In message <399A88CF.4E8B91B2@augustsson.net>Lennart Augustsson writes
>Jonathan Stone wrote:

>Usually the knobs and the sound producing parts of USB speakers are not
>connected at all.  So the setting of a HID button should not matter.  But there
>might be exceptions to this, I don't know.
>
>The first thing to try is to use mixerctl to manipulate the mixer in the speaker.

Sorry. I already tried that: didn' help.  The analog input on the
speakers does work (but then I'm back to 8-bit Soundblaster hw
emulation on the laptop).

I think it really _is_ the Consumer mute which is causing the
problem. (I tried Windows but couldn't read the driver CD for the
speakers; they didnt play sound with the default win98 USB controls. Ugh.).


>If that doesn't work, usbbhidctl should be fixed so you can actually set items
>with it (that fact that you can't is listed as a bug).  Someone was working on this,
>but I've forgot who.



>The usb(3) library provides you with all the tools you need to change a HID control
>with a few lines of code.

Yep. it was coming to grips with the usb code (after too little.
sleep, due to other deadlines) which was the problem.

Thanks very much) for all the advice!