[SOLVED] HDMI Audio In VLC Garbled/Inaudible WIth Intel Audio

Question

I thought I understood the difference between cards, devices, and pcm devices, but I guess I don't.
I've set up my system to recognize the Analog Card as the default (card 0), and the HDMI Card as Card 1 via Set The Default Sound Card .  My alsa-base.conf:
options snd-hda-intel model=auto
options snd slots=snd_hda_intel
options snd_hda_intel index=1
Output of aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: VT1802 Analog [VT1802 Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 2: VT1802 Alt Analog [VT1802 Alt Analog]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Output of aplay -L
null
Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
sysdefault:CARD=PCH
HDA Intel PCH, VT1802 Analog
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
HDA Intel PCH, VT1802 Analog
Front speakers
surround40:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
HDA Intel PCH, VT1802 Analog
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
HDA Intel PCH, VT1802 Analog
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
HDA Intel PCH, VT1802 Analog
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
HDA Intel PCH, VT1802 Analog
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=PCH,DEV=0
HDA Intel PCH, VT1802 Analog
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=0
HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 0
HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=1
HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 1
HDMI Audio Output
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=2
HDA Intel HDMI, HDMI 2
HDMI Audio Output
And my latest .aroundrc
pcm.!default {
type hw
card PCH
ctl.!default {
type hw
card PCH
pcm.!hdmi0 {
type plughw
card HDMI
device 3
pcm.!hdmi1 {
type plughw
card HDMI
device 7
pcm.!hdmi2 {
type plughw
card HDMI
device 8
WIth the above configuration, VLC outputs to PC speakers fine using the "Analog Default Audio Device" (However, if it matters, switching to "Analog Front Speakers" is a garbled mess).  Selecting HDMI0 and HDMI2 in VLC produces no output.  Selecting HDMI1 in VLC is the same garbled mess.  However, running this command from Archwiki HDMI Output produces totally clear audio via HDMI:
aplay -D plughw:1,7 /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav
The list of audio devices that VLC "sees" as selectable for audio output mirrors the PCM devices I see with aplay -L.  The three HDMI audio devices in aplay -L each list as their devices 0, 1, and 2 for HDMI0, HDMI1, and HDMI2 respectively.  Conceptually, it seems to me like my HDMI PCM devices are messed up.  Shouldn't HDMI1, at least, be paired with Device 7, since the command directly above works with device 7?  If I understand things correctly, my asoundrc currently overrides cards , however, when I try to get it to override pcm devices, with the following, no hdmi devices are visible in VLC:
pcm.!hdmi {
type plughw
card HDMI
device 7
There must be something I am not understanding - would appreciate any help or insights.
Last edited by strexfive (2014-03-23 09:20:17)

Answer 1

Okay nevermind...sort of.  It occurred to me to try the same alsa wav test file in VLC through HDMI.  It plays clearly with HDMI1 device.  So, my understanding of ALSA PCM devices is still totally messed up, but I have discovered my problem is a different one:
VLC plays mp3/mp4/mkv files garbled through HDMI, but clearly through PC Speakers.
Now I will try and solve this new problem myself.  Marking SOLVED since original issue was non-issue...can I delete thread so as not to waste everyone's time?