Re: [OT] Re: What netbook to you run NetBSD on? (-> netbook.xml)

["Jeremy C. Reed" <reed%reedmedia.net@localhost>]

I am replying to two emails here.

On Wed, 22 Oct 2008, Jared D. McNeill wrote:

> > What is confusing to me is that some use outputs.lineout.eapd=on with
> > outputs.lineout, others use inputs.dac10, and I use
> > outputs.black15.eapd=on with inputs.dac02.
> 
> There are two issues.
> 
> First is that the azalia driver compromises, and operates in "best 
> effort" mode when a codec isn't explicitly supported. That's what you're 
> seeing with the <color><nid> style controls.

Is this something that can be explained in a manual page? (Or is it 
already there?)

Also have docs explain the <color><nid> style controls.

Is there any logging or kernel output or other way to let user easily know 
it is in "best effort" mode?

What breaks if there is a mapping to some consistent naming?

Sure seems strange that I control my speaker volume on one system with 
"inputs" but on other system with "outputs".

> The second is that HD audio mixers don't map very well to Sun audio 
> mixer controls. Using information from HD audio widgets you can derive a 
> name like "Line-out Jack (Location: Back, Channels: Front Left/Right) 
> Mute Switch" but I don't know how to map that to a sysctl MIB style name 
> that won't piss anybody off.

Any proposals? Something is better than nothing.

On Wed, 22 Oct 2008, Marcin M. Jessa wrote:

> In my case I had to search the web and try and fail before I found out 
> what worked for me. Most people would give up long before (I know most
> people don't run NetBSD either).

That was my case. But searching led nowhere. Some other NetBSD users gave 
me various things to try.

If it can't be made easy, then we could at least have the azalia and/or 
other appropriate man pages clearly document what works for certain 
hardware (and what doesn't work). On that note, if the hardware can detect 
what hardware and we can document what works to turn on speaker and 
control volume, then it seems like the software could handle that too with 
a consistent name.

(Probably obvious: I don't know anything about the HDA code or 
specifications. I am just a user in this case and I want it to be easy for 
others.)