[SOLVED] Can’t open /dev/dsp in Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat and Lucid Lynx 10.04

9
June 9th, 2010 Permalink

I recently installed a program called SBaGen which uses device /dev/dsp to output audio. However, the OSS (Open Sound System) device is not available anymore in Lucid and Maverick (maybe it doesn’t work with older versions, but I’m not sure), not even with OSS emulation with alsa. The snd-pcm-oss module does not load even when [...]

I recently installed a program called SBaGen which uses device /dev/dsp to output audio. However, the OSS (Open Sound System) device is not available anymore in Lucid and Maverick (maybe it doesn’t work with older versions, but I’m not sure), not even with OSS emulation with alsa. The snd-pcm-oss module does not load even when oss-compat and alsa-oss have been installed. It is seen to be blacklisted in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf.

However, pulseaudio also supports OSS emulation with an app called padsp. So, for example if you want to launch

sbagen examples/basics/prog-chakras-1.sbg

you should launch

padsp sbagen examples/basics/prog-chakras-1.sbg

This way, you will be able to run OSS based sound apps without need for OSS.


If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

  • Pingback: [HOWTO] Installing sbagen in Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx and 10.10 Maverick Meerkat | The _khAttAm_ blog

  • Bort Vern

    Awesome…had same problem with sbagen and /dev/dsp worked perfectly padsp ./t-seqall.sh

  • http://en-gb.facebook.com/people/Ben-Ritchie/516401687 Ben Ritchie

    Thanks mate..

  • http://en-gb.facebook.com/people/Ben-Ritchie/516401687 Ben Ritchie

    Thanks mate..

  • http://en-gb.facebook.com/people/Ben-Ritchie/516401687 Ben Ritchie

    Thanks mate..

  • http://profiles.google.com/wayward4now Rickey Moore

    PERFECT!!!! That worked!! Thanks for the fix.

  • Aoa

    $ padsp sbagen examples/basics/prog-chakras-1.sbg 
    ## From Jim Peters:
    ##
    ## ** WARNING: This is very experimental.  I’m not at all sure that it is
    ## ** possible to find frequencies for the Chakras, if they are the same for
    ## ** each person, if they are always at the same frequency, or even if all
    ## ** of the Chakras can be stimulated in this way.  I AM NOT AWARE ENOUGH
    ## ** TO SAY IF THIS REALLY WORKS.  This is just an experiment.
    ##
    ## - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - - 
    ##
    ## This cycles through a sequence of four pure-tuned chords, each
    ## of which takes 3 minutes, and is designed to stimulate
    ## different Chakras.  A bell indicates the change between
    ## chords.  Each cycle of chords takes 12 minutes, and this is
    ## repeated endlessly.
    ##
    ## The frequencies for the Chakras, and the idea that the Chakras
    ## can indeed be stimulated in this way, using Theta frequencies,
    ## has come purely from my own experience and sensations that I
    ## have felt whilst listening to binaural beats at different
    ## frequencies.
    ##
    ## I have no idea if the Chakras are at the same frequencies for
    ## other people, or even if I have really got the right
    ## frequencies for myself.
    ##
    ## So take this as it comes.  You may need to experiment on
    ## yourself a bit to find what the individual frequencies do to
    ## you.
    ##
    Can’t open /dev/dsp, errno 111

    • http://www.khattam.info _khAttAm_

      What OS are you using? Maybe a problem with pulseaudio-utils or pulseaudio itself…

    • http://www.khattam.info _khAttAm_

      What OS are you using? Maybe a problem with pulseaudio-utils or pulseaudio itself…