CK804                                                           │

│ Chip: Realtek ALC850 rev 0                                                   │

│ View: Playback                                                               │

│ Item: IEC958 Playback AC97-SPSA                                              │

│                                                                              │

│    ┌──┐               ┌──┐     ┌──┐     ┌──┐                                 │

│    │  │               │  │     │  │     │  │                                 │

│    │  │               │  │     │  │     │  │                                 │

<    │  │               │  │     │  │     │  │                                 │

<    │  │               │  │     │  │     │  │                                 │

<    │  │               │  │     │  │     │  │                                 │

<    │  │               │  │     │  │     │  │                                 │

<    │  │               │  │     │  │     │  │                                 │

<    │  │               │  │     │  │     │  │                                 │

│    │  │               │  │     │  │     │  │                                 │

│    │  │               │  │     │  │     │  │                                 │

│    │  │     PCM       │  │     │  │     │  │      Mix                        │

│    ├──┤               └──┘     ├──┤     ├──┤               ┌──┐     ┌──┐     │

│    │MM│                        │MM│     │MM│               │MM│     │OO│     │

│    └──┘                        └──┘     └──┘               └──┘     └──┘     │

│      0                  0        0      0<>0                                 │

│   Phone    IEC958  <IEC958 P>PC Speak   Aux     Mono Out Duplicat External   │

└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

```

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## Cintra

Did you find this one.. https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic-t-310957-postdays-0-postorder-asc-highlight-jack-start-25.html

Mvh

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## Gentree

hey dan2003 , how did you post that mixer output ? Everytime I've tried that is come out a right mess.  :Confused: 

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## dan2003

When u paste it into the form it looks a right mess, but i tried a preview and saw that it came out fine so posted it as it was and thats the result.

Also be sure to enclose it in the code braces  :Wink: .

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## dan2003

Forgot to add that with regard to the problem i'm having, i found in kmix i can change PCM to analog and another value, cant remember what it is, but still have not succeeded in getting it to work  :Sad: 

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## dan2003

K, got it wokring, its weird the red light dont come up till some sound has been played to it.

Damn this lack of hardware mixing! been trying to use dmix but it seems some apps don't work with it or summin.

I have a device default mapped to a dmix device to the optical out and some thing will work but others say the hardware is busy.

I mmange to get xmms using alsa plugin and amarok using gstreamer to also to ply simultaneously.. Bur arts wont start while there running.. Aso oss out for games etc only works if no other app is sound the sound  :Sad: 

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